Ho ho hoooooly moly it's been a long time since Christmas

Well everyone there is not a better time than March to relive our Christmas spectacular. Although this post hasn't happened yet because there is not much to relive. SPOILER ALERT:

Now that there test all the way on the right is Jason's. We took rapids before packing up and getting in the car to head to Vermont after opening presents. Two lines = positive. Positive = no travel for the Nills. Whomp whomp. Jason was totally asymptomatic but one more rapid and a PCR a couple days later and it was a YEP.

But of course we didn't know this was going to happen so we still had a pretty nice December and holiday leading up to the test. 

Annual tree selection, in which the boys become increasingly disinterested. They actually suggested they wait in the car this year! [aghast]

Letters and cookies and decorating more things. The usual business.

The boys were still very into Pete our elf. Although he's becoming more high maintenance as they are requesting that Pete maybe do funny things and get into trouble in the letters they leave for him. I guess elves in other houses have made a reputation for themselves SO, the best I could do was have Pete bring a friend over (Cherry Cinnamon from next door). The boys just about had a heart attack when they saw there were two. And of course Cherry brought some kind of magic where you put tic tacks in sugar and they grow into candy canes overnight.

Behold, the following photo with the results:

How many days would that have to sit on the counter, be moved around, spilled and "replanted" before you considered it really annoying? 

That's rhetorical.

Changing the subject, I very much like to decorate my Christmas card envelopes differently every year. I chose washi tape this time around and WHOA was it a hit with the boys. Yards and yards wasted, but...they spent HOURS "helping". The holiday season is about making sacrifices isn't it? Refer to comment above about open glasses of sugar on the counter in a very busy area.

So cute though :)

Then cute becomes intense. (Kari show this picture to Callie, it's her flamingo key chain that Alex spent a lifetime wrapping LOL)

I'm feeling the need to advise the 3 other readers here on the flamingo back story. Which is that Alex went to Hobby Lobby on December tenth, saw this at the checkout, and proclaimed Callie just had to have it. Like, as a present. 

Callie has now duly received said Flamingo so Kari, comment below on its status. Most 7 year olds don't have keys so...no expectations ;)

Which brings us to Christmas Eve. In addition to wrapping the glorious gift above, Alex also spent a tremendous amount of time making a Lego version of Santa's sleigh in preparation for Santa's visit.

One of those creations where you find yourself laughing in surprise at how good it is.

Anyway, here's the Christmas morning picture.

And the rest is history. Lots of blurry photos and paper everywhere. It was about 11 am that we found out Jason was positive and everything stopped in their tracks. We spent 5 days home as a family (HOME home) and that was a wrap. The boys and I never got it - Jason didn't isolate from us in the house and we tested repeatedly, so maybe vaccines work after all ;) I'll take good health as my Christmas present any day. xoxox