Christmas!

Once again it seems Christmas came and went way too quickly. Maybe it's the fact that we were gone for a week in December or that Thanksgiving was late, or maybe like every year, it just seems like it was here and gone in a flash. We love Christmas time around here. It is a chance to relish in the blessings in our life and a time to feel tremendous love for our savior, for his birth, ministry, and sacrifice for us. We have apparently started a tradition in our family of trying to take a picture, a Christmas picture, ourselves...on a Sunday morning...

before church. Yeah, after three different tries, two unhappy children, and two frustrated parents we gave up. Thanks Nana and Grandpa for taking our picture...after church :-)

These two are always giggling...or punching each other out. Usually laughing though; makes for great candid pictures, not so great during sacrament meetings, however.

The wonderment, the excitement, this is the look that sums up what Christmas morning is to a five year old.

We left cookies for Santa (which always helps) and carrots for the reindeer. We usually just leave one carrot for Rudolph, but as Avery keenly pointed out, there are nine reindeer, so we had to put out nine carrots. As you can see, Santa and his reindeer get very hungry on their journey.

My little princess Averella. She picked this picture for the blog, specifically, because it shows her glass slippers that Santa brought her.

We headed to Grandpa and Nana's for Christmas lunch/dinner, they all blend together when you graze all day long. It was great to see everyone. Scott, Calle, Macey and Mara drove up from K.C. that morning. We had to drive approximately 2 miles and they still beat us to Nana's. Scott has always been punctual; I think it was the Marine Corp.

Macey's opening a present while Mara's checking out what Avery's doing. They are so cute!

Mara is so curious and has so much personality; she is an absolute riot!

Jeremy finally crashed out, sitting up on the couch, now that's tired.