Christmas!

All of us at the Train Park the day after Christmas!





New bikes! Awesome!!



The view coming down the stairs!



In front of the HUGE tree in Scottsdale



My little Christmas presents!! :)

Our Christmas was an amazing one this year. It was so fun shopping for the kids, teaching them about the 12 days of Christmas and Secret Santa, and most importantly hearing my kids on a daily basis add in their prayers how they were grateful for this time of year to celebrate our Savior's birth. My babies knew the true meaning of Christmas this year, and it wasn't the big, fancy gifts under the tree, it wasn't what we were going to get it was the Spirit of Christmas and it was felt so strongly in our home.
This year we were the recipients of a Secret Santa. My kids were absolutely thrilled. When I opened the door and saw the box on our porch tears came to my eyes. Secret Santa, if you are reading this, thank you! You helped to bring the magic of Christmas into our home. I was overwhelmed that someone would think of US to give Secret Santa to. Our kids were so thrilled and wanted to find out who it was so they could thank them. It was too cute. And such a gesture that (unknowingly before hand) our family needed so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Bry and I were talking about Christmas traditions this year and both of us realized that growing up our families both did the 12 days of Christmas for another family. We thought this was a great tradition and this year started it with our own family. It was so fun seeing our kids get all excited when they would run back to the car yelling "I rang it, I rang it. GO FAST!!!". I'm pretty sure our identity was compromised but it was still sooo fun! The best part was when we were telling our kids about it they decided they wanted to use the Christmas money they saved for each others gifts to use on the 12 days of Christmas. Wow! Maybe my kids do get it after all?
Christmas Eve was spent with Adam and Jess exchanging Christmas gifts, baking cookies for Santa and tidy-ing up the house so that Santa could come (Santa doesn't come unless the house is clean!). We also did the traditional opening of our first gifts, I made SnapFish picture books for the kids and Bry, they loved 'em! We also all had fun watching where Santa was at! At one point Natali was taking out the trash and came in crying saying she heard Santa's bell and was worried he wouldn't come because she wasn't asleep. I told her not to worry, I text Santa and asked him to go to some different houses first. She was all good with that! :)
This year all of our Christmas stayed in the garage until Christmas Eve so the kids never saw it. How did I manage that, you might ask. I told them that Santa sent us cameras to install in the garage and that if they opened the door and peeked it would send a text message to us and to Santa. I explained the door had a sensor on it that would sense who's hand it was opening it... that Santa sure is technical! The best part is, they totally 100% believed it! Go me!! :)
Christmas morning was awesome! I was the worst one, totally couldn't sleep at all Christmas eve, even thought about waking the kids up at 2, then at 3:30, then at 4, and then finally I HAD to wake them at 7:30... I just couldn't take it any more! They were so excited with all of their gifts! It was a successful Christmas! We didn't have much time before we had to go over to Bamba's (Bry's Mom) so the kids took a quick ride on their new bikes and we hustled to get over for breakfast! Before breakfast we opened gifts with Bamba, Tia Onan, Makenzy, and Baby Nate it was so fun! The kids got spoiled rotten, and Bry and I made out pretty well too! PJ (Bamba) gave Bry and I the most incredible pictures of our kids. A lady she works with sketched them. They are sooo cool! I LOVE them!
After presents we ate breakfast and then we had to run (it was like noon almost lol) to my parents house! This Christmas was super special for my parents because for the first time in a long time they had all 3 of us girls home for Christmas with our families. There was 16 of us total. My kids got spoiled once again and had so much fun playing with cousins they hardly see! By the time we left our van was PACKED from both Grandma's, Papa, the aunties and the uncles! I'm still trying to sort through it and put it away in an organized fashion! I will tell you, from my parents I got all the stuff I need to start canning! I'm sooo excited! :)
This Christmas was our best yet. I feel so blessed we got to share it with our family and friends who are like our family!
OH! One last note, I totally didn't send out my Christmas cards, but they are coming, I promise! lol! I'm a total slacker and made more Christmas presents than I should have this year and am in recovery! But they will be sent out by Friday! :)