I Lied. Here we are on Christmas Morning.

Couldn't help myself. Aren't we a great looking bunch straight away in the morning?! :)
I can't help but wonder how Wayne and Dave escaped my camera. Sly fellas.

Christmas Morning

I will not post pictures of any of us on Christmas morning. You know, morning breath, crazy hair, and all the rest ...

But. Seeing Claire's stocking (see the cute brown hat peeking out?!) beside Caeden's was surreal. Last year I had one child. Now I have two. It just keeps getting better and better. I am blessed beyond measure.

Here's Caeden trying to grab all of the presents left by Santa. He kept saying, "I wonder if this one is a silver monster truck?"

Not Christmas Related ...

A break from the Koop Holiday recap. I found a list of things to add to hot chocolate and wanted to share. Yum!

Things to Try with your Hot Chocolate:

• Mexican cinnamon

• Homemade Marshmallows (Williams-Sonoma sells them this time of year, too)

• Real Whipped Cream

• Peppermint Sticks (for swirling of course)

• Oreos, crushed into chunks

• I told you this was a yummy list

• Shaved chocolate bars

• Hershey's Kiss at the bottom of the cup

• Crushed peppermint

• Grated dark chocolate

• Drizzled chocolate syrup, whipped creme and a cherry on top

• It's the adjectives isn't it, I know honey, I know

• Cool Whip

• Finely grated pistachios

• Mini Kraft marshmallows

• Mayan style with cinnamon and cayenne pepper

• Amaretto

• Butterscotch Schnapps

• Peppermint Schnapps

• Bailey's Irish Creme

• Kahlua

• Hiccup, oh, excuse me

• Vanilla Vodka

• Starbucks style which means a spoonful of caramel and sprinkling of sea salt on the whipped cream

• A shot of espresso

• International Delight Raspberry Creme

• Marshmallow creme

• Real milk--no water

• Cinnamon sprinkles (Red Hots)

• Crushed Peppermint Patties (you're killin me here people....gaaaa! yum!)

• Armaula Creme

• International Delight White Chocolate Creme

• Vietnamese Cinnamon

It Keeps Coming...

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house ...

A little boy was checking on Santa (on a computer without a mouse ...)

The rocket was launching instead of sleeping in bed ...

And Dave and Nik were rapping things that shouldn't be said ...

(the rhyme ends here...writers block.)

When asked what he wanted for Christmas, Wayne replied, "Give to charity."
I love his response. Everyone else took it one step further and did it. A 500.00 donation made to the "Human Fund" was made in Wayne's name.

John got a beer making kit... that we still need to ship to him ...

Nikki thought this gift was for her ... oops. Wrong aunt.
We love you, Nik!

Apparently I had more than one glass of wine on this night ...

*The Human Fund is fake charity that George Costanza (Seinfeld) made up.

The Never Ending Christmas Post Continues ...

Christmas Eve -- the first Christmas that Caeden understood what was going on. Boy, did he ever get it. He ripped open package after package, saying, "I want to open another one ..." over and over. So funny and sweet to see him THAT excited. The presents aside, experiencing Christmas through Caeden was the best. Ever.

It is tradition that Nikki gathers the gifts and puts them into each person's pile ...

But I think Caeden is auditioning for the job ...

Tripod

Why I need one. Or, I could learn Photoshop and super-impose myself & Caeden in there somewhere ...

Christmas Eve

A picture of the Fam. Everyone looks so serious, except for Nikki. Obviously not drinking enough sangria at this point.

Caeden and Grandpa. There are not enough words to describe how much Caeden loves him. He talks about him everyday and when he is here ... well, Mommy and Daddy do not exist. Their bond is special, strong, and what every parents hopes for when they have children to "present" to their own parents.

Papa and Claire "dancing" to Christmas music. I could have watched them all night.

Daddy & Claire.

Donna and Nikki. So much fun to hang out with these two. The best is when Mom's cheek's get all red ... from what, you might wonder.
Family secret. :)

What am I going to do when she moves to Texas? Someone need to tell her that I moved all the way from Kansas to be near her. She can't go!!!

Sweet Claire's Christmas outfit from Mimi. The dress is SILK. It was the prettiest thing she has ever worn. I want to get a shadow box to display it every Christmas.

Mimi & Claire

Christmas Eve was everything it should be. Special. Loud. Funny. Sentimental. Full of Family.

We went to an early church service (kid friendly) where Caeden's teacher spoke. He loved that.
The powerpoint slides (with the lyrics) were hit and miss, but what do you expect for the first service of the night? I was just grateful that it was okay that my child could lay on the pew, look around, and not get dirty looks. Perfect!

Afterwards, everyone came back to our house for dinner. We started with wine, beer, and sangria and ended with honey baked ham, cheddar corn chowder, salads, and lots of cookies, fudge, and other sweets.

Wayne made a special toast with our last bottle of Cain Five (1995!!). He toasted to both of our grandmothers that we lost this year. Grandma Lyons and Grandma Goldie. They were a lot alike and are missed so much. Wayne's tribute was beautiful, and there wasn't a dry eye by the time he was done.

After Mom & Co. left, we opened presents. Wayne's side of the family has always opened gifts on Christmas Eve, leaving an empty spot for Santa to sneek in for Christmas morning. While all the gifts were wonderful, one that will stand out forever is Claire's new quilt that Donna (Grandma) made for her. She used my hospital gown that I delivered her in, and also the prettiest green, white, and pink materials to create Claire's quilt. We will cherish it forever (and I will post pictures one of these days).

