Christmas 2011

Crazy for Christmas!

So, another Christmas has come and gone. The season seemed to fly by way too fast. I just wanted to soak up the Christmas Spirit without being too crazy busy. I asked the kids what their favorite things about Christmas are; what comes to mind when they picture Christmas and the things they can't do without: Hot chocolate. Fireplace. Christmas family home evenings. Service jar. Christmas music. Putting up the Christmas decorations. I decided that these things were to come first and veto anything else that may stand in the way. Neighborhood gifts were store bought and simple. We skipped Christmas parties that were on hectic days. We said no to people. Every year I say I won't do a Christmas project and not one year...NOT ONE...have I followed my own advice. My project was a little stressful but other than that the Christmas season was slower-paced than normal. More special than ever. The days weren't packed quite as full. And it was Nash's first Christmas. So perfect.

To start the Christmas season Bailee had the PERFECT ballet Christmas recital. It was held during her regular class hour and they showed the parents just one dance and then technique they were working on. Genius teacher.


Bailee performed with the 4th graders at the annual Christmas school sing. So cute!
Now here's an example of what I wanted to see this Christmas season. Moments like this...my boys sitting on the couch after getting home from Bailee's Christmas sing, Trey reading to his baby brother, Nash completely enthralled. Taking time to enjoy each other.

For Christmas eve we went to Damon's parents house for the family party. Lots of laughs, singing, and of course presents.

The nativity. Nash was not being very cooperative and didn't seem to want to be baby Jesus.

Hooray for new Christmas pajamas!

And hooray for PRESENTS!

Celebrating Jesus' birthday!

Ready for bed!

And the morning finally came. The kids checking to see if Santa ate his treats.

Oldest to youngest. Bailee had asked for Monster High stuff and Monster High stuff she most definitely received...and a ton of other loot.

Here's the big project I was began working on only a few weeks before Christmas. I began Bailee's baby book right after she was born, slowly added to it for a few years, and then never finished. I thought I only had the finishing touches left but I was wrong. I worked on it every night until a couple days before Christmas when it was finally finished. I added alot to it, including letters from her daddy and me. She was so excited when she saw it and couldn't put it down. So worth the work!

Trey made things a little more difficult for Santa. He changed his mind daily about what he wanted. However, he always kept going back to asking for a hot wheels race track. Trey raked in the toys this Christmas!

As soon as the Christmas season begins the kids start working on their chore charts to earn money to buy gifts for each other. The kids work incredibly hard on this and put alot of thought into the gifts. It's amazing how much more involved they are in the gift buying when they work for several weeks to earn to money. When they watch each other open their gifts it's priceless.

Damon pulled down all his old toys from his parents attic a couple months before Christmas. The bed of our truck was full of toys. Completely full! We decided to give Trey most of them for Christmas. Damon was like a little kid...so dang excited to see Trey play with all his G. I. Joes, cars, jets, etc, etc, etc. I pulled out the video camera to catch Trey's reaction and it was a blast. We don't have a digital camcorder but when I transfer it to a DVD I'll have to post it. I obviously couldn't wrap all the toys so I wrapped this note and put it under the tree.

Merry Christmas to our boy! It’s time for you to find your toy.

Up the stairs and down the hall. A few steps past the bathroom stall.

Through your door and past your bed. Now listen, Trey, to what I’ve said.

Open your closet and you will find a gift that will just blow your mind.

From mom and dad we give our lad this gift that once belonged to dad.

We hope you enjoy it, we really do. Because let’s face it; we love you!

Now go get your gift…run as fast as you can.

Merry merry Christmas to our precious Trey man!

After we read it to him he ran screaming up the stairs, opened his closet doors, paused, then fell to the floor pretending to faint. Priceless!

Nash just quietly observed the whole day. So many toys, so many helping hands. So much fun.
Remember this picture from last year? The stuff Santa left to tell the kids that we were going to have a baby? Wow...how time flies!

Nash's favorite new toy.

Some of Nash's loot.

Tired boy.

Of course a chunk of the day had to be spent playing all the new electronic games. Duh!

Christmas this year was on a Sunday. I enjoy having church on Christmas but was not looking forward to being there by 9am. The kids opened up their new church clothes after seeing what Santa left, then we saved the rest for later in the day. As I sat there in Sacrament meeting I thought how nice it would be to have church every Christmas. The Spirit was so strong all day.

The kids all dressed up for Jesus' birthday.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!