Christmas Calm

Ok I made it through the chaos and we had a Wonderful Christmas and I have now found my Christmas Calm. Well now that the kids are in bed again wish visions of much toys playing dancing in their heads.

Saturday was filled with much shopping, shopping and house stuff, and being sick again yuck!
Sunday I went to my moms to wrap presents with out any kiddy eyes to see me. And a magical elf (my mom) helped me get all my presents wrapped in no time at all. WOO HOO! have to admit the relief of having that done helped with the feeling better too.

Monday Christmas Eve, one last stop at the store, a trip to show the new house to Heidi, the kids ran out all the neighbor gifts, and back home for present opening with our little family! Oh that was so much fun. The kids called me several times while we were at the store to tell me that they were "just sitting starting at the presents under the tree waiting to open them" I found this to be VERY VERY FUNNY!!

Christmas Eve opening the much anticipated presents

It made my day when Jesse opened his present from Samantha and it was one of her trophies with masking tape over the name and a new inscription for "Worlds Best Dad." Now that is a gift with a lot of thought into it. Bless her little heart! It was very sweet.

Then we rushed off to Grandmas and Grandpas for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, nativity, and many more presents. They had enough by the end of Christmas eve that they didn't even need a visit from Santa, they got one anyway of course.

The cutest of the 3 Kings: Garyn

These aren't such bad looking "sheep" either: Will and Jaden

I love that excited feeling that is in the air on Christmas Morning. All the giggling and anticipation as the kids wait at the door way for the all clear from dad. Here are the Socks stuffed to the rim! My stuff was in a pile because I was protesting my mom's returning to me my childhood sock and didn't get it out this year.

And a picture of the tree with presents underneath the tree. I make the kids wait in the hall while I get a picture like this every year. They hate it but they will love these photos some day, I think.

Will with his new rocking horse

After opening presents from Santa we headed off to Jesse's Moms for our traditional and oh so yummy Christmas morning omelets. The kids had fun linking together games on Nintendo DS. And of more presents.

Then we went home for 1 1/2 hrs and mom got a nap! (Yay! Go Me!)

The we headed up to Jesse's Dads for Prime Rib Dinner and more presents and then Santa stopped by to deliver some PJ's to all the kids that he had forgotten to leave at our houses.

Garyn with Santa. Since his Birthday is tomorrow Santa even sang Happy Birthday to him.

Samantha with Santa. She asked him if he liked the note she left last night and he said "Oh I loved it you are very artistic." That made her day because she had actually drawn him a picture and wrapped it up for him and he must have remembered because he called her artistic. That made her day and sealed the deal that this must be the "real" Santa. Especially because he told Jaden to keep working on no back talking his parents. The whole room got a kick out of that. Poor Jaden.

Once we left their we went back for a quick stop in at my Mom's again even though we spent Christmas Eve there. So the kids had a great day they got to spend time with all 3 sets of Grandparents and they still had time to play some guitar hero 3 before going to bed tonight. What a fun fun day we had. I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family. Not just my little family of my own but also for my extended family that all lives so close to us. It makes for crazy holidays around here with all the places to go, but it is also so rewarding. We have Grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and so many friends that we get to spend time with and we are so blessed.

We took a few minutes with the kids tonight to talk about all the gifts they had received and about how all of the Christmas gifts from the whole world all put together are not even close to the gift that we were given when god sent his son Jesus to suffer for us and give us eternal life. I just want to add that I thankful for so much today but the very most I am thankful for a loving heavenly father that watches over my family and I am thankful for Jesus Christ and for his life, his example, his Gospel, and his gifts to me.

Wise Men Still Seek Him.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!