There is so much to blog about that I decided that I just wouldn’t! HAHAHA. See, I have a blog and a scrapbook. I know I’m going to scrap almost every picture I have, so I’m not going to post many. Instead, I’m going to write about the events, since my layouts lack in well worded journaling.
So December in review:
We enjoyed all the pre Christmas festivities: putting up the tree. The festival of lights, Christmas songs, hot chocolate, seeing Santa, and the ever stressful, why do I even do this, Christmas Shopping, you know, the whole shebang! It was wonderful and busy! Leah was so much fun this Christmas. She was very excited and loved learning everything about Santa and snowmen and reindeer. I loved reading her Christmas books, and taking the time to teach her about the birth of Christ.
We went on a Sunday drive and stopped at Uncle Randy and Aunt Donna’s house to party crash their family’s Sunday afternoon. We took the little kiddies outside on a “bunny hill” to sled. They had a blast! And we got some good pictures!
We had a candy making party at Doug and Carols. The kids were into it for the first little while, then they played downstairs while we finished. (which is fine by me. I love it when the older kids come to play with Leah) Our treats turned out SO YUMMY! MMMMM, I wish I had stolen more and hid them, because I would love some now!
We have lots of family parties to go to. It gets a little hectic, but we love it just the same. (Hey lots of free food!) We went to the Butler party and had great Navajo Tacos. It was a mad house with everyone there, but that’s part of the fun. Santa and Mrs. Clause came (Mrs. Clause is Leah’s favorite, and she doesn’t understand why we don’t see her more often) Leah was so excited to sit on his lap and tell him that she wanted Lady Bug earrings. (Her earring request changed weekly from butterfly, to heart, to cowgirl, to ladybug. Luckily in the end, I convinced her that ladybug earring were the ones she wanted!)
We also had a party with the Morgan family. Its fun to see everyone, and all the kids. It feels like the grandkids are finally starting to grow up, but we keep adding all these great-grandkids. I wonder if there will ever stop being little kids around?
Christmas Eve is special day, because it is Brad’s and my Dad’s birthday. Things usually get a little hectic on that day, so Brad wanted to slow it down. We had a family breakfast here for their birthdays. After that, Brad got to open all his presents. He got a new watch, UnderArmor, Boot warmer, a headstall, a Cabelas hoodie, some gear for fishing in Alaska, a sexy cowboy shirt, and a portable tire inflator for the four wheeler. I think he liked all his gifts, and I hope that he was surprised!
After the morning celebrations, we went snowmobiling up in Birdseye. I love to snowmobile, and we just don’t get out too much. We had a great time.
Christmas Eve is celebrated at my Moms house, where she has way too much food! We have our traditional reading of the Christmas story in Luke, the story of the orphanage girl and the orange, and Christmas Eve Jammies! My Mom does a good job of bring the spirit in and helping is remember the meaning of Christmas.
And, of course, Christmas Day!
We woke Leah up around seven. She loved all her gifts. I told Santa that Leah didn’t need very much this year, she has a lot of toys and she’s young enough that she wouldn’t know either way.
Santa didn’t listen to me.
Leah got a new kitchen, and lots of accessories, some new clothes, lots of books, some dress up clothes, a pop gun, a grocery cart, a tutu, a zuzu pet, and the earrings she’d been asking for all month. . . so many other things, that I can’t even remember! Boy, what a spoiled little girl. She had a blast!
Brad and I have felt very blessed these past few months, and we recently got iPhones, so we decided that we didn’t need Christmas presents this year. We relaxed and enjoyed the season.
After our morning at home, we went and enjoyed some time at my Mom’s house. Leah got some new presents, we played together and watched movies.
We had an afternoon party at the Fords. The food is always amazing, and we loved being with our family. Once again, Leah was spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa. We printed them a large picture of Mt. McKinley that Brad and I took on our last trip to Alaska.
We stopped to visit Grandma and Grandpa Butler and then spent some time at my Dad and Susan’s house. We gave them a photo collage that I made. Leah crashed on their bed, and we stayed up talking for a while.
Wow! Christmas is always a marathon! I’m always grateful for the day and the memories, but to be honest, it is a relief when it’s done.
