A Look Back In Time - December, Christmas

Oh how I love Christmas with my family.  This year, instead of opening their pajamas on Christmas Eve, I made each of them a big fleece blanket.  The girl's blankets were purple and zebra and Blake's was brown and 49ers.  Here they are reading "The Night Before Christmas" with Trent.

 The kids set out cookies and carrots for Santa and the reindeer.  They also wrote him an adorable note.

 We were able to celebrate Christmas at our house with most of the Taylor family and Thatcher's girlfriend Kelly, and her mom Gayle.  One of the first presents that the girls opened were the ones that they bought for each other with their own money.  Ironically they both bought each other the same thing.  A pen/highlighter that said "sister" on the side.  It was so cute to see their faces when they opened them.

 After all the craziness of presents and wrapping paper everywhere the kids realized that there was an envelope in the Christmas tree.  The envelope had a letter from Santa saying that there was a present in the bathroom.  Trent went to check it out and guess what he found?  A hamster!  The kids were so happy!

 They named her Puffles.  She is a fancy bear hamster that is black and white.  She is so cute and so much fun to play with.

 Thatcher and Trent modeling their new sweatshirts.

 Blake playing Legos with Uncle Thatcher.

 Ashlyn playing Just Dance 4 on the Wii with Thatcher and Tennille.

 Here is the one group photo that we got before Gayle had to head back to Arizona. 

 We ended the day with a beautiful ham dinner that everyone helped with.

I really love Christmas time.  While it's fun to receive presents, it's even more fun to surround ourselves with family and focus on the true meaning of Christmas.  I love seeing my kids faces as they watch their sibling open the present that they worked so hard to get for them.  I am so blessed to have such an amazing family.  I am blessed to have the knowledge that my Savior loves me and that he lived his life, died, and was resurrected so that I can follow His example and live with Him again.