Christmas

Christmas this year was so much fun with our girls! We got to do all of our holiday traditions and more.  Here's Leonie at the Christmas tree stand picking out our tree.

 

 

Elsie with our tree.

 

Next up we decorated gingerbread houses at a friend's house.  Here's Leonie putting candies on her house.   The girls mostly used the candies for decorating but did eat several as well, haha.

 

Elsie enjoyed putting icing on her house.

 

The final products.

 

Once we brought the tree home the girls helped us put up the star and lights.  Elsie needed a little boost for this one!

 

After Grandma and Grumps arrived we had more fun - with cookies!  Here Elsie (in pink) and Leonie help Grandma cut out cookies for decorating.

 

They had just as much fun decorating the cookies later.  Leonie on the left.

 

But eating them was the best part!

 

Their first decorated Christmas cookies. This is a big tradition in my family and I plan to continue it with the girls.

 

On Christmas Eve the girls got to open one gift before bed (another Bertch tradition).  This year they got books.  Leonie on the left.

 

The last thing we did before bed was to set out cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer.  The girls didn't quite understand this tradition yet.  They wanted to sit and wait for Santa to come and eat the cookies!

 

Christmas morning!  Santa brought new duplos and some food toys for the girls to play with before breakfast. Elsie on the left.

 

Here we are opening our stockings.

 

Christmas day was a little overwhelming for the girls with all of the gifts.  They mostly liked to hand out the presents and then help people open them.  Playing in all of the packaging was fun too!  Elsie in pink.

 

Leonie taking a little rest with one of the presents from Uncle Nathan.

 

One last tradition - homemade Christmas ornaments each year.  This year my mom and I made these rocking horses from old art supplies.