Christmas 2019

We spent Grandpa Junior's birthday with the Williamsons- G & Chris had their dinner/gift exchange at their church and it was nice. They had us all draw a number and gave us each a Rubbermaid with different rooms attached. We got the kitchen- it was full of dish soap, garbage bags, a platter, dish towels, paper towels. All things you don't want to have to buy but were a welcome gift. All the kids (except Matt) pitched in and got them a Roomba Robot vacuum. We also all pitched in (probably except Matt too) and got Mary Ann one too. She was so happy she did a little "wahoo" dance. It was great.

Christmas eve started at Grandma Irene's party. We ate, won some white elephant gifts and wondered yet again, how much longer Grandma will be here to carry on this tradition with over 100 of her posterity. It was fun sitting with the Ricks kids and laughing with them. Mark had excellent friends in his cousins, like I did, and it felt good. I still miss Ash every holiday.

We then made our way to Mimi's to eat again and start the night's festivities. We had the sibling white elephant gift exchange- always a winner! We had a blow up Christmas skunk and a pimple popping kit that was a hit. The kids get jammies and get to spend time with cousins. Always a tradition I loved when I was growing up. I also need to note for future reference, I found the Christmas pickle again. Always the winner. Ha.

Jammie Kids

We all pitched in and had my friend make mom and dad this sign for the cabin. It says "On Mountain Time"

Christmas Lawrences

Christmas morning. Another year where we trapped the kids in their rooms with wrapping paper. It works great. We also started a new rule- whoever we hear before 7:00 AM (ahem, Kingston) gets to open their presents last. It worked like a champ! The kids waited until 7:00 and by 7:13 the presents were all opened. 

getting ready to charge through the wrapping paper

Mimi gave us a manger this year where we could place straw when we did good deeds or said something nice .We made a nice soft bed for baby Jesus who came Christmas morning. 

The face you make when you find a hoverboard in the pantry- thanks Doug & Amanda. 

Prized presents- the hoverboard, Heelies (shoes with wheels in them) and a baby Yoda shirt. 

The Treasure X skeleton house and transformers. 

A keyboard and a stuffed elephant (from Kingston). 

Christmas Coma. 

We really were blessed this year. Spending a night downtown with the kids was a great way to give them an experience vs more stuff. The kids seemed excited and full of Christmas wiggles. I wonder how many more years we have left where they are SO pumped to wake up early and open presents. There is Christmas excitement that is tangible.  It feels like this year, 2019, was the pinnacle of Christmases. These are the years we will talk about when they are adults and I love it. 

Christmas Staycation

My favorite part of the whole Christmas season was taking the kids to stay downtown Monday to Tuesday (23-24th). I loved that I could clean the house before we left, come home Christmas Eve day to a clean house, chillax and then start Christmas eve.  We surprised the kids by packing all their stuff and making it all the way to the City Creek Marriott before we told them we were staying overnight. 

I wanted to take the kids downtown this year, one more time before they close the Salt Lake Temple for four years for renovations. The next time it will be open, Mc will be 15 and it might not be as cool for her. We checked in, found out our hotel dropped us RIGHT smack dab in the center of the City Creek mall and we started our adventures. We were there RIGHT when the lights turned on and walked the temple, visited the Christus, and walked around the mall-mainly just the Disney store.  We saw the candy windows at Macy's and then decided what we would do for dinner. Note to self: whenever there is a HUGE line at Cheesecake Factory, always order take out. We had our food in less than 30 min, ate in the hotel and watched Home Alone 2 while we waited for our food to digest before we hit the pool. After swimming we got showered and comfy and settled in to watch "The Mandalorian".  Mc and Enzo shared a bed and Kingston, like a trooper took the floor. 

The next morning we got up early, had breakfast and Kneaders  (their french toast!) and then hit the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to donate to the Giving Machine. We ordered a soccer kit, polio vaccines, a menstration kit and some chickens. Also note to self: there is no one at the Giving Machine at 9:30 in the morning on a Tuesday so that is best time to go to avoid waiting in the line for an hour. 

The weather was perfect. We barely needed our coats. The crowds could have been WAY worse so we for sure lucked out there. 

I love to spend time with my little family. I love the gift of experiences and seeing things through my kid's eyes. I want them to know that there is diversity in the world- people not like us. I want them to know that they are SUPER lucky and get opportunities a lot of other people don't.

 I think I like this new tradition most of all. 

Temple Williamsons 

We suck at selfies. 

The Giving Machine. The machines in Utah, Arizona and a few other select cities almost doubled what they brought in last year with donations. So awesome. 

Candy windows at Macy's. 

December part dos

Next up was Festival of Trees! I love taking the kids and seeing all the trees and gingerbread houses. We went later in the evening hoping to miss the crowds but no such luck.  

All the boys with their hands in their pockets. Lego tree.  

#thehulkdoeschristmas

Mc and her favorite Gingerbread House- all the puppies. 

Another fun tradition is Christkindlmarkt. We have been going as a lady posse for at least five years. Some years are definitely colder than others but every year, we brave the cold and then warm up with Pho at La Cai Noodle House after. Also, the only thing I ever buy is gingerbread. 

Krampus. 

Love these ladies.

Luminaria! The Festival of Lights! We picked THE perfect night to go! The weather was so great- albeit "warm". Hot hands didn't even get used. We love having the Thomases join us. There were a few new light fixtures this year too.

Jade asked us to go with them to the Elf Workshop and for $6 for my whole family, I couldn't refuse. They had games and crafts for the kids, Crumbl cookies (yay for me), free soda (yay for Mark) and when the kids were done we all got to swim at the Rec Center pool. The highlight of the afternoon was playing catch with the balls they won as prizes. It was awesome and CHEAP. 

Noah wanted to be sure that I noted he was being a "Grinch". 

We also continued the month long tradition of going to look at Christmas lights (usually on Sunday nights) around the Utah valley. We some some pretty epic displays this year. On the last Sunday we hooked with the Lawrence's/Thomases to head up to the Avenues for the Winter Wonderland. It did not disappoint. The sweet man who owns the home hands out presents (little family games, cars, toys), candy canes and apples. It truly was a spectacle. After that we went to Gardner Village to see the elves and then hit Christmas Street in Magna.

Winter Wonderland

Gardner Village kids. 

I am not sure we could pack in anymore Christmas fun! It felt like go go go go all December long.

December part Uno

This Christmas season was a BUSY one. So busy, I have to break this post up into two. We started off the season with the Polar Express with the Blackhursts. The drive to and from was treacherous but having a blizzard while we were on the train made it 100% like we were on the way to the North Pole. The kids had a blast but I fear, those days of trains/Santa/North Pole are coming to an end (which isn't so bad because it is $$$).

Please note the elf photobomb. 

If my calculations are correct, we have been doing Sub for Santa with the Adoption Exchange for T E N years! This is one of my absolute favorite traditions. Everyone participated this year. We had dinner, then went through what we got all the kids. It is always fun to have siblings, babies, kids my own kid's ages- and to think of them on Christmas morning as we open our own gifts. I hope to keep contributing as long as my friend Lindsay stays with the organization. 

After Sub for Santa we piled into the back of Tyler and Tyler's trucks and hit Christmas in Color (a drive through christmas light display). Mom opted to freeze  ride in the back with the kids. The kids had a blast and they had new lights this year which was fun. 

The kid's school Christmas choir concert was excellent. They whine a lot about going and let's be honest, I force them, but at the end of the night, it's SO SO fun to watch. They work hard and know all the songs and actions and both of them got speaking parts. Bribing them with Menchies after always works.