Christmas Day

We had such a great Christmas this year.  

The kids all woke up at 6 but Dane was still sleeping.  Everyone wanted Dane to come down with us so we let him sleep a little longer and we all cuddled in our bad while Jason read us The Worst  Best Christmas Pageant Ever (a family favorite).

Dane of course was adorable and made everything more magical and fun! He loved pulling off all the bows.

Ha I didn't get a picture of Noah and his stuff.  He took it upstairs and put it all away so quick.  I kept meaning to tell him to get it all back out.... but I never did.  Noah got a big fleece robe (that he wears 24/7), books, books, and more books.  

I made brunch with successful gluten free aebleskivers!

And, cuz it never happened on Christmas Eve, we frosted our sugar cookies Christmas night.

We got some pretty great cookies this year!

Then we had our sea food buffet Christmas night.

Christmas Eve

For Christmas Eve we were invited to have dinner at the Neyenhuis' along with the missionaries.  We had a fantastic turkey dinner and then a little program with songs and scripture reading.

Dane got tired way too early so Jason took him home and put him to bed.  I was SO SAD to realized we didn't take a family picture before he left.  So here is our Christmas Eve with me and older ones.

Christmas Activities

I would sort of call this Christmas a bust.  I am not sure why.  It turned out perfectly lovely.  I guess it was more my state of mind.  I was not emotionally prepared for it to already be December when we got back from Utah and felt like I was playing catch up the whole month.  I thought, "well... I am pregnant and had a toddler, I am just not going to do a bunch of stuff and call it an easy, low key Christmas."  But then I remembered that is what I said last year (becasue I just had a baby) and next year I will have a baby and a toddler, and the next 2 toddlers, and by the time I am "ready" to have a great Christmas Brock will be gone.  So while I wasn't as "intentional" (especially with Light the World) as I have been in the past, or wanted to be.  But when I add it all (including my previous posts - Be about Bliss, Ginger bread houses, Nativity, etc) it was a pretty great Christmas.

We went and sang Christmas Carols at Windcrest.

We made Christmas sugar cookies (more in a later post).  It is just these three because I made gluten free cookies for Megan -but she had to roll out and cut out at a different time to prevent cross contamination.

We made Muddie Buddies and then drove around and delivered them to every mail man and delivery man we saw.

I also baked a lot this Christmas.  Especially different things.  Most of our traditional Christmas treats had gluten.  Rather than make those AND trying to make a gluten free equivalent I decided to make just normal non-gluten treat - which there are a lot. I tried several different recipes over several different days.  I made: Muddie Buddies, caramels, fudge, and white chocolate peppermint popcorn.

Nativity

The Sunday before Christmas we put on our neighborhood nativity.

Delaney and Roran were Mary and Joseph this year.  And Megan was the Angel

The whole cast

My crew!

This year we didn't know if Rebecca was going to be able to come and sing "O Holy Night" as usual.  SO we had the kids sing "Silent Night".  We ended up doing both.

Ginger Bread Houses

We went to the Neyenhuis for our (apparently) annual gingerbread decorating party.  The Roper's came as well. 

Noah did a great gingerbread house this year!

Megan was a good sport about it - since she couldn't eat it.  Megan is basically a good sport about everything. 

Santa

Santa came to our ward Christmas party.  Dane was luke warm for a while - then was done.

The boys are too old for a picture with Santa they said.

David is so great with Dane and just loves to hang out with him.  He had him for most of the party and took him to see Santa with out me knowing.  David's dad sent me these pictures after.  I was pretty upset.  I mean... I think EVERYONE knows a mom should be the first person to take their baby to see Santa for the first time!  I also know it is petty - so I never said anything.  I am grateful for how much David loves Dane.  But still!

Be About Bliss

The kids insisted that we store food in our home for Be About Bliss again this year.  They also insisted that we do Cup of Noodles again (they did not like doing something small and easy like Jello).  It is always a good service project.  It takes about a month to gather it all and it takes some hard work.

Brock and I loaded 1,100 cup of noodles into the van.

It then takes about 3 hours to pack 1,000 food kits.  I am bummed i didn't take more pictures.  It is a family effort.  Dane was very helpful. ha

My Birthday

I turned 35 this year.  It seems like a big year.  But, as most people say, I don't feel any different.  35 does seem old though.  It was a good day.  I had about 4 or 5 different desserts dropped off at my house - I love when people know me!  Jason made a wonderful breakfast and dinner.  AND he got me a Costco birthday cake.  We don't buy birthday cakes - we make them.  But I had been craving this Costco cake for a while.  It feeds 55 people and the "party" was just our family (and Megan can't have any).  So it was quite ridiculous - but Jason insists on spoiling me  - so he came home with this cake.  I hardly ate it - pregnancy is sometimes the worst.  But I felt loved that he got it for me.

Brock's Orchestra Concert

Brock had an Orchestra Christmas concert.  I can't remember all the details but it was a bad night or a bad time of night, but basically Jason and I decided I would just go.  We figured everyone would be glad to not have to go.  Turns out we were wrong.  The three older kids were all sad to miss it so they all came with me.  It was pretty endearing.  He is the one in the elf hat.