Christmas Activities

Around the holidays we got to do a lot of fun things with our families. I really do enjoy living so close to them. 

On Sundays we typically try to match for church (Eric started it, I swear!).  One of the Sundays before Christmas we were looking pretty stylish, if I do say so myself.



One of may all time favorite holiday treats are Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies.  But not just any pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, they have to by my mom's recipe tweaked just right to perfection.  My entire family can attest to how addicting they are and how we all easily gain about oh... 20 or so lbs every Christmas just eating these cookies!  This is the 2nd year I have tried to replicate making the recipe.  Each year I am getting closer and closer, but I haven't quite mastered it.  Everyone else can't tell a difference, but my mom and I can.  My mom actually refused to eat one of my cookies and ate one of hers because it wasn't "quite right"... How rude!  Not for lack of trying, this year I think I attempted at least 25 batches.  Our neighbors and friends were very happy with the resulting product.  Maybe this next year I will get it right. 

That is a pretty sight!

Once again we sisters and sister-in-laws got together and did gingerbread houses.  My mother-in-law Jan bought the pre-ready kits from Walmart, and I think everyone enjoyed them a little more than trying to create houses from graham crackers.  My frosting wasn't sticking to well, so I ended up using a hot glue gun to get the house to stand up.  Good thing I don't really like gingerbread, so the house never did get eaten. 

 

Here was my final masterpiece:



Something extra fun that we did this year was we went to Eric's parents' home and sang Christmas carols with all of his siblings and their families.  Even one set of Eric's grandparents came (they live in Tempe so it wasn't too far of a drive for them).  I really enjoyed sitting around singing and getting into the holiday spirit.  And it doesn't hurt that everyone in Eric's family is musically talented, so we got a lot of really nice harmony going.  Music is one of my favorite things in this world; just ask my mom (I got it from her, she always had music playing).  Because of her love of music, I always have music playing.  Although, I am a bit of a fickler and refuse to listen to Christmas music until December 1st. I just can't listen to it before then... probably because I get tired of all the same songs by the end of December, so any longer than 1 month would drive me insane.  Plus, November deserves to have Thanksgiving celebrated the entire month.  Even still, I had a blast singing with the family. 

 

Here is a video of the awesome singing talent of the Roach crew:

https://vimeo.com/88788063

I think that even Gabriel had fun, what do you think? 

 I love holiday activities, they make December a lot more fun.  This next year will be even more fun with Gabriel being older and able to enjoy more of them... or at least I hope he will.