Christmas Morning

Unfortunately, Jonathan had to work at the detention center Christmas Day from 8 to 3 (part of the reason we had Christmas in Cedar, rather than in Camille's big, comfy house in Vegas--that, and we wanted snow!), so even though we woke up at 6, we didn't have a lot of time to enjoy the toys from Santa before we had to tear into the rest of the presents so that we'd be finished before he had to go to work. Some of us like to have an organized present-opening time, where we all sit down and open the gifts one at a time so that we can see what everyone gets, but there was no time for that this year. (Jonathan was glad for that, because he doesn't like it that way, at least not with extended family. He's too self-conscious to have everyone watching him open a gift, waiting to see what kind of surprised or disappointed expression he gets on his face!)

Anyway, because of the rush, my brother Doug just started handing out presents, even to the kids, and I wasn't even able to see everything my own children opened, which resulted in some unclaimed toys by the end of the morning, until we got them all sorted out! Here are some of the highlights that I caught on camera.......


I gave Jonathan a fishing pole, which I didn't even attempt to wrap. He used to fish as a kid, but hasn't gone since we've been married and doesn't even have any gear. I figured a man couldn't very well have a major in outdoor recreation without owning a fishing pole, for starters! During the course of the morning he also received an ice fishing pole from the kids, and a tackle box and gift card (to fill it) from all of us.


The hit of the morning, as far as Colby was concerned, was this toy rifle that Jonathan and I gave him, along with a cowboy hat. It doesn't shoot anything out, just makes a cool gun shot sound when you pull the trigger and pops out pretend empty shells after you cock it (or whatever--I don't know the lingo). He absolutely loves it and carried it around all morning. For awhile he didn't even want to open anything else. A couple hours later in the day, while my mom and I were getting lunch ready, I walked around Doug's bar and found Colby lying on the ground sniper-style, aiming his gun. I couldn't decide if that was cute or disturbing, but it made Jonathan proud. Hmmmm. We've been teaching him not to aim it at people (although Jonathan thought Bailey's Tinkerbell doll was OK), but a couple days after Christmas Colby was chasing Bailey and Carlaya down our narrow hall, and the barrel struck the wall and snapped off. So now it looks like a sawed-off rifle, but I'm not fixing it, because it still makes the sound, Colby doesn't seem to care, and the shorter the safer as far as I'm concerned!


For months before Bailey decided she needed the newest Pet Shop toy, the "Rainbow Barbie Elina" was her must-have toy from Santa Claus, so that's what Jonathan and I gave her, along with the DVD and one little tooth-fairy doll, and she was thrilled.


Jonathan's parents and I went in together to give him a Ruger 10/22, which is what he'd been wanting but not expecting, especially from his parents. His mom and I had been misleading him for weeks by telling him that they were going to ship his gift, so he thought it was going to be something small. He was happy to find out the truth, and he's already gone out and gotten a scope for it.

Meme and Papa (Jonathan's parents) gave Bailey a Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Doll, which talks and responds to her name, which Bailey decided should be "Emma." She's the cutest little thing, and Bailey was thrilled beyond belief to get her. This is her holding up the box and yelling, "THANK YOU MEME!!!"


Colby's gift from Meme and Papa was a marble run, which was a huge hit with all the kids (and the adults, as you can see). Tanner was especially enthralled by it. This took me over an hour to build, using the picture instructions that came with it, and Colby was so cute, because even though he had lots of other toys, and the rest of the kids were all playing, he stayed right by my side and helped whenever I let him, and waited patiently until it was finished. They played with this until I had to take it apart later that day to get it back to our house.

Some other hit gifts were this scope that my siblings and I all pitched in on for our dad, and the Little People castle and toys that Bailey gave Carlaya (from a yard sale, I admit, but it looked brand new!). I love to make people smile!








This is a shot Jenny took of the apartment after all the presents had been opened and most of the adults had gone back to sleep. I was visiting with my in-laws on the phone while the kids (counting Doug!) all played on the floor. Even though it was hectic at times to have so many people, there's just something extra special about having lots of kids together on Christmas morning. Bailey and Carlaya played non-stop.

What did I get for Christmas? A couple weeks before Christmas my brother, who works at Sports Authority, told us about a great deal on an elliptical machine, and there was only one left, so I got my present early, and I was very happy with it. But then as a last-minute addition, Jonathan took me to Deseret Book right before Christmas and told me I could get one of the nativity sets that were on sale. I picked this Jim Shore one, which I had been coveting, and I'm so excited to finally have a really nice nativity for the holiday season!
As you can see, we had a wonderful, happy Christmas, and I felt so blessed to be there with all of my family. I love all of them, parents, siblings, brothers-in-law, and kids, and it was so much fun to be there with everyone! It was nice to go home at the end of the day, though, after 3 days of being squished in an apartment with so many people. This is Bailey Christmas night back at our house. We brought Carlaya home to stay with us for 3 days, and the poor thing was left alone to play in the kids' room, because Colby was busy with his toys, and Bailey was just plain exhausted!