no place like home for the holidays.

Christmas came, and it was a wonderful one. I had joked with Chris's mom that what I really wanted for Christmas was him to get the job, so Santa delivered on that one. The rest was icing on the cake.

A few days before Christmas, the Mitten was hit with an ice storm. I have never seen anything like it. The whole world was covered with a sheet of ice. Every branch of the trees were coated in it. We went for a walk and I was amazed by the beauty. It was easy for us to appreciate the beauty, as our electricity stayed on and our home stayed cozy and warm. A great majority of our city was out of power during the week of Christmas, some going without for up to 10 days. We were very blessed. 

On Christmas Eve the traditions began. Chris and I both come from families with great Christmas Eve traditions, so it is fun to draw from both. That morning we headed out to breakfast, a C family tradition. Our kids sure can pound the pancakes. The rest of the day was perfectly imperfect. The kids emotions were running high, and there were lots of tantrums. But there was a lot of fun, too. Carly and Chris made a gingerbread house. We read Christmas stories (we have so many Christmas books . . . that was the name of the game this December!). Christmas Eve night we had my mom's Dilly Ham Sandwiches for dinner, a new tradition we decided on for our family. Then it was pj's, the Polar Express, and the baby Jesus story, a T family tradition. Bedtime finally came. Carly only got up once during the night, at 1 am, to ask if Santa came. On Christmas day, we all slept in until after 8. How long will that last, you think?

Santa came, as he always does, bringing ice palaces, strollers, and full stockings. We got John a little dinosaur to push around in his man stroller. He roared at it, then promptly pulled it out and replaced it with trucks. He's a transportation man. That dinosaur is so dang cute though. I think I'll keep him for me. Before we knew it, the gifts were all open and scattered all over the floor, a most perfect Christmas scene.

After all the gifts were open, daddy pointed out to Carly that was some short of letter left in the tree. It was a note from Santa, thanking them for being on the nice list, and mentioning one more surprise he put in the basement. The tramp is a good addition to our winter survival basement playroom. Quinn often pulls my hand toward the basement door and requests, "Bounce! Bounce!"

Frozen was the central theme for Miss Carly, as she came away with a sparkly Elsa shirt, a necklace, and of course the ice palace, which John desperately wanted to destroy with his brand new set of construction trucks.

It was a wonderful and chaotic Christmas morning, and we spent the remainder of the day in our pajamas playing with our prizes.

A few days after Christmas we headed to Chicago for the annual "Chicago Christmas" at Baga's house. We love getting to see Chris's grandma, aunts, uncles, and cousins twice a year. It always makes for a happy reunion, and the kids are outrageously spoiled with love, attention, and gifts.

A perk (for the kids) about going to Baga's house is the fun of staying in a hotel. 

Unlimited Cheerios in the morning, cartoons, and a big fluffy white bed for the princess.

Such diva children.

Chicago Christmas was a success, with a lot of play time and a lot of fun presents. Carly got the Elsa dress she has been drooling over every time we go to Target. Our Target ran out 10 days before Christmas and I looked and called non-stop for them to restock. Luckily, grandma had more luck, and Elsa's biggest fan got a post-Christmas surprise. She now wears it during her long intense Frozen reenactments. Chris's grandma, Baga, turns 80 this month, so for Christmas everyone made a scrapbook page and compiled them together into a book of memories. It was so sweet to watch her look through it. Baga is such a blessing to her family, and has blessed our little family's life in countless ways (and in way too many gallons of Moose Tracks ice cream and Aurelio's pizzas). We just love going to Baga's house.

From Chicago we made our way down to Indiana, where the party continued at grandma and papak's house. We always have so much fun and enjoy so much relaxation there. We shopped, played, had a New Year party, got Five Guys (sans kids!), and Chris and I even escaped for our favorite date: the bookstore, where we each pick out a stack of books and sit and look at them. Silence and togetherness . . . in our current phase of life, it is exactly what we need.

I have the unique blessing of having been born into and married into the two best families there are. We drove way from Grandma's house with two crying little girls and one sleeping little boy, planning when our next visit would be.

It was a wonderful, almost picture-perfect Christmas season. Christmas break went too fast, as it always does. But the Midwest is currently getting slammed with a winter storm. We got 17 inches of snow yesterday, and today's temperatures dropped to "feels like" -30. Just like the ice storm, I've never seen anything like it. The Mitten is really showing off for our final winter here, and since I have a warm home, a full pantry, and all my favorite people, I have to admit I am loving it. MSU was canceled today and Chris is working from home tomorrow, so here's to a few bonus vacation days.