12 Things I love about Christmas #12

The 12th thing I love about Christmas is.... Christmas. I love the whole thing, I love the anticipation, I love the excitement of the children, I love the spirit of giving, I love the family togetherness. I love it all, in fact I am always a little sad when it is over. Here are Augustus, Olivia and Canyon. Canyon and Gus could have gotten no other gift then just being with each other and they would have been totally happy. They love to play together. I sure wish he did not live so far away.

Livie in her polka dot dress... I love to dress the kids up for the holidays, (the older 2 don't really cooperate anymore). This is Olivia on Christmas Eve after going to Tom's great Aunt Rose Anne's house. A yearly tradish..

This is what I gave Tom, it is an old gun his grandpa gave him, I had it framed for him. I think he really liked it.

Anyway at night after my aunts and their families leave then we as siblings exchange gifts with each other.... we start with the youngest and then they give to whomever they drew and then that person gives and so on. Here is Jaimie waiting for her turn... along with Shawna and Olivia also waiting.

Olivia got this little fedora hat, she is so cute she wore it all day. She looked adorable.

(This whole post is kind of skiwampus!!! It took me over 2 hours, it kept losing pictures etc so they really ended up in a weird order!) The stockings were supposed to be the top of the post with my 12th thing I love about Christmas, but this order etc is going to have to do!!
Maddie with her main gifts.... Nikki, a Bow & Arrow and Samantha.
Hayden with his Snowboard...
Olivia with Ruthie and Nellie, are they not the cutest..... Maddie and livie had a sleepover downstairs with all their American girl dolls Christmas night, they laid them all across the couch it was cute. I should have taken a picture.
Canyon with his Wally and his Thomas the train. He was so excited over every toy. He could have just gotten one little "Cars" car and he would have been totally happy. I love this age!!
Here is Everyone at Audrey's for dinner on Christmas night. My Grandpa Hughes is the only one really facing front.
My mom and Dad braved the weather scooter and all to come out and see all the grand kids, and bring them gifts.
Who knew my dad was an expert at shooting arrows..... he gave Maddie lessons on her new bow and arrow. Tom found it funny all the big words like "camber" he used. But hey sometimes he really does know what he is talking about. He and Maddie are going to make plans to shoot at targets some time soon.... Bakers can we have your bale of hay?
In the afternoon we went over to Tom's parents to open presents with his family. Here are all the 2005 babies opening gifts from and with uncle Dave. We all gave Big Tom tickets to the "Sugar Bowl" for Christmas.... Brian put sugar in a bowl and wrapped it up. Big Tom just kind of looked at the bowl trying to figure it out, then Brian said "Oh I forgot part of the gift" and handed him the tickets. Big Tom said "how the s--t am I supposed to get there? and then cried, he actually cried over this gift he was so excited. I have only seen Tom drop one tear one time in the 16 years I have known him...... it was at his step moms funeral when he talked about his own parents, so I think he really liked this gift! That made Christmas to see some one so excited over their gift and the utter surprise that went with it.




I think adding this video is where we went haywire, so I will leave just the one and maybe add more another day!

12 Things I love about Christmas #11

The 11th Thing I love about Christmas is...... (and my favorite) is reading Luke 2... On Christmas eve when my family gets together we all sit around my parents living room as my dad reads from the bible..... he always get teary eyed. He reads really slow with all these pauses I think for the effect, but it is tradition and we all love it, he tried to get someone else to read because we tease him about his pauses etc, but we all would have nothing to do with that, he has to be the one to read it. He gives a little testimony with it. It really is what Christmas is about. This year we were all just so very grateful that we were all there together after the scares we have had this year. As he was reading, I was looking around the room and thought my very favorite faces are all in this room together. I love my family so much!! My kids and Tom as well as my parents and siblings. I love that we still make it a point to get together in one room and sit down and read about Christ's birth together!! Tom and I and the kids always go home and watch the 5 minute movie too..... it just starts the whole magic of Christmas night out right!

Natalie & Lila

Augustus and Canyon (kind of having a hard time listening) but Canyon was really into the movie.

Shawna & Zarley

Canyon giving my Dad a hug.

Audrey, Corbin, Troy and the back of Annie's head.

Jaimie, Madz, Autumn & Miotch

12 Things I love about Christmas #10

The 10th thing I love about Christmas is "New" pajama's.... My mom gives us new pajama's every year as long as I can remember and I have seen pictures to know it goes back even longer. Some years she makes them but lately they are bought. Either way the smell of new flannel, and that feel of new soft pajama's is the best. We always get together with my whole family on Christmas eve to read the story and get our new pajama's. This year as we were all crowded into my parents living room getting our new pajama's which they go in order youngest to oldest and you have to hug my parents everyone started cheering for you when it was your turn like you were being called down on the Price is Right...... it was totally crazy. Poor Miotch Autumns boyfriend was really in for an eye opener that day!!

