Christmas Day 2014!

We were all excited for Cary's first Christmas. My best present was a smile from this cute boy!

Lavender got some fun gifts from Santa. 

She loved her giant teddy bear and her gold, fuzzy boots, 

but her favorite present was probably her kitten Marie from the Aristocats.

Leighton loved her Frozen backpack!

Brianne got a baseball mitt from Carolyn

Lavender models her new Marie shirt

Ryan and Molly show some of the books they received.

Lavender got a backpack from Grandpa and Oma too!

Carolyn was sick and couldn't be with us on Christmas, 

but she wanted to see pictures of Aaron opening his gift.

It's a Viking helmet!

We were all pretty worn out by the end of the day.

Even bear baby and Marie were ready for bed!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Christmas is Finally Here!

We were a little worried about Christmas eve because Ryan and Molly were going to her Dad's house. We talked it over with the Bakers and the kids were worried it was going to be boring. Then my brother Scott, his wife Denise and their family decided to come down for the day. My Dad also came over for awhile. Then Ryan and Molly surprised us by showing up that night.  All in all it was Christmas eve.

Ammon and Denise opened presents from Grandpa and Carolyn while Scott took pictures and Evan watched.

Heath, Jenna and Alec check out their gifts.

Scott models one of the girl's scarfs.

Grandpa was especially excited for Heath to open this Robot Raptor.

Everyone had to watch the raptor.

Scott with another great scarf.

Later we went to LaJolla Cove to see the tide pools.

Christmas eve at the beach was wonderful!

December Fun for our Little One!

Lavender loved the excitement of Christmas time, but she carried on with her usual playtime with her babies. She brought them all in to enjoy the magic of the Christmas tree.

She used her sweatshirt to made a carrier for "baby girl Jesus."

Puppy and "Jesus" nap on a Christmas pillow.

Snuggling with Edie and Hop Hop

Edie was my doll that my mom made for me when I was about four years old.

Here she is kneeling down to say her prayers and/or play with the light up reindeer antlers. The Christmas bunny wanted to join her and she has carefully placed him in kneeling position. I always kneel on a pillow to pray and she follows my example.

We also got to babysit our granddog Teddy and his friend Bo. Lavender had a great time with them.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I love Christmas time and we all enjoyed getting in the spirit of the season! When we came home after Thanksgiving, John and the boys got to work setting up the tree. I don't know what we will do when they're not around to take care of that job!

All done! Bring on Christmas!

We had our ward Christmas party in early December and we were grateful that my Dad's recovery was going well and he was able to come join us. It was also Lavender's chance to meet Santa!

Carolyn and I rocked the mini Santa hats.

Dad even donned a hat!

Lavender was nervous about meeting Santa, but she didn't cry like last year.  It may have helped that Santa bore a striking resemblance to Dan Warren, long-time friend and home teacher.

We had fun decorating and getting dressed up!

We even used our leftover pumpkins to make this snowman

We spent lots of time by the tree

    

and snuggling in Grandma's Christmas quilts

All was merry and bright!

A Gift I'll Always Remember

I'm usually pretty strict about Christmas presents. Sometimes I let the kids choose their own gifts, especially when it comes to clothes, but I always take them home and wrap them up. They don't get to open presents early, except for one gift on Christmas eve. I choose the present to be opened and somehow it always turns out to be pajamas!

Fortunately, Marianne is not such a stickler.  In fact, she gave me one of my Christmas presents early.  She asked me to reserve Monday night and told me I would be receiving a gift.  After I put Lavender to bed, I came downstairs to find Marianne's music stand set up in the living room.  A few minutes later, her flute teacher, Cheryl, arrived and the two of them gave me the most wonderful gift.  I was feeling generous, so I shared my gift with John and the boys.

All four of us were treated to a beautiful Christmas mini-concert.  Marianne and Cheryl played some lovely duets including:
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
The First Noel
What Child Is This
We Three Kings
Home for the Holidays

The music was so beautiful and it was such a pretty scene with them playing next to the Christmas tree while the lights reflected in their gleaming flutes.  It really was a dream come true to hear my daughter play the songs of Christmas so beautifully.  I am grateful she has such a kind and thoughtful teacher. Thank you Marianne and Cheryl for one of the best gifts I've ever received!

How to Make Your Christmas Merry!

My mother and mother-in-law both loved Christmas.  They loved decorating, baking, serving and celebrating.  I am following in their footsteps and Christmas is my favorite time of year.  But I know that not everyone feels that way.  Christmas can be stressful and exhausting.  In fact, a friend of mine recently confessed in Relief Society that she has always hated Christmas.  I often hear women bemoan all the things they "have to do" at Christmas time. It makes me sad that the season to celebrate Christ's birthday makes so many of us want to throw in the towel.

So here is my secret for making Christmas "the most wonderful time of the year."  Are you ready? Here it is:

Do the things you love, and eliminate (or drastically reduce) the rest.  

