Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas.  We actually had snow all day Christmas Eve and Christmas day.  It made it seem so magical, and it was the perfect snow because it never stuck and it got warm right after so the kids could go outside and play with their gifts. 

We do an advent calendar that has something to do everyday with the family.  The kids each have one day that is their choice.  On Emily's choice she decided she wanted to have a Christmas party at our house.  Because she thought of it so late we ended up just having it with the Hardy's.  She did a great job putting it together, and the kids all had fun.

Ryan, Addison, Justin, and Abigail all put on a puppet show to start the party

trying to get the Rudolph nose stuck on their noses

The yummy food Emily prepared

trying to get an Oreo in their mouth

Justin stacking the cups into a Christmas Tree

balancing the candy canes

playing the flour game

 This year for Christmas Eve I gave each child a basket with a book theme that had pajamas in it and fun stuff to do for the day.  A lot of times Christmas Eve seems long, but this made it a lot of fun for everyone.  I came up with the idea because I had bought a Fancy Nancy basket for Abigail at an Auction at school.  I think we will continue to do this every year.

Emily with her cooking mystery basket

Tyson with his random basket (I couldn't come up with a theme for his with books he likes)

Justin with his Harry Potter basket

Ryan with a Froggy basket

Abigail with her Fancy Nancy basket

Gifts all out for Christmas Day

Emily with some of her gifts

Tyson and Justin with their BYU hats and coats

All the kids opening a family gift

I am never very good at taking pictures on Christmas day because I am too busy trying to keep order in the opening of presents, and then I am always busy helping kids put things together, but everyone enjoyed what they got.  The older I get the more I just enjoy being together as a family on Christmas Day.  With Jeff as Bishop and doing tithing settlement in the month of December, we had to do a lot of our traditional stuff without him, so it was fun to have him with us on Christmas day.  I also enjoyed so much going to church and Worshiping our Savior on Christmas day.  We don't have church until 1:30 and for one Sunday it was kind of nice going that late.