This Christmas

 

 

There is something about Christmas that makes everything right in the world. It's tangible and contagious and this year, like others of the past, brought all of us so much joy and wonder.

In no particular order....
Braxton's Christmas jammies were hillarious. They were a last minute purchase at Target and they didn't have his size so I acted logically and bought my size. But he rocked them non the less and was a super great sport about them.

I had bought all the kids spirit wear through the school and then forgot about it in the closet so they got a present later Christmas day, once I remembered. And they loved their spirit wear.

The kids and I all went shopping one day down south at Hobby Lobby and I let Braxton, Adelle, and Emmett go next door to the dollar tree and I seriously thought they got lost coming back and I had them paged on the intercom of Hobby Lobby. It was nerve racking for a few short minutes.

All the kids bought/made gifts for each other and were spot on with their choices. Gage picked out the long gum, rolled around the spindle for Adelle. Her favorite. Emmett wanted to get a Seahawks jersey so bad for Braxton but I wouldn't let him spend that much money so I helped him choose a poof ball hat, Nike, and Braxton, no joke, hasn't taken it off since Christmas (except at school and during prayer). He loves that hat!! Braxton made his dad a new boot taker offer thing with  my dad and worked really hard on it. Adelle bought Emmett and Braxton soccer cards. etc. It was special. I love to see them giving willingly to each other.

We had a week-long cousin camp between our house and my mom and dad's there were lots of sleepovers. Brent and Jess and Isaac were in town and everyone wanted to hang out with them and then Lesha came to town with her kids and all the cousins got to play, continually. We played in the snow at our place and everyone worked together to build a gigantic snowman that was taller than Umpa. We played on the 4-wheeler in the snow and had snowball fights. We made and decorated ginger bread men to leave out for Santa. We painted little wooden ornaments that Jeff sawed for us and homemade soap with essential oils to give as gifts.

Jeff bought me my Christmas present and gave it to me early so all season I could enjoy my diffuser. I love it.

Jeff and I hosted Christmas Eve and we served homemade chili and cornbread along with fresh apple cider that we had pressed and froze this past fall. We had my parents, Brent, Jess and Isaac, and Kate. We also had the 1st Annual Christmas Eve Talent Show and that was a great addition to our other Christmas Eve traditions this year. Adelle and Kate did a gymnastics routine. Braxton showed us how to make a yarn hat ornament, Emmett played Jolly Old St. Nicholas on the Piano. Let's see.... Jeff and I sang a new rendition of "Baby it's Cold Outside" that had everyone laughing out loud and my parents followed that act with their acted out version of "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer." Brent and Jessica were the Grand Finale with their fancy lip and tongue sync version of "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas."

After the family all left we read in Luke, like we do every year and then we read The Night Before Christmas. The kids got out cookies and milk for Santa and hustled off to bed. Santa got busy and I lazily laid in front of the fire and offered moral support. Our Bishop, and neighbor, saved us at 11:00pm with a C battery that one of Gage's Santa gifts required.

Jeff woke up extra early to feed the chickens before coming in to welcome Christmas morning. All the kids were happy with their gifts. Emmett even remembered Hercules and gifted him with a new squeaky ball.

Santa left cereal boxes in all of our stockings so we each got to have our own little breakfast cereal.

We went to church, since Christmas was on a Sunday this year, and it was a beautiful, combined Sacrament meeting with the other wards in the building.  The kids sang beautifully and Isaac wanted to tackle Gage during all of Sacrament meeting.

The day was beautiful so the kids and I decided we wanted to run/walk to my parents for dinner instead of drive. Jeff picked us up along the way but we got pretty far. It was sunny and crisp and perfect for a stroll.

My dad had a fun game planned for everyone with cotton balls and vaseline. Emmett took it serious and beat everyone by getting the most cotton balls to stick to his face. Jeff won through Emmett.

Lesha performed her talent Christmas Day singing her own version of a Christmas tune but Peter didn't get to see it since Corbin was home sick.

Interestingly enough I don't remember much past 5:00pm on Christmas. Maybe I was in a prime-rib coma?