Happy New Years Eve

Our party consisted of netflix instant view, and sonic drinks shared. J thought he was pretty cool, being up with all the grown ups, he didn't stay up too late though.

End of the Year

I just wanted to point out that I read 26 books this year. Pretty good I think. I'm not going to list them here, but I just wanted to record that for my history. More than I have read most years, but I have no idea what the high is. I might have read more in 2007, but probably not because I didn't start until May, since I hadn't graduated until then. I wish I would have read more, just because there is books that I have waiting to be read, but I just didn't have time to read more. Maybe if I was a faster reader... (ha ha) But I just don't have more time than that. I have a house to clean, children to feed, children to diaper, etc... I didn't even have time for the books I did read.
Last of all, you could claim the caliber of books that I read wasn't that high. That maybe true, but I'm not ashamed. I didn't get a degree in Literature this year, and I also wasn't trying. I could say I wish I read more classics, but that isn't true, if I really wanted to I would have picked one up. I read for entertainment and fluff. My brain is racked to the max with caring for my family, beyond the Book of Mormon, I don't have the energy anything heavy. Which is why I read an embarrassing amount of Amish Christian Romance Novels this fall, with MBA classes, it was either that or crappy sitcoms with PG-13 jokes.
Anyway, these books in a way represent who I was this past year. They tell a story, of where I was in my life, and what I had to do. Even if its a story that you can't see.

Congrats

Its been five years.

The festive holiday

"Above all else, though, Christmas is about children and it is this association with innocence, the link with our own childhood, that is the evocative and motive aspect of the season. Our prime concern as adults is that the children, especially the younger ones, have a memorable and happy time. It's difficult not to share their sense of mounting excitement as the year advances and first the Christmas period and then the day itself approaches. (By the same token, its easy to understand why people without children rarely show great enthusiasm for Christmas...) By entering into the spirit of Christmas, we allow ourselves to indulge briefly in a world of innocence and in a childlike sense of wonder. That purity of feeling was stolen from us when we became world-weary grown-ups, but at Christmas we can suspend our skepticism and cynicism, forget the harsher world of adult experience for a while, surrender ourselves to sentimentality, and join in the awe and the wonder of the excitement. In short, we become children again. There's nothing cool or clever about liking Christmas, and that, I suspect, is what I like about it."

-Naill Edworthy

pg 13. The curious world of Christmas: Celebrating All that Is Weird, Wonderful and Festive. A Perigee Book, 2007.

I wish I had a cute picture for this post. Maybe they are coming, and maybe just maybe...

The greatest part of Christmas with children is hearing Santa's bells ring. Yes, we hear Santa's bells in our houses, just like my mother heard Santa's bells in her grandma's house, and I heard it in my mother's house. My son hears them in mine on Christmas eve and in his grandma's house. Last night, my son was sitting on his dad's lap with his cousin. When all of sudden they heard the bells. My son whispered quietly, "Santa's bells" They ran up the stairs as quietly and quickly as a 3 year old and a 4 year old could possibly go/be. My boy was waiting in the bathroom doorway for someone to turn on the light. He told me, I have to brush my teeth super quick tonight, Santa is coming.

Sure its great to see him pick up a toy/present and declare oh wow, its what I always wanted. But its pure magic to watch a child hear the bells, and be so giddy they can barely manage being the fastest they have been all year.

Opening Presents

Is that not chaos? But oh so fun

My baby was sick on Christmas so she slept through all the chaotic present opening except for about 5 minutes. So then her brother helped her open her remaining presents later.

Happy Birthday Jesus Volcano Cake

Normally I don't post movies, but I thought their singing was cute. Plus it make you think twice before eating the cake of a small child.

Santa came while we were asleep

White Christmas

Can you believe we had a white Christmas in Dallas? Never in my whole life there has it snowed on Christmas, and I moved there when I was 9. Mind you this was the first time I had been back in 5 years.

Progression

Progression of Christmas Eve.

1. Track Santa online

2. Get cookies ready to set out

3. Listen real carefully for Santa's Sleigh Bells

4. Run upstairs as quickly as possible.

5. Fall Asleep as quick as possible

Matching Christmas Jammies

Yeah, Santa gave all the kids matching Jammies


David really loved Baby Nan





Cousin gift exchange


My baby really loved this present. But luckily it was not for her, because I would have not been able to handle that bear in my house.

Nativity Time

With five kids you think we could have a fairly good Nativity, unfortunately they were all four and under. In the beginning, it was only David, and baby Nan who would participate. They were Mary and Joseph. It was adorable to watch David lead my baby around.

And here they are as shepherds. I don't think my daughter understood her role.

Once my son watched David perform every single part other than Mary, he was ready. He repeated all the acts of the play again. He takes to heart the advice never volunteer for something you don't know what it is. Here is is a shepherd, holding the sheep.

Then as a wiseman giving a gift to the baby.

Christmas with kids is great.