A Very Merry Christmas

Everyone was healthy this year for Christmas.  But we tried to take some of the lessons we learned from last year and scale back our festivities to what was most important.  Mom and Dad devised a plan for presents: Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read.  We shopped and wrapped early to avoid the last minute rush.    We cut out the Bake Shop and instead opting for making one big batch of sugar cookies and taking them to a few people in the ward.  Our advent calendar was simple and focused on the life of Christ.  And most importantly, we tried to spend meaningful time with our families. We organized family pictures as gifts for our parents.  Kris and I nixed the sibling gifts with our adult siblings and instead organized kid free dinners where we could enjoy time together. 

Christmas Eve we had an early dinner at GG Hayes, played the greedy game and cleaned up.  At Nana Meek's house each child was spoiled with rounds of presents from Nana, aunts and uncles, and cousins.

 Abi loves this skirt from Sarah that she had helped pick out the fabric for.

Leah adores her pony and new ballerina pillowcase.

Tal, our Dr Who fanboy, LOVES this TARDIS pillowcase crafted with love by aunt Sarah.

Christmas morning dawned a little too bright and early for mom and Dad but Tal couldn't wait to wake Leah and Eva to show them their present.  By far the splashiest present in the living room  this dune buggy for Leah and Eva was their want present they didn't even know they wanted.

Eva recieved a Daniel Tiger playboard for her read present.  She also got a toy vacuum cleaner because she doesn't need anything, and a new outfit.

Leah loves her new sparkle dress to wear to church.  She also received tap shoes for her dance class and a new book.

Abi, our clothes horse, got a new outfit to wear.  Her want present was her own .22, a Savage Rascal that unfortunately she had to wait well into spring to shoot.  She loved the nice straightener and curling wand that she needed to style more chic hairstyles.  She also received the Hunger Games series of books.

Talmage will be ripping up the basketball court in these new shoes that he needed.  He was almost spastic over receiving a new Kindle Fire HD, that he had wanted.  To wear, Tal received a sharp new suit to wear to church and the Lord of the Rings series to read.

I think the kids favorite part was watching their siblings open the presents they bought for each other.  This hug between two often quarreling siblings was a shot not to miss.

Mom and Dad also accept hugs and thank you's for such a great Christmas.

But that car was the hit of Christmas.  Kris had shoveled the driveway and walk so that we would be ready for driving.  Leah quickly grasped the basics of forward and back, staying straight not so much.  Whee!!! What fun.

December 25, 2013