Christmas Came Early

It always does with my family.  My parents and one of my sisters and brother-in-law came yesterday and it was grand!  My kids’ Christmas starts about a week early usually and they enjoy presents nearly through the New Year.

Granna and Grandaddy with all the kiddos

The picture with their aunt and uncle did not go so well.  Check out BigMan.

Uncle Tom and Aunt Meredith with all the kids

I love cooking for this day.  Is that weird?  Even this year with so much “help” and a 2 month old. 

I just started early.  I boiled the eggs and then stuck them in the fridge.  I made the cornbread and left it out to dry out some.  I boiled the chicken then refrigerated the broth.  I boiled the sweet potatoes then waited to peel and mash them.  Over and over I would cook a portion and then put it away to combine later.  It was all a several day process.  And the slower process allowed my frazzled nerves to let the kids help more along the way.  And it worked out perfectly.  Amazingly.  Well, perfectly if you don’t count me forgetting that I set the oven to broil and then forgot about the marshmallows atop the sweet potatoes (but doesn’t everyone like their casserole with roasted marshmallows?).  I made the dressing, giblet gravy, the aforementioned blackened sweet potato casserole, freezer rising rolls, sweet tea, and Matt made sugar cookies and chex mix. 

Christmas Cookies!

We also had pumpkin, chocolate, and coconut cream pies, a hen, fruit salad, green beans, cranberry sauce, egg nog, chocolate covered pretzels, and coffee.  Oh my, the eating!

While we were all doing this in the kitchen:

I love the exchange here between Granna and BigMan

This was happening in the living room:

Sweet Grandaddy and Finalist bonding time

Then time for the gifts!  The compromise was that the children must wait until after dinner for the presents but it will definitely happen before dessert!

And while all the older kids were enjoying presents the youngest was enjoying this:

Tell me – how do you balance all the celebrations, cooking, and insanity of this time of year?