Christmas in Wisconsin

Thursday

This year we decided to celebrate Christmas with both our families. First we went to my parents house.

Friday

The next day we ran a few errands in the morning.

Meadow was in need of new tights so we headed over to Old Navy which happened to be having a sale on everything.

They're always having a sale on everything. The only time we go here is to get Meadow tights for some reason.

All day Meadow kept asking if she could ride the kid snowmobile. We told her she had to wait until my dad was home from work.

She was all ready to ride it around when Mr. Mike turned the kitty cat on.

Once he turned it on it was "too loud" and she wouldn't ride it anymore. 

My dad showed her how easy it was.

She did manage to sit on the snowmobile while it was off.

She agreed to only pretend ride it.

I guess playing with kitty was more fun.

That is, only if it means picking up the cat.

No one could figure out what it to eat. G.G. suggested pizza from Simon's Cheese factory. So, that's we did.

Saturday

Chelsea brought her boys over in the morning. Nolan went right for the snowmobile with no fears.

He did a few laps, but didn't seem too excited.

Then we all gave it a try.

We hoped that this would make Meadow want to give it a try.

But alas, she just wanted to stay indoors.

Scott had packed away all of our wrapping stuff so I did our wrapping at my parents.

While in town we had to stop by Donna and Malcom's.

We got to ask them how being the parents of two little ones was going and many other random topics. I wish these guys lived closer to us.

I thought Meadow would have been shy, but Pippa and her went right to playing.

I brought some things for Donna that I wasn't taking to our new condo.

We would've stayed all day, but Donna had a buche de noel to finish. 

But first the girls had to play with a billion My Little Pony's.

We timed having our kids pretty well. Baby Lewis will have a playmate next time we see them.

Well, at least within a year or so they'll be in the same ballpark.

Blake had showed up at some point while we were gone. That could only a pescatartian delight for dinner: shrimp alfredo.

Sunday

Nolan was singing at a church in the morning so we headed there.

We arrived right before service started. We spotted Nolan as he was lining up.

This was this churches Christmas children's service. G.G. was sure that this didn't count as church. I thought it was much more entertaining.

After service we went to see the little singer. We think he did a pretty great job.

The rest of the day was spent baking and reading books.

We also had grilled cheese and days old chili.

Meadow was loving my mom's cats. Unlike our cat Peanut her cats tolerate Meadow carrying them around.

My mom asked me to make a dessert with some jarred cherries she found. When she found out I was planning to bring them for Christmas Eve I was told they were supposed to be for Christmas day. Since we were going to spend Christmas day with Scott's family I doubled the recipe so we could at least have some.

When Marina, Jeff and Brittany came over they tried out the kitty cat. At first Marina was scared just like Meadow.

Marina then decided the snowmobile wasn't so scary to ride. I was surprised the kids would know how to turn this machine, I guess bike riding taught them that skill.

Meanwhile G.G., Mr. Mike and Blake went to second mass. I love Christmas mass/service, but we weren't going to the same thing twice.

Plus I had brownies in the oven.

Then we headed over to my Aunt Jill's house for my dad's side of the family Christmas get together.

The Romenesko Christmas is always huge. Brooke has like a hundred relatives on this side (I'm exagerating.) Every year we find a quiet corner and stick to ourselves.

This year each of the cousins got a piece from my grandma's china set.

This forced Brooke's siblings to socialize just a bit.

I first ended up with a bowl and gold ladle, but later traded for a tea cup and saucer.

Here's Brooke and Blake pretending to be social animals.

I think I was actually telling a good story. Also note Marina's awesome Christmas outfit that Brittany made.

It's traditon to get a cake and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

I guess that makes sense.

The 2nd cousins were excited for cake.

For a while the girls disappeared to the basement. I guess they were playing NES classic and running on a treadmill. These two know how to have a good Christmas Eve.

When we got back, Blake finished making his perennial cinnamon rolls. 

Monday

In the morning we got ready and then sat by the...fire.

Blake made the cinnamon rolls into a Christmas tree.

Since we had to get to Scott's parents house we opened presents before everyone else arrived.

I got a Paddling Minnesota book.

G.G. got a bunch of stuff for the cottage.

Meadow got a digger toy. Her favorite construction vehicle.

Meadow got the only gift she really wanted. A rainbow lollipop. She was soo happy.

Before we left my mom gave us all a really nice Christmas bonus to help pay off debt or to put towards a house. Too bad we just sold our house to pay off our debt.

Now we have a bunch of extra money to get us through the few months where Brooke won't be able to work after baby comes. Not bad. Thanks Mike and Gail. I think we should also thank Grandma Lungwitz.

We also need a new couch and bed.

After our Christmas morning with the Romeneskos we headed down to the first full Tuska family Christmas in ten or more years. Of course Grandpoppy hates having his picture taken.

Even though we hadn't seen them in 2 years Meadow immediately became best buds with her cousins.

Simone just loves her cousin and smiling for the camera.

My Aunt Carol and Uncle Don also came over for the day.

I always loved Christmas with them. 

Having Colin and Jen back in the midwest and home for the holidays has been nice. Especially when he takes over all the cooking.

That's Robot Chef to you. 

This year Colin brought up Polish sausage from Chicago and made sauerkraut noodles, Brussels sprouts  and mashed potatoes.

Most of us ate, but of course if it wasn't Meadow, but Simone wasn't having it. Meadow mostly ate mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Oh, kids.

I don't think we've ever had two tables for a Tuska Christmas.

After dinner we all hung out, drank some beers and had a darn good time. No arguments, which is a big thing for us Tuskas.

Then we all opened presents.

Simone's a showboater.

Meadow got another digger!

A big one from Uncle Colin.

We got Simone a water color set, but she was more into her new princess stickers.

We got Cameron a build-your-own bulldozer set.

He kept on insisting on building it right away.

Grandma got both girls princess blankets.

The girls loved their new princess blankets.

They spun in circles in joy.

Cameron got a pirate blanky. He got scared by robot chef's turn as a pirate.

Then it was cake time. That could only mean Danish layer cake. Nice pretend phone reading, Uncle Don.

The girls entertained us for awhile before everyone went there way.

I drove Colin and Jen to the Amtrak station and Christmas 2017 was a wrap.

Tuesday

In the morning we woke up groggy after Meadow threw up all Christmas night. She seemed ok in the morning and we drove to Cudahy Pancake House only to see it was closed. Instead we went to ho, hum Andrea's family restaurant.

It was just OK.

We had top pick up our friend Tyler in downtown Milwaukee and then drove home. I drove the first half and then Tyler took over. 

About an hour from home Tyler ran over something on the road. He said it looked like a chunk of a cinder block. Later we figured it could've been a chunk of ice. Suffice it to say, it destroyed our right tires and dented the wheels.

A State Patrol officer pulled up behind us right after it happened and yelled at us for being in a dangerous area. Then told us we needed to get a tow truck as soon as possible. Our insurance tow truck was going to take over an hour. The State Patrol called one for us.

I have to say this was my first time riding in a tow truck.

Hopefully it will be one of the last. Other than this headache, we had a pretty great weekend.

Despite getting home way later than planned Meadow had a few more presents to open.

She got a Mr Potato Head family set, the pink dress I made her and more train tracks. I mentioned Santa must have gotten her letter. She then said, "But he didn't get me a unicorn crown!" I guess Santa didn't know you wanted one??