Nelson Family Blog: Christmases x 5

This past week has been crazy! We had five Christmases in four days, with a flu bug that hit three out of four of us, with a little work and a snowstorm thrown in. Oof-da!

It all started on Saturday, when we went out to Jim and Barb's house for family Christmas. The kids were already out there from having a couple sleepovers, so John and I packed up everything and got out there about mid-morning. The kids were super hyper and excited when we arrived, and wanted to open presents right away!! So, we let them open gifts immediately, and they were so excited and loved everything they got.

The kids got spoiled like crazy and made quite a haul. Together, they got a hot wheels track, puzzles, a kitty night light, lots of boards games (Soggy Doggy, Scrabble Jr, Charades, ), Legos, Soap Making Kit, and lots of other odds and ends. They got way more than they needed, but they had so much fun playing with every single toy they got.

We enjoyed the afternoon by playing games with the kids and digging out some of the old toys from the old house. The weather was beautiful, it was about 35 degrees out, and sunny, and we enjoyed being outside for alittle while. For supper, we had some Prime Rib that John made on the Treager, which was really good, and mashed potatoes, and some Christmas Treats. We left at around 7pm with some very tired kids.

On Sunday, we packed up and headed to Minnesota. We made it to my parent's house at a little after 1pm, and then headed to Mark and Kathy's house for the Kloeckl Christmas Celebration. It was a nice party and it was really nice to see all the extended family that I hadn't seen in quite a while. The Clobes side was also there, so I got to visit with a lot of people. There was good food, food company, and overall it was a really fun day. The kids had a blast playing with the other kids, and riding scooters and bikes around the shop. They also got a couple gifts from Great-Grandma Kloeckl, which they were really excited about. I played Sheephead with my dad, Dennis, and John for quite a while. We actually ended up staying until about 8pm, and we were the last ones to leave. The kids were beyond tired after all the running around and playing.

Monday was Christmas Eve. We spent the morning just relaxing, and hanging out at my parent's house and playing with the kids. The kids were pretty crabby and tired, so we made them take some naps in the afternoon, and after that we headed out to Janel and Tim's house. We had our usual potluck style meal, wine and beer, and just enjoyed catching up with everyone. At 6pm, we headed to town for the Christmas Program, and then we headed back to their house. It was so loud and crazy at their house, but everyone seemed to have a good time.

The kids got to open presents again, and Emma got a Barbie, a Barbie pool, and a Barbie car, which she was pretty excited about. Elliott got a Chase Pillow Pet, which he loved. Lucky little kids! I also played some Sheephead with Grandma and Grandpa, which was pretty fun. Mom, John, and the kids left at about 11pm (way past their bedtime!!) and I stayed with dad for a little longer. A bunch of us played the game Guess Word on my phone, while everyone else played Sheephead. We finally left at about 1 am (Grandma and Grandpa were still there playing cards!). It was way past my bedtime.

The next day, which was Christmas, was a little rough. Ryan got a stomach bug, and was pretty much down for the count. Dad also got it, and I wasn't feeling the best either, so it was a pretty low-key Christmas. The Clobes twins had a bug the night before the Kloeckl Christmas Party, and they ended up spreading it to quite a few people.

We did end up opening gifts on Christmas Day. The kids got a few really nice gifts, and then the adults just exchanged gag gifts. The bigger part of their Christmas Gifts is going to Mall of America in a few weeks, which the kids are super excited about. After gifts, we all tried to eat at least a little of the Ham and Scalloped Potato meal, and then we pretty much just headed back home. Everyone was just wiped out after all the Christmas celebrations. The kids were arguing, the adults weren't feeling very good, so we called it a Christmas.

We got home at about 4pm, and then we still had to have our Christmas at home. Santa had come while we were gone, so there were more gifts to open. Emma got a bike, a whole cube full of gel pens, a stationary kit, movies, candy, a fuzzy blanket, games, and a diary. Elliott got a Paw Patroller boat, some paw patrol pups, legos, candy, movies, a fuzzy blanket, and a dart board. They got their second wind after opening gifts and enjoyed playing with a bunch of their new things. We watched the Emoji Movie, and then we all went to bed at a decent time.

By the time Emma went to bed, she had a tummy ache. And then she ended up puking her guts out a little later in the night. The bug had hit Emma. Poor girl. So, John stayed home with Emma on Wednesday, and then he ended up not feeling very well that day. So, Elliott is the only one who hasn't been sick yet, I have my fingers crossed that it misses him.

Right now, Emma is better and is at Grandma and Grandpa's house since she doesn't have school this week. She is having a blast. We are surviving a snowstorm right now. It is lightly snowing now, but the wind is gusting at like 40 mph, so it's pretty gross out. Elliott, John, and I are enjoying some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I think he enjoys not having Emma here for a couple days.

And that was how our Christmas Celebrations went. Overall, we all had a lot of fun and it was a great Christmas. I could have done without the sickness, but we are all very blessed and had a great Christmas!!