Merry Christmas Everyone!!! We enjoyed another great Christmas season this year. We had a month full of fun traditions, parties, and service to others.
We loved decorating our tree this year because it was homemade ornament year. This year we made all of our Christmas decorations. We strung popcorn and cranberry garland and everything. All of our ornaments were things the kids have made over the years. To tell you the truth, I like decorating the tree like this better than using the store bought ornaments. It is more simple and more meaningful. It is also a lot of fun doing the popcorn/cranberry garland. Maybe we will change our every other year tradition and do this every year instead.
Russell worked on Christmas Eve. The kids and I packed up our dinner and went over to the fire station to eat Christmas Eve dinner with Dad. This is also becoming a tradition because Russell has worked every Christmas Eve we have been here. That's okay though because he is always home for Christmas Day.
While we were there, we got to open our Christmas Eve presents... Pajamas!! The kids love getting new pajamas for Christmas. This year the girls matched and the boys matched too. Russell and I also got new pajamas but they didn't match. After visiting for a minute more, we decided we had better head home if we were going to get to bed on time for Santa to come.
Here they are in their matching PJ's. Of course when I tried to take pictures, they were just being crazy because they were so excited.
This year they started a new tradition of sleeping altogether downstairs.
All four of them piled into Emily's room for the night. They had each made their own beds out of the couch cushions and were all cozy and warm. This lasted for about an hour before Charlotte decided she would rather sleep in her own bed. So she kept bugging everyone down there before finally Emily and Logan brought her upstairs. Colby was out the minute his head touched the pillow so he didn't care. Finally I put Charlotte in her own bed and told the others to go back downstairs and go to sleep. The were all asleep in minutes after that.
The next morning everyone was tired except Colby. He was the only one that got any sleep! He woke up and watched TV until Russell got home and woke everyone else up. It was time to see if Santa had come!
Well he sure had and he brought a lot of good things! We are going on a cruise in January so that was the kids' big gift this year from us. According to the note that Santa wrote to us, he knew about the cruise and brought the kids things they would need for that trip. Each of the kids received new swimsuits, sandals, water bottles, and a journal to record their experience. They also received snorkels, goggles, and buckets for the sand at the beach. They were a little confused as to why they didn't get the things on their lists but we told them that Santa knew what you needed and brought those things.
After our traditional breakfast of scrambled eggs, ham, orange rolls, and eggnog, it was time to open presents. Since we didn't get any new clothes, besides a swimsuit, we just stayed in our pajamas all day long. We loved it!
Emily received some fun things this year. She wanted a chocolate fountain so Grandma Morwood gave her one. She was happy about that. Emily also received a pretty gold necklace of her name, Shrinky Dink kit, and socks. Colby knew Emily had been saving her money up for a new fishing pole so he decided to get her a one for Christmas.
Colby also received some cool things. He got a new watch, socks, and underwear (remember Santa told him he was going to bring him some?). Logan knew Colby loves playing with Lego's so he decided to get Colby a huge set of Lego's. There were 900 pieces in this box and Colby immediately dumped them out and started building!
Logan had a good Christmas too. He asked Santa for a cool toy called Foam Alive and he got it in his stocking. This Foam is really fun to play with and feel with your fingers. It even looks like it is alive and moving when you watch it. Along with the Foam Alive, Logan received socks and underwear too. Logan has been needing a new scooter because his was broken. Emily found one at the store and wanted to get it for Logan. He loved riding his new scooter and watching the wheels light up. He rode that thing all over the house all day long.
Charlotte loves Christmas. She loves opening presents and seeing what is inside. She got excited anytime someone opened a present and really happy when it was her turn. Charlotte received socks and underwear like the rest. Her big present though was an American Girl Bitty Baby. She was so excited for a new baby because that is what she asked for. She named the baby Ruth. I don't know where she came up with that name but it stuck when Russell called it "Babay Ruuuth!" So now the doll goes by Baby Ruth. Charlotte also received a scripture case and her own Book of Mormon because she will be going into Sunbeams in January. Can you believe it? Our baby is going to be a Sunbeam! She can't, she's too little...
Russell and I also had a good Christmas. I received an InstaPot pressure cooker and a running belt that will hold my phone. I am looking forward to learning how to use my InstaPot and finding some new recipes. I am also glad to have this running belt. I never took my phone on my runs so I think it made Russell nervous. That is probably why he got it for me. I am glad to have it because now I feel safer too.
Russell received a big gift this year. Ever since our barbecue grill tried to burn down the house, he has wanted a new grill. Well he didn't get a grill this year, he got a smoker instead. He was so giddy about it and wanted to cook something on it right away. Unfortunately he still had to built it and put it all together. Soon he told us, soon we would be eating good! Russell and I also got some nice swimming goggles. One of our goals for the new year is to learn how to swim and possibly do a triathlon. These goggles will help and they will be handy on the cruise.
After the presents were all open, we just hung out for the rest of the day. We didn't have any plans or anything we had to do. We played games, built Lego's, did Shrinky Dink, and played with Foam. It was a great relaxing day. I even got a nap which never happens!
That night we decided to drive around and look at all of the Christmas lights in the town. I found a map someone had put together of all of the best houses in Cache Valley. We sent the next 2-3 hours driving around and looking at all of the cool houses. Many of the houses' lights were synced with a radio station. At these houses we could tune into a certain radio station and watch the lights and they blinked in time with the music. They were pretty awesome. One of our favorite houses had synced their lights to go with the USU Fight Song. It was outstanding!
Over the next couple of days, Colby got his creative juices flowing and put together this armor out of all of the cardboard boxes from Christmas.
We loved hearing all of his big plans for making this armor. He would come up with new ideas everyday and the armor evolved over time. He had a helmet, breast plate, shield and sword. The eye guards on his helmet were even able to go up and down. Colby was so funny. He wore this stuff all over the house. He loved it so much that he actually cried when the shoulder part ripped. We had to use a lot of tape but we got it fixed. I love his creativity.
Merry Christmas!!
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