Christmas 2012

This weekend we celebrated Christmas with my brother Jake and his family. We had a great time playing games, opening gifts, and eating (my favorite part of the holidays!)

We  started with candy making. We made turtles and chocolate covered pretzels Saturday afternoon, and the kids spent a lot of time playing the Wii U, and running outside.

Lydia and Vivian. Viv was covered in chocolate by the end. 

Elise cheesin' it up. 

Dylan enjoying the end product.

Sunday morning the first item on the agenda was opening gifts.

Jude and his candy mustache. 

Kellen is a little possessive of his new edition of "Lord of the Rings."  

My mom had an extra special gift for Jake and I. She took quilt blocks that my grandmother had pieced, and appliqued and framed them. The pieces of the design were made from clothing my mom and her siblings wore as children. My frame had one of these flower designs with another Sunbonnet Sue square. My grandmother made me a quilt of that pattern when I was a little girl. This square was an extra that she made. Sadly, my childhood quilt has been lost, but I love that mom captured a bit of it for me in this framed piece! 

Jake's quilt frame. 

 Our Christmas food traditions are a little unusual, but we certainly enjoy them. We had seafood stew, cheesecake, and homemade bread. Oh my, how I love Christmas dinner. After lunch, there was more Wii U, more playing in the woods, and we decorated salt dough ornaments.

It really was a great weekend, and a great way to kick off our Christmas celebrations.