Christmas 2011

Christmas this year actually seemed to last quite a while.  It began several days before Christmas when we headed up to Logandale for the Hills' family Christmas party.  It was a busy day and a half and I'm having a hard time remembering everything we did (that's what I get for waiting 2 months to post about it).  I do remember some great shooting we got in, some excellent Mexican food that had to be cooked over an open fire (that Uncle Tim conjured) because the BBQ's weren't working and a wonderful talent show in lieu of the gift exchange.  I do also remember the great company and that many fun conversations were had.  I do also remember that I didn't see Lincoln or Gwen a whole lot because they were having too much fun with their cousins and Grandparents.  I think I also remember that I forgot to bring my camera (typical) and that the only pictures that were taken were taken with Zach's iphone, so I don't have those yet.  It was a ton of fun and way too short, of course.  It ended Saturday morning when we rushed back home to prepare for Christmas Eve here. 

Saturday night we went to my parent's house for our traditional Christmas Eve party of the nativity play with all the kids, dinner, reindeer food sprinkling, and gift exchange game.  Then we headed home to prepare for Christmas day.  

Gwen sprinkling reindeer food

Christmas day was especially busy because it fell on Sunday and our ward met at 9am. Zach didn't have any bishopric meetings so he was able to help me get the kids ready. We acted like it was a regular Sunday and didn't even point out the stockings to the kids. Gwen found them, but because we were being so low-key about it all, they didn't get too riled up. Zach and the rest of the bishopric were speaking, and I was playing a piano solo- we were a little nervous it would be a circus with Zach speaking, then coming down off the stand to sit with the kids while I went up to play a solo. Fortunately Zach's dad and sister and brother-in-law came just in time to take Ned so I could go up to play.

  After church, they joined us for our traditional Christmas breakfast. Zach had to count tithing so by the time we had eaten breakfast (lunch, really) and visited with family, it was 2pm and we hadn't even opened presents yet. But, I actually really enjoyed that Christmas fell on a Sunday, it made it much more focused on the right things and a day in which we were really enjoying ourselves. 

Right before we open presents, we remember the Christmas
Story and the reason for Presents.

Presents!

In our house, Santa only brings the kids the stuff that's in their stockings. So, this year we got the kids a trampoline with the money my parents gave us for Christmas and had set it up before we left for Logandale. So it really was from Grandma and Grandpa.  Since we were barely home between then and Christmas, the kids never even saw it outside until Christmas afternoon.

The Trampoline Reveal

Zach sent me on a fun treasure hunt for my own present from him.  I had asked him for one of two things, either a Kindle or perfume. He wrapped my present in a small, pink bag so of course I was thinking he had gotten me perfume.  When I opened the bag, it was a travel-size shampoo with a post-it note covering the label that read "perfume".  After some dismay at the gift, I noticed a little rolled up piece of paper.  Upon opening, I was sent on a treasure hunt around the house, leading me eventually back to the living room where my Kindle was hiding behind the books on our bookshelf, where it had apparently lain for weeks. 

The Treasure Hunt

After the presents were opened, we went back out to Boulder for Christmas dinner with my family. 
It was such a full, fun day!