Holiday Fun, Christmas in NH and VT and Fun in the Snow!

Since I've fallen so far behind on this blog (got a bit overwhelmed over the Christmas Holiday), I figure the easiest thing to do is post a blurb and a few of my favorite pictures from each holiday event. We were SO busy in December and had so much fun celebrating with our neighbors, friends and family.

December 18th - Blue Christmas Yankee Swap - One of the couples in the neighborhood throws a Yankee Swap party each year and this year's theme was "Blue Christmas", so the gift had to be blue. I, of course, stressed over what to get (something serious, something useful, something funny or a straight -up joke?) We settled on something nice and useful, but quickly realized that the theme was more funny and/or alcohol or liquor-based! It was lots of fun and lots of laughs (and our first night "hiring" a babysitter - my cousin Beth!)

Some of the "Hamlet Honeys"

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December 23rd - Charlie's "Christmas Morning" - Since we were heading to Vermont to spend actual Christmas Eve and Christmas Day up there, we played Christmas morning here for Charlie the morning we left.

She was SO excited to see a new play kitchen down here in the living room, just like the one she plays with at Nini Bambini (her music class) but in pink and white. She went straight to playing with that, so she wasn't even interested in opening anything else! We had to show her that there were more gifts and some of them were the foods and pots for the kitchen.

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December 23rd-27th - Vermont Christmas - Once we got to Vermont, Charlie was so excited to see her cousins. But since they all had to spend time with their other families as well, she waited and waited ... and waited.

We colored ...

We went for a stroll in the snow ...

She played some Christmas Carols ...

Ate some Christmas cookies ...

She was SO happy to play with them when they did arrive.

We all exchanged gifts - the kids were spoiled, as usual. Grandpa Bowler joined us again this year for some food and opening of the gifts too. And we had another successful homemade Christmas swap. Such creative gifts!

The cousins all had fun together - especially Trey and Luke, who put on quite the wrestling show for the rest of us! But in the end, they're still good buddies.

Charlie loving her new baby from Nanny & Papa

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December 26th - Bowler Family Christmas - We were able to get most of the Bowler clan together again this year and decided to do a Get-Rid-of-Your-Junk Yankee Swap. We asked each person to find something around their house that they didn't want anymore, wrap it up and bring it to swap. We had lots of junk, lots of laughs, and the Senesac house ended up with most of it!! They may not allow any of us back next year!

Charlie upon arrival - she slept through a lot of noise

First, we gathered around the food -

Then we started the junk swap entertainment -

Now we'll have to start thinking about something fun to do for our Bowler 2011 gathering.

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Snow Much Fun - Charlotte LOVED to play outside in the snow. Whenever we bundled her up in her adorable (hand-me-down) ski pants, she got excited. And when we got cold and wanted to come inside, she didn't care - she could have stayed out in the snow forever. I can't wait until she's old enough to be excited to come in for hot cocoa! :)

Happy Holidays 2010!