Christmas 2011 Weekend Number 2

The actual week of Christmas was very full for the Rethman family! We came home from our busy previous weekend on Sunday evening. I had 3 days of school left and Wes had 4. In my classroom, we were busy doing all kinds of fun Christmas things. We had just learned about Christmas around the world and did an insane amount of fun crafts for each of the different countries - German gingerbread houses and tannenbaums, French window candles, Chinese paper lanterns, Italian Christmas letters, Mexican poinsettias and American stockings. We also made menorahs out of noodles and beans but we didn't hang that in the hallway. The hallway outside of my room was so full of Christmas that one of my co-workers said that she feels like she needs to sing "It's a Small World After All" as she walked through. :) It is definitely my favorite unit to teach!



On Tuesday night, we headed over to our sitter's house for a little Christmas gathering with her full-time families. We had pizza and other sides and a yummy dessert. After dinner the kiddos performed some Christmas carols they had practiced, Jingle Bells and the 12 Days of Christmas. After they finished Lisa gave all of the kids their gifts. My girls got Uno Moo, a Fisher Price play-dough wheel and 2 books! She is beyond generous to her families. Each family also got a framed picture collage. She had a lady come over to take pics of the kiddos with her. There was a whole group picture, a picture of Lisa with just our two girls and then a picture of their little hands stacked on top of Lisa's hand with the quote "I will only be there to hold you hand for a little while, but I will hold you in my heart forever". Definitely had tears in my eyes when I opened it. We just absolutely LOVE her and it makes me so sad to think of the time when they won't be going to her house anymore. P.S. Not sure why the pics are all orange tinted, but I'm sure it has something to do with Wesley playing with all the settings and me not knowing that before snapping pics. LOL

Thursday night I invited some of my friends over for a dinner party because we simply don't get together often enough and we had good news to celebrate with each couple. Sarah and Matt just had their first little baby, Kinley Rose, on November 17th, Jessica and Jerid just got engaged and Staci and Eric just announced that they are expecting their first little one in July! I made lasagna, a veggie tray and Rolo pretzel snacks. My friends brought the sides and desserts. It was yummy and so much fun to get together. We decided we are going to try to do this more often. I didn't take any pictures that night somehow??????

Friday we traveled to Celina to have Christmas at YaYa and YoYo's house. They just got a new puppy on Thanksgiving day and Milo and Ellie did not get along very well. Milo wants to play and Ellie is only 6 weeks old and isn't quite ready for Milo's energy. It made things a little tricky keeping them apart. He won't be coming with us anymore if we can help it. The girls got some wonderful presents - a Melissa & Doug artist easel, paints, paintbrushes, chalk, art smocks, easel paper, Cabbage Patch dolls, an outfit, blinking Tinkerbelle wings and the fishing game! Aunt Kacie also got them another gift - a Pluto stuffed animal and some really cool books. We had a yummy late dinner and their special treat was cookies that YaYa had written their names on. They really thought that was cool! Wes got a Garmin running watch (which he LOVES!!!!!) and a season of the Simpsons. I got a Flip Video camera and some awesome Premiere Designs jewelry!!







Saturday (Christmas Eve) morning we woke up and YaYa made a delicious egg casserole for breakfast. It tasted like a breakfast burrit0! We left for home around 11:00. We needed to get home to get ready for the evening. We went to church at Cedar Creek at 4:00 and just as I always am I was totally moved by the service. I just absolutely love that place and was so grateful that my hubby had agreed to go with me so we could go as a family, even though he attends a Catholic church with the girls. We went with my parents and brothers. Following the service we met up with Aunt Lori, Uncle Dan, Aaron, Megan and Bethany at Bar Louie for dinner. We just love that place.
We were then able to head home for a peaceful evening of getting the girls ready for bed in their Christmas jammies and putting out milk and a cookie for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. The girls were so excited about that part! They went to bed fairly easily and then Santa could come! ;)Christmas morning the girls slept in until 8:00!!!! The first thing the girls asked about was if Santa ate his snack. Then they asked about presents. LOL We came out to find that Santa did eat his snack and left a little note for them. He also stuffed their stockings and filled the bottom of our Christmas tree with gifts for them.This first picture makes me laugh because it looks like an action shot but in fact Stella just had a raging case of bed head and her hair was absolutely nuts! :)In their stockings they got morning hair tamer (how appropriate right??), more hair piggos, bath tub color tabs, a stamp pad, 5 pairs of socks each and crayons.When the stockings were done they opened their gifts. They didn't receive a "big gift" but instead many smaller ones. They really only asked for slippers, puzzles and shoes so they can run fast with Daddy. They got all of those things! Elvis must have told Santa they were good girls! Santa also brought them a Gap hoodie, a few outfits, 2 pairs of pajamas, play doh and tools, a Dora memory game, Dot stamper markers and book, Wiki Stix and cards, lacing cards, giant Lion King coloring pages, books, and owl hooded bath wraps. Daddy got a 2 TB external hard drive and a new Reds shirt. Mommy got a portable external hard drive and 2 pancake griddles that make mini pancakes in the shape of bugs and zoo animals! Super fun! Daddy says I can still pick out a purse for myself! :)
We worked up an appetite after all that unwrapping! I made red and green scrambled eggs, sausage links and I tried out my pancake griddles.


We got cleaned up and went over to my parents' house for our Christmas with Nana and Papa. The girls received Ohio State shirts and tutus, an adorable Old Navy outfit and brown boots, Noah's Ark Little People set, wooden Melissa and Doug blocks and some money. Uncle Taylor and Uncle Zach got them a t-ball set that can also turn into one that just pitches to you. Daddy was pumped about that!

The Riedemans got the girls these robes, adorable aprons and a Sesame Street cookbook.My little budding photographer, Wesley, got a new filter for our camera that makes lights come out as 8-point stars from my brother, Taylor. It does look pretty cool! My parents got Wes some running clothing items. They got me shoes, a scarf, undies, and socks. We also got a VERY generous check from them! We ate a yummy brunch and the girls took a nap. We ended the evening at my Aunt Shirley's house for our gathering with our families. We ate, played games and stayed the night there. Great night but again no pictures!