Pre Christmas Festivities

Receiving Christmas cards is absolutely one of my most favorite things about Christmas. I love seeing the pictures and reading the family updates. Unfortunately my card holder was a bit small for all the cards we received. There are so many doubled up. It is on my list next year to get additional card holders.  

 We did most of the decorating for Christmas in the days following Thanksgiving. But, because we are in a bigger house this year our decorations seem to be inadequate. The tree you see behind the kids above seems a bit too small. We bought that new for our house last year. I think it Is a lovely tree, but in this space it seems tiny. Thus Seth convinced me we needed a bigger one. One night we went out to look at fresh trees. We found one that was definitely big enough and we got a really great deal so we bought it!

working on the old tree

Hyrum was very good at observing and giving his two cents

Abigails Christmas list

Our mantel, with Hryums poor random stocking. Hopefully next he will have a matching one.

Due to Hyrums birth I was really behind on a lot of thins. One Sunday before church in about 5 minutes I took some pictures with my phone which then turned into the Christmas card that everyone received from us.

 Here is the big real tree that we bought. As you can see it is really large! But we loved the smell and the size. It was beautiful to look at everyday.

  Every year there is a fight as to who gets to put the star on the tree. But, thanks to the blog each year I look back and see who's turn it is squashing the fight.  This year was Brigham's turn and he was excited to do it. Little cute kids.

Leading up to Christmas

This Year Papa and Nana came from Albuquerque to spend Christmas with us. The kids absolutely loved it. They were bombarded the moment they walked in the door. They played games and went the park, we ate lots of food and played more games. We made a gingerbread house, painted nails and cooked a lot and my dad ran to the store about 50 times:)

Playing a game within minutes of arriving.

Eating some yummy doughnuts for breakfast

Spending time together

Yet another game

Making a gingerbread house

Christmas EVE

Christmas eve my sister Cassidee, her fiancée and his kids Lily and Arron came over as well. We had dinner for breakfast which is a tradition in our family. We made a delicious breakfast casserole that had all sorts yummy things and French toast sticks. mmmmmmm

The kids played and were crazy as usual and we played some games with the adults as well. It was HILARIOUS.

We then let the kids open one present Christmas eve which is also a tradition for us. Shockingly they all got pajamas!! It was so cute, I think they finally figured it our by the time Aaron opened his since we opened youngest to oldest.

Emily

Brigham

Abigail

Aaron

Abby Lilly Aaron

Briggs and Nems