Christmas

It was Ben and Julie's turn to pick our service project for our Christmas party. We split up a secret Santa for a family in their ward. We all shopped individually for the people and then got together for breakfast and wrapping. It was really fun and nice. I always wish I could be a fly on the wall when stuff like this happens and gets delivered. Ben started us off with a little German nativity story. We had breakfast burritos and then showed off what everyone bought and then got wrapping.

We did December birthday gifts too from my parents.

Handmade blanket in Heather's favorite color!

Record player for Tanner.

I got some cake scrapers and caddy and a shirt. 

We got my parents a Story Worth subscription. They didn't know what it was but when we explained, they were both really excited about it. It's a personal history thing that you pick the questions you want them to answer and they get emailed the questions and they answer in the link and then at the end of the year the stories and responses all get printed in a book. We're all really excited about this.

Return of the tape monsters. It's been about 30 years since anything of the sort has happened.

A couple nights before Christmas we did our family gift exchange. This year wasn't as good because we never found time to really go shopping so the gifts weren't as well thought out and executed. I took all the kids and tried to separate them and pick stuff. (I picked my own gift out from Harvey cause Tanner couldn't make it). 

Fail on this gift. Forgot we already had it. But I was thinking it was so perfect. Oops. 

I wrapped gift cards for Harvey in a box of boots (that were for him but not for a gift - just cause he needed them), but he hadn't seen them yet. I thought it was a good decoy but he lost his mind when he first saw them. Threw a boot and started bawling about "BOOTS!?" for Christmas. I get it would have been very disappointing but it was also very pathetic and aggravating for us. Once he realized that wasn't actually his gift, he was happy and grateful. Dude, kid. 

Christmas Eve afternoon was party at Mimi's. Super fun for everyone. Food and music game and ornaments and LCR and presents. 

I LOVE this picture. Lottie was adamant about Grammy Elaine sitting by her. So She sat at the kids table next to Lottie. Lottie just loves her.

She's serious...

I forgot to take a picture of all the new ornaments we got - on our own and at the party. They don't make the Steinbach's really anymore so we are slowly shifting away from those and more into the Ulbright's. Still cool and fun but it does make me a little sad they don't make new Steinbach's. 

Greta and Mitt were the last people in the game and Greta was SO close to taking it all. Would have been pretty awesome but Mitt won. Harvey didn't even have a tantrum about not winning all the money. Ha. 

(Just for future reference if ever needed)

Clare and Berrie gave the adults a big thing of TP. Pandemic times, ya know. And then a bunch of cash for us to use in Mexico. Super nice. All the kids got $25 they get to spend in Mexico too. So nice. We are all quite excited about that trip!

I had to leave for work after the party and Tanner went home and let the kids open their Christmas Eve legos. (I think I'm done with them getting sets...they never last very long and then they are just in pieces all over the place). But they had fun and it's a fun tradition and keeps them distracted Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning. Santa improvised since all our stockings and such are in storage.

It seriously was such a happy day. I was kind of worried that kids wouldn't be excited about things or be disappointed. There were a LOT of requests and wishes that were not fulfilled. But they were great. They were happy and fun and cute and it was just cozy and magical and wonderful.

Lottie was hilarious. She would get so THRILLED and squeal just about everything. Airheads and socks, etc.

New shoes

I suggested we start a little hobby that was uniquely OURS and mentioned frisbee golf. Tanner got us our own sets and a backpack for each of us too. So awesome, fun and thoughtful. Excited to get into this together!

Super cute picture of me by Harvey.

Yummy breakfast! I feel like the last couple of years the aebleskivers have not been a huge hit. They all pounded them this year and asked why we don't have them more often. Clare and Berrie stopped by and ate kind of with/after us and then hung out as kids showed off and played with the goods. 

I didn't really want to be cooped up in our apartment all of Christmas so we invited ourselves down to my parents. Laura and her family came down too. It was a happy day. My parents gave out gifts, we hung out and played. Ate a delicious steak dinner. And just enjoyed the day. I didn't want it to end. It was all just happy and good. 

My parents gave all the kids season tickets to Desert Star Theater. A really fun and great gift that we are super excited about! 

Playing with the 3D pen Harvey got. Super cool gift!

December was a crazy month. With our trip to Moab it meant I was working a lot of other days and it was just hard to find time to do all the usual activities. The day after Christmas we got around to gingerbread houses. And it was pretty fun. Kids had done makeup with what the girls got for Christmas, hence the painted faces :)