Christmas 2008

Christmas 2008 was a very good year. (I have to say I don't recall a bad year:)) Anyway, we had a great time with our sweet family. Ashleigh and Paul and Seth and Paige came late Christmas eve and spent the night. David and I did not get to bed until around 12:30 I think, so when we woke up and it was 7:30 in the morning and the little ones were still sleeping I could not believe it! We actually for the first time ever had to wake people up and try to get them going. Toshia and her family and Chelsea and Dan were supposed to be coming around 8:30 and the plan was to have most of the opening done by then. But I am glad things were slow and easy. It was so relaxing. We opened all the gifts and around 9:45 Toshia and I started breakfast. Blueberry french toast, eggs and sausage and rolls. It was delicious! Then kids played and David took some of them out and built another snowman and played in the snow. Chelsea and Dan had to leave and then Chloe left to go to Brennen's for the afternoon. Paige left also. Soon after I started on dinner for whoever was staying. Part of Seth's Christmas present was the ham we had for dinner. He usually doesn't not ask for much and so when he requested a good ham for Christmas dinner I was all over it. I do have to say dinner was so good - ham, potatoes, beans, salad, fruit and of course, pies, cookies, Aunt Barb's famous pumpkin bars, and brownies. (Do you think we had enough goodies?) By the time Toshia left with her little family I was tired. I went upstairs and watched an old movie while the rest of the kids watched "Iron Man". (Not one I would care to see;)) I was so happy to have this time with the kids. All seemed happy and at least for one day we had no outside cares but what was going on in our little house.

I know this picture is hard to see but my two little sisters and I had our picture taken when we were little and we made the front page of the local newspaper. We had matching nightgowns and our stockings my mom had made. This year I made matching nightgowns for my three littlest angels and Toshia made us all new stockings (it really has bugged her for many years that our stockings did not match and I always said I was going to make new ones and never had - so she made us new ones and a cute board to hang them on- thank you Toshia)


So anyways, here are my littlest angels wearing one of their Christmas presents. I also made them each aprons (each different) and I had made the big girls aprons and bracelets and PJ's for Chloe. I thought it was funny because during breakfast Dano told me how much he would love an apron - I never thought to do for the big boys - I will add that to my list next year.

What I love the most though about the time of year is the spirit of Christ that giving and sharing brings to each of us. We read the "Christmas Jar" this year for a family home evening (thanks Jen for lending me the book) and we have a plan and our own "Christmas jar" has started filling up with our change. We are looking forward to serving even more next year with this jar filled with love and I plan on making it a monthly topic during FHE this year. I also have some ideas for more making and loving for next year. I will blog more on that later but for now let's just say that putting Christ in the center of our activities has brought the true meaning of the holiday home for us. Now on to bringing in the new year and setting new and lofty goals!