Usually for Christmas David and I pack everything up, gifts and all and we spend Christmas at the cabin. Getting to the cabin with our entire gift wrapping intact is tough but much easier than trying to find a Christmas tree to decorate and set up 2 days before Christmas. In years past we have either had to search around at night in the snow for a decent looking pine tree or settle for a Christmas tree that could ignite any minute because of how brittle and dead the branches are.
Reason's why our Christmas was so great this year:
Reason's why our Christmas was so great this year:
- Charlotte joined our family two weeks before Christmas. What could possibly be a better Christmas gift?
- We had a relaxing quiet and warm Christmas in Chandler( I am not a big fan of the freezing snow, David and the kids love it ).
- Stratton was very excited this year about Santa Clause and he really got into the spirit of Christmas. I think he is at the perfect age to enjoy all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday.
- I love being able to surprise David and this year I think he was shocked. He really wasn’t expecting the gift that I gave him. It was awesome to see the look on his face when he opened his presents.
- It has always been a tradition in my family to read the Christmas story the night before Christmas. I wanted to continue on with this tradition with my own kids and we have for the past 4 years yet, this year it was fun to see just how interested Stratton really was. As we read the story he really understood as I was reading about the birth of Jesus. He asked me several times to tell him the story again and so I did at least three more times. The next morning before opening gifts Grandpa Dean began to read the story from the bible. Stratton was able to answer the questions and participate in the discussion. I thought it was so great to see that he is listening to everything we say.
- David surprised me with a camera lens that I had mentioned to him a couple months back. I didn’t think nor expect at all to get it because of how nice it is. It was one of those things you know you will never get but would LOVE. That is exactly what happened I LOVE LOVE LOVE it and I still can’t believe he bought it for me.What a FANTASTIC husband he is!
About 4 weeks before Christmas David and I took the kids to see the Temple lights . They were so beautiful like always ! I think the kids had more fun balancing on the benches then they did looking at the lights . Stratton of course wanted to go swimming in the reflection pool . We kindly declined his request !
Notice the two scratches on Stratton's face in this picture. They both happened on the same day but at two separate times. We had an old book shelf that was broken and so with the wood Stratton wanted to build a house. He attempted two times and both times without a hammer or any nails. He would try and prop the wood up together and it slipped , fell and came back and smacked him in the face. The edge of the wood gave him two straight lines right across his face. Ouch ...poor guy!
I was really hoping this next picture was the boys with Santa Clause. David and I took the boys to Bass Pro shop a few days before Charlotte was born . They had so many fun Christmas activities for kids and they were all free. Among the activities was a picture of Santa Clause with you kids and it was free. What a great deal considering the mall and other places charge close to $20.00 for a tiny 4x6 print. Stratton had been talking non stop about Santa so I thought we would not have to worry about him being scared . Emerson isn't scared of anything so i figured he wouldn't be phased by the white bearded man in a red suit. To top it off this Santa had candy canes and so I knew with candy involved we would be sure to get a great picture with Santa. We waited in line for a quite a while and when it was our boys turn to sit on his lap they panicked . Both boys were screaming and wouldn't have anything to do with Santa Clause. On top of the screaming they totally scammed him by taking his candy and then running away terrified.
I wonder what age they will be when they aren't so nervous to sit on a strangers lap ( I kinda get that that is a little awkward ) ?
We settled for a picture by the big Christmas tree and presents .
Grandpa Dean helping us put our tree up
Stratton doesn't like me taking his picture and gets so annoyed at this point. I asked him why he had such an angry face in this picture and he said, " because you wouldn't stop taking pictures of me and Dad . "
Stratton was such a big helper with the tree. He loves having a job and he always does very well when we need his help. He was filling the tree stand with water in this picture.
Emerson is such a Daddies boy and I love it ! Anything and everything David does he wants to be right there with him. For Halloween Emerson wouldn't let anyone touch the pumpkin David carved. The same thing with David's phone , wallet or helicopter he knows and make sure that no one touches it . He will always tell us , " no , daddy's " with such a serious look on his face .
On Christmas eve Audra invited us to come over for a hay ride . Her neighbor each year goes around the block and gives the kids in the neighborhood a ride in their buggy . Their horses were huge and quite impressive. I had never done anything like this before and neither had the kids so it was exciting for all of us.
We sang a few Christmas carols and enjoyed the ride around the block. Stratton had been practicing some Christmas songs in preschool lately and while we sang the correct lyrics to "Frosty The Snowman " he sang what he was sure to be the words.
" Frosty the Snowman , Frosty the Snowman him went to the club house "
Just before the kids went upstairs on Christmas morning
Grandpa Dean reading Luke 2 just before opening presents. It is so important to concentrate on the true meaning of Christmas and I hope that we will be able to instill this into our kids as they continue to grow.
Right when I took this picture Grandma asked Stratton what the presents were under the tree , he got this big smile on his face and said, " I don't know but they are for me ".
We got Stratton this Police uniform and he loves to wear it . When we go out to the store he gets a lot of comments from other shoppers. They all feel very reassured that a police man is in the store watching over the place. I think he loves the attention more then anything.
Stratton was so excited to give me this present that he picked out , wrapped and wrote my name on. I love seeing how happy it makes him to give a gift. It is an adorable purple hippo filled with lavender so it smells amazing. I love everything about this hippo and especially love that it was given with so much love from Stratton.
Grandma watching miss Charlotte while I take a few pictures.
I managed to score an awesome deal on a RC helicopter that David wanted and an RC Monster truck that any guy would want. I don't know how I did it but David was definitely surprised when he opened both of them.
The Truck "Rampage" is a lot of fun for all three boys . It goes 50 mph and is gas powered and weighs about 50 lbs. It is pretty heavy duty !
"
0 comments:
Post a Comment