Christmas Week

*long post with lots of pics

so the week of Christmas was really fun! i started it off on Monday with my cookie exchange. if you have never hosted a cookie exchange you got to put it on your to do list for next year! all you do is invite 12 people over (that is including yourself) have them bring six dozen cookies that they baked, and make sure they tell you in advanced so there is no duplicates. provide some snacks and we always do a ornament exchange. then everyone goes around and takes half a dozen of each kind of cookie. super fun time! i usually have a "waiting list" since i only let 11 other ladies come and it is first to RSVP. i like to plan it the Sunday or Monday before Christmas so our hubbies can take a platter to work.

this year i served some appetizers fruit, cheese ball, spinach dip, and i had a hot drink station with hot cocoa, and tea. i got a really cute ornament actually 2) that my friend Tina made! and i had enough treats to send with John and had a lot left!

on the 23rd i ran a couple of quick errands then went by my moms and helped her make tamales. this is the first year i helped as much as i did and it was fun! i think i may tackle doing some after the holidays just to see if i can. we assembled them and put them in the fridge to be ready to cook Christmas morning.

this night i stayed up until 3:30 wrapping presents!!! the kids all draw names for Christmas. we have done it the last 3 years and it is a lot of fun so we continue it now as a tradition. i take each of them shopping at some point and they wrap it all up them selves. this year the 2 older drew each other and 2 younger drew each other. Liz bought David a huge star wars coloring poster book and twistable crayons, David bought Liz a body pillow which she loved, Johnathan bought Jake a big book of cars and Jake bought Johnathan a sticker book.

the rest of the week in the next post!