Christmas PJ's

I think most people have a tradition of Christmas PJ's. I want to hear everyone's tradition of why they get new pajamas at Christmas and how it began.

Here is ours: When I was little, we could open one gift on Christmas Eve. My Grandma & Grandpa Cash always gave us pajamas for Christmas (which I eventually caught on to). I always wanted to open them on Christmas Eve so I could sleep in them and play in them all day the next day (we don't get dressed on Christmas). I also wanted to open 2 gifts Christmas Eve so that I could wear my PJ's & play with something cool. That was a no-go, so I stayed with the pj opening on the 24th.

When Kylie was born I began getting Christmas Jammies for her, TJay & I. I now get them every year for each member of our family (see this year's in the post below). This is the required gift to open on Christmas Eve. So we still open one gift, but no one but MOM chooses. It's not a suprise what the gift will be, just what it will look like. Every Christmas we get to wake up in new, snuggly jammies! The kids love it! They love getting new jammies & always remind me that I need to buy them new Christmas PJ's!

Comment and post your tradition! I think they're fun!

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.

Let it Snow!

Treyson, all bundled up. It took about 20 minutes to dress him, after 5 he was ready to come inside & get hot cocoa. Then we found the sled and he went out again for a couple of hours. Alyssa & her friend Jenna.
Jenna, Alyssa, Emily (Kylie's friend), Kylie & Treyson. You can see the big snowflakes a fallin'.

Yes, it is snowing (again). It snowed yesterday (around 5-6" at our house). It has pretty much snowed for the last few days (a week?) here. I look at pictures on my sister in law's blog and they're sitting in their driveway in shorts watching dad wash the car. Ya, I could do that (in a snowsuit if I were nuts or under the age of 10). Our dad would wash the car, except that the water would freeze. (I may be jealous, I'm looking for jobs for TJay in Guatemala - it's warm there. It's my annual quest to move to Guatemala. I'll get over it around April - still 3 more months, maybe a short-term job). My cousin's blog had a picture of them walking in the surf on the beach in So. Cal. Ya, I'm jealous of them too. Envy is one of those things it's ok to have, or not?

Kylie put snow as #8 on her Christmas wish list. So, Santa, mark that one off. :) I am actually liking the snow (as I sit inside on my computer with chocolate milk and a warm lunch in front of me). The kids love it! We went and saw Twilight yesterday with one of Kylie's friends. Then we came home to play in the snow: sled, build forts, make angels. For Treyson, it was just a feat to walk through the snow as it came up to his thighs. Alyssa's friend came over to join in the snow fun and her parents (who are from Michigan) said this is more like Michigan snow than Utah snow. (Great, never wanted to live in Michigan, may not even want to visit).

At least I'm done Christmas shopping (if we don't have it, we ain't gonna get it) and don't have to leave my house (except to go to the gym tonight) again. We are hoping the snow lets up so we can travel to Idaho ( possibly the only place colder and with more snow than us. I don't like cold, why do I always think it'll be fun to go to Idaho in December? I'm nuts or forgetful or both or huh?) I'm going to post a couple of pictures of the kids playing in the snow yesterday.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! I only mailed about half of our Christmas cards, so if you didn't get one, send me your address, and for the half I didn't get mailed out, enjoy a New Year's Card! :) Love to you all!