What are your Holiday and winter break plans?

[mommy2mrb]

well the countdown is winding down. only 6 more days of school until our kiddos are all ours for two weeks what do you have planned?

we will be seeing the new Narnia movie, a nail day, probably a playdate/sleepover with Megan's friend one night and definately a jammie day or two, watch more holiday movies!

christmas eve will be at our house this year, big DB and his family spending the night with us.
Menu:
Beef tenderlion
garlic mashed potatoes w/gravy
green beans w/sauted scallions and bacon
carrots
homemade rolls
pumpkin and apple pies

will open family gifts after dinner and hang out....christmas morning "Santa" megan doesn't believe anymore but DNep does, so will have stockings and santa gifts with them. make breakfast - haven't decided yet - get cleaned up and head to my BIL house for dinner at 2:00 with FIL, DNe and DNep. Home and crash!

on the 28th we are flying down to CA to see our friends!!! 29th Birch Girls Friend Fest at my friends house, hoping to be able to see a bunch of people then. 30th open day to visit with a couple special friends, 31st spending the afternoon and night at our dearest friends and their kiddos, fly back home the evening of the 1st....recoop and rest on the 2nd and back to school on the
3rd!

So what are your plans......

 

[LindaBabe]

I have a terrific baked french toast recipe, if you'd like it for Christmas morning, Lisa. At our house, we always have "swedish tea ring" from the Betty Crocker cookbook.

 

[wdwmickey]

Lisa--I want to come to your house for dinner, it sounds so yummy!

We don't have any specific plans yet. I know DH and the girls will be home the week before Christmas

Christmas morning we will have sausage crepes and cinnamon rolls (family tradition) after opening stockings.

I guess I'd better talk to the gandparents and see what the plan is

 

[mommy2mrb]

I have a terrific baked french toast recipe, if you'd like it for Christmas morning, Lisa. At our house, we always have "swedish tea ring" from the Betty Crocker cookbook.

oooh love french toast, would love to have it! thanks!

 

[wdwmickey]

oooh love french toast, would love to have it! thanks!

Lisa--I have a recipe for apple-upside down french toast that we make for New Year's Day. It has brown sugar, butter, raisins (or craisins) and apples on the bottom then bread over that and you soak the whole casserole with the egg mixture overnight. Rachel is "drooling" while reading over my shoulder

 

[StitchIsOurHero]

Oh my goodness!! Those foods sound WONDERFUL!!

As y'all know. . .just 2 more working days for me 'til Christmas Break (perhaps I've been mentioning this??) Actually, I work tomorrow, and then next Tuesday. Officially, we're not out til next Friday, but it's sick days for me til Mom gets cleared.

Next weekend is our wedding anniversary (Dec 17th)--11 years! We are going to the cabin for the weekend, I think. Just the three of us--relax, go see Christmas lights, etc.

The next week will be cleaning, relaxing, and getting ready. On Christmas Eve, MIL & FIL come to our house for dinner. We're having chili, chips, cheese, etc. I may make some little appetizers to go with that. Then, after that and presents with them, they will leave, and DH & I exchange gifts, and exchange a couple with DS.

On Christmas morning, SANTA comes!!! WOOHOOOO!! Then, it's off to my parents for breakfast pizza, cinnamon rolls, and more gifties!

New this year is that we will go to my brother's on the day after Christmas for Christmas with Miss Blythe since she can't go out!

i can't wait!!

 

[Lisa]

Our kids don't get out until the 22nd and will go back Jan 3rd.

DH and I off the 24th and the 31st. Christmas eve we'll probably do fondue at my brother's, MomE and I will go to midnight Mass. Christmas morning breakfast at my house. New Years Day we will celebrate with DH's sisters and their families.

DH has the 27th off, and I believe he and MomE will be going skiing in the Berkshires.

 

[bearbear]

I have to work Christmas eve this year and since I work 7p to 7a we do dinner christmas eve at my house before I go to work. My DH's grandmom is going to be here with us this year(first year without grandpop). I will then go to work and come home in the am and do gifts with our kids and MIL will be here to see the kids open them. Then she will leave to make dinner and I will go to bed. I do have off for 4 days in a row between christmas and new years so I am going to do something with the kids. Not sure what.

 

[mommy2mrb]

okay Cheryl we need your recipe too!!

sounds like everyone is going to be busy! and having fun

 

[rlovew]

I don't have kids but I am excited that Dh will be off from school for a few weeks- he goes back the last full week in January after he finishes next Thursday. He does have to start working on his ordination packet (70 poages of answering essay questions due in April) and has to start reading for next semester but we do plan to do some things as well.

I want to go see the new Narnia movie, we are thinking about crashing a friend's Christmas party (we would have been invited but we live an hour and a half away now), he needs to finish building the shelf in the garage (so I can clean it out), and he wants to clean out his office at the house and at church.

Rebecca

 

[DisneyIsTerrific]

DS's last day of school is next Friday and he'll go back on January 3rd. DH and I are working, but I will have the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th off. We'll be doing family stuff - movies, baking cookies, games, etc. We will also have our 2nd annual Christmas Family Craft Night! DH & DS grumble and have to practically drag them to the table to do it, but they had fun with it last year and it'll be fun again this year!

Christmas Eve we will have our big Christmas dinner, read Christmas stories, and watch Christmas movies. On Christmas morning DS will open his stocking and his gifts from Santa. Then, we'll open our gifts to each other. Later we'll go to my Mom's and have dinner with her and the rest of the family. We'll get together to celebrate Christmas with my MIL and SIL on New Year's Eve which is my MIL's birthday.

 

[petrymom]

DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!

 

[wdwmickey]

DIT--family craft night is a great idea!!

m2m--I'll PM you the recipe later today

 

[mommy2mrb]

DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!

Lucky!!!

DIT--family craft night is a great idea!!

m2m--I'll PM you the recipe later today

Megan loves when we do crafts...we have one we bought a while back and keep forgetting to do it...thanks for the reminder, will add craft day to a day.

thanks cheryl, sounds yummy!

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Next weekend is our wedding anniversary (Dec 17th)--11 years! We are going to the cabin for the weekend, I think. Just the three of us--relax, go see Christmas lights, etc.

OMG! Are you so serious... December 17th is the anniversary of the day DH proposed to me!!!! I kid you not!!! I had no idea....all the sudden he came out of the room smiling... evidently he and my Mom had gone out earlier that week for a meeting w/ my dad and the jeweler! LOL So, 15 years ago the 17th I got engaged!!!

Let's see.. our Holiday plans...
The kids get out of school next Friday... so between now and then..
I have to finish shopping (the goal for that is tomorrow; I just hit a major sale today and got photo frames for 4 families for less than $15.00 and they are nice, sturdy and beautiful frames... now to pick photos to insert into them)...
I need to get all the gifts wrapped next week (I hate the last minute hussle of that)...
I need to get the stocking stuffers.. DH and his friend Brad need to go out scouring the fast food joints for the 12/$1.00 coupons again... those are the best stocking stuffers for kids... I think McD, BK, and someone else does them around here....Go ahead and stuff the stockings.... (got hide that candy somewhere)...

So the 20th- 2nd we are off...
The 20th- 22nd we'll bake cookies, covered pretzels, make Mickey Mouse brownies (I got an awesome cutter several years ago from Momof2DisneyKids)... We need to make rice crispy treats, lots of chocolates (send most back with the college kid)..
Enjoy movies... some Christmas; some we taped when we had the free movie channels over Thanksgiving...
Wii tournament is up.... I need to kick some kid butt.. I better start practicing..

The 19th we are headed to my sisters (even though mom is hosting; sis wants to have it at her place so they can have their pool tournament.. Uncle J got his butt kicked last year by DS14.. LOL) Need to discuss fact that we drove 2 years so we are going to the every other year rotation... that way they drive; we drive; they drive; we drive.. doesn't have to be a rocket science issue!

Christmas Eve is just the 5 of us... I love it!!!! WE listen to music, talk and have our traditional dinner:
Ham; mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, veggies, fruit tray... Strawberry cheesecake for dessert (I think I'm gonna try mini-pie like ones... made in the mini-muffin tin)

Christmas Day is the 5 of us first thing..and then the boys will come over after they are done at their moms.. They won't stay long because they usually like to go to the movies with their friends... We will probably go to the movies that evening anyway.

The rest of the time will be spent relaxing and watching football!!!!!!
New Year's Eve...traditional holds that the kids will stay up with me and DH will fall asleep on the couch (and swear he never did)... LOL
New Year's Eve is buffet/leftovers... Traditional brown bottle rootbeer for the kids...
NY Day will be watching football!!!! Relaxing and probably some scrapping...

I know DS14 is off from basketball for a week and 1/2...I think he has practice the Thurs/Fri/Sat of New Year's week....

I'm actually looking forward to the family time... it seems we are running around crazy right now...but it doesn't help when both mom and dad get sick and we lose a week between the two of us being down...

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Well...let's see...

I am going to try (for the first time ever) to be done wrapping before Christmas Eve. I am really working on this goal, but have some other things to accomplish first. Now that all of my swaps (except what is due after the holidays) are done, I am focussing on all Christmas.

That said, I am hoping to have my cards done on Monday or Tuesday. Tuesday and Wedseday (I know this is crazy and DH always tells me how I make more work for myself) I will finish making my tags. I cut them on the Cricut then stamp and color them. Once they are done, I can start wrapping (Thursday, Friday and Saturday??). My stocking stuffers are all purchased. I have about 5 gift cards left to pick up (easy) and that finsihes all the gifts. On this Sunday, we will do the gingerbread and rice krispy treat houses. Then, next Friday and Saturday we will do cookies and candy and pretzels. All next week we will work on stringing popcorn and cranberries so that next Friday we can bring the tree in and decorate it. I also have a few decorations left to put out that just haven't made it yet. Otherwise, it'll be the countdown until the last day of school (23rd). The youngest DS is have tonsils and adnoids removed the 20th so that will possibly keep my really busy also. Oh, and I want the older two to clean out closets and dressers and "stuff" and make donation and / or garbage bags on Christams Eve morning. If it is done ahead, there will be room for their new things to be put away right away.

That's leading up to the big day. Christmas Eve, I will finish up whatever needs to be done and prep what food I can for Christmas dinner. My dad has Christmas Eve and so does my aunt. This year (since the little guy is havig surgery a couple of days before) we will be skipping out. Or, I may stop by with the older two just for a little bit and DH will stay with th youngest. We are playing that one by ear. Then, whn the kids are all tucked in on Christmas Eve DH and I are going to enjo a nice glass of wine by the fire wth the tree lit and some nice holiday music. I never get to relax on Chritmas Eve because I am always up until 3 am wrapping. So, this year I am determined to have that nice romantic relaxation time! (Truthfully, DH doesn't even have to be with me...just give me the fire, music, tree lights and glass of wine and I'll be satisfied!! LOL)

Christmas morning, we will open gifts (bright and early). Then, my dad will come and we will exchange with him and have breakfast. After he leaves, I will get to cooking and hang out with the kids and DH for a bit. Early afternoon my mom and brother will come. We will exchange with them. Then, my aunts, cousins and grandparents come. We do gifts and then dinner. It is a lot, but I love it!! After dinner is done and cleaned up...coffee / tea (for me) and dessert while playing some fun game. I got Funglish for a family gift this year, so that's probably what it will be. Around 9 or so everyone will head home. After they are all gone, we will give the kids one last gift. We always save them something for the end of the night. Then, we will just hang out andprobably pass out. But, until I fall asleep, I will enjoy watching the kids enjoy their new treasures!!

This year, we are also doing the day after Christmas with my in-laws. They will be here around 2. So, I figure I will sleep in until about 9 then get up, do whatever cleaning needs to be done and get back to cooking. It will be my MIL, FIL, SIL and BF and BIL, SIL and nephew. We will all exchange gifts and then eat.

Ok...long-winded post over!!!!

 

[mommy2mrb]

OMG, I'm tired just reading what you have to do and are going to do...better enjoy that glass or three of wine girl, your going to need it!!!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

LOL it may turn into more than one!!! Am I nuts?????

Maybe after the holidays are done, I'll repost with the outcome!!!

 

[ddavis860]

I have to work Christmas day this year, so I've changed the traditions and we are opening gifties on Christmas Eve. Early dinner that day too, ham and Christmas Goose, as one if not both of my kids has to work.

Then Christmas day we can sleep in a bit, have the yummy breakfast, and I don't have to feel rushed. DH is working over time on Christmas since I had to work anyway, and will stop up to have leftovers with me

My DsS will be over with his cute DGF either Christmas Eve or Christmas day.

I still have buying and wrapping to do

 

[morgansmom2000]

We've got Morgan's holiday dance performance and bake sale fundraiser for St. Jude's today. She's bringing a friend (first time she's had a friend at a performance!), and then having a sleepover.

We are bringing the tree down tomorrow, I think, so that will be done. I will wrap on Tuesday (and Thursday probably, because I still have to get a few more things this week).

Next weekend, we need to make our glitter ornaments for Morgan's teachers.

My mom usually sleeps over on Christmas Eve, but I'm not sure if she's going to this year. We don't have an extra bed, and Morgan hates sleeping on the floor. And, the whole Santa thing is over. We usually order Chinese food for dinner that night and watch The Polar Express (I think we're changing to another movie that night).

We'll be up early and open our gifts on Christmas Day. We'll go over my in-laws for more presents and lunch and then to my sister's for dessert. I usually have to work the day after Christmas, so it's nice that I have Sunday off.

Morgan's got school through the 23rd. She'll be off the week between Christmas and New Year's. We're making our reusable snack/lunch bags at the library on Tuesday of that week with some of the girl scouts for "our" bronze award. We'll probably have a girl scout field trip that week, maybe to the movies or bowling. I have to work MWF that week, so Morgan will probably get to spend some time with my sister and mom.