Our Christmas

The Sunday before was our ward Christmas program. I had to sing a solo. Yes for those of you who are saying, "I didn't know you could sing" well I'm not a soloist. I can do ok in a choir or behind a guitar with my sister and cousins but on a mike with the choir singing ooohhhs and awes... no. It was kind of bad quite honestly haha! But the program as a whole was good and the kids looked SO darling!

We got to spend our Christmas in the big EP. We drove in at about 11:30pm the night before Christmas Eve and I was so excited. The kids were fast asleep and me and Jar still had their primary lullaby cd playing as we winded around the mountain (or little hill for you Utah people) and saw the big star, the green Mexico lights and all my favorite restaraunts. I LOVE driving into El Paso. There's nothing like going home. We stayed up too late of course, as was the continued pattern the rest of the trip.

On Christmas Eve my mom had to sleep because she had been at work. We were supposed to have the house all ready to go for all the Larsons to come over and have something planned. The only thing I remembered to do was to thaw out the pork roast! We shopped around a little and got last minute stuff and then came home and did a quick clean-up on the house and threw some chile con queso together. Once we were togther I led the family and little kids in some carols. We just had fun talking and eating ourselves sick.

Once everyone left we put on our Nativity "scene" (since it wasn't really a play yet). Jack has taken over Travis' role as the donkey (along with little Trent- his partner in crime) and Lydi was really getting into Mary. Kimball was Joseph, Trey was a shepherd and Emma was an angel. We were sad that Kyle fell asleep and wasn't a part of it but all the rest of the kids had fun.

After that we opened jammies and the kids opened their presents from Lala. They looked so cute in their matching jammers! We made some cookies and Lydi wrote a letter to Santa. She drew a dog all by herself and I couldn't believe it because I have never seen her do that! She also wrote her name! What a big girl!

We got them all tucked in and then had fun getting the last things wrapped. Here is the living room: pretty ridiculous amount of gifts...

While we were waiting for the last stragglers to wake up, Jack helped himself to the crumbs Santa left!

The next morning the kids woke up to their gifts and Santa had brought the kids bikes (that we ended up exchanging for more sturdy trikes but thanks anyway Santa). We were hiding the "real" gift in the garage. Santa left Lydi a little puppy beanie baby in her stocking and we were telling her that thats her puppy from Santa but she wasn't to be fooled. She kept pointing at the basket on her bike and saying "I can put my REAL puppy in here!"

So after all the presents were unwrapped we finally decided it was time. Jarom brought out "Charly" in a big red bow. Now introducing Charly Bear Ellis:

Jack started jumping up and down laughing and Lydi just kept yelling (well yelling for Lydi so more of a normal talking voice), "thats my puppy!" and giggling. Charly was a good sport for a while letting the kids pet her and kiss her and then she was ready to go outside. Lydi played out there in the freezing cold for a long time. She was so excited! I heard her saying, "Charly SIT! awww my doggy don't sit". Then she learned quickly that puppies like to bite so I heard her say a few times, "my doggy bites me but its ok, she's just a puppy!"

Everyone had so much fun with ol' Charly. We spent the rest of the day lying around in our jammies and playing with new toys and the puppy. Selle and Mary arrived with the kids later that evening so we opened our exchange gifts. The rest of the weekend was just plain lazy fun. We shopped, the boys went to a movie, we ate out some (Jarom got his beloved Great American), and mostly just talked and told stories. We were up way too late every night, to the point of feeling dizzy all day... but it was a blast! I love my family so much! We haven't been all together very often in the last years so it was so great to have everyone there (except dad of course, we miss you dad!) It was also great spending time with Grandma and Grandpa. This Christmas totally makes up for the sucky one the year before last when we were all puking... Here are just a whole bunch of random fun pics from the weekend:

We were watching Drew make that face and we didn't realize we got caught making faces too...

Our most photogenic Taylor with our least photogenic Taylor

Our little races- Jack is having a blast racing Drew

Woops!

I can't believe Drew beat me! wwaaaa!

A trip to the mall to spend our Christmas cash, Jenni got her ears re-pierced and I almost fainted, I am the biggest whimp on earth!

Saying goodbye to Gramps!

Gotta Love Frisco Burger!

One last naked drumroll...

And Lydi and Jack were asleep before we hit the West Side of EP. What an exhausting fun time!