The Kassel Family Project Life 365

The Tooth Fairy came to visit John last night and delivered two Transformers books.  Needless to say, John was *very* excited!

Since I was not feeling that well today, but I really cannot stand just lying around, I decided to finally get to work on our online photo gallery.  Andy upgraded the gallery a while ago, but I have been putting off uploading a year’s worth of pictures and doing some reorganizing.  Let’s face it.  It is a big job, but I have to stop making excuses and just get started.  So, this afternoon was it.  I feel like I made significant progress, but I know that I am still a long way from being finished.  It is okay though because at least I finally got started!

This evening, Andy and I were upstairs in the kitchen when John appeared.  He said, “I lost something!”  Then, he held out his hand.  It was another tooth!  I was stunned that John pulled it out himself.  He said, “I just yanked it out!”  Andy and I had a good laugh even though John was frustrated at us for laughing.  This kid and the things he says just crack me up.

Since the kids are off school for another week, we decided to take them to lunch.  Laura has been wanting to try sushi for a long time, so Andy took her to Osaka for lunch.  She loved it with her favorite being the Tuna Rolls and Salmon Rolls.  She was also very excited to get to use chopsticks.

Since Andy and Laura had a special lunch date, I took John to lunch too.  Of course, he chose McDonald’s.  He was one happy boy.

Merry Christmas!  Our day started about 7:15 when John finally got out of bed.  Our kids like their sleep…  Even on Christmas morning!  John woke up both Andy and Laura so that we could begin opening presents.  Both kids noticed immediately that the two piles of presents were wrapped in two different types of paper, but none of the Santa presents were tagged.  This led to confusion until I suggested that they check their stockings.  Lo and behold, there was an envelope in each stocking with a piece of wrapping paper that let the kids know which pile of presents was theirs…  The race was on!

John started by opening a Nerf Chainsaw for fighting zombies and Laura started with an American Girl outfit.  This was only the beginning…

John’s favorite Santa gift and the one he was most excited about was the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun!  We actually had to encourage him to go on with opening his other presents.  He really, really wanted to open that box!

Laura’s favorite Santa gift was a bunk bed set, complete with bedding and pet bed, for her American Girl dolls.  It is a good thing that we gave away her dollhouse a few days before Christmas!  Now, she has storage space…

Despite the craziness of all the present unwrapping, Laura took time out to watch Grandpa Ken and Grandma Marilyn open the gift that she made for them.  She painted a picture of Welch Spring along the Current River.  Both were very touched and excited to receive a Laura Kassel original for Christmas.

Andy and I were all smiles when we opened Laura’s Christmas gift to us.  Her class made these at school – a picture frame and a book of poems.  You can’t beat these types of gifts.  They are simply the best.

With strategic present placement, Andy and I managed to save the biggest presents for last.  The kids got new tablets!  Laura got a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 and John got a Kindle Fire HD 7.  Both kids were super excited to realize that they had their own tablets!

The rest of the day was spent relaxing with the kids playing will all their new presents.  The Lowerys joined us for Christmas dinner and we had a great day of eating, drinking, talking, and laughing.  It was a fun Christmas day spent with great family and friends!  You can’t ask for anymore than that.

It was a busy Christmas Eve full of Kassel Family traditions.  We began the day by saying goodbye to Chippy, our Elf on the Shelf.  He returns to the North Pole tonight.  Santa made sure to lift Chippy’s magic for just a few minutes so that the kids could hug him goodbye.

Next, I did some grocery shopping (why do I always save this until Christmas Eve?!?)  Grandpa Ken and Grandma Marilyn arrived about 11 am to spend Christmas with us, and Andy and John headed out for lunch and some Christmas shopping (why does Andy always save this until Christmas Eve?!?).

Then, it was time to cook, cook, cook!  We needed to make and decorate Christmas Cookies to leave for Santa and Night Before Christmas Casserole for Christmas morning breakfast.  Laura helped me roll out and cut the cookies.

John helped to make the icing.

BOTH kids helped decorate the cookies and, yes, they both ate one while decorating.  The cookies “broke” or so that was the story…

Also, we made Reindeer Food.  This is an important part of Christmas Eve.  The oats provide food for Santa’s Reindeer and the glitter makes sure that the Reindeer have enough magic to get through the night.

Since Santa has to land our driveway because we don’t have a chimney, the kids always spread the Reindeer Food on the driveway.

After the kids take showers, Andy reads “The Night Before Christmas.”

Then, we set out cookies and milk for Santa.

Usually, we end the night at Christmas Eve Services at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church.  Because Laura was sick for a large part of Christmas Eve, only Andy and John went this year and I stayed home with her.  Once John got home and both kids were tucked in their beds, I settled down to read a bit.  Shortly before midnight, I heard some noises in our family room…  I raced downstairs, but the cookies were mostly eaten and the milk was all but gone by the time I got down there.

I knew Santa had arrived because our stockings were stuffed…

…and presents for Laura and John were by the Christmas tree.

Santa Claus had come and gone!

We did “Christmas” with the Lowery Family this evening.  We had a tasty dinner of Tortilla Salad and then the kids exchanged presents.  We started with John.  He received a Darth Vader shirt, which was declared his favorite article of clothing to date, and Hot Wheels track.

Then, Laura opened her gifts.  She received a shirt and a very pretty Girl Scout necklace.  Laura told me, “Mom, I just might start wearing necklaces just to wear *that* necklace!”

We intentionally saved Alia for last.  It is a big year for that great girl!  The Kassel Family gave her a gift card for $50 to American Girl.  We got to watch Rachel and B tell Alia that her “big” Christmas present was a trip to the St. Louis American Girl store to get a doll!  This was her reaction…

I think she was a *little* excited.  It was a great evening and a fun way to get the next couple of days started.