Christmas

Christmas was wonderful this year. We went up a few days early to be able to spend lots of time with family. We stayed 1 night at my twin sister, Sara's house after watching the Utes Bowl game with them. Then we headed to my mom's house to help get some cleaning done and the house ready. As a reward my parents took us to Golden Coral for lunch. My kids continue to amaze me at how much they eat! And healthy food too! My mom always seems to get a kick out of Jonas especially! That night we stayed the night at my in-laws. In the morning I had a bit more shopping to do and some wrapping. Dave and the kids stayed with the Hardings and enjoyed that special time with Grandma and Grandpa. Christmas Eve night we headed back to my parents house. We played games for a while and then spent way too long getting the kids to sleep!

For those who don't know, our kids know the truth about Santa Claus ( and yes the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy too). We've always tried to emphasize the real meaning of Christmas and used Santa as more of a spirit of giving. We've been able to do Sub for Santa's and other things where the kids get to be Santa and see that joy in others. We also spend so much time in Salt Lake and with family that our own family Christmas is usually early or late. But this year, we were the only ones who were going to be at my parents house for Christmas morning (besides my baby sister who is still at home). So my Mom decided to do some fun little presents for the kids! We got up at 7:30am and told the kids they had to wait until everybody else was awake and ready. (This included my parents and sister too). It was so much fun to see their faces when they saw the chair with their stocking and gifts! It brought back a lot of memories from when I was younger. It made me realize that while the kids know who the presents are from, I can still make it more exciting for them!


Jonas, Hannah, Michelle (with a pamello that Dave stuck in her stocking), and my mom with the apron that the kids made her!


Hannah with Grandma, Jonas with Grandma, and the nieces/nephews with their pajama shirt from Uncle Dan and Aunt Chelsey! (Dave did take over one of the shirts because he had wanted one!


We gave my brother Aaron and his wife Bettilee a gift certificate but put it in a huge box, Sean


Sofi liked her diapers, Hannah loved her microscope, Elan's happy , and Lexi looking cute!

Someone gave my dad a present in a Victoria Secret bag, Aaron, Dave, and then my dad got a BYU toilet seat cover (my sister Jenny got a Utah one!)

LaVerl (adopted Grandma) with a picture of her cabin we had developed, Jonas is getting tired at this point, and Jonas got a ZooZoo Pet.


All the nieces/nephews got a pillow pet from Aunt Jenny (except Hannah who had received one last year), Hannah got an MP3 player instead, and Jonas and Isabelle with their pillow pets!