Every year since we have been married we have an early Christmas before we go down to Utah to actually celebrate Christmas on Christmas. Even with kids we do this, we figured it would be easier to open up presents here than haul them down to Utah and then haul them back, plus our Christmas was extremely small this year since we had made some major purchases including a new tv, new car, a new washer, and a new baby! We even decided to sell our Christmas tree because it was just too big for our apartment and with our new tv we would no longer be able to put it in the same place we had been for the last couple of years.
With all of that being said, we had to get a little creative with decorations and decided to do more of a paper Christmas tree. This whole project took only a couple of dollars and saved us space! Plus I didn't have to worry about the kids getting into the ornaments and messing them up, and clean up was a breeze!
The "before" Christmas presents! I really need to be better at getting better pictures, I think that I got one that is good enough and then it always ends up like this, Boston is like bored of taking a picture and Ella has a toy in her mouth. But this depicts what it really is like!
The kids opened up new pajamas the night before on our "Christmas Eve" and on "Christmas" got some books from us and their great-grandparents. I know it wasn't a lot, but they aren't going to remember what they got and when they look back I don't think they are going to care, what matters is spending time together and it was nice to have our own Christmas just our own little family.
We drove down to Utah on the 23rd and so we were able to spend Christmas Eve with our families, participating in fun traditions like making cookies for Santa and being able to Skype with my brother who is on a mission in the Philippines.
We started Christmas bright and early again this year. But the Mechams opted for 6:30 am instead of the typically 6:00 am every other year. That used to sound really early to me, but now that I have kids it doesn't sound too terribly early anymore. It was a lot more fun this year with Boston to see his excitement in opening presents and the joy it brought him. It is so true when people say that Christmas is way more fun when you have kids. Seeing their happiness makes you happy and it is one of the best feelings in the world.
Boston got some more books and cars. This kids loves cars and was so excited when he found out what he got! Ella, I don't think had any idea what to think of what was happening, but she seemed to enjoy the toys she got! And thank goodness we received some new clothes for her, because she pooped through her pajamas.
After a few hours at the Mechams, we decided to head up to my parents who live about five minutes away to open a few more presents. We missed the initial opening of all the presents but were able to still spend time with them.
And if Christmas wasn't busy enough we then went to Blake's grandpa's house, where all of his aunts and uncles and cousins meet every year on Christmas to do a white elephant gift exchange and have lunch. It was chaotic with all the people and I don't think Boston enjoyed it too much because he did not want to be near anyone. As for Ella, she slept through the whole thing. I felt a little silly that I was still in my pajamas but I didn't think to bring a change of clothes. Luckily I wasn't the only one there in pajamas, even it I was it would not have been to big of a deal, we were all family.
As for the rest of Christmas day we just spent relaxing and enjoying food as it was quite a busy and exhausting day. We received tons of snow so we just wanted to stay bundled up and warm inside. We decided that it would be best to do sledding the next day after it stopped snowing, and we did! Boston had a blast and didn't want to go inside at all, even though his little fingers were frozen. He even cried because he wanted to stay outside so bad. Poor kid has been cooped up all winter so having a chance to get outside was some freedom for him!
We stayed in Utah for about a week and a half and so we were able to spend lots of time with both families and enjoy the company, and as always all the yummy food. Blake and I were able to go to the Payson temple for the first time and do sealings for the first time too! It was as always a great trip but I was ready to come back and get into a routine.
Comments: