Christmas Wrap Up

Christmas was great this year!!This was our first Christmas in Boise at home. I love being in Utah with family and enjoying the holiday traditions but it was so nice being at home and not getting sick and making new traditions and lovin' every minute of the holiday.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow. It did just that, the interstate between Boise and Salt Lake was closed at least 3 times during the holidays. We were glad to avoid driving in the snow and staying home and even getting out several times to play in the snow.

Christmas Eve we spent at the Cardwells. Angie cooked a fabulous meal with smoked turkey, my first and definitely not last. It was so good! She insisted I enjoy the day and wouldn't let me cook anything. Maddy and all the boys had so much fun all night. Making Santa cookies was top on the list. After dinner we rolled out the dough and the kids went to work.

Camden & Maddy

Dean & Hudsen

Maddy, Jack & Dayten

I love this picture. Everyone is concentrating so hard on decorating the cookie. Love Camden taking a try of the icing!

Mom & Maddy
Dean & Mike playing the Wii--sorry Mike maybe next year you'll be good enough for Santa to bring you one!

After dinner and cookies we ran home to put the cookies by the tree and open our Christmas jammies. I have always wanted to do this tradition and decided this year we were all going to have matching jammies--well at least jammie pants. Thanks Sarah for helping me, I'm still trying to figure out how to cut out patterns.
We all went to bed and I too was so excited I couldn't sleep. Maddy woke up about 8:15 and wanted to go downstairs to see what Santa brought. Christmas morning was so busy I forgot to take pictures. Aunt Anna made these sock monkeys.
After the gifts were opened we had a yummy breakfast. Another new tradition for us, normally we have eggs goldenrod or pancakes. This year I got some cinnamon chip bread from great harvest and we had french toast and bacon and hot chocolate. After breakfast, the kids wanted to open the gifts and start playing. Jack got the geo-airplanes to go with his geo-trax, Mike loves building and playing planes and trains just as much as the kids.
We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas, watching the snow fall outside and staying in where it was warm and cozy. Some of our favorite gifts:

Mike: golf caddy, egg poacher and Dr Pepper in his stocking

Kinz: Cricut!!!, rice cooker, new chair for the nursery

Maddy: Scooter, Leapster, dolls, pants!

Jack: GeoAirport, scooter, remote control car, leapster

And most of all we are grateful for our Savior the time we had to reflect upon his birth this season. Going to bed, Christmas night Jack asked if we could have Christmas again. It was that great!