Christmas Morning

It came waaaay too soon, but the kids held off until 6:00, and since we did need to get to church we rolled out of bed. 

The kids went through their stockings and then had hot chocolate with nutella or raspberry jam (gift from sweet neighbors) on toast. While we were getting ready, Darin went out to shovel the 6 inches of snow that had fallen during the night.  Surprisingly this was light Utah powder we love instead of the heavy wet stuff that has been falling this season. Christmas miracle...snow!!

It was hard for the kids to walk away from their gifts but they ended up loving having morning church on Christmas.  I knew they would, I had the same experience as a child thinking it would be awful and then loving how the day went.  

We had a 100% music meeting....I mean there were narrators reading the nativity between songs, but there was a viola/piano duet, a soprano solo, the children's choir sang two numbers and then the choir sang 4 accompanied by piano and full string section.  AND THEN the sacrament was cinna swirl bread, which everyone (except maybe those Ebenezer Scrooge's out there) was delighted with. I almost laughed out loud. 

I loved how we got to see our neighbors and everyone was wishing everyone Merry Christmas.  The kids loved seeing friends and getting a gift report, making plans for later in the week. I love singing in the choir, and we all loved how going to church stretched out the day so that the anticipation lasted longer. 

I also loved that it gave me a chance to stop and take Christmas morning photos.  Usually we are going so fast I don't have time to take photos.

The kids changed, and then we had them wait in their rooms while Darin went to check if Santa had left gifts downstairs...as we knew he might since it was a Sunday and he knows the drill.  We brought it up and arranged it next to their stockings. When they had gone through those gifts (pretty quickly, we don't go big on Christmas...especially this year) we told them Santa had left something in the basement too big to bring up.  They immediately thought it was a TV, and Darin and I were worried they would be REALLY disappointed.  Byron and Soren have wanted a gaming system for a few years and we still...after all this time don't own a TV.  We watch everything on a computer screen. 

Santa knows us so well there was nothing to worry about! First they were shocked ("it's a giant pringle!! - Soren) and then they were delighted.  They laughed the whole time they played on it and were content to let the wrapped gifts upstairs wait. We donned it "The Christmas Pringle" and a day later Byron said to me "that pringle has brought me so much joy". 

 Then was the sweetest part of the day.  The kids wanted Darin and I to open our gifts first, some of that was to put off their gifts, but also because they had put a lot of thought into gifts for us and each other.  Each gift was so meaningful, and the kids were grateful for each and every one.

Miriam set the table with our Christmas china, and folded our napkins into a cute Christmas tree, while I made the breakfast pizza.  I love how this tradition is easy, and we all sit down together for a hot breakfast. I never would have guessed that working a summer at a gas station could bring a Christmas tradition.

It kept right on snowing all this time, and we kept checking the weather and road reports.  It was pretty sketchy until 1, so we planned to leave for Price then, but ended up leaving late and then having to drive pretty slowly through North Salt Lake and then again in the canyon.  We saw a few accidents and felt so sad for the people having cars towed on Christmas Day we were extra cautious.  That made us late for Christmas dinner, but we got there as everyone was finishing up so the food was still out. 

The kids made a craft, we played Yankee Swap, and Say Anything, then gathered for the talent show and nativity.  Baby Hazel as Jesus was just about the cutest thing ever.  It's been so long since we've had a real baby around to play this starring role...and now the kids are old enough that we aren't as worried about the baby being dropped.

Mark and Esme surprised us with socks from South Korea

Grandma did her Christmas devotional.  This year was about wisdom and she related it to the Magi, as they were wise men who gained as much knowledge as they could.

Everyone received these darling owl ornaments to remind us to be wise this year.

Then more games until bedtime.

Instead of doing a cousin gift exchange we decided to have a cousin bowling pizza party.

This was fun, and something everyone could participate in.  Even Esme was excited to bowl.

We drove back home afterwards and the first thing the kids did was run downstairs to the Christmas Pringle.

