Christmas weekend

My cousin sent me this card in the mail:
It gave me a really good laugh. This was Rob's and my very first Christmas not being with any extended family members. It was sort of exciting to be on our own, but I must admit that my thoughts turn to our family members around the holidays and how much I love and miss them.

Rob overheard a couple at church talking about how they would be alone this Christmas and so Rob invited them to join us for Christmas Eve dinner. I am so glad that he did! It was so nice having Char and Fred over (she is my partner in Young Women) and it made cooking a huge feast seem much more worthwhile. I made turkey with all of the fixings and they brought a Honeybaked Ham which the kids were thrilled about (we had so much food that we still have tons leftover and we haven't even touched a cheesecake I made). They brought gifts for the entire family, joined us for acting out the Nativity and sang Christmas carols around the piano. It was a great evening.

I didn't get a lot of photos, but here are some of Mary, Joseph, and the Angel (Gabriel?):

Liv was more interested in holding her bunny than the Baby Jesus.
We ate a nice Christmas breakfast of waffles, sausage, peaches, and hot chocolate with whipped cream before looking in stockings and opening gifts. Liv slept in longer than usual and the kids were very anxious to get going...

The kids all picked out gifts for each other this year and were so excited about giving and watching each other open gifts.

Hewitt has been asking me to print photos of him for a very long time. Santa must have heard the request because he brought a photo book for each of the kids.

Everyone seemed very satisfied with Santa's selections and Tosh said, "Santa knew just what I wanted!" (lots of big cars).

All of the boys received rollerblades, and after a shaky start, Hewitt was already looking pretty good!

Liv was most excited about her new dishes and toy food for her kitchen, and shared a little "tea" and pretzel party with her new Cabbage Patch Kid. Rob was laughing about how the smell of the CPK (baby powder, if you can't remember) brought back the memory of his sisters' dolls. It's true too. They smell just the same and are still super cute in my opinion. Liv with her new baby, Suzanna Nancy:

She hadn't shown much interest in dolls to this point, and so I am happy that she seems to like her and has been carrying her around.

I caught this pic of the boys before church today. Today was Tosh's last day of nursery! Here we come Sunbeams.

I took a three-hour nap yesterday and a 90 minute nap today--NOT normal for me. It's been so nice to relax yesterday and today (and not have to cook). Burke got the entire Harry Potter series for Christmas and is loving them so far. Rob hasn't read them yet and so they are reading them together and I am enjoying the story again too.

I have taken all of our Christmas stuff down already. I have lots to do tomorrow since we leave Tuesday morning for California. We are really excited to visit my brother Todd and his family this week!

I feel grateful for the wonderful holiday season we've had. I love getting Christmas cards and hearing from friends and family. It's a bittersweet thing to feel remembered and loved, but to also feel pangs of homesickness for dear friends and loved ones. I feel beyond blessed for my wonderful family, but especially grateful for the birth and life of our Savior and Redeemer. Rob and I have been talking lately about what really matters in life and how we need and want to be better. I am excited for the coming year and for the opportunity to reflect on the past and set new goals.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!