I love Christmas!!

It's true, I LOVE Christmas. I love it even more now that I'm a mommy! I couldn't sleep all night ( I woke up 5 or 6 times - even earlier than the kids). Let me tell you all about our Christmas experience.

Christmas Eve: We broke with our traditional potato soup dinner (because no one is liking it lately) and had chili & corn bread. Then we drove around to look at Christmas lights and finish handing out our neighbor gifts. After getting stuck in some random cul-de-sac, then luckily unstuck, we went home to feed the reindeer (we have a special recipe of oats & sparkles so the reindeer can find our house and then snack while Santa leaves the gifts) and look for Rudolph. Which we saw, as usual, flying North on the East side of our house. Then we ran inside and sat by the tree for the real story of Christmas, this year told by Kylie with the help of the fisher price nativity (which Trey has been playing with for the past 2 weeks). Then we opened our Christmas jammies (I will later write about how this tradition was begun in our family). So Cute!! And went to bed. Then got up again to put cookies & milk for Santa on our special tray. Then to bed again. Then up for drinks, and to bed; then up for potty and a reminder that Santa won't come if kids aren't asleep.

Christmas morning was great! After the kids finally woke up around 7:45 (Ky was awake earlier). Dave & Robyn braved the snow storm to join us for the festivities. We all went downstairs together (as per tradition) and the kids looked by the fireplace and saw empty stockings. Shock and awe would describe this perfectly as they said in unison, "Santa forgot our stockings!" :) He didn't. He just used the old ones and laid them around the room. The stocking opening commenced, followed by Dad handing out gifts one by one to be opened. Everyone was excited not only for their gifts; but possibly more to see others open the gifts they had so carefully selected for them. That was a huge blessing.

We also started a new tradition this year by sponsoring an 11 year old girl with providing Christmas gifts for her. We had so much fun. Especially the girls being so generous and picking out what they would love, knowing she would love it also! It was awesome.

We had our traditional breakfast of nutbraid (to die for - honestly) and potato/egg casserole. Lunch included ham, cheesy potatoes, veggies, fruit salad and yams w/ marshmellows (to which Treyson said at lunch again today, "this food again?!" - He had mac & cheese, which he would love to eat every meal, but cheesy potatoes he's had enough of?).

Treyson got a DS, which he is taking such good care of, transformers and remote control car, telescope, etc. Alyssa got a Zen (mp3/video player), littlest pet shop stuff, jewelry and girl stuff (smelly bath stuff). Kylie also got a Zen, books, girl stuff and 32 pairs of earrings from Dave & Robyn. Mom got a Twilight CD, and gift cards for Olive Garden, Seagull and massages! Dad got a cap bomb, a nerf gun, paintballs and money. Dad & the girls also got massage gift cards (we got a half price deal on massages - woo hoo!)

The best part about Christmas was staying in our PJ's all day and playing with each other. We got a couple of games that we played and just enjoyed being relaxed and having fun, enjoying each other's company. That is my favorite part about Christmas, just being together. I am greatful for our blessings of health, the gospel of Jesus Christ and our eternal family!

And today, we took down the tree and all of the decorations, so it'll be cleaned up when we return from Idaho, ready to welcome in the New Year.