If (like me) you love writing a family newsletter and sending Christmas cards to everyone you've ever known, then do it!  But if you shudder at the thought of signing, stamping, licking and addressing, move on and don't feel guilty!  Sure, you may decide to send a card to your grandma, but don't worry about sending cards out, even to the people who send you one every year.  Work together with your family to make space for your cherished traditions, but don't feel pressured to stay up all night making gifts for everyone in your neighborhood! Learn to say no and don't make anything more complicated than it needs to be.  For most of us, Christmas is a lot of work.  Just make sure you're doing the work that brings you peace and joy.  That's what Christmas is all about!

If you love decorating the tree in heels, go for it!

May you feel's the Savior's peace and joy this Christmas!

Christmas Schedule 2012*

*all times approximate and based on my sleep-deprived memory

12:01 AM  Christmas is here!  We are all sleeping peacefully.
12:30 Lavender awakes crying.  She is teething and in pain.
1:30 ditto
2:30 ditto  Apply Oragel and give Tylenol.
3:30 ditto
4:30 ditto
5:30 ditto
6:40 Lavender is asleep, but Evan is sitting in our room waiting for us to wake up.
7:00 We roll out of bed with a grumpy baby.
7:04 John videotapes the kids coming down the stairs
7:05 Evan unwraps his unicycle
7:45 Wrapping paper and boxes everywhere.  We set up the computer for THE CALL!

7:55 John makes eggs and samples his new hot sauce collection

8:05 Ryan, Molly and the girls arrive
8:10 Skype call from Elder Aaron

8:30 John & I open a wonderful photo book filled with letters and testimonies from our kids
9:10 We say goodbye to our missionary, wonder if he's warm enough and agree he seems happy
9:12 Time to open more gifts
9:40 Cute little girl toys fill the living room

10:10 Brianne and Leighton take their parents home for naptime
10:20 Lavender sleeps - Hallelujah!
10:30 Bakers come over.  The kids compare and share.  Lots of Doctor Who, jewelry & One Direction
11:00 Grandpa & Carolyn arrive with what seems like a sleigh-full of gifts
11:15 The kids help carry in boxes and more boxes of presents
11:30 Bakers head home, I put the ham in the crockpot
12:00 Marianne's cheese ball, crackers, grapes, carrots and hummus for lunch.  Cookies & candy too.

1:00 Molly, Ryan and girls return
1:15 All three girls giggle and play.  Lavender cries and grumbles, finally falling asleep on Ryan.
2:00 Papa John, Brianne and Marianne head to the park.  Evan follows on his unicycle.

2:50 Evan comes home with an injured hand
3:00 Food preparation, snacking, laughter
3:30 Bakers return
4:00 Ham, sour cream potatoes, rolls, corn, green beans, orange jello, sparking cider.  Full bellies.
4:45 Presents!  Cousin gift exchange!
5:20 Brianne passes out her dollar store presents.  I got a foot long plastic lizard!
5:30 Cookies etc.
5:45 White elephant game.  Because we haven't had enough gifts yet.
6:00 Laughter.  Popular items:  "Life Is Good" sign, brownie kit, pumpkin full of Halloween candy.
                       Less popular:  used hard hat, "Big Jesus" skateboard video, luau in a box
                       Popular, but disappointing:  Bacon flavored gumballs (tasted like Chloraseptic spray)
7:00 Everyone loads up and heads home.  I insist they take all of their white elephant gifts.
7:02 We take a deep breath and listen to the quiet!
7:15 Lavender to bed
7:30 RELAX and clean up a bit

8:15 Watch the Doctor Who Christmas special
8:35 We ask Evan lots of questions during the show.  He answers patiently.  Most of the time.
9:30 Skype with (John's sister) Susan, Dave, Holly & Josh
10:30 Bedtime  Ahhh!
11:00 Lavender awakes crying. Sigh!
11:20  I close my eyes and think about our wonderful Christmas day filled with family and fun. So much more enjoyable that last Christmas when I was pregnant and feeling miserable!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse
Because we were all at the cemetery!

After my mom passed away we wanted to come up ways to remember her that were fun and that the kids would enjoy.  One of the things we decided to do was to decorate her grave a few times a year.  We were a little late with our holiday decorations this year, but on Christmas Eve we finally made it to the cemetery.  We decorated the tree near her grave with red jewels and silver snowflakes and we put poinsettias on her headstone.  Mom always loved Christmas, decorations and the color red, so it was a good combination!

Alyssa holds Lavender beneath the decorated tree.

Rudolph

My girls

Cammi liked being Rudolph, but Lavender wasn't so sure about it.  We had fun singing Christmas carols, but certain people got embarrassed during "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer," especially when someone drove up to visit a nearby grave.  It may have been slightly inappropriate, but my mom always thought it was a funny song!

We headed back home and Ryan and Molly join us for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of pizza, salad and vintage soda.  Then the kids acted out the nativity story while Emma read from the second chapter of Luke.

Some motley wisemen and shepherds and a complaining baby Jesus.

Our knitting narrator

 

A reluctant angel

Mary, great with child (or something!)

Evan shared a great video he saw in his seminary class and then we watched a couple of other short Christmas videos.  Finally, the kids got to open one present.  Amazingly, they all got Christmas pajamas!

Ready for Christmas!  Bring it on!