The Quiet Christmas

After Pendleton, we got together with the Stockies (my sister's family) the night before Christmas Eve. The cousins did their exchange and of course Ev and Aric did their traditional gift exchange. I forgot my camera so I am waiting to get some pictures from them.

On Christmas Eve we took the kids downtown to see a movie, Arthur Christmas, we loved it! It was such a cute movie. Camden was so excited when he saw these giant Chimpunks! He went and game them each a hug.

We had a good time hanging out at Riverfront. The tree itself is magical!

The kids showing off their holiday shirts...

After the movie we went to see Santa. As a family we decided to forgo individual gifts and ask for a family gift...an xbox 360 kinect.

Then we came home and had our traditional beef stroganoff dinner. It's a tradition that we have from Aric's mom.

After dinner we did our Christmas deliveries...dropped off banana bread and music cd's.

Then the kids each opened one gift.

We did the reindeer oats.

Eden is taking her throw very seriously...

And last but not least we left Santa some banana bread...

Christmas morning...

Sleepy kids

Present opening

Kinect playing

Church going 

(Maya and I were in the choir this year. Maya sang in a small group number, it was so precious!)

We had chicken fajitas for dinner (no special tradition just what we had ingredients for) and spent the rest of the night just being together.

Maya had a special Family Home Evening lesson. Eden was her assistant. Camden was clearly not a very good listener.

Look at Maya in this next picture...so awesome.

We had to say goodbye to Paxton, our elf, but we know he will be back next year ;)

The best gift this year was from Grandma Kathy. At Hallmark I had seen those books that can record you reading a book, so I asked her to make a book for each of the kids. They are hands down the kids most favorite gift.

These books will be treasured forever. To hear her voice brings tears to my eyes. She is still hanging on, but we know that her time is short. This has been an especially meaningful Christmas as we have focused on what Christ's life really means to us and most importantly what his resurrection means. It has been a very bitter/sweet holiday season.