We had a Bramble family Christmas this year- Morgan, Darby, Zach, Ellie, Max, and Zander all came to town.

Christmas Eve we had crab and bread. While the kids and I were on a video chat to hear Pa read Twas the Night before Christmas, the adults picked crab for all the littles. The Christmas miracle was that the kids all ate the crab and bread (no substitutions, different options needed!), then we sent them to finish a movie while the 7 adults sat and ate without interruption!

Christmas morning was super fun- presents, bagels with cream cheese, and matching pjs for kids. Sloane got a karaoke microphone stand. The kids put on some great performances- including a goodbye mix when Morgan was leaving. Soren coined a new phrase when he sang to me ‘I love you so much I could put you in a bowl of soup’

Soren got a bunch of dinosaur items, including a Smithsonian book Adam picked out for him. If you know me, you know I can hardly pronounce words I already know. So this book is presenting a new brain challenge to my phonics impaired self. I made both the kids microwave hot packs with some cute fabric- unicorn forest for Sloane and dinosaurs in space for Soren. Sloane was very impressed! But then we figured out she thought I had made the fabric as well. Once she heard it was just sewing and filling that I did, she was less impressed.

We had a cold snap the week after Christmas with snow- enough to make a snow person and snow angels. Nini and Papa have a firepit that we enjoyed hot chocolate around. We had a brisk trip to the zoo which was quiet empty. We didn’t see the zoo lights, but did get to have elephant ears!

The most amazing thing when we get together is how well the cousins play together. Ellie will read to Sloane, Max and Zander will slow down their soccer for Sloane and Soren, the big cousins will consent to a movie my kids feel comfortable watching, and they will play games all together.

We are pretty lucky with this big group- and we all fit around one table still!