"I got underwear from the monkeys!"

Christmas was wonderful! It was so fun and it was a good Christmas. We are so blessed. We are so fortunate to have what we have and the children we have. I cannot think of a better Christmas present than to have these things with me every day. I am so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the Saviour's birth also.

Opening presents was hilarious. Growing up, I never received anything from my parents. Lest you think they were cheap, we always got creative gifts.....like my sister, Eliza. She got a present from "Rocky," her kindergarten heartthrob for years! My other sister, Anna, scored something every year from the New Kids on the Block and my brother, Ray, always had something special from the cheerleaders. It was fun. It made the present fun, even if it was just a pair of socks.

So, I have adopted the tradition with our family. We got great things this year. The "Bum-wrap guy" gave Garrett some seriously cool bum wraps, Xander got new socks from his new church shoes. Eleanor got a "new to her" purse from Fancy Nancy that never leaves her side now. Everyone from the fourth grade girls to Batman to Mozart to Frosty the Snowman gave us gifts.

So, as Eleanor was talking to her Grandma Day on the phone, she exclaimed, "I got underwear from the monkeys!" You could tell there was some serious confusion on the other end. I started laughing, laughing until tears rolled down my face and my stomach hurt. Listening to her trying to explain over and over again that the cheerleader monkeys gave her underwear just about did me in!
Savannah LOVED unwrapping presents! She would toss the paper in the air and squeal at the box! It made me remember the year my youngest sister, Emma, got a box of Cheerios, and hugged them to her chest and squealed, "CHEERIOS!" Loved every minute of Savannah's unwrapping!

And to make the morning magic, we got snow for about an hour! It was gone in another hour, but it made the morning so magical!
This is my favorite picture of Christmas....the new winter hat and bum wraps so we can get on the potty train....
The children were allowed to ask for two things from Santa. Their Santa presents were sitting near their stockings and they all got just what they asked for....after everything was opened, I told the kids to look on the tree and see if there was anything else....nothing.....really?...nothing....REALLY?!?!?!?...oh, just this plain envelope, Mom...here you go. I told them to open it up and see what was inside.....A treasure hunt!
It took them all over the house, to the mailbox....
Looking through books......
Finding them in cupboards.....
And trying to decipher the next clue.....

Finally, the last clue told them to sing to their dad some Christmas carols....they didn't start out so well.....
They got the hang of it and sang louder.....
And louder....down on their knees.....
Singing with gusto and pleading for that last present promised in the clues.....
Then a hug and a kiss.....
And they got their iPods they asked for on their list.....
I remember those were some of my favorite Christmas presents. I got a 1984 National Championship BYU sweatshirt that I desperately wanted! One year we got radios, another year it was an envelope of money. Great memories and now my kids will always remember the year they got their iPods.
We celebrated with Christmas turkey and I had the boys set the table - we are practicing good manners and etiquette. They almost got it perfect. We taught them how to toast. That was interesting! Eleanor LOVED the idea and we were toasted all afternoon! You would not believe what she came up with, but since we told them it was rude to not acknowledge a toast, we toasted! ( We also told her that one toast was sufficient, but she didn't listen to that part!)
Jason's Aunt and Uncle sent the kids special presents this year. We went to visit them over the summer and we had a great time. They are so generous to us! The kids loved their new BYU gear!
We even had to dress our dollies up in matching clothes to get our picture taken.....
And the tutu's great Grandma Brown sent were also a huge hit! We love pink and fluffy at our house!
We hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas, surrounded by loved ones and may you have a fabulous New Year filled with possibilities and blessings to you and your family!