Keeping It Simple

For Erik's first Christmas, we decided to keep it simple. He was my favorite stocking stuffer.

On Christmas Eve, Jason made the traditional Puerto Rican dinner of arroz con gandules, pasteles, pork, and even pina coladas. He prepped the pasteles (similar to tamales, but with plantains as a base instead of corn) the weekend before. So he didn't have to spend hours on Christmas Eve cooking. We relaxed and played, the girls and Jason sang carols at a nursing home with friends of ours, and we did the Nativity via skype with Grandma Pat and Grandpa Jim, who are serving their mission in Switzerland. (We were so consumed with talking to Grandma and Grandpa that we forgot to take pictures, but Erik made a good baby Jesus.)
After reading a few stories by the fire with the kids' new pjs on, it was off to bed.
Almost everything had already been wrapped, so there wasn't much rushing around after the kids were in bed.

Victoria's and Karissa's favorite gifts were their American Girl dolls. They haven't parted with them since opening them, even for church yesterday.
Austin got Lightning McQueen from Santa, though he was a little grumpy and getting over a cold, so nothing about Christmas really thrilled him.
He did let me take his picture with his baby brother in their Sunday best, though. My boys!
With previously made and frozen cinnamon rolls for breakfast and previously made dinner rolls, a ham, mashed potatoes, and veggies, it was a fairly simple dinner. I was tired from being woken up early, but I still got pictures of Erik in all his Christmas outfits.
Merry Christmas!