Christmas 2014

I tried to have everything done this year by the day before Christmas Eve so that we could just have fun on Christmas Eve.  I'd gotten a late start getting ready for Christmas this year and it was a hectic few weeks leading up to Christmas.  I felt like I had everything done though and the plan was to go to Melanie's house for Christmas Eve breakfast then head up to the ski resort for a few hours to pass the time while the kids were waiting for Santa.  Instead we were woken up early in the morning by Skyler throwing up.  So Jason headed off to the breakfast with the older kids and I stayed home with Skyler.  I felt so bad he was sick again after being sick on Thanksgiving and hoped it would be a quick 24 hour bug and he would feel better on Christmas.  Jason offered to stay home with Skyler in the afternoon so I could ski but I decided to stay home and just get an early start making dinner so they all headed up to the ski resort while Skyler and I stayed home again.  We were finally able to enjoy the evening together with clam chowder, Christmas songs and stories and the kids acting out the nativity.  Skyler was feeling well enough that he was enjoying hitting everything in sight with his shepherd staff!

After an extremely warm and dry December we woke up to the first big snowfall of the year Christmas morning with snow still coming down.  It really made for a picture perfect Christmas morning (although I never did take a picture of the snow.  It was a beautiful morning with lots of happy kids and we enjoyed just staying inside, watching the snow come down and taking our time opening presents.  Skyler was the new owner of more trains than you can count.  Kaitlyn was thrilled to join the electronic club in the house with an iPod.  Jared added a Lego set to his collection. (What else would he want?)  Andrew was soon dreaming up all the tricks he would be recording and showing off with his new Gopro (video camera he can attach to the top of his ski helmet.)

The finished project a couple days later.

Andrew with the quilt his grandma made him.  She is so talented!

It was such a wonderful day.  For some reason it hit me this year hard that we only have a few years left with everyone at home together.  Sometimes it feels like time just keeps going faster and faster.  I really kept feeling that something was missing this year as I prepared for Christmas.  I realized that I really missed how the last few years during all the busyness I found some time to go help my grandma with her Christmas preparations.  It was never anything big but now it is time that I cherish.  And when I was missing her so much I came to the realization that this is what Christmas is all about.  That our Father loves us enough to send His Son to earth in a stable.  And because of that we can have our families forever.

Christmas and the End of 2013

This was such a great Christmas!  Everyone was healthy and happy.  Jason got most of the week of Christmas off and it was just so wonderful to have fun together.  By Christmas Eve I had decided everything was not going to get done, thanks to the car accident, so I could either fret about it and spend the whole day working to finish up last minute things or just forget it and have fun.  I chose the latter and we had a gorgeous day at Snowbasin, our fun new Christmas Eve tradition.  It really is a great way to pass the time for kiddos that are really impatient for Santa to arrive.

In the evening when it was time for the kids to act out the nativity, Kaitlyn was really sad Skyler had gotten too big to be the baby Jesus.  Instead he was Joseph this year and loved to kiss the baby.

Then it was time for Christmas Eve pajamas.  (I know this picture is a little silly with Skyler poking Andrew in the eye!)

And finally it was off to bed.  Unfortunately morning came way too early.  Even though we told the kids they couldn't get up until after 6:00, Andrew and Jared woke up around 5:30 and woke Skyler up so there was no sleeping after that.  Skyler was exhausted all morning and didn't enjoy the presents too much that day.  Everyone else seemed thrilled with what they got.  I never get very good pictures at Christmas.  Maybe because that amount of excitement makes it impossible for my kids to sit still for half a second.  Here are a few that turned out.

My brother Ethan and his wife sent all the kids marshmallow guns.  They were a hit for everyone, including Skyler and Dad.  A couple days later these hats came in the mail from them in Germany.  Cecilia crocheted the hat for Katilyn and Skyler's came from the Christmas market.

We spent Christmas vacation playing with all the new Christmas toys, skiing, going to movies, dinner and the Christmas Village downtown.  The kids loved the new movie Frozen.  Andrew spent the new year at a church youth party at Weber State and the rest of us enjoyed a game night at home with Jason's mom and step-dad.  All too soon the holidays were over and it was time for everyone to go back to work and school.

Christmas 2012

It seems strange that it was Valentine's Day this week and I'm just getting to blogging about Christmas.  Anyway, this will be the year that we look back on Christmas and remember being sick...  at least Jason and I.  You name it and we had it.  As soon as we were over something we came down with something else.  Jason and I spent almost every day from a week before Christmas until New Years in bed.  It really made for a miserable Christmas Break.  The kids were so excited about Christmas and we were just too sick to do anything.  We actually felt ok on Christmas Day.  Here are some pictures.

Christmas 2011

This picture was actually taken as the kids were coming down the stairs to see what Santa brought.  Jason insisted they stop and pose for a picture.  Can you tell by the look on Kaitlyn's face that she is really just dying to rip around the corner and see what's in the other room?  I guess I should have followed Jason's example and made them pose a few more times because at the end of the day I realized the camera sat on top of the piano unused most of the day.  Oh well... It was a fabulous Christmas and everyone was very spoiled.

Holiday Fun

It's been a busy month with lots of fun Christmas activities.  Here are some recent pictures.

Kaitlyn was my best helper in the kitchen.

Having fun making sugar cookies.

The Salt Lake Temple

Enjoying the lights at Temple Square.

Andrew and Jared had their first piano recital the week before Christmas.  They were really nervous but did a great job!  It was amazing to see how far they have both come in only six months!  Their recital was at the Eccles Community Art Center.  It is a beautiful house that has been restored in downtown Ogden and it was all decorated for Christmas.  They even got to perform on a concert size Steinway piano!

At the family Christmas party Kaitlyn was thrilled to see Santa.  The boys weren't quite so excited until they realized he was giving Lego's to all the boys.

Christmas

I love the Christmas season. I'm always a little sad when Christmas day arrives because it means it is almost over. We have loved all the time this month that we have shared with so many wonderful friends and family members. As my kids were going to bed on Christmas Eve we were talking about how hard it is for kids to fall asleep on Christmas Eve. What my kids don't realize is that I am just as excited as they are for Christmas morning - not because of what I'm going to receive but because I love to see my kids so happy! We had a quiet day at home and I loved every minute of it. Mostly, I rejoice in the birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I love the time to reflect on his birth, life and sacrifice for all of us. Merry Christmas!

Can't wait to see what Santa brought!

We'll soon be getting a pet! Andrew got a parakeet cage and gift card to the pet store.

This is the view we saw of Jared most of the day as he was taking pictures with his new camera. Notice the jersey of his favorite Jazz player.

I think 4 might be the perfect age for Christmas! Kaitlyn loved all her new Barbies and dress up clothes!

Rumor has it that it took Santa hours to assemble this!

Andrew spent all afternoon putting together his Harry Potter castle. We thought a Lego set with 1290 pieces would last for at least a week but we were wrong!