Christmas

One reason I struggled so much on getting my blogging done for a while there was because I didn't have a functioning camera.  My camera broke and we weren't quite in the position to buy a new one so we several months living on my awful cell phone pictures.  Lucky for me I have an amazing husband who got me a new camera for Christmas, so we have some pictures of Christmas.

Christmas this year might have been one of the funnest ones so far.  All the kids were SO excited about everything they opened.  They loved watching each other open presents and were excited for each other for their presents.  It was such an amazing day!

About a week before Christmas we were surprised with a doorbell ditch and a Secret Santa gift at our door.  As I wrote in my last post I had a rough winter and December was no different.  I had been praying to know that I was not forgotten and to feel the love of the season that I usually feel so strongly.  This simple Secret Santa was such a testimony builder that my Heavenly Father is aware of me and my needs.  I am so grateful for the Secret Santa who followed the prompting to drop something off to our house.  They will never know the answer to my prayer that they were!

We did our Christmas with KC's family a few days before actual Christmas, so I didn't get any pictures of that.  They kids were spoiled rotten as usual and we had an amazing meal.  It was fun to spend time as a family and reflect on our blessings.

Christmas Eve we did our individual family celebration.  We had a good dinner before opening our pjs.  After we changed into our Christmas pjs we went downstairs and watched the Luke 2 story of Christ's birth.  I'm so grateful for this time.  Christmas is such a fun chaotic time that it is so fun to be able to spend time to just focus on the really important and true reason we celebrate Christmas.

Christmas morning the kids woke around 7.  We don't have a fireplace and Jackson was very concerned about how Santa was going to get in.  We left Santa a key and he came in the front door... even leaving some boot prints from the door to the tree.

I got to open the first present which was my camera so I was able to catch the rest of Christmas.  The kids each took turns opening presents and I think they were just as excited for each other as they were for themselves.

Cisco got a new dog bed and this squeaky chicken toy. (Which has been his favorite toy since then.... we don't love it quite as much as he does.)

After we opened our presents and had dinner we went to my parents house for presents with my family.

The first thing Kaylee would request each time someone asked what she wanted for Christmas was Cheetos.  She was SO excited to open these up from Nana and Grandpa!

The whole family at cleaning up and checking out their new gifts.

Our kids got the Jake and the Neverland Pirates boat Bucky.  They love this toy so much!  Here they are playing with it with Ellie.  (Poor Kaylee threw up so she had to spend the day in her pjs)

After my family opened gifts my extended family came over for a dinner.  After our amazing dinner we play several games of BINGO.  

Grandpa to the rescue won the old mans comb as one of his prizes.

We had a really great time and the kids really enjoyed playing BINGO.

We had a really great Christmas.  It was simple and we had a fairly small Christmas, but the kids were so grateful for what they got and that made the simplicity of it even greater.  

I am so grateful for my Savior!  I am so grateful for His life and His example.  I would be nothing without Him.