Homemade Christmas

This year my family decided to exchange homemade Christmas gifts. The ideas were so creative that I wanted to record them here:

a fleece BYU throw, 

a fabric party banner,

a treasure box filled with pirate supplies,

festive crocheted washcloths,

a POWERFUL potato launcher,

a lap desk,

 a child-size chair,

a guitar strap with a pick case riveted on,

 a photo desk calendar,

 a hollowed-out book with foreign coins hidden inside,

a leather quiver for my brother's arrows,

 a drawstring backpack with Scooby Doo books inside,

a homemade Uglydoll,

 made-from scratch hot cocoa mixes,

a recipe holder and personalized recipe cards,

 a basket of fabric play food,

 a duct tape wallet,

and a Guess Who? game personalized with our family pictures.

I've never had more fun watching gifts being exchanged. What a memorable Christmas morning!

Boston weekend

Eric's parents gave us an ideal Christmas gift this year: a weekend date trip to Boston! What on earth would I do with a husband all to myself, I wondered? Everything became a date--the plane ride, the meals, the walks around the hotel, the trip to a used bookstore--everything! Here we are at the Inn at Harvard Square:

The trip's main event was the Harvard University Choir Christmas concert, in which sibs Lindsey and Sam performed beautifully. We also got to see their dorms and meet some friends.

And can I also mention that the 50-degree rain felt like a balmy slice of heaven?

One favorite stop was a trip up to Lexington and Concord,

where we enjoyed a pleasant walk over Old North Bridge.

We partook in strictly local food establishments: a delectable creperie (twice!), a basement Harvard hangout, a Mass Ave Chinese joint, and an iconic hamburger place:

Boston! That city's so cool, someone should name a band after it. We had a really good time.

P.S. ALSO, this date would have not been possible were it not for my dear sister Kimberly, who indulged my children with a weekend of cookie-making, movie-watching, Christmas-tree–decorating, bowling, and game-playing back home in Wisconsin. I'm not sure if they were too busy having fun to take pictures. If I see some, I will post them. I think that the kids probably had as good of a time as we did!  

Wisconsin winter

When the weather here in Wisconsin began to get cold, we all felt a little cheated.

But after getting acclimated, 

 it's not so bad.

 One of our favorite days so far was a wintry one at a nearby tree farm.

 The tree farmers even turn over saws to the common costumer:

Although we didn't cut down our own tree, the boys spent a magical time there poking around the evergreens,

following animal prints,

and joking around with Aunt Kim (visiting from Utah!).

I'd say that even despite my unfortunate shoe choice,

 it was pretty much a perfect afternoon. Snow on, Wisconsin.

More fun with 27

This Thanksgiving Eric, the boys, and I were excited to welcome all of Eric's family to our home: there were twenty-seven of us in all! It turns out that you can have a lot more fun with twenty-seven Brintons that you can with six.

Check us out enjoying fun mealtimes (with all paper products, ah yeah!),

demolishing a pinata in our living room,

completing a Thanksgiving service project,

exploring the local treasures

(including an indoor tropical garden!),

decorating gingerbread houses,

tearing up the gym in an intense broom hockey game,

decking out the serving bar with a gorgeous Thanksgiving spread,

hosting a marshmallow war

(the girls were naturals),

and hiking around the neighborhood.

This year, it was easy to think of things to be grateful for:

We miss you all!