Christmas

I think this Christmas was the best we've ever had in the 7 1/2 years Jeremy and I have been married! Our kids were old enough to really get into it and since we were home we were able to follow and form some of our own family traditions. Last year Jeremy and I felt like we spoiled the kids too much on Christmas morning. They were kind of overstimulated and unappreciative. This year we decided to make a "reasonable" list before we went shopping and we stuck to it pretty well. Don't get me wrong, the kids were still sufficiently spoiled, but they were also happy and excited (that is an understatement) the whole day and have played with all their toys a ton since then! Their improved attitudes may just be the difference in age from last year to this year, but I think we will stick with the "list method" from now on.

Most of the Haws family was out of town so we had a really quiet Christmas Eve with Grandma and Grandpa Haws, Aunt Kelli and Great Grandma Jackie at Jay and Vicky's house. It was different not to be with a HUGE crowd of people on Christmas Eve, but it was really nice. It was a perfect year for me to have a small Christmas because big crowds tend to make me a little irritable when I am pregnant : ). We ate the Haws' traditional "Christmas Enchiladas" for dinner, watched the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert on DVD, and Taylor recited "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr. Seuss, which was the highlight of the whole night and one of my favorite new family traditions. He learned it last year when he was obsessed with the Grinch and brushed up on it pretty easily this year.

On Christmas morning Jay, Vicky and Kelli came over to watch the kids open their presents. We had a little drama when Russell first woke up and realized Santa had come and gone and was not still there to open presents with us. His sadness diminished quickly when we started opening presents, however. I wish I could have bottled up some of the boys' reactions so I could enjoy them over and over again. We did take some pictures and got some of it on video, but you never can catch the best moments since you don't know when they are coming! Taylor, wide eyed, fingers spread, hands up in the air yelled, "He remembered! Santa remembered that's what I wanted most of all!!" (I think that was the SmartCycle.) Russell thought a couple of his toys were so neat he just held them out in front of him, staring in stunned silence with his mouth wide open in the shape of an "O". Jeremy and I agreed not to spend too much on each other this year, but of course he spoiled me beyond the "limit" we set...not that I'm complaining. I love the jewelry he and the boys picked out for me and will never turn down a gift certificated for Massage Envy!

When we were done with the presents, we had a huge and delicious brunch of cinnebiscuits, eggs, fresh fruit, baked brie, summer sausage, smoked gouda, bacon, juice and hot cocoa. Then we listened to a sweet account of the Christmas story told by Taylor's 4 year old friend on CD. We spent most of the day relaxing at home and playing with our new toys and spent a little time at Grandma and Grandpa's house, too. It was really a fun day!