Christmas

Christmas has seemed like too big of a post to tackle, but I don't want to forget it so here goes.

Our Christmas seemed even better than years past. I enjoyed my break off from school and having my little boy home again during his break. It was so nice not to have to "worry" about school, and do as we please.

We celebrated Christmas with my family on Sunday the 18th. We made and ate homemade pizza's, played games, and had fun as a family. This day, I did not bring my camera...I am hoping my sister Carrie will send me some pictures(please?).

Cam had to work the morning/early afternoon hours of Christmas Eve, right when he came home from work, we headed to Logan to spend Christmas Eve with his Mom. The weather was surprisingly good that day and the roads were fine. We had a delicious turkey, potatoes, stuffing, roll (the works) dinner. Yummy! We played some games, exchanged and opened presents, took some pictures (with his Mom's camera, alas this day I did bring my camera, but failed to remove it from its case) I am hoping to get some from my MIL (please? :), then we played rock band. I have never played rock band but it was pretty fun. I was the "singer" and then I tried to play the drums.

We left and headed to Tremonton. We had debated on how to do Christmas Day. I had to work Christmas from 11a-5p. We thought about going back home to Ogden, I would work, then we would head to Tremonton for Christmas Evening or staying at Cam's Dad's house and Cam and the kids spending Christmas day with them while I left for work, and then I would go back to Tremonton after work. We decided to stay in Tremonton.

When we got to the Greener's home they were singing Christmas songs and Carson LOVED it. He wanted to sing "I'm gettin' nuttin for Christmas" and "Santa wears a suit that's long and red"" (I can't remember the title for that second song?). We set up our cookies for Santa and carrots for the Reindeer then I tucked a very excited little boy into bed.

I woke up at 6:00 Christmas Day and jumped in the shower. I didn't want to take any time away from Christmas morning getting ready for work, once Carson woke up. I got back into bed at 6:30 and asked Cam if I could wake Carson up and "get this party started" He said "No. Not until 7:00" I laid in bed, until I couldn't stand it anymore. I didn't know what time it was so I just decided to wake Carson up. I whispered to Carson "Santa came!" He shot out of bed, eyes bright and awake in an instant.

I covered Carson's eyes past the presents and we ran to wake up Blake and Karli. Next we woke up Grayson. Carson said "Grayson, Santa came!" Grayson groaned, rolled over and said "Thanks" It was funny.

Next we ran upstairs and woke up G-pa and G-ma. Before we even got to the door, I heard Ben say "I hear little footsteps" Cute. Last we woke up Bryce and Keisha. Carson again said "Santa came!" Bryce immediately sat up in bed and with the most excited and surprised looking face said "He did!!"

Everyone in the house was awake (except for Hannah at this point) and we went down to the Christmas tree to see what Santa had brought. It was pretty much the Carson and Hannah show after that, with 9 adults oohing over my two little ones :). Carson loved his robot, Santa brought and from what they tell me, he played with it all day. Hannah received a cabbage patch doll that she could've cared less about then (she likes it now) and a cat that purrs, meows, and moves around. She loves animals and loved her little kitty.

I have to put this part in...Cam is generally not very good at present buying and I am the opposite. I love holidays and trying to find the perfect gift for someone. He is one of those guys shopping on Christmas Eve that throws the present under the tree in the store sack. Well, this year I knew that he had not gone shopping once. There were no presents under the tree for me. Silly (and selfish), I know, but I was prepared to be disappointed.

Cam hands me my present on Christmas and I open it up. It is a tow strap. I was mad, but tried to act descent because we were with his family. All I said was "you get an F for Christmas" then he hands me a smaller box to open. I open it and a turquoise box with the words "Tiffany and Co" are on the front. While Cam was in NYC for business he bought me a beautiful bracelet from Tiffany's. It was a complete surprise and his grade went from F to A! :) (Again, yes I know -I am a brat)

After opening tons of presents, we had a pancake breakfast. At this point I had not looked outside. When I did the weather was horrible! It was a blizzard out there. I had wishful thinking that work might not need me, but sure enough they were swamped. I left for work and white knuckled it until I got to Willard and then the roads were not so bad.

When I left work at 5:30, I debated about driving back to Tremonton, or staying on Ogden because the roads were so bad. I didn't want to be away from my family on Christmas Day and they had no way to get home because I had the vehicle. I started the trek back to Tremonton and the roads again were fine until I got to Willard. From Willard to Tremonton I was thinking for sure that I was going to slid of the road. The visibility was zero! I wasn't even sure where the Tremonton exit was. I prayed a lot during that drive! Luckily "Big gray" does well in the snow.

When I was about 5 miles from the Greener's house there was a car off the road. Another man was stopped trying to push this car out of the snow. I had packed my new tow strap in my Escape and offered the strap. The helping guy said "Thanks, I don't have one, and I don't think I can push them out" He hooked it to his truck and easily pulled the car out of the snow. All I did was offer the tow strap. That was a little ironic-the gift I was so disappointed in, ended up being really needed and helped someone!

We ended up staying another night at the Greener's house because I did not want to experience driving in that again. I was glad we waited, the weather and roads were much better the next day and we could spend sometime with my parents as well. I always thought that I would want to spend Christmas with just "our" family but it was more fun and even sweeter when we were together with more of our family.

Of course we could not talk about Christmas without talking about our Savior. Each year as we celebrate His birth, I am reminded of how important my family is. How important my faith and testimony of our church is. How important my children are and what a great and lucky calling I have, to raise them, teach them, and love them.











I actually did manage to get some photos of Christmas!