Hope you all had a lovely holiday – whatever you were celebrating! We were in Hillsborough at my parents’ house along with Larbs and Matt and Matt’s parents. It was a full house that made things feel extra cozy despite record-breaking temperatures. We actually slept with the windows open, and I woke up with a mosquito bite on Christmas morning!
This Just In right before we left on Thursday! He’s shy, but walked right up and told Santa he wanted trains for Christmas. Too bad he already has nearly every train they make! Also, he decided to take off the matching shirt I had on him and put on his “out to dinner dressy shirt” before occasion, and if you know anything about three year olds you know not to argue with their outfit choices 😉
We arrived just after lunch on Christmas Eve and hung out around the house that afternoon. Mom and Larbs were cooking up a storm for the party that night!
Someone was REALLY excited to get to open his Cranky the Crane present from Grammie early!
We had lots of food for our party – shrimp, pork tacos, crudites, guacamole, bean and kale dip, meatballs.
Plus a lovely cheese plate! Always my favorite ; )
Before bed, Mazen put out his stocking!
And then we tucked him into his sleeping bag next to Daffy.
Christmas morning was actually quite chill. Mazen didn’t really remember that Santa came and the living room was tucked off his beaten path enough that we were able to stall so that all the grownups could get up and brunch underway before we went in for presents. During that time Matt and I snuck in a 4.5 mile run! It was steamy out there!
Once home and quickly showered, we asked Mazen if he thought Santa had come. He lit up and padded into the room to see!
It was so sweet to see his face! He got a soccer goal and ball, Mr. Potato Head, a handful of games, lot of play-doh accessories and some train things!
We opened all the family gifts as well – how cute is this fireman!
Brunch was great – an assortment of egg, mushroom and spinach casserole, breads, yogurt & granola, fruit salad, mimosas and bloody marys.
(We have the darkest dining room in town!)
We had photographer Sharyn come that afternoon to capture some fun family photos!Â
We spent the rest of the afternoon playing corn hole and/or reading books – sometimes both!
Christmas dinner followed. We had ham, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, massaged kale salad, and rolls.
Favors included cake pops made by my mom’s friend and monogrammed soap dispensers!
We had THREE pies for dessert – chocolate chip pecan, pumpkin and peppermint ice cream.
And then we rolled ourselves to bed!
This morning I woke up craving sweat + greens, so that’s exactly what I did! I found a hot yoga studio in Chapel Hill – Red Room Yoga – and hit up the 10am class. It was great!!!! 99 degrees when I left. Afterwards, I went to Weaver Street for some green juice and a kale salad with tofu on top.
#healthrenewed
What a great way to spend Christmas. Glad you got to enjoy time with your family. Thank you for sharing Kath – looking forward to what you have in store for 2016!
Health renewed! Love it!!! Merry Christmas!!!
Poor Mazen! Christmas morning, especially, is for kids. I’m surprised you and Matt didn’t embrace that. I can’t imagine taking off for a run and showering before watching my child enjoy the magic of the morning.
He enjoyed lots of magic and love. Mind your own traditions.
Natalie has a point. It is so unusual for a parent not to LOVE seeing, and eagerly anticipate, his/her child’s joy on Christmas morning! All for a short run that did little to offset all the indulgent pies and wine.
Take the feedback without defensiveness, Kath.
You don’t think I LOVED seeing his reaction!? Time is so unimportant. How about commenting on the joy in this post instead of nit-picking the timeline of our morning?
Oh my! How rude.
Kath, I loved reading this post and seeing the joy in Mazen’s face. I am so sorry that you have to deal with the completely uncalled for negative comments sometimes, keep on keeping on! xo
Kath – that comment seemed a little harsh. Young children know that Santa has come and it’s really hard to keep them from wanting to open gifts and see the tree. I was curious about this as well.
Honestly he had no idea – our plan was to go in when he was ready and he never asked so we told him! We had 9 adults and one 3 year old. Our family was all happy to get to watch him open his gifts together.
I don’t think Kath’s comment was harsh at all. I read this post and thought it was so sweet, so was appalled and surprised by the rude comments here. If people are allowed to attack her and her parenting, she should certainly be allowed to defend herself.
Yes, every family is different. My husband works nights and so the kids and I woke up, ran to an open store to buy them a special treat breakfast, and came back home before waking up their Daddy to eat breakfast and then open gifts. Our kids are 18 months and 3 years old so they don’t know any other way and its still really great and fun and special for them. Some families I know open up gifts on Christmas Eve so the morning isn’t for gifts at all.