Even though Claire had no idea what was going on, it was such a special Christmas to have two children to share it with. I feel blessed beyond measure.

If you are still reading, thanks for being such a trooper! More tomorrow ...

Later That Day ...

Lindsay with the Bear

Nikki making the famous beef stew.

Caeden taking each and every packing peanut (from the box that Crystal sent) downstairs to create the biggest mess ever. Oh well, I hardly ever go down there. :)

Grandma lovin' on Claire.

Dave and Donna arrived on the 23rd and immediately the house was full of life. So many conversations going, so much laughter, everyone coming and going ... it was wonderful! We all caught up on the latest happenings, drank wine, ate too much, and just enjoyed each other. It was a perfect start to the rest of the week.

Christmas Recap {Take 1}

Nikki & John drinking Winter Sangria.
{So fabulous. See end of post for recipe}

Uncle John & Caeden



We started off Christmas Week waiting for Wayne's sister, Nikki and her fiance, John, to arrive from Los Angeles. Caeden was so excited that he didn't know what to do with himself. As soon as Uncle John arrived, Caeden claimed him as his new BFF. Aunt Nik is always a favorite, but there is just something about two guys talking "Monster Truck" that a girl just can't compete with.

Anyway, on morning 2 of their arrival, an accident occured.
Caeden was sitting on the kitchen table talking to me when he announces he is going to sit on a chair. "Good idea, Buddy," I say.
The next second he is on the floor, face down, and not moving.

I rushed to pick him up and turn him over and found blood gushing from his chin. When he opened his mouth to cry and to ask for Tiny (his blanket), his mouth was full of blood. I just about died.

Wayne and I are running around the house like crazy people, trying to get Caeden ready so we can get him to the hospital. We decide Wayne will go since I will probably cry more than Caeden. So, Wayne calls me from the hospital room to tell me that Caeden's lower tooth/teeth had gone all the way through his chin and he was going to need stitches. I kinda figured that part from the gushing blood, but it was still horrible to hear how badly he was hurt. Poor little buddy. :(

Come to find out, medicine has become quite refined. The numbing agent isn't a shot anymore, it's a gel pad that Caeden held onto his chin for 30 minutes. He didn't feel the stitches (3 inside and 3 outside) at all. How cool is that?

The Doc gave him a present to open when he got home for being so brave. It was a bear (that I haven't seen since ...)

Bear from the hospital.

Just got home - still wearing his hospital gown.

My little man a few days later. I think he looks adorably tough in this picture. I need to get him his own black stocking hat - it suits him, I think.

Grandpa and Grandma Koop flew in from Rapid that morning and we kicked off Christmas week with everyone together, plus the battle scar.

{Winter Sangria}

Slice 2 apples and 2 pears into small pieces. Soak in a bowl with 1 cup Apple Brandy for at least 30 minutes but up to 12 hours.

When ready to serve:

Mix apple/pear mixture with 1 bottle white wine.

Pour into glasses and top off with sparkling apple cider.

Why Photoshop Exists

Cathy is my favorite/pretend I know her/funniest person ever blogger.

Read today's post. I might have peed myself a little bit while reading it. A person that can narrate their life in this way is just genius.

Nik & John are headed to Boulder for the day. Caeden and Wayne are at the Pediatrician's office where Caeden is hooked up to a nebulizer. Poor little guy cannot kick his flu and it is just getting worse and worse. Hopefully this helps.

I hope to meet everyone in Boulder, but we'll see. For sure there will be pictures posted later today.

December Calendar Blitz Cont. Again (love how the title keeps getting longer and longer) ... !

My Seestor, Nikki.

In front of my Mom's tree ...

Grams & Lindsay

Me & Lindsay (5 months pregnant with Claire)

December Calendar Blitz Cont.

This is perhaps my favorite page. The green block says,
"Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves."

The picture is of Grams and me.

Lovin the snow ...

It's hard to remember his hair that short...

December Calendar Blitz

You can't really see this picture very well ... but the story behind it is hilarious. This is a pic of my Uncle Les. Every year (except this one, unfortunately) we celebrate Christmas Day at Lynndee and Les' house in Belle Fourche, SD. So, last year, we're all eating a fabulous dinner and Les keeps getting up from the table and going into the bathroom. He does this 4 or 5 times before I wonder what in the world is going on ... so I follow him into the bathroom (door was open!) and there he was blow-drying his hair/neck. "Well, damn it, Val, I am trying to stay dry," he says to me. I guess he was a bit warm and used the blow dryer to dry the sweat off his neck. Catching him doing that with Lyndee's blowdryer was hilarious!

Making cookies last year. Yes, the tin cookie cutter on the page is real. Wish I could find more.

Ornaments on the tree ...

The red block says,
"Each day comes bearing it's own gifts.
Untie the ribbons."

The only thing on his list last year was a cement truck. This year it is a silver monster truck. That's it. I wonder when he'll figure out that he can ask for more? ;)

Christmas time at Wayne's parents' house.

Ready & Waiting

The house is clean. Cookies are baked ...

Caeden is ready to see Aunt Nikki & Uncle-in-Waiting John ...and is terribly concerned about when the airplane is going to arrive tonight.

"Today? Tonight? When it's dark? Is Daddy going to get them?"

Caeden is also asking for the ever popular and highly acclaimed Aunt Lindsay ... so you are on the spot for coming over Sunday, woman! :)

These adorable kids are ready.

Let the Holidays Begin!!