2013 Christmas Day

Christmas Day I think Ben and I were up before the kids.  We told them they couldn't wake us up until after 7, but we were awake and just waiting for them in our room by then :)  They all had to wake up Miss O because she was in "sleep in" mode, and that just doesn't work on Christmas morning at our house because everyone has to go down together.

Stockings are always the first thing the kids open.  Uncle Mike made the kids these super cute chocolate sleighs for their stockings this year.

And everyone got headlamps in their stockings this year :)

Then after stockings we do presents one person/gift at a time.  Miss A had asked for a pocket knife and was happy with this present.  

The kids exchange names for gifts for each other, and Miss E had Miss O this year and got her a pillow pet which she was very excited about.

Mr J was super excited about his markers.

We got the girls these matching scarves--super cute!

And then Miss O got a new bike

And so did Mr J--his first "big kid" bike, but sadly they couldn't ride them on Christmas Day because it was way too icy out.

We actually had a white Christmas this year which is rare for us.  We all got these BYU shirts and before we went to my parents' for Christmas lunch we got a picture outside on our white Christmas.

It was as wonderful day to be with family and enjoy the time together.  We are very blessed and thankful for all we have!!!

2013 Christmas Eve

So I'm going to try to catch up for the last week.  Christmas Eve is a big deal.  We always host, and we had about 24 this year--family and friends.  It is a lot of fun.  We always have lots of yummy food--3 kinds of soup, rolls, and lots of yummy sides with my famous Christmas Eve rice pudding which I only make once a year on Christmas Eve.  It is to-die-for.  Here is a look at our day. . . 

Christmas Eve afternoon we always go next door to our neighbors for gifts and then the kids play a little concert for them.  The kids usually always play the piano, but this year Miss O and Miss E also did a brass number which was quite impressive :)

Then later that night at our house we have another concert.  We started with the youngest kid and went to the oldest who wanted to play a Christmas song that we could sing to.  This year we had violins, piano, guitar, and the girls' brass number.  It was a pretty impressive concert.  Lots of singing--I love Christmas music!!

Mr J takes his piano very seriously :)

We had poems read--we love our sister missionaries!

and then the highlight of the evening--the Nativity play.  Mary and Joseph heading to Bethlehem.

Ben reading the story from the Bible.

Our whole cast this year--Wise men/women on the left, shepards on right, and love the sheep lower right :)

Then everyone leaves and my kids get to open one gift--new pajamas.  The girls felt like dancing after they got theirs :)

And then it was off to bed for visions of sugar plums to dance in their heads and wait for Santa to come. . .

2013 last Daily December 25--Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from all of us orange-nosed reindeer to you!!!

We will see you next year!!!

2013 Daily December 24--Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve is very predictable.  We do the same wonderful things every year.  These pictures are from last year.  I always host Christmas Eve with lots of family and dear friends.

The kids all play Christmas pieces on the piano. 

We sing lots and lots of songs--some with the piano and some with our handbells.

My dad reads The Christmas Story and we re-enact it.  A huge highlight of the night.

Of course we have really good food that we eat all night too :)

We also track Santa on Norad here.

Then everyone opens new pajamas, we make a plate of cookies for Santa, and then off to bed with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads!

Merry Christmas!!!

2013 Daily December 23--16 candles

Sweet Sixteen

From 6 to 

16.

And what an amazing young woman she is! 

Miss A is so thoughtful

so sensitive to others and their feelings

she is very dedicated

a very hard worker

she cares

she loves

she has a beautiful singing voice

plays the piano amazingly

has a strong faith

she believes and lives her life accordingly

super smart

she very seldom cleans her room, but other than that she is pretty much perfect :)

Happy Birthday Miss A!!!  How lucky we are to have you in our family! 

We love you!!

2013 Daily December 22--our bedroom tree

I love Christmas trees.  The last 3 years Ben and I have put one up in our bedroom.

It is just a small one.  Miss O strings popcorn for it every year.  It makes it look so pretty.  We put all the ornaments the kids have made on this tree.  

Looking at it makes me happy and sad.

They have grown so much!

Where does the time go?

You can tell they have had the same teachers over the years with the similar ornaments they make which I just love!

What a doll--when did she get so grown up?

So cute!

This was kindergarten and she will be 16 tomorrow!!!!  When did that happen?

Joy truly is what they have given me.

and Ben even has an ornament I made circa 1988 on there :)  Love Christmas memories!

2013 Daily December 21--our nativity sets

I like to document the things we do and also the things we have.  I think it is always fun to look back and say, "Oh yeah, I remember that!"  This year I wanted to document and record our nativity sets.  The focus of Christmas is and should be Christ, and I try to decorate with that in mind.  There is a nativity set in each bedroom and in all the major rooms of the house.  Here is our collection. . .

This one is in our entryway.  It is the first thing you see when you come in our front door. My mom got this for me one Christmas.

This fun playmobil set my sister gave to us years ago.  It is in the family room.

This set is also in the family room on the fireplace mantel.  It is just a simple set I got at Wal-mart several years ago.

This is my favorite, very special set.  It is in the living room in the window seat next to the tree.  I got it at Costco 2 years ago.  I had been eyeing it every Christmas for the last 8 years when they bring out their Christmas stuff and was finally able to get it.  The detail is amazing.  It is so beautiful.

This beautiful set my in-laws brought us from South Africa.  It is also in the living room.

This old Avon set is in the girls' room.  My DeeDee and Grum had this set from when I was a kid. I used to play with it at their house.  I just happen to be there for Christmas one year when my kids were little and DeeDee said--"look through all the toys and see if you can find that nativity set and your kids can have it."  What a treasure!  

This Fisher Price Little People set is Miss A's.  She got it from my in-laws one year for her birthday when she was little.  It is a favorite also.

This set I got at Target a few years ago on their after Christmas sale.  This set is in Mr J's room.  

And this set is in my bedroom on the mantel over my fireplace.  I got it at a local store several years ago.

Fun to document. Fun to remember.