Christmas Eve

The kids and I had an 8:00 choir practice, which would normally be kind of awful, but it was to add the string section to our performance and I LOVE watching and listening to the wonderful string section so it was fun.  We delivered the last of our Christmas gifts after it ended and then enjoyed a leisure early afternoon getting ourselves ready for the evening.  Well, mostly leisurely, Darin and I were trying to decide between driving down to Salt Lake or taking the bus.  It is so hard for us to make decisions...even tiny unimportant ones like what mode of transport to take.   Ultimately, even though we knew it would mean a chilly night walk back home we decided on the bus.   I felt like it would add to our sense of adventure, and I have been meaning to use the bus system more often...I felt like this was a good time to start. 

The bus was more inconvenient than driving ourselves, we froze our toes off waiting for it in the sleet to go home, but I am glad we did it.  It was an adventure, we saw people who live very differently than us (not in a voyeuristic privileged way...but in an experience way, like what would it be like to plan your day around a bus schedule), this made us think about what we take for granted...a working car, warm clothing appropriate for all kinds of weather, having somewhere to go on Christmas Eve, the kids having parents at home instead of working on this holiday...stuff like that.

We took some small treats to give our bus driver and the boys loved giving them out! I wish we would have brought enough treats for everyone on the bus...not that you can eat on the bus...but something for later or maybe a small poem or something.  

(tuck that idea away for future Christmas Eves).

We were there early for our brunch reservation so we walked to the Gallivan Center to watch the ice skaters, and then to Harmons in search of a mango for the fruit dish I was in charge of for Christmas Day (no luck...all hard as rocks).

Then on to Copper Onion for a 2:30 brunch (kind of funny to have brunch so late but it was the last available reservation)

We had never eaten there before but Uncle Craig likes it and he has good taste so we took a gamble.

It was fantastic...my first time trying eggs benedict.

We walked down to Grand America for the window displays

and scavenger hunt.

We jumped on Trax to City Center for the Macy's candy windows.

Then through City Creek to see their displays while we waited for Temple Square lights to come on.

By this time we needed a walking break before treking through the square so we sat on the bridge for awhile people watching. 

I suspected that the lights would pop on at 5:00 so we stayed put..and 5:00 sharp they turned on!

(but I was looking at my phone to see if it was 5 and missed it...boo)

We had light rain for most of our city exploration, but at this point the rain started coming down harder.  So we did a quick walk through temple square and then up to our bus stop across the street.

This was the hardest part for Soren.  He just isn't use to being uncomfortable like that (tired, wet, cold) so he started to whine, and Darin and I don't handle whining very well...we are working on that, trying to be more deliberate with our reactions. Not as biting. Still working on it...it's now a 2017 family goal. 

But the bus came right on schedule and inside was so warm, Soren was rocked into a quick nap.

We sang Christmas songs as we walked briskly home in the sleet, we must have looked like exercising carolers.  It was amazing how moving and singing make things more enjoyable.  Waiting for the bus was for sure harder on Soren than walking home from the bus. 

We came home to open our Christmas Eve gift.  Of course everyone was expecting pajamas so the boys were surprised by their gi's.  M recieved cute pj's we should have taken a photo of but didn't.

  

We had cheesecake for dinner then watched our favorite videos: Mr. Crugar's Christmas (mine) Merry Christmas Mr. Bean (everyone) then some Christmas shorts.

I read the kids The Gift of the Magi, my very favorite Christmas story, and then ended the evening with Miriam's favorite Christmas story Great Joy while the kids camped out on Miriam's bedroom floor.  The kids were out cold by 9:45. 

Darin and I had ourselves another adventure at this point, which I can't document here, but want to remember the hilarity of the evening.  We had to use all we had mind and body to problem solve until 1:00 am.  Frustration giving way to laughter and relief when we were successful.  It was hard and fun, and I am glad I have Darin as a partner in these crazy adventures.  What we won't do for the joy of our children.

Concerts and Parties

First of all...

Landon is home! We loved getting to hear his Japanese/American accent on Sunday...too bad we didn't actually take a picture of him.  I did snap some cousin photos.

