Sunday, January 15, 2012

Christmas 2012

CCCHHHRRRIIIISSTTTMMAAASSSS!!!! I Love Christmas. I Love everything about it. My kids are still going around 3 weeks later singing Jingle Bells. It makes me so happy. We had such a beautiful Christmas season. And Christmas Eve and Christmas Day just topped it off. Christmas Eve we invited Toby's family over to our house for a fun "Christmas Brunch". We had a fun brunch planned of a hashbrown and egg caserole, cinnamon roll waffles, belgian waffles, yogurt, orange juice, hot chocolate, and fruit. We enjoyed eating together and then went into the living room where Toby had a wonderful lesson for us and we sang Christmas carols. Then we all went to the movie Arthur Christmas...which was pretty cute. After we came back here and just relaxed together. We were so happy to have them over and loved our time together. It was very Christmasy:) Then we headed over to my parents where we had a wonderful dinner together and our new tradition a "Christmas Toast" started by my dad of course. We went downstairs together and had a wonderful time each sharing a thought about Christ (my Dad had previously asked us to do so). It was so great hearing a spiritual thought from each person in my family. One of my very favorite parts of Christmas Eve. Then my Mom gave each of the Grandchildren their tradition Gift of Christmas P.J.'s. The KIDS ABSOLUTELY love THIS. - After we came home and made sure that Santa had milk and cookies, the reindeer had carrots, and we spread our magic Reindeer food out on the grass. Then the kids went up to sleep on our bed (we all sleep together) and we put on our traditional Polar Express movie to fall asleep to. Perfect night. Sorry...should have put a LONG POST warning before this. Christmas morning was SO FUN!!! The kids were so excited to see cookies and carrots gone and Santa's footprint down the stairs. We ran downstairs and I'll never forget the kids having their two seperate piles of gifts...but Cash running straight to Elle's and saying things like "This is so great elle! I Love this Elle! You got just what you wanted Elle!" He is such a good little boy. We had to make him look over to his pile. They had such a good time opening their gifts. My parents have started a new tradition of giving all the grandkids breakfast boxes for them to eat on Christmas morning. They were the CUTEST box lunches in a santa and reindeer box and they were full of things like yogurt, little boxes of cereal, chocolate milk, and an orange. What a fun tradition that the kids thought was so exciting. After breakfast we went to Church, which I thought was so appropriate to be able to celebrate Christmas on a Sunday. Following church we headed over to Christensen's and opened gifts and had a wonderful meal...then headed over to my house where we did more of the same. It really was such a special day. One last thought...which I thought about a lot throughout the month of December. I am SO gratful for two parents who LOVE this Holiday so much. They don't just love one aspect of this Holiday. They love it all. And from the day I was born they made it all so magical for me and I've tried so hard to do the same for my kids. They instilled in me the importance of not just celebrating Christ birth but celebratin his life. We have so many spiritual teaching moments throughout this month and I love the spirit they bring into their home. But then they love the fun part and the mgic of "SANTA" and everything else. I'm so grateful for the traditions they started that make Christmas..Christmas. They have made our family so close and have given us something to look forward to day after day in the month of December. I don't know why these traditions mean so much to me but they do...that's all. Just thanks Mom and Dad for teaching me what Christmas is really all about. Already looking forward to 335 days from now:)

1 comment:

Amberlee said...

ahh I loved that last part. You really do have such special parents-- love them :) I also LOVE Cash's suit-- SO handsome!!
What a great Christmas! Love you!