Christmas 2018

Merry Christmas! I cannot believe it's the beginning of March and I'm now just finally getting to writing about our Christmas 2018. I thought maybe, because it took me so long, that I'd skip writing about it but it's not a memory that I wanted to skip. Christmas this past year wasn't anything extraordinary, in fact it was probably very similar to our past Christmases. Everyone was a year older, and I think the boys got some things they were hopeful for but of course there were items that they wanted and did not get. I think that's ok. Stan and I try hard to provide happy memories, but there's a limit to what we can give. We try every year to focus on Christ, and we try to keep a balance of being generous with our children but not over doing it. There wasn't a lot to open Christmas morning, but I think what they did receive was exciting. 

I'm blessed with great boys, and even if it wasn't everything they hoped it would be they all acted like it was the best Christmas ever. I appreciate that. I appreciate that my boys are grateful for what they do receive. They sure make the memories of Christmas special for me. I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas. I want to give my boys the world, and I cannot, and I want them to focus on Christ and that is something I can do. I don't like how Christmas can become a list of what is wanted, but we try as a family to focus on the reason for the season, and that is the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

I love this photo of George. He always is so excited for Christmas morning. Every year I look forward to his excitement and the possibilities of what might be under the tree. It will be a sad day for me when his boyish excitement fades. I think I may only have a couple years left. I am happy that I was able to capture this moment and freeze it in time. It reminds me of all the years of his overwhelming happiness of Christmas mornings. 

Stan and I got new phones a few weeks before Christmas. This was our Christmas gifts to each other. We had fun trying them out and taking lots of photos. I especially love the new feature that my camera has. Blurring the background gives my photos a new element that I love.

The Sunday before Christmas this year was the 23rd. So Christmas eve eve or what is sometimes referred to as Christmas Adam. We spent Christmas Adam at my parents home. We all exchanged gifts and just had a really nice time. It was fun being with my siblings, their spouses and my nephew. 

One night before Christmas I was occupied getting ready and George volunteered to take care of his youngest brother Tiberius. When I went to check on them I found this. It was pure magic for me. These two snuggled together under the Christmas tree. So sweet. They had wrapped themselves in a blanket that my Dad had hand crocheted for Tiberius. Everything about this moment was perfect.

Christmas Eve this year went super well. It was a Monday and we went to Temple Square. First our family got food at Golden Corral, and the boys had so much fun. They keep talking about how great it was. They went back for second thirds fourths and so forth. There wasn't very many people that day eating and we just made ourselves comfortable and ate until we couldn't. Then we made our way to Temple Square and walked around in the visitor's center and throughout the grounds enjoying the Christmas lights, music, and holiday cheer.

Many years ago we started the tradition to just be together on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Before we left for Ireland, we lived in Tooele and began this. Our first Christmas Eve not with our extended family was bitter sweet for me, we ate at Apple Bees, got new PJs and watched part of the Christmas Devotional. Ever since then, we have gone out to eat on Christmas Eve and opened up new pajamas and talked about Christ. This year was no different. I'm glad that we started this tradition and have kept it going even though we have moved back to Utah.

Christmas Eve, before going to Temple Square, we made gingerbread houses. They were kits that I found at Costco so nothing too hard but it was fun and they turned out cute. I think in the end I had more fun decorating them then the boys because after 20 minutes I found myself alone decorating. But they really liked them once I had finished. They kept congratulating me on a job well done.

Another Christmas tradition is for the boys to all sleep together in a bed. Tiberius is still too small but I let him play for a bit on the bed with the boys until it was time for him to sleep. George always opens his window in the winter so that he can breathe easier. I have to remember to close it when they finally fall asleep otherwise it gets too cold during the winter months.

This photo is of the Christmas tree at our apartment complex in Sydney Australia. This photo was somehow out of place when I was gathering photos to write about, so I included it here because it brings back happy memories of Christmas living abroad. Sydney ended up being a very happy time for me. Life was a little easier and carefree.

Christmas Morning 2018