Christmas, Hinkypunk style

 According to Sean, you are never too young to begin baking!  Sean introduced Ephraim to the joys of flour while baking saffron bullar this December.

 With saffron rolls baked, Santa Lucia Day could arrive.  We were serenaded by some very bassy voices early in the morning. It was sweet of the boys to get everything together to give us this early morning treat from Sweden.

     As Christmas drew near, packages began arriving.  Sylvia thought the most exciting things were the boxes.  She spent many an hour hopping around the house in this one.  You can hide in it, nap in it, read in it, watch a movie in it... the options are simply endless with such a box!

     Ephraim got dressed in his first pink outfit during the subzero Christmas weather.  A leftover from his older sister's baby days,  he was not complaining about being cold in this down filled snowsuit.  We have had many a good stroller walks this week with him snug and pink.

    After a ham dinner on Christmas Eve, we sat in the living room and listened to the kids play trios.   Sylvia had been working all month on several Christmas sons to play with her brothers.  It was really satisfying as a parent to hear them playing together.  Ephraim is fated to play the cello in about 8 years so we can have a full quartet.

     Then came the Nativity Story.  Asher as Joseph, Sean as the donkey, and Sylvia as Mary.  The donkey could use some kneepads for an early Christmas gift next year.

 Ephraim didn't complain about lying in a doll cradle to play the baby Jesus.

   With a knock on the door... a guest from the North Pole arrived.  It seems he couldn't find his beard, so he wrapped some toilet paper around his chin instead.  It made for many laughs, as he handed out packages of pajamas.

The stockings were hung, and Santa returned to set out the loot....

Ephraim thought chewing on the wrapping paper was the best part of Christmas morning.

Sylvia was excited to have a My Little Pony calender, candy  and a butterfly blanket made by Grandma Chiddix.

      Asher was relieved to have a new set of viola strings.  We are all relieved as well.  He is competing in a concerto competition next week, and was highly stressed about his old strings sounding bad.  Now we can all enjoy the pleasant sound of music without muted cursing every two measures.

    Mattias was thrilled to have some new headphones from his siblings.. and a My Little Pony - Rarity from a girl at school.   It seems a girl in their high school orchestra knows my boys are Bronies. (Bronies are teenage boys who think My Little Ponys are cool.)
        Mattias keeps his pony by his computer.  If you are a computer geek you will know about "rubber duck debugging".  (You can even look it up on Wikipedia.)   Anyways, Mattias uses his stuffed Pony instead of a rubber duck while programming.

      I suspect Asher may be the target of this generous girls attentions.  His pony, Twilight Sparkle, was gigantic!  Sylvia thought it was great that her brothers got ponies for Christmas.  She can borrow them to play with. This girl knows how to impress the whole family. :)

      Noel is the only person who owns a camera currently. ( I jammed the lens of the general-family camera earlier this fall.)  In order to use one of her cameras,  we have to swear a blood oath not to take pictures of her.  I just want everyone to know that she does still exist, and is prettier than ever with long beautiful hair and a charming smile.  She is like Ephraim, when she smiles the whole area around her lights up.  (Too bad we don't have a picture of that, eh Noel!?)

     It was a very fun Christmas.  The days since have been spent playing games,  and eating too much fudge.  The boys have been making competing fudge recipes.  ( I am currently a fan of Mattias's Cooks Illustrated recipe.)   The boys have seen the Hobbit movie twice with different friends, and they beat me at chess daily.

   I have loved having Sean home with his vacation days this break!  He makes everything better.  It has been a wonderful Christmas season.  We are blessed with health, a warm home, and amusing children.   I look forward to the next year and the adventures we will have.