Our Christmas

What a fun Christmas we had...probably because the two older boys are all old enough to understand the true meaning and the two younger are old enough to understand Santa. My Visiting Teacher brought me this great folder filled with stories you read every night. It has a scripture and song to go with it. We didn't know words to a lot of the songs so Greg and Hunter just whistled. It was fun.

Thursday night, we went over to some friends and had a fun night. We played a few games, and then read the famous story from the Bible with a song after each one. It's so much fun to share the season with dear friends (especially since we haven't been with our own families for the past six Christmas's). Thanks for the fun, Bobbi!

On Friday we went sledding with a few families. It was below zero, but I love to sled and so do my kids. Greg loves it to, he just wishes there was a lift to take you to the top of the hill. We had hot chocolate and then headed over to the Newell's for soup and rolls. The kids decorated Christmas cookies for santa and then we went home and watched some Christmas movies with the kids.

We went to bed around 11:30pm and set our alarm for 12:30 to make sure santa got everything just right. It felt like we had just gotten back to sleep when Austin is waking us up at 4:30am! He had gotten up around 3am and couldn't wait any longer (Greg is the same). Greg woke us all up and we opened presents and EVERYONE was back to bed by 6am. Hunter didn't even enjoy opening presents because he was so tired. We had a really fulfilled day on Christmas as well. Our friends, skinners, invited us over for Christmas breakfast. It was something that we used to do when we first moved to Alaska but then the tradition changed as we moved farther away and they had family move into town. Our kids enjoy each other and I was happy to spend some time with them. Then we headed over to our neighbors, the Russell's, and had a very yummy Christmas dinner with a few other families. We love all our dear friends and were so happy to spend time with you all!

Most of us were fast asleep...


Except this child. Greg took this picture before he took a picture of all the rest of us asleep.






Our family gift. We got this professional air hockey table for a steal! It was last year's model and they priced it way too high. So they slashed the price by 50%, but the store manager said, not good enough slash ANOTHER 40% off. So we got it for super cheap...thank goodness for last minute shopping, that's when we usually find the best deals!

Ryder and Peyton have not stopped playing with this batman cave! Santa knew they'd love it, since they have played with it at the store for the past year!
Alternative to banana chairs...easier to move to different rooms!

I felt spoiled this year. I kinda knew what I was going to get this year...only because Greg took the twins shopping with him and they handed me an Allen & Peterson card. I got some new cookware, which is more of a need. My pots are falling apart from the handles to the bottoms. But this new cookware should last me a lifetime!

He also got me new bedding, which I was with him when he said we should get it, but then he changed his mind.

But the best gift of all was a new wedding ring!!!!!! I was totally surprised by that. I had lost my ring a few months ago. I wear that thing all the time and in the 13 years that we have been married I have never misplaced it...Greg's dad had hidden it from me once and I thought I had lost it, but I usually knew where it was. I even took my sink apart and found nothing but a missing earring.

I thought I had gotten all my gifts until later Christmas morning Hunter says, hey I never saw this gift hidden in the tree. It was a little box...so I thought it was from Hunter...something he made for me at school. I wasn't going to open it because when I looked closer I could tell it was wrapped by a jewelry store. He convinced me that I needed to open it. So I did...and to my surprise it was a new wedding ring! Greg had planned this whole last part. He was on the phone with his dad and wanted hunter to give me the gift so it would be a surprise. I cried! What a sweet man I am married to!! My ring is a big deal. I know you are still married without it...but for the last few months I have felt really sad without it. I love tulips and so he found one that has three diamonds that look like they are in tulips! He said he has been looking since I lost mine. It was such a surprise and I love it!!