Going Through Our Days: Christmas in Minnesota

We go to Minnesota every other year for Christmas. This was our year to go. Not to sound like a jerk, but I didn't want to go this year. This was the boys first Christmas and I wanted to spend it at our home. Of course I wanted to go and see all of the in-laws and all of my 7 neices and nephews, but I wanted to be able to wake up at our house Christmas morning. Even though we didn't wake up being at our house Christmas morning we had a blast. The boys LOVED being with their cousins.

Grandpa Ronnevik was so excited to be holding three of his grandbabies again. He wasn't able to hold the three of them together since May.

This is Micaiah, Micaila, and Gunnar. Micaila is Jon sister Rondi and Chris' 3rd babe.

These boys had so much fun playing together. Here is Gunnar, Kaeden, and Micaiah. Kaedan is Rondi and Chris' first babe.

Kaeden was SO good with the boys. You can tell he is a great big brother.

Gorgeous Micaila wearing an awesome headband her Auntie Kristin (me) made.

We were lucky enough that every day we were there our neices and nephews came over. Here is another day of play.

Micaiah has begun crawling. At this point he was more so just worming. While at Grandma and Grandpa Ronnevik's he started to try to use his knees a bit more.

He was so proud of himself.

Here is Gunnar and his cousin Isaac. This is Rondi and Chris' second child. Isn't it crazy how much these two look alike!?!

Kaeden and Micaiah.

I don't have any good pictures of our other neices and nephews. Jon's brother Knut and his wife Gretchen have 4 babes. Silje, David, Elias, and a brand spanken new one Solveig.

On Christmas Eve the whole family, Aunts, Uncles, and 20 first cousins, not counting spouses and their children (50 people) go to Jons Grandma and Bestefar's house. They have some amazing traditions. SO dfferent from anything my family has ever done. This wasn't my first time going, but being their with my own children just made it so special.

When everyone first gets there there is time for some visiting. Then all the kids (cousins and families) go downstairs for dinner, while the Aunts and Uncles stay upstairs for dinner. YUM! There were ribs, riced potatoes, peas, MN salad, rolls, and of course lutefisk.

Here are the boys enjoying part Christmas Eve dinner. They enjoyed the peas.

Micaiah

Gunnar

After dinner everyone smushes upstairs for a 'program'. All of the grandkids (cousins) either sing, play an instrument, put on a skit, read a poem they have written, etc. They are so talented. You would never see me up there doing anything. No musical/theatrical talent here.

I have a great video of Jon and some others singing We Three Kings. (Last time I tried to upload a video it didn't work, so I'm not trying right now...maybe later.)

After the program we all go back downstairs to listen to Jon's Bestefar read the Christmas story (Bestefars eyesight isn't so good anymore so Jon's Uncle Hans read the story), sing carols, and open presents.

Mama holding her boys while listening to the Christmas story.

Christmas day wasn't exactly what I wanted. Remember now, this was the day that I wanted to wake up at our own house, with our own tree, doing our own thing. :( Jon and I talked about how we were going to make this day 'ours' even though we weren't home. We decided that we would wake up and do our own thing in our room with the boys. BUT we also decided we weren't going to do any gifts this year. So there really wasn't anything we could do in the room by ourselves, except sit there. So we ventured out into the house like every other morning we were there.

Jon's mom does so a BEAUTIFUL job when she hosts. Here is picture of the Christmas dinner table.

A little after dinner Jon's dad read the Christmas story, we sang some carols, and then the big kids passed out presents.

I don't know how I was so lucky to hold the boys during the Christmas story on Christmas Eve and Christmas! Thanks Daddy!

Before passing out presents I asked if we could take a picture of all the boys. Gretchen bought all the boys Christmas sweaters last year at the end of the season. Aren't they soo cute! In the back row we have Elias, David, Kaeden, and Isaac. In the front row we have Gunnar and Micaiah.