Our Christmas Celebrations began Christmas Eve. I was asked to be in charge of the Nativity play for our Annual Day Family Christmas Party. That was unexpected, but I rocked it. I took the text from the Bible (shocker), and stuck in a few songs. Three to be exact. I made my family sing two of them together, and just listen to one. We experienced some technical difficulties due to my cd player deciding not to play the cd (yes, it worked the day before!), but all was not lost, and my little sis lent us her laptop to play the cd on. She still has it. Oh, well. She can keep it. I have all the songs on my computer. The other difficulties were simply that no one wanted to be Mary and Joseph. Finally, I got my sister who I had originally asked to be my blue-haired angel to be Mary after begging and pleading. My brother was Joseph, and the other parts were a little bit easier to cast. My cousin Taylor decided being the angel was okay. It was the only character with lines! You would think walking into the middle of the room and sitting down would be easy, and totally doable, right? Yeah. I did, too. My family is full of punks. We sang Away in a Manger, Silent Night, and just listened to this song. Thank you, Rachel for pointing it out to me! It's meaningful to me. After the party, we came home and read this book, and the kids got to open their pajamas. Excellent story about miracles.
Christmas Day we opened presents. I don't like to have piles of presents under the tree because Christmas is not about the presents. It's about the Savior, but who am I kidding? It's totally about the presents! At least, it is when you are a kid. Riley had been asking us for a camera ever since I let him use mine one day. I told him it was too much money, and I didn't think he would get one. But I looked for one any way. I found a decent red camera online, and decided the price was right, so I ordered it. I mean, Santa ordered it. It was totally Santa. Santa and I are tight, so sometimes, I pretend to be him, and use I instead of Santa. When it arrived in the mail, I was so excited! I was finally creating some Christmas magic I had blogged about earlier. Woo-hoo! I tore back the package, and pulled out the wonderful, bright pink camera! What!? I knew I should have ordered the black one! When Riley opened it, he was delighted, and wanted to start using it right away. He didn't care that it was pink. "There are no girl colors, and there are no boy colors." That's what Riley told me once. He took pictures with it all day.
Zachary got the xbox game Castle Crashers that he had been asking for for a very long time. He was super super excited. Grounding him from the xbox until Christmas really worked in our favor because Santa could only download it off the internet from xbox live.
Kaleb got Star Wars the Complete Saga xbox game. They have been begging us for that game since it came out. I didn't really see the point in getting them that game because we already have the first two. But Santa can't say no to that cutie pie, and we caved, and told him it was okay for him to finally have it.
Santa brought Kurtis and me the expansion for World of Warcraft. We think it's awesome! He also brought the whole family Lego Harry Potter for the xbox. Kurtis also got Fable 2. We are such gamer geeks in this house. It's awesome. We don't really mind.
After the present opening was over, we went to my mom's house so we could get a chance to talk to my brother who is serving an LDS mission. He was supposed to go to Belem, Brazil, but due to issues with getting is visa on time, he went to the MTC in Provo, Utah for six? weeks. Now, he is serving in the Pocatello, ID mission. He said it was cold and snowy there, and sounds really upbeat and positive in spite of not being where he was originally so excited to serve. He's like that, though. It was nice to get to talk to him. We conferenced in my sister in Minnesota, and so we all got to talk to her, too. It was a happy day! After we talked to him for about half an hour, we let him talk to his girlfriend alone. They talked for like two hours! Ha ha! So cute. Have I told you I really like her? My kids really like her too, but she bribes them with presents. ;) Like a good (some day she will be) aunt should! It was really cute when she was done talking to him because her face was all red like she was blushing! Love is such a great emotion!
Sunday was the annual D.I. party with Kurtis's side of the family. We all go to the thrift store and buy gag gifts. The only thing I really hate about it is that Ryan thinks underwear is funny. I really do not. Next year, when it is my turn to pick, and Kayden says, "Hey! That's my dad's present!" I will pick another one. I mean I pick out funny stuff like Millie Vanilli cds and My Little Pony DVDs. Come on, people! I really can't use the size small coral pink underpants! Oh, I know I looked sexy in them over my jeans, but they are just going to go back.
Today, we finally made it to the lights on Temple Square. I am so glad we finally went! I have been wanting to do that since they lit them the day after Thanksgiving! Zachary loved it. He said it was so beautiful, and that he wanted us to go there every year. I think that is a great idea. I asked Kaleb what he thought of getting to touch the temple doors. He said, "The door was big!" And someday he wants to go inside it. I bet he will. The boys really enjoyed it. Even though they got too cold. Zach said he didn't care that he was cold. He was excited to be so close to the temple.
My Uncle Danny was a lamb. Zach, being the good shepherd that he is, decided pulling on his ear was a good way to make him behave.
Zach got pajamas covered in game controllers and joy sticks.
Riley's has tigers and Chinese symbols on them.
Kaleb's are my favorite. I love the pirates! :)
Such a good day!
Santa put a picture of his present in a box and wrapped it! Hee hee!
He didn't waist a minute once we got the batteries in!
Oh, thanks so much, Santa! We told the kids we were not getting this for ourselves. We were waiting a bit. Guess Santa knew we really didn't want to wait! :D
I have the best husband ever! He got me Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Beauty and the Beast dvds! It's what I've always wanted!
Oh, he's pleased as punch!
The damage of the day.
Listening to Ben on the speaker phone. He was hard to hear.
My mom is pleased as punch to hear her baby!
(I'm gonna use that phrase a lot more. It's freaking awesome!)
My mother-in-law got my gift. Those are so much more awesome than mine!
Even Ryan's Playboy sheets are better than this:
But my Santa hat is pretty dang cute! :)
As we were walking up the street to the temple grounds, I saw this, and thought a picture was needed.
Kurtis and I were married here. This is a special place to me. The lights only add to its beauty.
"Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are sacred structures in which eternal questions are answered." (President Gordon B. Hinckley). Why do Mormons Build Temples? Find out here.
"I wonder how many in Bethlehem knew that right there, close to them, the Savior had been born? The Son of God, the long-awaited and promised Messiah—He was in their midst!" (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf).
I really enjoyed this video. Maybe you will, too.
Brothers forever. They'd better learn to like each other! :D
Some nice man took a picture of all of us! Temple Square at Christmastime rocks!
I truly hope your Christmas was magical, and that 2011 is full of good things to come!
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
1 comment:
Glad you had such a good Christmas! I love Temple Square. :) Also, looks like a missed a good one at the Day house- everyone looks so thrilled (sarcasm there). Mom & everyone looks really happy to hear Ben, it was good to hear/talk to everyone at Christmas.
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