Christmas eve was at our house this year. I tried to decorate to make sure everyone had some great memories of Christmas this year. Growing up I looked forward going to mormor and morfar’s house and seeing all their decorations. Their decorations became so familiar and fun, I looked forward to them every year. I didn’t feel it was Christmas until we were at their house smelling the traditional Norwegian dinner cooking.
Our Norwegian Christmas dinner was mutton (so glad I’m vegetarian 🙂 ), Surkal, kalrabi, and risengrot for dessert. I’m sad we are not carrying on that tradition. The only thing I’m making is risengrot. Maybe next year we will make the full traditional dinner.
I love getting together with my family. They are so fun to be with.
I love all the smiles.
After dinner we decorated tiny houses. I ordered them online, but din’t look at the dimensions. They were so small! Oh, well. They were fun to decorate.
My attempt at making the risengrot, or rice pudding. It turned out wonderful! Growing up I didn’t like mormor’s rice pudding and now that I made my own, I know why I didn’t like hers. I used arborio rice and she used just regular rice. I also used real heavy whipping cream and sweetened the cream before mixing into the risengrot. I also used a danish red sauce to add a little flavor and sweetness.
I also made krumkake. This also turned out fantastic and was a great cookie to eat along with the risengrot.
Eli loved it.
My mother was supposed to bring the marzipan pig for the almond winner, but instead brought marzipan fruit for all of us. She is always so sweet to think of us. Maybe one year I will put an almond in all the cups so we all will really win the marzipan fruit 🙂
Unwrapping gifts. Charlie really wanted to get in on the action, but he waited patiently. He is such a good dog!
Unwrapping gifts.
Even Charlie was tired at the end of the night.
After everyone left, we had our Christmas Eve as a family. We unwrapped our Christmas pajamas.
Santa came! 🙂 Paul and I brought up all the wrapped gifts from downstairs to be ready for Christmas morning.
Paul had a conference in Vegas so we all went with.
We stayed in the Trump hotel because of Eli. The Trump is a gambling free, smoke free hotel. We all LOVED it. At the end of the day it was nice to go to a REAL smoke free room. Not those rooms that say they are smoke free, but still smell the smoke.
We went to the Venetian for dinner. Not bad. I wouldn’t go back. I actually wouldn’t go back to any of the dinners we ate in Vegas. They all were over priced and started to taste the same.
Me and my little boy.
Eli loves his dad.
The hotels were decorated for Christmas. All the twinkling lights really lite up the hotels making it a fun walk through the long hotels.
Nascar was in town. They come every year for their the end of the season celebration.
One of the vendors gave Eli a little nascar car. He loved it and kept him in the stroller which was a win for me.
Always something to see in Vegas. Like a huge wall of water.
One night we saw Mickey Mouse. Eli couldn’t control his laughter. He was so excited to see him in person! I guess it’s time to go do Disneyland .
We went to the pool daily. It was a heated pool with a nice hot tub.
It was so nice to have a few hours a day of downtime.
Eli loves to be with mormor.
Eli found a nice chair to relax.
We went shopping every day.
Look where Eli put his shoes 🙂
We watched the Nascar drivers do burnouts in the intersection.
I didn’t know how fun a burnout was going to be. Could watching a car spin around as fast as they can and make as much smoke as they can be entertaining? It actually was a lot of fun to watch and really loud.
Enjoying the water shows at night.
Every morning it was breakfast in bed. Eli better not get used to this.
One of the hotels had a huge aquarium. The stingrays would come up to the glass and watch us.
We took a short trip to Otter Creek State Park. We went mid April, and it was VERY cold. Next time, if there will be a next time, we need to go later in the year.
Eli did very well the car ride.
He kept himself busy.
Very entertaining.
Watching movies helped 🙂
I used this trip to sew a blanket for Eli.
My first patch quilt. I embroidered monsters. I think it turned out nice.
As usual, we ate a lot! Real whipped cream for our breakfast of cheese blintz with blueberry sauce. Very tasty.
We took a short trip to the painted road. Not much, but a painted road out in the middle of no where.
At the end of the painted road, there was a little exhibit with dinosaurs.
Enjoying a good book before bed.
On the way home. He played hard. It was a fun weekend get away.
Lot’s of random photos I didn’t want to lose. Eli is growing so fast I want to have a record of all his cuteness!
He is a great eater. Even in his pajamas at lunch!
Mr. Charlie. We love you!
Eating well with a spoon.
We see the ducks almost daily as we walk the lake.
Eli loves a good sand box to play in.
Always smiling and laughing!
He wears my shoes all the time.
When I cook dinner, Eli is right there with me. Going through all the drawers in the kitchen.
Such a cute little boy.
Before Eli, I couldn’t stand to look at those cars. All I saw were germs and disease. Now I’m pushing one of them every time we go to the grocery store. I love it!
I received a call this morning at 2 am from a private number. That always means the police. So I answer and sure enough, someone broke our front door to one of our stores.
How do you fix a door at 3 am? Stores are closed. And even if they were open, how do you fix a door? I can’t purchase a new glass door.
Good thing my father is innovative! A trip to his garage and 4 hours later, new door! For now.
