Hanukkah came early this year starting on December 3. The first night fell on a Sunday, which was logistically more convenient for celebrating the first night with my parents. We went to my parents house where my mom cooked latkes. While the girls don’t eat latkes, the adults certainly ate our fair share. 
We even celebrated with Noah! His first Hanukkah!
The girls each received their own art set from my parents, which they loved. My parents as always got the girls presents and then some every single night. The girls were so intrigued by their art sets that we held off on giving them their Hanukkah present from us until it was time to change into pajamas, since they received Hanukkah pajamas! They always receive Christmas pajamas but when I saw that Hannah Anderson was carrying a Hanukkah set this year, I ordered them right away! The girls wore them many of the eight nights of Hanukkah. 
Avery and Emerson did a great job with saying the Hanukkah blessing this year. We even sang it a few nights with the help of recording! Harper wanted no part of the candles since she is afraid of fire…she stayed in a different room each night until we were done lighting the candles and even then she stayed far away as they burned for the next hour.
The girls received mostly practical items from me and Justin…some workbooks, books, art paper, board games and STEM projects, and of course Christmas pj’s one night. THIS year the whole family, including Larrisa, received a pair. While we have a lot of great pictures, I am only posting one because I don’t want to spoil the Christmas Eve fun.
It was a good Hanukkah and I’m glad we have some time between the two holidays this year!
On the seventh night, one of the other gifts the girls received from my mom was a coupon for a day out with grandma. Each of the girls wrote on the coupon what they want to do with grandma. They were all three thrilled about this gift as they all love their one-on-one time. Justin and I loved this gift idea as well as we value experiences significantly more than things, especially random things. I absolutely love how Avery and Emerson are sounding out their words. Emerson’s says “Spend the day and sleep over on the weekend. Eat ice cream with movies “Sing”. Read a book to you. Go to the mall.” Emerson believes hers requires two days with grandma.
Some of Avery’s are especially awesome. Avery’s says “We will have a fun day. A sleep over. Go to Dairy Queen. Go out to dinner and out to lunch. Watch a movie with ice cream. Go to Washington DC. Go to the toy store. Great Falls. Go to Ledos. Go to Grandma Adele’s. Go to the mall”. Avery believes she needs about 6 weeks for her special time!
Harper wrote the word grandma and I’m so impressed with how well she is doing with her letters. Harper wants Grandma to pick her up from school, followed by ice cream, the movie SING, the mall, and then a sleepover! 
Seriously, I LOVE these! On the last night of Hanukkah, I thought we would try for a few more pictures. It was still pulling teeth, but the outcome was slightly better!
My parents stopped bye for the last night. For the eighth night, my dad deviated from doubling the money from the seventh night. He gave them each a $100 bill and wanted to see their reaction. Not surprisingly, their reaction was probably a let down. I don’t think they truly understand the concept of a dollar or the value of money….thus another reason that I LOVED the money each night from grandma and grandpa. Each night we turned it into a little math lesson! Not only that, but I can remember one Hanukkah gift I got from my parents as a kid (and I’m pretty sure I received one every night) but I have such vivid memories of opening up the Hanukkah money that doubled each night from Adele and Sol. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, they actually folded the money up tightly in loose leaf paper.
….and then again before the service and I know I am including way too many pictures but I seriously love so many of them as they truly show each of the girls personalities.
The girls were very well behaved at church. After church, we went to PF Changs for dinner, same as last year. We had a few minutes to spare so we were walking around the mall when Emerson and Harper spotted Santa while I was in the bathroom with Avery. They wanted to see Santa and there was no line. SO….we did it…We FINALLY “took” the girls to see Santa. Emerson was the only brave one who wanted to sit on Santa’s lap. Harper wanted to be in the picture but she didn’t want to sit on Santa’s lap. Avery did not want to even be in the picture but she finally decided she would join in…as far away from Santa as possible. 
Dinner was delicious! I ate way too much! After dinner, we lit the menorah for the first night of Hanukkah. Emerson didn’t want to participate. They have been learning about fire safety at school recently and I think she was scared of the fire in the house.
The girls opened up Hannukah presents, which like many years the first night’s present are ironically Christmas pajamas. 
How cute are these?! I almost didn’t buy any this year as they still have two pairs of Christmas pajamas that fit from prior years. BUT I am so glad I did! Look at my little elves!
Seriously, these girls melt my heart! Christmas morning the girls woke up normal time…a little after 8:00. 
Emerson woke up first, then Avery, and they patiently waited for Harper to get up before going downstairs to see what Santa brought. The girls were thrilled to see that Santa brought new and better sleds this year, sleeping bags, princess barbies, and each of the other things on the girls list (i.e. Lip gloss, feather pens, chocolate, a music box). 
While the girls had a sneak peak of what Santa brought (since Santa doesn’t wrap his gifts at our home), we ventured downstairs to see what Santa left in our stockings and to see if he and the reindeer had eaten the cookies and carrots we left for them. They had!
After we opened up the gifts from Santa, we ate breakfast, which is always a favorite in our house. This year it was berries; lemon ricotta muffins; a pepper, squash, chive, and goat cheese frittata; and bacon and sausage. Yum!
We took our time opening presents after breakfast.
In the afternoon, we lounged around, followed by an afternoon walk in the neighborhood before Papa and Grandma and Grandma Adele came over for an Italian theme Christmas dinner and more present opening. Since it was Day 2 of Hanukkah, we also lit the menorah. 
Seriously, look at these precious girls! How could it be anything but a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!
