Christmas

 December felt like there was a million things I had to do within the month. My parents and I went back and forth several times from Idaho to Utah since Thanksgiving on the weekends, then there was all the gift buying and hours of wrapping and sorting and organizing, decorating, parties, and baking, and ornament making, and dropping off gifts to our neighbors. I loved it all! We had an amazing Christmas this year despite the fact that the whole family, myself and Stephen included, came down with colds. We had a good snow fall where the kids and I got to go play in it before Christmas, then on Christmas day it all melted from the rain we got. 

Zander's favorite thing he got this year was his Darth Maul double bladed lightsaber, Lucas' was his Jumanji board game, Hannah was most impressed with her magic rainbow wand and princess shaped goldfish crackers, and Grayson has loved dragging his own just-his-size chair all over the house. He even put it on dad's lap and sat in the chair on top of Stephen, haha!

It was the year of the sock and underwear since that's what everyone got, and I got three different coats. Stephen got a massage chair cover and Seinfeld Legos. 

Our new tradition this year was preparing service hay for the baby Jesus to lay on come Christmas morning. Every night for the month of December we wrote down the acts of service we did for others, and I love this new tradition and seeing all the things we each did for each other and others throughout the month.

I didn't get any pictures from the Pettingill Christmas party, but Rachel is really good at making sure the get pictures at all the Washburn gathering. The Pettingill party was fun even though we were missing two families. We played name that tune, and bingo until it was time for dinner. Then we gathered in the basement and had Dad give the blessing on the family and tell us a story of when he was little. Then we did the pot where Mom won. Then it was time for our family to do the nativity. We worked with the kids for three weeks to memorize "The Nativity Song" from the primary children's book. We sang the song and showed coordinating pictures of the nativity. The kids did an amazing job! I really wanted someone to film it, but we were really rushed and I didn't get anyone to do it for me. I had to use my phone for the music.

Every year one of the grandkids gets picked to wear the nose as we sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and Zander got picked this year.

All the older cousins got Donald Duck sweaters in honor of Grandpa Washburn.

We took the kids out so they could go shopping for the sibling they drew this year. We had dinner, shopped, and then picked up some Krispy Kreme donuts on the way home.

 And finally, Christmas morning!