2012 Sinclair Family Christmas

We had a little change in our Christmas plans this year so we were able to stop in Charles City and spend Christmas eve with my parents, which was really nice since I hadn't been "home" for Christmas in 5 years. I always miss my parents decorations and their pretty flocked trees, not to mention my mom's oyster stew and our tradition of shrimp cocktail, cheese and crackers and egg nog after the Christmas eve service.

Even cooler was having my littleside kick participate in the tradition this year. She won't eat mac-n-cheese, but she loved her cheese and salami!

Decked out in her Christmas pj's.

Grandpa Sinclair gives the best hugs and Eskimo kisses.

Opening gifts with my parent's exchange student, Marina!

Can The Little Mermaid substitute for The Night Before Christmas? (Her first time reading it and she loved it.)

The other nice thing about stopping in CC was that it shortened our trip to Tom's parents on Christmas day. Gwendolyn slept almost the entire way and we were able to make the 4 hour trip without stopping - YAY! (Not sure how I made it that long being 24 weeks pregnant and feeling like I go to the bathroom constantly.)

We met at Bridges Bay in Okoboji, IA just like last year. It's super convenient - about 3 to 3.5ish hours for all of us, we each get our own rooms and bathrooms, have a shared kitchen and living room space, and a great waterpark for the kids and adults with a hot tub, lazy river and slides. Albeit a tad tight in the living room area, it's a great place to get together for a couple nights and spend time as a family. 

Bath time!

The eight grandkids ranging in age from 12 to 19 months.

The babies...

Enjoying their Cuties.

Weren't they just born?! And now they're playing with iPads together...

Pretending to give Gwendolyn a bottle.

Really giving Wyatt his bottle...love this pic. He looks like a giant baby.

Uncle Robert and Gwendolyn watchin' cartoons...

Buddies...

Gift time!

Yay! More Elmo pj's!

Nathan eating an apple for a snack...while Gwendolyn can't get enough of her first Icee. (What a mess, by the way.)

Swim time!

We play the stealing game where you can steal people's gifts from each other (super fun. If you get what you want.) We changed it up this year and did homemade gifts, which was both difficult...

"What should we make?!"

"Our gifts will never be as cool as other people's."

 and really fun at the same time. 

This pic is to document not only Tom getting the amazing clock my brother made in his wood shop (he's crazy talented), but also to document Nikki selecting MY gift that held not only the face wash and laundry detergent I made, but also the balloon that held the gender of our baby. And no one knew it was coming, so of course my heart was racing and my face turned bright red with excitement. Ha. My mom ended up stealing it from her and was the lucky one to pop the balloon and reveal the results.

Our homemade gifts...

Tom made peppermint liqueur along with the World's Best hot cocoa and I made olive oil facial cleanser and laundry detergent. I think we both had a great time making our stuff. It's no competition of course, but man there were some pretty cool presents this year. So fun!

So that wraps up our Christmas 2012 adventures. It was really a fun and joyous time, and we're so thankful for safe travels and time with our friends and families. 

And with that, Tom and I prepare to take off on a 5 am flight headed to Riviera Maya tomorrow! Leaving Gwendolyn for 5 nights/6 days is going to be hard, but she's in excellent hands with Mimi and Papa Barntsen and will be able to go see her cousins in Eden Prairie a couple times next week. I'm pretty sure she won't even notice we're gone...*smile