These are my kids in their pajamas from this year......Don't worry they give them to adults too, since we don't take our pictures (Tom and mine anymore) I added some "Christmas Past" pictures don't laugh too hard!!

Cute Madz and Haydie..... back in 2000

Olivia's 1st Christmas

Check that out!!! I am laughing pretty hard as was Hayden so go ahead...

Isn't that cute we used to get matching pajama's ohhhh.... But check out the belly

This is the best, this was our first Christmas, I am not sure if Tom is going hunting or to bed?!! And did I eat a small child or what or just my own weight in caramel..... I'm kind of a fatty 2x4

12 Things I love About Christmas #9

I came across this picture of Tom and I with Santa on our first Christmas so I added it.... Aren't we babies!!! We look so young!!

The 9th thing I love about Christmas is...... Santa Claus! I love the whole spirit of Santa, I love the magic, I love the giving without recognition.... I also love the family get togethers we have when Santa comes to visit. (I actually love family get togethers all year). Tom's family puts on a Christmas party for big Tom's family every year and Santa comes. It is a fun tradition I know the kids love as well. Canyon was so excited to see Santa, and when Santa gave him a gift he had to run up and give him a big hug after to say thank you. He was so cute and so excited I love this age at Christmas time. He asked for a train.

Here is Olivia with Santa, she asked him for Ruthie the American Girl Doll

Here is Emma she asked Santa for an eyeball?!!?? I think Emma might give Maddie a run for her money in asking for weird random gifts!

Here is Sara with Santa.

Here is Hayden, he too loves Santa.... he asked for a snowboard.

Maddie on Santa's lap she asked for Samantha the American Girl doll.

We will have to wait and see if they get what they are hoping for!!

(She also has mentioned a bow and arrow... previous Christmas' she has asked for a metal detector, crutches etc.....)

Our family with Santa not the greatest picture but..... what do you do?

This year we had the party at the dance studio. We figured their would be more room and everyone in the same room. I thought it worked out great! Tom set up rock band on the movie screen. The older kids and adults thought this was great!! Here is uncle Dave on drums, Olivia and aunt Robin singing, uncle Brian and Hayden on the guitars. Grandpa Tom is just watching...

It was a good time. Thanks Tom & Kaye for putting it together each year!

12 Things I love about Christmas #8

The 8th thing I Love about the Christmas Season.... are all the little recitals. We started December out with the kids Piano Recital some did better then others.... Then we had the fabulous percussion performance by Hayden and Maddie... This one is posted for you Becky... Up top is Canyons little Pre-school program. These are awesome, they are so cute, this is Canyon and his "twin" Lila...the funniest thing about Canyon's performance was a little girl sitting down a little ways from him was crying her friend so kindly loved her better put her arm around her and hugged her, and then put her hand over her mouth so she could smother out her crying it was pretty funny. The last recital was our Dance Recital. All the girls did a great job. I was proud of them all. I have a lot of really cute students and I love teaching them! This is Olivia's class, I couldn't post all of them. Anyway these moments with your kids are great, and I love to see them/hear them performing Christmas music.

12 Things I love about Christmas #7

The 7th thing I love about Christmas, and actually one of my very favorite... is doing Secret/sub for Santa stuff. I love the sneaky part of it, the trying to get something for someone without them knowing it. Especially when you know they need it. Some years we go to great lengths to not get caught, or have the person figure out it is us. I know this is a terrible picture, but it is Maddie making a dash for the car after delivery (or some little boy with a hood who knows?) I think it is great that my kids enjoy participating also. This year they donated their own money to 2 different causes, and even if it is only $10 or $20 think of the percentage that is of their income.... if we all gave that percentage of our income can you imagine what a difference we could make. I have good kids I tell ya... not perfect but very good and generous!

12 Things I love about Christmas #6

The 6th thing I love about Christmas is the lights..... I love to drive through the neighborhood and see all the houses decorated... It looks especially pretty when their is snow. I like the luminary bags too does anyone do that anymore?

