Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas everyone! Okay, since it’s after midnight I guess technically it’s not Christmas anymore, but oh well! It’s been a fairly busy day today which is why I just haven’t gotten around to writing until now. And I’m exhausted so I’m thinking this will have to wait until tomorrow after church. I’m a little out of the habit of early church these days since my ward is in the afternoons.

But I digress. And when I’m this tired as I write, that’s not the wisest idea in the world.

I drove home to my parents’ house yesterday morning. It took me longer to get off than I thought it would, and I ended up making two quick stops along the way, but I still made good time.

This is one of the first things I saw when I got home.

Yes, my cute little niece made a fun Christmas greeting for my door. I was delighted by it. Later on I got to play beauty parlor and fixed both her (Banani’s) and her little sister’s hair. Fun stuff! See those cute little pigtails? I did that, and boy did she look cute!

We did our traditional reading of/singing about/acting out the Nativity story. I refused to be the donkey this year, but guess what I ended up doing anyway? Actually, Turkey did more than his fair share being not only Joseph but also the shepherd and wise man! I suppose that’s what happens when there’s a serious lack of children to be in the play.

Without small children in the house, this year we didn’t start our Christmas morning sock opening until later, around 8. And then we had our traditional breakfast of donuts, Orange Julius, hash browns and eggs before starting to open the presents under the tree. I think the pictures can tell the story much better than I can.

For the second year in a row, my mom and I got each other the same thing. All I can say is great minds think alike.

On the left, KK playing with Aunt A’s minion. Right, a pair of Boise state fans, one with a fleece, the other a BSU bracelet watch. How fun!

Turkey’s excited about his footballs and new jersey. Right, me being a smart aleck daughter. I gave my dad a present that was themed, “So you’re retired. . . now what?” This is my suggestion for a new hobby he can take up.

Our beautiful angel wasn’t forgotten today. This is a wreath we put on her grave, complete with butterflies. We felt her absence keenly, but I know she was watching over us.

Finally, what Christmas would be complete without some game playing? D, A, my dad and I played Mexi-Train Dominoes for awhile and then we had some fun building with the same dominoes. I wanted to capture more of our creations, but this is the only one I caught. Yes, it is mine.

In case you can’t tell, it was a wonderful Christmas. Our family has been through some tough times this year, but we’re stronger and closer for having lived through it. And I know our angel is always watching over us, even if she is busy on the other side.

One more cute thing to share. Opening presents is tiring work! She fell asleep at almost the same time last year, which is what makes this funny. Below, Grandpa found another use for his huge Christmas sack.