oops, forgot to blog our Christmas!

Christmas Eve: Since Jake's parents were still here visiting, they planned a really fun Christmas Eve - we all went up to Salt Lake for ice skating and the lights at Temple Square, then over to Michael and Kara's for soup and hot chocolate.  I don't have any pictures because, well, I opted to spend the evening sitting in the warm and cozy Joseph Smith Memorial Building with Jake's grandparents and my new little week-old baby instead.  I heard that ice skating was a blast though, and the lights were beautiful, but I had a great time too just enjoying wonderful conversation without kids interrupting, and "people watching".  Do you have any idea how many last minute Christmas pictures were taken in front of the huge tree in that building that night?  Want to guess how many I tried to ruin by sticking my tongue out in the background?!  Sorry folks, it was too tempting. :)  After Michael and Kara's, we hurried home to leave out goodies for Santa and sprinkle reindeer food on the lawn, and to make sure we were all in agreement about which of the wee hours the kids were allowed to wake us up in, and then it was off to bed.  Of course, our wake up call came in at the exact time (to the minute) that we had previously deemed the earliest of the acceptable times (I can just see them all sitting there, staring at the clock waiting before they pounced) and once we dragged our sleepy bodies out of bed to video the event - 4 excited kiddos came thundering down the stairs to see what Santa had left for them.

Christmas Day: Is there a child in America that didn't get a Pillow Pet this year?!  Even baby Gavin got the Bumble Bee.  Its super cute, and hopefully he'll appreciate it when he's a bit older and love it as much as the rest of the kids love theirs. 

 And my mom gave them all new pajamas, which they were supposed to have opened the night before, but we were home too late.  They just opened them first and quickly all changed! 

Jake and I decided this year we weren't going to get the kids any toys, we just got a big family gift instead.  We bought them the Mario Kart game for the Wii and 4 steering wheels - something we could all enjoy together.  Even Elle and JD like to play!  Elle does need a little help - or she just drives in circles, but JD actually gets the concept and could eventually finish a race on his own, if we were all patient enough to wait for him.  :) 

 We also attempted a real Christmas dinner, too!  Every year, we've been able to schmooze off some family for the great meal except for the first year we were married, and Christmas dinner that day was tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches if I remember right.  But, Jake was a hero and did a fabulous-o job of successfully thawing and cooking a turkey for the first time (or that's what the resident vegetarian heard anyway . . . not really able to say for herself).

Then a little later in the afternoon, Jake's family came by to open more presents and play some more Wii, and we played our traditional "nut in the pudding" game.  It was a great day and a wonderful Christmas.  

The next week, Grandma and Grandpa were brave enough to take our 4 older kids up to their house in Wyoming with them for some time away from parents and for some fun sledding and snowmobiling!  They baked, read books, did crafts, and played in the freezing snow (I think at one point they said it was -15!!) and had an all around great time that I don't think the kids will EVER forget!

What a great Christmas!