This is some random persons house, but if you set your radio to their station then the lights go to the music it is awesome they did a great job!! We love to take the kids up to Christmas Street to see the lights and the story of Jesus birth pictures etc. I hate to be cold so we prefer that over temple square. I know that is terrible but what do you do...... In fact just a couple years ago Maddie came home and said "Did you know their is this place down town, called temple square where you can go and see all these Christmas lights?" We laughed that she thought it was a brand new thing. Then felt just a titch guilty that we had not taken the kids to see the temple lights. We took them that year and haven't since.... We do drive by and look from the car window. Or we drive around looking for a certain homeless man and his dog so Maddie can give him a blanket and the dog some food, (never found him)

Ok but what the ..... What in the world does this covered wagon have to do with Christmas? I can't stand this light. I love the wreaths, and snowflakes and candy canes that line our city streets. It is so festive!!! Then I drive by this and think really shouldn't you put this up in July instead. Maddie and I want to pull them down ourselves!!

12 Things I love about Christmas #5

The 5th thing I love about Christmas is baking treats..... I love to make cookies and gingerbread house etc at Christmas I love all the treats neighbors, friends and students give. Obviously I love sugar so..... This is one thing I wish I did have more time for.... I used to bake with Maddie & Hayden a lot more then I do now......This picture above is Maddie & Livie making orange crisp, it is My Great Grandmas recipe and her cookie press.

Here is Canyon frosting Sugar cookies. He loves to help bake things.....I love the time with little people!! Tom however is the master at caramel.... if you have not tried his homeade caramel sauce you'll have to get him to make you some. He was the caramel maker for Leatherby's in High School and he still knows there recipe!! Its good stuff!!

12 Things I love about Christmas #4

The 4th Thing I love about Christmas are Christmas books, I love all the stories of giving and sacrifice etc.... I'm a sucker. This year I just read the Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck it was very good. I recommend it....(yes Doug can read, or Tiffany) I love the vintage looking Santa pictures in some of the books, I love Little House on the Prairie so when Mr. Edwards plays Santa well....... My favorites however are the "Three Trees" and the "I Believe in Santa Claus".....All of these books also represent gifts given to me by good friends and or family. Some of them I have had for over 20 years!!

The 12 things I love about Christmas #3

This is our first tree from story below.... I couldn't find the picture with it strapped to the car oh well... Check out how long we lasted stringing the popcorn!

The 3rd thing I love about Christmas is the Christmas Tree, I love the smell, I love going to pick out a tree, I love decorating them, and I love when you come down the stairs (or around the hall when you were a kid) and it is dark except for the lights on the tree. Doesn't it just have that like magical feeling. A few Christmas tree memories are #1 I remember when I was about 8 and we started getting flocked trees we had blue lights and blue and silver ornaments I thought that tree meant we were rich.... duh and really blue who loves blue lights anyway!!
I also remember going every year with all the kids and my dad to get the tree I think my mom was always home working/sewing, maybe she just hated the cold. We would always get a really tall tree becaus we had vaulted ceilings... one year the lady tried to get my dad to trade his cowboy hat for the tree we wanted he just laughed and I thought why not, he really only wore the hat (that must have been pretty expensive) to get the tree each year and maybe one or two other times. I really don't know why that sticks out to me, but still each year when we go I think of that....
I also remember Tom and my first Christmas together and going to pick a tree, we got a pretty big tree I can still picture it strapped to my little black escort. We went home and made some ornaments and tried to string popcorn, it took a little longer than we thought so we only had one little strand that did not cover very much..
Anyway I love a Christmas Tree sometimes I wish we had it up all year, but then it would lose its magic "right"

2nd Thing I love about Christmas

The 2nd thing I love about Christmas is... I feel bad listing this as second like it should be first, but I did not do this in a priority order just what I was thinking about for the day... anyway I love the Nativity sets and pictures etc portraying that special night, I go on a search every year to find "The real meaning of Christmas" wrapping paper etc.... sometimes it is hard to find this kind of paper but it is out there. Also Christmas cards, I have to have them say "Merry Christmas" I don't believe in being politically correct and saying "Happy Holidays" to include everyone if someone said Happy Hanuka to me I would not be the least bit offended if that is what they celebrate. I believe in Christ and in his birth and I will celebrate Christmas and should not be worried about who that will offend!! 80% of this country is Christian so why we have to tip toe around the rest bugs me! I have been to school and read with the kids all about Kwanzaa which is great I believe in teaching my children all about what others believe... what bugged me about it is that they cannot talk about the birth of our Savior they can not call their parties "Christmas" Parties because it might offend someone. That really bothers me!


Anyway I love this picture in fact I keep it up all year because I love it so much!! I love setting up my nativity set with my kids and talking about why we really celebrate Christmas, I love putting out a manger for the kids to put hay in (ours broke and so we have not done it for awhile sad...) I actually like when I find ornaments that aren't cheesy that have the Nativity.

So the 2nd thing on my list is I love the celebration of Jesus' birth.