Christmas is about FAMILY. Children are definitely included in that, but I assure you that my three year old niece had just as much fun seeing her family members and playing games with us as she did opening presents. And if she didn’t, then we’d need to realign her priorities. Families all have different traditions–whose place is it to tell someone which one is right and which one is wrong? What a way to try and spoil a perfectly lovely post. Looks like you had a Merry Christmas Kath! I wish you a very happy new year!
It looks like a great time was had by all….Merry Christmas!
M looks so cute in his fireman’s gear!
Now, time to plan for the New Year.
Hey Kath, great pics!!! Since Mazen loves trains so much, I wanted to tell you that if you are ever in the town of Luray, VA, the Visitor’s Center there has a room-sized train set-up. It is behind glass, but really cool. There is also some great vintage photography, too. (Apologies if a similar post appeared. My computer went crazy for a minute!) Happy New Year to you and your beautiful family!
Thanks for the rec! I think I’ve heard of this. Sounds like a day trip is in order!
Also… the Great Smokey Mountain Railway in Bryson City would be fun to check out. They have open air cars. In the wintertime, they do a special “polar express” train ride with Santa. In their museum, they have an amazing display set up.
Merry Judgmental Christmas, Natalie! I’ve read Kath for years (on and off) and I’m pretty sure one of her traditions is to get in a run on Christmas morning. Having children adds an extra dimension to your life, but I don’t think you need to abandon your own self-care to over indulge them. When Mazen is older, mom running before looking through Santa’s offerings will probably be how he remembers Christmas mornings. You know, lots of parents don’t do the Santa thing at all with their kids so it seems a little excessive that you find it necessary to criticize the timing of Kath’s holiday morning. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year’s to all.
Looks like a great Christmas! Mazen is so adorable.
Kath, thanks for sharing your special moments with us. Looks like Mazen had a great time. Don’t let the negative Nancys get you down. Love your blog and the items you share with us. Hope you have a blessed New Year.
Thank you <3
It looks like such a wonderful Christmas with family! I love his face coming into the room to see gifts. And who cares about timeline, it’s obvious the day was filled with love & family. I’m sorry you had to read those comments. Love your blog, I’ve been reading since 2009!!
I was writing a comment earlier this morning when my computer decided to have problems, so I started a new comment and then decided not to finish it and didn’t plan on it. Left to run some errands and this has been on my mind so I feel compelled to finish my comment and send it. It sounds to me like Kath and Matt were able to spend some quality time together doing something they love while enjoying some nice weather. Even it is on Christmas morning, what is wrong with that? It sounds like Mazen was enjoying some quality time with relatives and I truly believe that he didn’t really remember that Santa had come. Even if he did, what’s the harm in having him wait, I made my kids wait until after I had breakfast made and in the oven to look in there stockings and open presents. Self-care makes us better people and better parents so Kath and Matt, I commend you for taking the time to do so. My kids are 9 and 10 and my issue with Christmas is the focus on Santa and presents and needing to ask for more presents and specific presents. Both my children have November birthdays and we used to wait to do Santa and other gifts until later on Christmas Day when we got home from my Christmas with my relatives and often it was so late Santa actually just came a day later to our house when we could all enjoy it. We also used to wait days or even weeks to open all of the presents from us so they could focus on playing with the other gifts they got and appreciate them more. Everyone has their own traditions and it looks like yours work just fine and create some wonderful memories for everyone. Not only during the holidays, but each and everyday of the year. Thanks for sharing your memories with us!
Thanks so much for taking the time to write this : )
oh my gosh that video is too precious, like something out of a movie 🙂 Mazen is so grown up now too!
My son (2.5 years) forgot that Santa came. We relaxed in bed Christmas morning reading books like we would any weekend morning. We finally asked him if he thought Santa came and then we all went downstairs to check. You seem like a very good mom, Kath. I’m sorry to see people speaking so harshly to you.
Hello! Found your blog when I was pregnant a couple of years ago, first comment!
I just wanted to chime in and say, whoa people. My husband and I woke up on Christmas morning and I went for an hour run and he did yoga while our 2.5 year old slept and then read books. So content. We were showered and ready for a great day by 9 am and everyone was happy! I think it’s a way bigger gift that you and Matt demonstrate constant self care *even* on the holidays! I feel 100% better after my workouts and know if I show up for myself first in that easy way I can show up for my son. And to critique Kath and Matt for taking care of themselves early in the day and not immediately opening gifts is off. Ugh I am rambling, my point is maybe you all need to look at your selves and why you’re reacting that way.
Can’t stand when people shame others. Especially for healthy balanced choices. Dang people.