Christmas

 

We finally made it to Christmas break! We were very grateful to not be traveling this year. Time for some last minute caroling with friends!

And a trip to Ogden Village. More low-key but we also got to see the Christmas star so that was cool.

These matchy Mickey jams are all ready for the big day!

Christmas Eve finally arrived, and we decided a family trip to the park was in order.

Even the ducks were ready for Christmas!

We had a special dinner planned for that night. Homemade chicken cordon bleu and pasta! The kids love helping me cut it. 

After dinner, it was time to reenact the Nativity. Blade and Maddie made a great Joseph and Mary, and Dixie was a very wiggly Jesus. Reagan got to be the angel and Daryn really killed it as a shepherd with every stuffed sheep that we had. Lance was happy to fill in as a wise man. 

Oh come let us adore him (her).

Then we made sure the stocking were all hung.

And read The Night Before Christmas, then off to bed!

Lance and I had a long night ahead of us, but finally everything was ready. 

And Santa came!

It was all worth it the next morning to see their faces.

Santa managed to come through and get what everyone asked for (even a last-minute request for a new bike because someones got run over in the garage...).

Polly pockets in their stockings!

Dixie's first Christmas present.

A ball from Reagan!

The kids got only one present each from us, and the rest were shared (which worked way better, since they usually just end up wanting what everyone else got).

And everyone got some new shoes from Gigi and Granddad.

Daryn made this adorable snowman for us at school. I love it!

We had a yummy and low-key Christmas dinner (honey-baked ham). That evening, when I was video chatting with my family, I accidentally dropped my phone over the railing. I picked it up and was relieved that the screen wasn't cracked and it appeared to still be working. Then I turned it around... the back was shattered in a million pieces, held together only by the case. So I got a new phone as a late Christmas present. 

Surprisingly, it still works to this day.

We were worried things might get boring over Christmas break, so we thought it would be the best time to potty train. The worst part of parenting so far. 

He picked it up pretty fast, but I'd say the results are mixed recently. At least he found a way to make it fun.

The days after Christmas blurred together into pee puddles and presents, and the time passed quickly until Lance's parents arrived!