Extended Skala Christmas

 

Yesterday we got together and celebrated Christmas with my dad’s side.  I think I’ve said it many times already how glad I am that we still try to get together.  It gets hard and busy for so many people, since Grandpa is still going strong it’s so worth it and nice to see everyone together at least once a year.

 

Here are the boys and Great Grandpa Skala.  He is so cute.  The poor guy doesn’t know what’s even going on around him in the silly picture.

 

 

The day was filled with visiting, eating, the traditional singing carol (the favorite being the 12 Day of Christmas that we sing as a round and always have some wise guys), playing Bunco, and then the remaining play some cards and visit. 

 

 

All the siblings but 1, pretty amazing that 10 of them could make it.  The next photo is the siblings and spouses.

The kids (minus about 8 or so) and then the grandkids (minus 10 give or take).

 

A caroling we will do….

 

 

 

 

Playing Bunco and cards.  It’s quite the Bunco game, I think we have 10-12 tables of 4.   The Skala’s are a little “competitive”.  Just a little.

 

 

Christmas before Thanksgiving?

 

It is always so hard to get together with our extended families now that everyone has families of their own.  However, I am so glad that we still try to make an effort to do it.  This year my mom’s side decided to do it early because it was what worked best for most people.  I think we are going to continue to do it early and just call it our Christmas/Thanksgiving.

Lucas smothering Megan like usual and Jacob and Kelsey hanging out like usual.

 

 

Natey with Sr. Bernadette and some of the men talking.  It is actually amazing that Sr. Bernadette is still around.  She was not giving a good prognosis earlier this summer and didn’t have much time.  However, she went through a surgery and dialysis and is been given the gift of time.  It was nice to be able to see her, though the afternoon really wore her out.

 

 

The adults always bring a gift and then play dirty bingo.  This year the kids tried their own version.

 

Cards are always a big part of any family get together, on both sides actually.  We had to chuckle because here are the young men playing their own version of poker (they went around the room collecting money), which wasn’t even close to poker, but they thought they were cool.  It’s fun because I think back to all the fun times I had with my cousins at all the gatherings.  Now, our kids are doing the same thing.  The older men and ladies got their game of cards in as well.

 

 

 

We tried to get a few family photos outside.  This was the best one.

It was a nice day, relaxing and fun.

Visitor at the Ginskey house...and goodies

Friday night Connor noticed a package outside our front door and noticed right away it was addressed to "Connor, Jacob, and Nolan Ginskey". They opened it and found that Santa had sent them a visitor to help keep an eye on them. Connor named him Elfa, and everynight this little elf magically flies back to Santa to update him on the Ginskey family and then reappears the next morning in a new hiding place. The boys have had a blast looking for him every morning - though Connor says he's too easy to find (might have to work on that one...). The first night I saw Connor put his hands on Jacob's shoulders and say to him, " Jacob, don't jump on the couch, Elfa is watching!". HA! It's the cutest thing and I know we'll have fun with it throughout the years. After Christmas Elfa flies back to the North Pole and comes back to visit us next year, etc... (I just have to rememeber to hide it in a good place, but make sure I remember where!) Check it out....Elf on the Shelf.(Thanks to Tanja for the great idea)

Saturday Mom, Kristin, and I did some baking and made lots of yummy goodies. We've done this a few years now and hopefully this continues to be a tradition. The one downfall of this is that we end up eating way too much of it! The guys and the kids all hung out too. It was a fun day and I love that we do this. Next Saturday we're getting together with some of the ladies from my mom's side to make Kolaches. My grandma (both grandmas actually) used to make them all of the time. Hopefully this is a new tradition also.

Saturday night Matt and I met my good friend Shelly and her boyfriend Ryan at Buca's. We finally got to meet this great guy and I am so excited and happy for them.

Note to self............

Last night we went shopping for our Toys for Tots angels. I always try to get three boy angels close to the ages of our boys. I knew Matt was at a supper in the cities tonight, he has basketball practice tomorrow night, we're busy this weekend, and the gifts are due on Tuesday. I had visions of a nice family outing, picking out the presents that we're going to donate, and enjoying and taking in every minute of it. Not what happened! Isn't it hard when things don't go like you had envisioned or planned? Note to self....don't take little boys shopping during the Christmas season when it's late and they haven't eaten...for other kids they don't know. Enough said....
Oh well, it's the thought that counts right?!

More Hometown Holiday Weekend

So the boys and I met mom for another Hometown Holiday Weekend outing last night. We went to the the Village of Yesteryear for Christmas in the Village. We saw Santa, walked along the luminary lit paths, saw an old school house (Connor kept asking grandma if it was a school or a house then?), decorated cookies, sang Christmas carols (the boys rang the bells - my camera battery died on me though), and Mrs. Claus even sprinkled us with SSB (Santa's Secret Blend) so that we'll be good boys and girls (we had her do a lot on Nolan our monster!) The fun and Christmas spirit definitely kept us warm from the cold weather.
This year is the first time I've taken advantage so much of what the Hometown Holiday Weekend has to offer. What a cool thing - and we have to miss a ton of the other activities due to other plans this weekend - cocoa with Santa, horse-drawn sleigh ride, Santa stopping by in his Big Red Bi-Plane, the Elks children's Christmas party.

Mom and I also went to the Stars Come Out for the Holidays production at the Little Theatre. Our daycare provider was the artistic director. It was exactly what I needed to get me even more into the holiday spirit. Wow, there are some amazingly talented people! My eyes even watered up quite a few times.

Tree Lighting Collage

Here is a collage of pictures from last night's tree lighting downtown.

Hometown Holiday Weekend

The boys and I met mom downtown last night for the Lighting of Central Park, the beginning of the Hometown Holiday Weekend. It was very cold, but the boys enjoyed it. It started with a parade of vehicles from businesses in town decorated for Christmas, Santa and Mrs. Claus were there, they handed out hot apple cider and cookies, and the carolers sang. We had a perfect parking spot right by the park, so when Connor said he was really really cold (with tears in his eyes) we just got in the van, turned on the heat, and watched them turn on the lights through the windows. For those of you who think I'm a bad mom for having the boys out in the cold, they had their snowpants, boots, jackets, hats, and mittens on! They were bundled up. I should have done the same though, my toes were cold!

The last picture of the boys in the pj's in front of the tree, was my lame attempt of getting a good christmas picture. Connor's exhausted, Jacob's being silly, and Nolan wants to see what Jacob's doing so he can do the same thing. We'll try again some other time.