A Very Uki Christmas

JEGs' family is Ukrainian Orthodox, which means they celebrate Christmas on January 7th.    Every year, his family hosts Christmas dinner at their house and it always means a spread of yummy food like Momma G's sweet corn, holubsti (cabbage stuffed with rice and meat), ham, paska (raisin bread), kapusta (split pea and sauerkraut soup)

...and the star of the show is MomMom's homemade pierogies.  So.  Freaking.  GOOD.

It's always a casual affair served buffet style and grab-a-chair-where-ever-you-can kind of deal.

It's also a time to spend with family we don't get to see very often, like our nephews Wyatt and Wesley.

JEGs plays Santa to Wyatt

Wesley waits patiently for his gift

LEGOs are totally smile worthy

I love this picture of my father-in-law with Hunter.  So sweet.

Hunter was gifted some very sweet gifts from JEGs' cousin Heather and Aunt Marlene, including some adorable t-shirts, a book, the coolest elephant-popping-ball-toy ever and a pillow for the nursery.

JEGs and Wesley inspect the book together.

 The best part of getting gifts is opening them right away and playing with them

Hunter hanging out with his MomMom

JEGs  received a late gift from "Santa" as well.   It was the Perplexus Epic ball that contains a maze in a sphere that you flip and turn to move a marble around to the end.  To say it is aggravating but addicting would be an understatement...

Wyatt and his dad give the Perplexus a go..

..but sometimes the box is just as fun to play with.

Every year, my in-laws pick out the most perfect Christmas tree.  So perfect, I always think it's fake

JEGs' Uncle Jimmy comes up from Naples, Florida once a year for Christmas.  We've started a tradition of traveling across the bridge the day after  to the Jughandle Inn for the most delicious wings I have ever had.

The anticipation of yummy wings is almost too much for JEGs to bear...

JEGs and I with Uncle Jimmy

 We don't even bother with the menu; a pitcher of Miller Lt (a Sprite for me since I am breast feeding) and 20 of your hot wings (or in my case, a mere 10 will do).  All conversation is to be done before the wings arrive.  Once they are placed in front of us, we get down to business.  The only conversation afterwards is about how delicious they are and worth the trip.

Nommy nom noms.

I think it is the perfect way to round out the holiday season.

How about you?  Any belated holiday traditions?

Always & Forever,
  ME