Holiday Happenings

Since Thanksgiving we've been working hard to keep up with our holiday traditions, despite my severe handicap (a.k.a. pregnancy) and the constant work that raising two boys brings.  It is a fact:  I will work myself into an early grave to create holiday merriment.  Much to Mattias' disapproval.

The Sunday after we returned from Philly we drove out to Manassas, VA to cut down our Christmas tree.  I really wanted a pine or spruce, but the guys chose this Cyprus.  When I suggested we keep looking for something prettier, Linus yelled "But Mamma, everyone likes this tree except for you!"  Ugh, he was right, and I realized I needed to respect the consensus.  This situation is a forecast for my inevitable future of minority-hood :(

 The tree farm also had playgrounds and slides, and a nice place to enjoy hot cocoa and fresh baked apple cake from farmor.

 In the evening Kerstin and Magnus came to help us decorate the tree and to catch up on our Thanksgiving travels (they drove down to Nashville, TN to visit Jonas and Lauren).  Magnus was more interested in being Spider Man.

 Mattias always gets to put the star on.  I'm not tall enough, and my balance is way off.

 

Some of you may remember the Karlsson family Advent calender Kerstin and I worked on last year.  Well this year we worked on Phase 2: handcrafted ornaments.  After doing some research I cut out a bunch of felt shapes, and Kerstin freehand embroidered them. This calendar is now a family heirloom and a true work of art.  Both boys look forward to seeing what ornament we hang up and eating their chocolate coin each night after dinner.

  

Each ornament has such intricate embroidery or bead work.  We chose traditional Swedish holiday symbols, along with winter symbols, and a few whimsical shapes to mix it up.

 

 Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without baking.  We had the kids make a gingerbread house from a kit from Trader Joe's.  Kerstin turned around for 2 seconds and surprise!  The candy was all gone (hiding in the mouths of 2 innocent looking boys.) 

 

 We also make our yearly batch of pepparkakor, this year trying a recipe from Saveur using traditional and super hero cookie cutters.

 The boys were helpful only for a few minutes, and kept eating raw dough, so I took over mass production duties.

 A few days later I was hard at work decorating for our annual playgroup cookie exchange.

 The spread gets better and better every year.  And I am relishing in having no calorie restrictions during the holidays.

We couldn't get a picture with all the kids in it: 11 in total!  So we got the moms and the 3 newest additions to our growing brood.  By the end of next month we'll have 12 offspring!  What can I say, we're a productive group of talented, educated young women :)

Not to fear, guys.  I do have my moments of slow down, too.  Most nights I am forced (by my own body and really against my own will) to lay down on the couch and fall asleep at 8:00.  There have been many evenings of hot chocolate and marshmallow roasting on the open fire, holiday movie specials, and simple enjoyment of each others company. 

Tomorrow night I am looking forward to making the easiest dishes of Swedish Julafton: boiled potatoes and fresh gravlax.  I will come home from work early to a house smelling of Glogg, watch Mattias dress up as tomte and hand out gifts to the boys, and my mission in creating a Christmas to remember will be complete.