The Herberts: Christmas Day

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Christmas Day

We started Christmas morning in our usual way - All of us cuddled in our room/bed having Jason finish reading to us The Best/Worst Christmas Pageant Ever. Then we went down and opened presents. Rather than have everyone open one present at a time I let everyone just go for it. I did it because I wanted them to feel like this was about them and not me. But I also hate that I never got to see some of my kids open presents that I worked really hard on or thought deeply about, we didn't get to have a moment - we didn't get to talk, I didn't see their reactions, sure - I got a "thanks" later, but I missed the moment. I focused mostly on the babies cuz they are at the cutest Christmas ages. Dane was adorable! We were all just enjoying him all day. Now that it is February I forgot all his cute things. So many times that day I felt prompted write them down, but I never did, thinking I wouldn't forgot. I do remember one: As soon as he came down the all and looked over the balcony at the presents and the lights he said "Yes, this is what I have been waiting my whole life for!" Everything followed that theme. He was excited about everything!

They mostly got the older kids old toys. I loved watching Noah teach Dane how to play with his old castle. Oh - that reminded me of a story. For Christmas Dane asked for Dragons - he was very consistent about that. Grandma Hanna got him the dragons and Madison wrapped them in a cereal box. Side note: Madison wrapped all my presents this year (except for hers) and it was AMAZING! Best Christmas ever. That saved so much time and stress, I was so so grateful! Anyways when Dane opened the present I said "oh, look you got cereal for Christmas, do you like cereal" and he said "well, I really wanted dragons, but this is nice too". So sweet!

Eve got M&M's old dress ups and Dane likes them just as well.

Our brunch

They also got the girls old apron that Ashley made them. Memo - Nest Christmas take pictures of the older kids too. It is hard for one camera to document 6 people in the space of 5 minutes.

I asked the kids to pile all their presents so I could take a picture, and Noah was the only one to do it.

Most of the kids wanted blankets, clothes, or robes this year. Noah and Brock got fussy blankets, Megan got a weighted blanket and a robe and Maddie wanted new clothes like a white zip up and a blue sweat shirt. Lets see if I can remember what everyone got.

Brock: massage gun, slippers, pocket watch, long underwear, ear buds, fuzzy socks, earbuds adaptor into iphone, and fuzzy blanket.

NOah: Orange books, fleece blanket, Halo Legos, cool comb/pocket knife things, adapter earbud phone thing, and bluetooth speakers

Megan: Weighted blanket, bath robe, earings (really fun cool ones), hair clips, black knee boots, shower caps and towl wrap, sharpies, book thumb things.

Madison: Sweat shirt, slippers, watch band, white hoodie, towel and towel head wrap, makeup jewlery, fuzzy socks, scented lotion

Dane: Castle, dragons, spot it, apron,

Eve: Baby stroller, magnatiles, flower thing, dress ups

Chrsitmas was a Sunday this year, so we opended presents, went to church and then came home and I made brunch.

Jason took some pictures and demanded I not erase them

We didn't do our neighborhood nativity this year. It was sad. It didn't happened for a lot of reasons. Mostly it was my fault. Sometimes things are just too overwhelming. I am not sure why it was, I did it when I had a baby in December, when I was pregnant and had a baby, and when Jason was in Utah with his dad and I had 2 year old with a broken leg, it should have been easier this year - but several other factors made it overwhelming. (weather, schedules, an aging cast)

Anyways our family is big enough to do our own so we did. On Christmas night we put on our own nativity and it was delightful. Even fell in LOVE with baby Jesus. She took it very seriously and took care of "baby Jesus" for the next few days.