Christmas Vacation Week 2011

As of yesterday, I am on vacation for 10 days! 10 days! 10 days! (Yes, I am SO EXCITED that it required to be said three times)

I have so much planned that I am sure going to need the last day off to just relax with my kids and my husband.

Saturday December 17th did not really go as planned. I ended up with another migraine and some how put my back out. So I ended up relaxing with the kids all day. We watched kids shows while my husband was out with his brother and dad. We watched Christmas movies that night. Dom was a whirl wind of helpfulness during the day and then pure attitude and non-listening at night. (I heart these hormonal years, NOT)

Sunday December 18th is cleaning and laundry day. And I will wrap the last 5 presents that have just arrived! In the afternoon, we are having a Christmas party here with some friends. The kids do a gift exchange and run around like little crazy people!

Monday December 19th we are meeting some twitter/blogger moms/kids for a play date at the mall. We are also dropping off Christmas Crazy toys. (You should check out Michelle's blog, she does good things. She is good people!) I have a few coupons that I would like to use at the mall too. And Dom will be coming with us since he *may* have broken his thumb on Friday. (Urgent care cannot tell for sure but said his bones were not aligned, so I am treating that as a break)

Tuesday December 20th is doctor day. Dom was only supposed to have one appointment. However, we now have to go to the Ortho too. Will be a great day of stress, taking 3 kids to more than one appointment. Logan running one way. Charlie crawling the other. I will be *that* Mom. Oy Vey.

Wednesday December 21st is another doctor day. Charlie has her 2 week check-up for her double ear infections. Then are having dinner at a friends. (Yay for not having to cook dinner and hanging out!)

Thursday December 22nd is Dominic's Christmas party at school in the morning. Then we are taking lunch and teacher gifts to Logan and Charlie's day care. I will be sure to nap when the babies do too ;) Then we are having Gary's side of the family here for cake for his Dads birthday.

Friday December 23rd is our baking day! The kids and I will be baking sugar cookies, brownies and cupcakes for Christmas. I have TONS of sprinkles ready to go....I am sure my kitchen floor will be crunchy for weeks!

Saturday December 24th is Christmas Eve. The kids get to open their Christmas jammies. I love this tradition.
We go to my Aunt Paulma's house (Dad's side of the family) that night. Santa visits the kids. There is SO MUCH FOOD. We talk, laugh, catch up and remember the good from the year. We have family out of state, so it is nice to see them when they come in for the holidays.

Sunday December 25th is Christmas Day. I love this day. My kids faces. The giving. The pictures. The food. The craziness of it all. So much fun. We are so busy!
*Gifts at our house when the kids wake up. Breakfast, showers, pack the car
*My moms house for our gifts from my Mom
*Jims house for my FIL to give out his gifts (then he comes with us to my Moms for late lunch/dinner)
*Back to my moms for late lunch/early dinner, gift exchange with my family, dessert
*Granddads house for another dessert and gift exchange (we skip eating dinner twice, too much food!)
If you lost count, we open gifts 5 times just on Christmas. (and prior to that we had 3 other gift exchanges. so many gifts)

Monday December 26th is relax, put together gifts and clean up the tornado of presents that explode in our house. We usually eat left overs and stay in jammies. We need to recover from the days before.

Since I am on vacation, some of what we are doing is only because of that. But the rest is tradition. We do the same thing ever single year. I love it. The kids love it. There are ALWAYS EPIC melt downs. But that is okay. The kids get tired from all the Christmas things. I get tired too.

What are your family traditions for the holidays?