It has been a busy month! The last two weeks especially! We are getting a few days of rest in before it's my turn to head back to work. We enjoyed Kevin taking a few shifts off last week; it was great to have him home all week!
Our Christmas festivities lasted an entire week. We were busy from Wednesday to Wednesday! So here is a quick summary of Harper's first Christmas.....
An elf on the shelf came to visit our house. We can't wait until Harper is old enough to name him. For now, he's just keeping an eye on us.
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We kicked off the Christmas celebration at my parents house. Our family has a contest every year at Christmas (see sweater contest). This is our 6th contest: cookie decorating, ornament decorating, lip sync contest, video contest, tacky sweater contest, and this year, the wreath decorating contest.
We complicated the rules this year. In the fall, we each came up with a broad category, then we put them in a hat and each of us drew a category. We had to narrow down a theme and design a wreath that would fit into that category. But we had to put the wreath together at the party, with a 30 minute time limit. I was most impressed with the results. Everyone brought their A-game!
Harper was ready for some fun!
Nothing says "FUN" like a Christmas tu-tu!
Even Harper had her Christmas wreath.
Competitor: Kevin
Theme: History
Title: The History of Sherpa
Please notice that there is a section called 'The Dark Times', that has a picture of me, Chipper, and the Harper Pregnancy stick. Seriously?
Competitor: Jordan
Theme: Media
Title: 7 Deadly froms of Media...and balls
Notice the two gold bells? That would be be the meaning of "...and balls". Remember, Jordan is a 17 year old boy.
Competitor: Avery (age 4)
Theme: Christmas
Title: Christmas-y
Competitor: Dad
Theme: Cities
Title: Bethlehem: City of the King
Competitor: Taylor
Theme: End of the World
Title: Joy to the End of the World
The volcano was active too! He got my vote (shhhh)
Competitor: Hannah
Theme: Science
Title: Jesus, The Original Galileo
Competitor: Rylee (age 9)
Theme: Christmas
Title: Christmas Sparkles
Competitor: Ashleigh
Theme: Comic Books
Title: DC Comics, Enough Said
Kevin hates DC comics! He only acknowledges Marvel. So of course, Ashleigh had to make a wreath to honor DC. As it says "All other comics will tremble at our name and bow to us upon defeat". Kevin did not find this to be funny.
Competitor: Joey
Theme: Hunting
Title: The highest of highs, the lowest of lows
Joey is not a hunter. That goes without saying. So he got creative. His wreath led us on a scavenger HUNT! Tricky tricky!
Competitor: Mom
Theme: Food
Title: Come to the Banquet Table
As you can see, Mom and Dad, went biblical and sweet. (made the rest of us feel pretty guilty) ;)
Competitor: Cara
Theme: Nature
Title: Cooleys Go Green
This picture tells you nothing about my wreath. See my phone mounted on the wreath? That would be where I played a video that narrated each piece of the wreath. Without the video, good luck trying to figure it out. It was basically how our family has recycled random things long before recycling was the thing to do. I'm pretty sure that the only reason why my wreath won the contest was because I said that we "recycled" my brother's dog into a werewolf =)
Here is everyone watching the video.
And I was so lucky to win this little beauty!
At my folk's house, it's not Christmas without some good old fashion competition. And of course, communion.
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On Christmas eve, we opened our stockings.
There was a little moose hanging out in Harper's stocking.
It was great to watch Harper discover each new thing in her stocking and get to examine each one for as long as she wanted. And trust me, Harper liked to examine each little thing. She does not like to be rushed, that kid knows how to savor Christmas!
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Then it was time for Gigi's Christmas breakfast...
This was Harper's crowd pleasing smile that we started last week. It was a hit!
Hanging out at Uncle Dale's, waiting on breakfast...
Rylee & Avery were just ready to open all those presents!
Both of us are trying to figure out how this toy works
Ooh, what's in there?
Uncle Dale bought hats for all of the cousins
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Next was Nana & Papa's!
Papa, helping Harper with her stocking
Lots of goodies in there
Look at this book! Pride & Prejudice! So cute. Thanks Uncle Joey!
Avery loved her new skirt more than anything
Jordan earned a special place in Kevin's heart when he gave him this blanket.
Kevin says that it's the best gift he's ever gotten. Way to go Jordan!
Do you think Joey liked his new helmet? Maybe our favorite gift to give this year.
All the cousins! 9 months to 22 years
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Christmas morning, Harper's first!
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Harper thought Aunt Lindsay's presents tasted pretty good
Lots of presents from Pops& Gramma, Great Grandma & Grandpa Jenkins & Aunt Lindsay
Next, it was off to Norman....
Harper loved seeing her cousin Jordan
Kevin & his Grandpa Curtis
Harper had quite an audience in her new fire truck from Gramma & Pops.....
Not that she was trying to get attention or anything
Harper spent a lot of time eating Club crackers last week. No matter where she went, those crackers came with her. Check out her laid back, chowin' down look...
More cousins!
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And it case you were worried, Santa did make an appearance in our advent calendar.
It was an Merry Christmas; I was so happy to enjoy it with family and it's exciting to think how much more Harper will enjoy it next year!
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