Suspend

In the quiet day between getting home from New York and receiving visitor's for New Year's, we had a quiet family day. Benji wanted to have a Suspend tournament, as he loves this new game he got for Hanukkah:

Christmastime Fashion

Sporting a scarf from Grandma:

Uncle Tom's Birthday 2016

Meeting Joey

The day after Christmas, we drove to Purdys to visit with Aunt Barbara and family. We finally got to meet our new little cousin, Joey:

Christmas 2016

Found this little guy in Disney and thought Benji's stocking needed it

When he saw it, he said "is that some sort of Blue Henry relative?"

Real Hanukkah

Hanukkah started on Christmas Eve this year. We lit the first night's candles while Kevin and his parents were at Christmas (Eve) Mass:

For night #2, Kevin's dad sweetly made us latkes and we were all together to light the menorah:

We lit the third and fourth nights in NY but forgot to open any presents.  One the 5th night we were traveling home and got in too late to celebrate, so the next morning we opened several gifts.  This was Benji's favorite:

He has long coveted a bathrobe

Hanukkah ended on New Year's Eve, so Alex and Steph were in town for the last two nights.  Sophia was excited to help us light the candles:

Now all that's left is to scrub the wax out of the menorah!

Christmas Eve 2016

We had a low key Christmas Eve at Chris and Annmarie's, followed by our normal traditions at Grandma and Pop-pop's:

Cookies for Santa (and celery for the reindeer)

Reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Christmas PJs