Christmas This Year

Twas the night before Christmas....

Yes, these littles of mine were soo excited for Christmas this year. Oh, the anticipation of it all! We had a great time with our Christmas traditions, old and new.

Christmas eve found us like this:

The only picture I took. We took the kids to Grandma and Grandpa's house in St. George. We had ham and shrimp salad and rolls. Lots of yummy things to eat. We exchanged gifts which consisted of slippers for the older kids, jammies for the little one, and a sweater for me. My mom loved the 2017 chatbook I made for her of our family.

Christmas morning found us like this:

 I had to laugh at the first gift Grant opened. A yard stick from Audrey.

 A Furreal Tiger for Audrey who was told repeatedly that Santa may not be able to bring one this year. He cam through though.

 Grant loves him an Atlas.

 Legos for Audrey.

 Robo Dog for Grant.

 New iPads for each of them.

 An American Girl doll with a matching outfit.

 A fan, purse and bracelet from Grandma Shauna.

 A Suprizimal from Grant.

 A Steelers hoodie that fits. Not a small feat for someone who is 6 foot 6 inches.

 Adam joined the party later on that morning. The train table was a big hit, and this Mickey Mouse Clubhouse toy was fun for even the bigger kids (Grant.)

Grandma and Grandpa Killpack came to our house after spending some time up north with the other kids. We made eggrolls for dinner and were sure glad they could come. Love the peaceful happiness that Christmas brings as we take a season to remember the birth of our Savior. And hopefully it isn't just a season. We should remember his birth and what it means the whole year through. Looks like I found a New Years Resolution, doesn't it?

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Christmas Traditions

So every Christmas I think that we are going to have the most Christ centered Christmas imaginable. Everything will be prefect. The manger will fill the space at the middle of the room. Reading the Christmas story from the bible while my kids eagerly listen with anticipation as the fire crackles in the background. And oh, the service that will be given. My kids will gladly give of their service to those in need every day in the days leading till Christmas.

These are always my thoughts at the beginning of the season. I tend to overthink, over anticipate the season every single year.

And now it is almost here. We did do some of our old traditions and added some new. Some I wish we could do still, but then I am always reminded that we need to have Christmas in our hearts throughout the year and not just at Christmas time.

Here is what our family did this year. Some old some new:

1. Temple square lights. We headed to Salt Lake the weekend after Thanksgiving mostly for our nephew Jon's farewell to Spain, but thought we would have a little fun before that. The whole family hitting the Temple lights, and then Grant and James heading to a Jazz game for the rest of the evening. We did this at just the right time. It was fairly warm still, and I thought got us started on the right foot to remember the real reason for the season, which is the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

 

 

If you go and touch the temple, the temple will touch your life.

 

 

 

2. We started the Little Lamb of Bethlehem tradition this year which is a reminder to remember to do kind things for others. We stuck them in our Noel stocking and will leave them there till next year when we will get them out and be reminded of all the good service we need to give to others. I read about this in a Deseret Book brochure and it sounded like fun and it came with this cute little stuffed lamb. If we remember every day to write down the good we did, this will be a fun tradition.

3. Gingerbread Houses/Train. I found a Gingerbread Train kit this year at our local Wally World. This worked out great. I am a total novice when it comes to gingerbread houses. This was my first one, while the kids have a few under their belt from school. The kids worked hard and we figured out where everything was supposed to go. Audrey actually wanted to eat hers, and I let her, but only a little bit. My kids have never been big on candy, so they pretty much just decorated their car, and that  was all they had to do with the candy. It turned out pretty cute, and I think we will do one next year as well.

 

 

 
Love the look of concentration on Grant's face. When you see the tongue, you know he is working hard on something!

 

 

4. Christmas lights around town. This tradition we have done ever since we moved to Cedar City. We love to go look at everyone's Christmas lights and grab a treat on the way home. We like to visit Christmas Lane near the golf course where that neighborhood lights up every home complete with story boards from Twas the Night Before Christmas. It is pretty amazing and such a sight for families. The kids loved this, and I am grateful this neighborhood does this.

5. Putting up our own lights. Audrey has been begging us for years to put up Christmas lights. I super do not want James up on a ladder risking life and limb just for lights on our house. But he did suggest that if Audrey really wanted it, we could put some lights around the pillars on the front of our house. She was so excited, and it does look fabulous.

6. Putting up our Christmas tree. We tend to do this right after Thanksgiving. This year, we did this after we returned from Salt Lake from seeing our family and the temple lights. The kids pretty much took over the Nativity scene, the wrapping of lights around our banister, and the Christmas village, which is always a favorite to be played with. My job was fluffing the tree and reminding them to stop playing and put some ornaments on it. Grant and Audrey were pretty content playing with the village and nativity. Oh well. The tree got decorated and it looks like we have little kids here. Which we do, and I love it! Betsy and Adam are interested in the tree and won't leave the ornaments alone, so all of our ornaments are living at the top of the tree. Nice and safe.

Audrey insists on putting up the angel this year and last

 year.
 

 

 

7. Christmas Cards. This is the first year I have sent Christmas cards. We took some family pictures back in February! I know, almost a year ago. But, not every one got to see them, so I went ahead and made them off a website called VistaPrint for a great price. I sent them to our family and friends including my sisters, and we have received some in return. I think this will be a lasting tradition as long as we get a good family picture we can send every year.

8. Baking. I don't know what has happened with me this year, but my desire to cook/bake has become supremely low. I just don't want to. But Audrey informed me that baking Christmas sugar cookies was her favorite tradition, so I obliged and we made some, but I halved the recipe. I just don't need 80 sugar cookies in my house, and last year, I made a big batch and they did not all get eaten. I think this year we made just the right amount.

9. Christmas egg rolls. Every year for the past 3 or 4 years I have made homemade eggrolls for Christmas eve. This year this tradition will be on Christmas day, since we will be visiting my family in St. George on Christmas Eve. We usually visit my parents on Christmas Day, but this year, James and I just want to stay home with the kids. James' parents will be visiting us on Christmas Day and will be around for our eggrolls so we will just do this then.

10. Visiting Santa. This year Santa was at our local Smiths. We lucked out with not having to wait in line. Grant and Audrey both read their lists and had no problem sitting on Santa's lap. Santa was very kind and good to them. Adam, on the other hand, did not want anything to do with Santa and was very happy when we left. :)

 

 

 

 

11. The Christmas advent calendar that I bought for the kids the year Grant was born is still being used. And instead of the little numbers getting played with and thrown outside, Audrey has been super great this year at changing the numbers and we actually have been counting down until Christmas. Betsy and Adam have even left it alone and this year it is all Audrey. I hope she will continue this next year.