Christmas!!! This year we spent it with my parents in Colorado. It was pretty special this year... Every single one of my brother and sisters were home and it was the first Christmas my parents were home from their mission. Jaclyn and I headed down from Utah to Colorado a week early! That was quite the drive with her 2 kids and my 3 kids in my van and all our luggage! Hahaha it actually was hilarious and wonderful the kids were so great!! Jaclyn drove and ran out of gas!! I rode in a cop car, and as Jaclyn crawled in the back seat I had to push my brakes and she fell right on Jensen! He was fine and we couldn't stop laughing! The was one of the best trips ever. We laughed most the way there!
We got to Colorado to an picture straight out of a magazine home (my Mom's decorated house) and a warm spaghetti dinner! No sign on the door though!! hahah just teasing Mom! The feeling of coming home is unlike any other. It's my home and the excitement of seeing all my family fills my whole body the entire time I am there! The week was spent with each other!! PLAYING, eating, Julie, eating Cheeseburgers in my parents bed while watching create, watching Luke bite it down a hill, watching Santa Clause 2 with Luke, bawling our eyes out numerous times while watching arise and shine forth video of Christ, sitting on my couch, and waiting for Monkey to come. I sure miss that guy when we are apart!
Friday came and Monkey and Blake arrived after midnight.... I was so happy and so were all the kids! Monday night we went to the HOBBIT!!!!! and went to Apple Ridge with ll my bros and sisters!!! Hilarious! Then what we had been waiting for... Christmas eve and Christmas. I really tried this year to help the kids understand what Christmas was all about!! Our Savior. Sweet Cash tried so hard not to think of Santa... He said "Mom it okay if Santa doesn't bring me presents because I love the Savior.... but... It is okay to if Santa does bring me presents!" Hahah sweetheart!
Anyways Christmas eve came and we had dinner at Stace and Garrett's house! It was incredibly beautiful as usual. My favorite part of Christmas is after dinner when we the kids act out the nativity story and then all the adults including the older grandchildren talk about what is Christlike about the person the drew. I drew Ammon my nephew and I loved sharing my feeling about him and how he is like our Savior! It is so special! I hope we never stop this tradition. It really brings the spirit, tears, and more love for our family and the Savior.
When we cleaned up and went home Belle reminded me that we hadn't put out reindeer food for the reindeer's energy and cookies for Santa. So we put out the cookies and magic glitter oatmeal and waited... Belle and Cash's Notes were so sweet to Santa!
Belle asked me if Santa was real... I told her that the spirit of what Santa does is so real and so like Christ. I explained how Santa really only cares and thinks of others like Christ. He brings joy and happiness, like Christ. He serves and gives so much for others... just like Christ...That's how we should be...
After our talk Belle and Cash checked the reindeer food! It was gone!!!!! Belle freaked out, "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM IT'S GONE... IT'S GONE THE REINDEER ATE IT... THE FOOD THEY ATE IT!!! CASH HURRY HURRY CASH.... SANTA IS COMING... HE REALLY IS, COME ON GET IN BED...." She ran inside Cash followed with eyes popping out of his head and shock and speechless. He frantically follwed Belle!!! Belle was running around screaming, "GRANDMAAAA GRANDPAAAAA.... THEY ATE IT OH MY WORD HE IS COMING GET IN BED!!! WHERE IS TANNA??? TANNA!!!" Belle got on the phone with Tanna... "TANNAAAA GET HOME, GET IN BED, THEY ATE IT, TANNA GET HOME IN BED..... HURRRRRRY!!!!"
Then they both rushed to bed and went right to sleep! I couldn't believe it!!!
Christmas morning was wonderful... lots of tears, hugs, happy faces, and lots of gratitude!!!
We headed over to my sister Jenn's and had Christmas breakfast. Delicious! Then to my Mom's house where my entire family stuffed into and spent the rest of the day together. I had a moment where I went outside for fresh air since 50+ people were all snug together!! But I looked into the windows and saw my family together and so happy (even though my kids and others were coughing in everyone's faces), as cheesy as it was, and felt so blessed and had so much love for each one of them... Our Heavenly Father was so right by creating families. Families are so important!
This year I feel like my love for our Savior has grown so much and my appreciation for him and my family has grown so much as well...
Merry Christmas!!!
http://youtu.be/UlIx8lbAKvk
2 comments:
I love all these pictures!!! Your family makes me so happy! Especially the notes to and from Santa :) I hardly recognized Paige! Grief, she is Getting old! Oh, and I LOVE the idea of saying what is Christlike about the person you drew. LOOOOVE it! ANd I'll just add a few more exclamation marks for good measure!!!!!!! Love you guys!
What a fun, full Christmas! Looks like you had a great time with your family! I'm so glad. We miss you all though. Tell your family hello, from us.
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