The boys watch King of Random ALL THE TIME and are always wanting to try the crazy things he makes.  Bath love bombs were a safe bet.  Darin spent a big chunk of his Saturday helping the boys make them for their teachers. 

Tuesday musical worlds collided.  We got the kids out early from school to make it to their Christmas Piano recital...which they had to leave early from to get Miriam to her Orchestra Concert.

While the Jr. High kids were tuning and warming up their instruments we took the boys for a quick dinner at In-N-Out.  Finished off shakes in the car to make the performance which was so much more fun than I had anticipated.

As fun as it was, I figured 2 performances were about as much as we could ask from the boys so Darin ran them home while Miriam got ready for her choir performance.

Again...so fun, those Jr. High choir, band, and orchestra teachers deserve everything good life has to offer. I don't know how they do it.

Miriam does too, but we just got her a shake.  She seemed good with that.

Cousin Gingerbread (gram cracker) house making party.
The sweetest lady at work game me all her left over candy and gram crackers from her family party.
Darin made his famous sugar glue and got the houses built.

The cousins added their creativity and general cuteness.

"The Best Friday of the Year!"

Byron woke up on Friday and declared that this day had the potential of being the best Friday of the entire year (well tying for "best" with the Friday we were in Hawaii...he wasn't entirely sure what we did on that particular Friday, but he said any day in Hawaii had to be the best...I agree).

He knew it would be a great day because there was a school Christmas sing-a-long where he would be given the award for his Refections entry going on to district.

He has come a long way from the little boy who would rather have the flu than go on stage and have people look at him.

This crazy hail storm blew down from out of nowhere about lunchtime.  It meant indoor recess but Byron was excited about the whole thing.  He loved watching the hail raining down and listening to the thunder crashing about.

Later that evening there was a Karate Christmas party/award ceremony where Byron and Soren were promoted to yellow belt. That alone makes for a pretty fantastic day, BUT THEN there were some competitions at the party.  I was so glad Byron and Soren joined in the hi-low competition but was blown away when they plus their 2 friends were in the last 6 jumping! Soren dropped out at 6, which was pretty devastating for him.  I on the other hand couldn't have been prouder. He did 100 hi-lows before dropping out, and was the youngest kid left. 

In the end Byron and his friend Fielding tied for first, completing 140 hi-lows and receiving the coveted "jade" dragon figurines. 

Talk about some determination! 

I think this may have edged out Hawaii for Byron's best Friday of 2016!

This Christmas has been harder than others....for sure my toughest Christmas to date.  I usually have Christmas at least in my mind, pretty much figured out and planned by Thanksgiving.  This year my mind has been so preoccupied with other issues, plus I have lost 1/2 the time I use to spend planning, organizing and shopping.  It almost felt like my brain was too full to make any decisions in November. Darin and I have had to really power through all the planning with a quick turn around time. So, the fact that we are even remotely ready for Christmas is, in itself a Christmas miracle.

BUT....the house is decorated inside and out.

We read Christmas stories under the tree at least 1/2 the days...(1/4 of the days?).

Made our Christmas donations, and followed the daily random acts of kindness calendar, watched Light the World videos (well, okay we missed some days, and all of this current week so far, but we will catch up)....

We have done sneaky shopping....
and this has probably been my favorite part of this particular Christmas because the kids have spent so much time and energy trying to make each other, and their friends happy.  I love all the secret pow-wows going on.

(no one is getting the above pictured bear)

We made it to the ward Christmas Party, which has never happened before.

The kids are working on Christmas piano songs, Byron and Soren are practicing in the ward children's choir.  Miriam and I sang in the Stake Christmas concert last Sunday.

We made a quick trip to Price to see cousins and Uncle Erik in the Nutcracker.

Darin and I celebrated our 17th anniversary which is usually a hit or miss endeavor being so close to Christmas.  We celebrated among other December anniversary friends, with Thai Food, and The Lower Lights concert. 

I have even managed to work a few Christmas parties with these amazing women! 

And I still have a Saturday left....Christmas miracle I tell ya.