Happily Homemaking...in Oregon: Our First Oregon Christmas

Eli is a wonderful cook and baker. I jump at the opportunity to let him take over the kitchen. This year he wanted to baked fruit pastries. Yum.

That is homemade pastry dough. Yes, I do love my husband.

The stockings were hung on the chimney. I love having a real fireplace.

The kids were excited about the stocking but more excited about finally getting to open the presents! Eli has a few traditions from his family that he wants to bring to ours. One is the order and timing of events on Christmas morning. Kids can't get up till 7 and then they get to open their stockings. Dad takes his time eating tasty pastries and drinking coffee. Once Dad has drawn that out and the kids have begged him several times to hurry it will be time to open presents.

It didn't quite work out that way for us this year and Eli was a little disappointed. It should get easier as the kids get bigger and understand that daddy is purposefully delaying Christmas!

On to the opening of the presents:

Beaker Mug for Eli.

Roorrrrrr!!!!

Maybe the favorite gift of the day-
The singing and dancing dog from Aunt April and Uncle AJ.

Lily in her new quilt from Aunt April and Uncle AJ.

Kitchen and shopping cart from Santa.

Mom's books about Canning and Pacific NW Gardening! Thanks Vicki and Ed.

After an hour and a half of opening gifts, with only 4 left, here is where Christmas came to a standstill:

Drill from Grandma Vicki and Grandpa Ed.

Ethan had to drill a screw into and out of every hole. Eli and I took the opportunity to make a breakfast of eggs and bacon and drink a little more coffee. And maybe we ate a few more of those fruit pastries.

It was time to open the last 3 gifts. The first was a beautiful quilt for Ethan from Aunt April and Uncle AJ. The next two were a castle for each from Jee Jee and Paw Paw - hours of entertainment.

After all the excitement of opening gifts it was time to snuggle up on the couch with our new quilts and watch a movie.