Christmas Past... I mean Post!

Even though it was ages ago, here is the post of Christmas promised! Christmas was great this year. We spent Christmas Eve with some wonderful friends, the Masitis family. We had dinner at Texas Roadhouse (a tradition started three years ago when family bailed on us last minute). Then we walked the Temple grounds looking at the amazing light and nativity display. It was quite chilly but fun non the less. Thanks Melissa and Erik for joining us with your kids. It brightened our night. (Even though I am SURE that your kids went home with some very unsavory table manners learned that night... flying straw covers, peanut shells and ice, oh my!)

After dinner and lights we went home and opened the ceremonial one gift that Rachel finally figured out is ALWAYS going to be PJs! But of course always the Diva, she is the first to have her picture taken! Love the pink silk! She wears it well. You can't tell in the picture, but they have little white polk-a-dots as well, too cute!
And how thrilling that they come in wee sizes too! (ok, so one size too big, but she will grow, right! They had to match, ok!) Besides my kids are so short they would look too big anyway- look at Rachel's feet) Tera's hair just cracks me up. If you notice in past pics it is always the same wild do! It is quite un-tame-able, but loved just the same.
U of A is #1


Ashten didn't want a solo pic, but notice the cute Smurfette on her Pjs! Aren't my kids adorable?! And they are so excited to go to bed so Santa will come...

AND boy did he! What a spoiled rotten bunch!

Tera didn't want to wait for the scissors, teeth work just fine! Notice the unwrapped gift in the background. Once she realized that kitchen was for her she could care less what else there was to open. Lesson learned...one great gift is all she needs! Though, she may have lost interest when the next gift opened was undies! The kids made their protest known that undies should not be wrapped-Haha- I was just trying to make it look like more under the tree for the wow affect, ya know! Necessities can be gifts can't they?

The highlights of the day: Wii, Guitar Hero band (something for everyone of course!), 42 inch LCD for dad, Kitchen for Tera (she's not quite yet a fan of the Wii), and of course smiles from everyone for mom, (yes, I got some great gifts too, but the smiles make it all the better!) made the day what it is - fun!

We were supposed to spend the evening playing games with some friends, the Wilson's, but by 4 pm I had a horrible headache and was feeling the starts of a sinus infection. Sure enough, by Friday I could hardly talk and had a cough that could speak to seals! Of course that didn't stop us from spending Saturday with Chad's family at his brother, Nathan's home, or going to his niece Rebekah's baptism which I was asked to speak at and did very hoarsely. We are proud of her for facing the freezing cold water - there was snow on the ground outside and the church's hot water was not working, but she went in willingly - brrr!

So there you have the Christmas post. It was a wonderful time for me. I LOVE Christmas, it is my favorite time of year - the whole month between Thanksgiving and New Years. Nothing beats the feeling of the Savior in our thoughts and actions. Celebrating it makes it all the better.

Oh, I forgot about the FHE we had with some neighbors and friends as we went caroling down our street and gave out goodies to the neighbors still at home. We ended with a five minute video of the Nativity at the Brady's home (on their movie screen) and hot chocolate and goodies to share. It was a tradition for me growing up that my family of 9 would carol to our neighbors, I loved it. This was so much fun for me, it will be a tradition again from now on. I hope everyone else had as much fun as I did and will want to do it again. So, that is it for 2008, on to the New Year!