Our Christmas

Christmas Eve

We’re taking a break from our 12 Days of Sensory Play for some pictures of our Christmas celebrations {so far}!

We had “our little family” Christmas on Christmas Eve afternoon.  Sahlstrom 3.0 (third generation!) Christmas 2014.  The Ben and Naomi Sahlstrom household!

^This is what your tree looks like when you have a toddler – naked on the bottom half  *sigh*

Gifts from grandparents, great grandparents, and neighbors!  Our blessed little 17-month old!

After the Christmas Eve service at church, the celebrations began for Sahlstrom 2.0 (second generation) Christmas at the Sam and Melissa Sahlstrom household!

We started off the evening with good food…  {Alaskan salmon – amazing!}

Stockings…

Cute couples…

Lots of laughter…

And a big family photo!  Which was taken at approximately 11pm.  Oh yes, we know how to party and we party LATE! 😀

Christmas Day

Christmas in southwest MN this year dawned bright and warm… and brown!  There might not have been snow, but there was JOY!  JOY for Jesus coming, JOY for the Peace we can have, JOY for the family that surrounds us!

Joy in the little things, like photography and pretty lights…

The excitement of little kids opening presents…

And big kids being goofy opening presents!

Pending arrival…  {35 weeks}

Someone is tickled “pink” for his coming little sister!  {Gorgeous quilt made lovingly by her great Grandma Nelson!  Picture doesn’t do it justice; will have to see if I can get a better shot of it one of these days.}

And Christmas would be incomplete without the mandatory traditional Norwegian lutefisk dinner!  Lefse will be later – I’m more excited about that part of the tradition {for obvious reasons}!

Now everyone is watching a family movie to end another late night!

As long as I’m feeling good, I’ve been cleared by both of my midwives to do a little traveling so hopefully we can make it to the Berge and Sahlstrom 1.0 (one MORE generation up – Paul and Carol Sahlstrom household – if you think today was crazy, just wait till there are 40+ cousins at this one…) Christmas celebrations as well!  Which start… tomorrow!  Big families are awesome – Christmas lasts for a whole week!

Merry Christmas!  Hope you have made special memories like we have!