Christmas

Christmas was magical and lovely as always.  This last week, preparing for Christmas has honestly been delightful.  We had a great family home evening lesson about the birth of Jesus Christ and, let me just say, it should have been recorded.  Jacob and Sarah were so sincere in their questions and in our discussion that it was just pure adorableness.  Mark and I, more than once, just looked at each other and had to fight back the giggles at what they had to say.  

Sarah could not stop talking about how much she wanted to hold baby Jesus while Jacob tried to explain to her that he wasn't a baby anymore.  And then we were talking about the wise men and the gifts that they brought and then moved on to talking about what kind of gift we could give Jesus.  He could not figure out WHY we couldn't just make or find some gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Sweet kid.  He thought that sounded better than just being kind.  

Christmas Eve was wonderful.  We went to church and all worked to make Christmas cookies for Santa and made our traditional Christmas Eve dinner.  We opened our present that Santa's elf always sneaks under the tree on Christmas Eve - new book and Christmas jammies!  This year was The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. 

She looked so grown up...

We took baths, got in our new jammies, read our new book, and then ended by reading the Christmas story from the Bible.  Perfect.

Christmas morning, Mark and I turned up the Christmas music at 7:00 and the kiddos all began to trickle down!  We opened our stockings, loaded up on breakfast, and then finished what was under the tree.  As always, we are so grateful for how blessed we are. 

I felt like this Christmas was just especially good.  I felt like we were all a lot more meaningful in our presents to one another and it just made things oh so good.  We played and enjoyed our time together until about 4:00 when we left for North Ogden.  The canyon was a little tricky but we eventually made it there.  

We had a great evening with Grandpa and Grandma, Aunts, Uncles, friends and lots of cousins!  We got home late but were so grateful for how full and wonderful our life is with one another. 

"We seek Christ.  

We seek to learn of Him.  To follow Him.  To become more like Him.  

...During this Christmas season and throughout the entire year, may we seek with our hearts and souls our beloved Savior, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One of Israel.  For this desire, in large part, defines not only who we are as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but even more who we really are as Christ's disciples."  

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf