Christmas 2010

was lovely!  I love that the holiday landed smack dab in the middle of Jacey's school break.  She was able to be home to do some fun things like gingerbread houses and baking Christmas cookies.  And then we had the week after to sleep in a little and stay up late a little, and just relax and try to get our house back in order. 

We spent Christmas with Will's family this year.  We headed up to South Jordan on Christmas Eve to have our traditional soup buffet at Glen & Liz's house.  Heather put together a nice nativity with the kids, and then Scott got out the guitar and we sang Christmas songs for a while.  We had considered heading home and doing Christmas morning at our house, but we decided to sleep over one more time.  Next year we will start sleeping at our house. 

Once again while we were busy with our Christmas Eve festivities, elves snuck into our room and left the kids new Christmas jammies.  Jacey has been so excited about this tradition this year - she kept telling Londyn "We have to do our parts really good in the programs so the elves will come!"  I had been watching her after the singing - she was just playing with her cousins, having a good time when all of a sudden I see her look up and gasp, then run into our room and squeal.  It made me smile. :)  After getting changed the girls put out some milk and cookies for Santa and headed to bed.  Calvin stayed up as long as he could, but he crashed right as we were bringing in the presents and putting them under the tree.  I noticed that he happened to match the wrapping paper . . . I couldn't help myself.  After all, he was a pretty good gift to get this year.

The girls woke up at about 7:30 and waited (surprisingly) patiently for Calvin to have a bottle and for the others to wake up.  Calvin had some help lining up to go see what Santa brought. 

Sure enough, Santa found them at Grandma's house and even brought them the things they asked for - Jacey got an Easy Bake Oven, Londyn got a "Twin" doll, and Calvin got a toy and some rice cereal.

 

We spent the rest of the morning opening presents with Will's folks and siblings, then Corby made us a yummy breakfast which we ate at lunch time.  Then we got cleaned up and went over to my folks' for a little while to visit and open gifts with them.  I can't even remember what we did after that.  I think maybe we went back to Glen & Liz's for dinner and played games.  We headed home late to be to church in our ward the next morning.

Following our post-Christmas tradition, Londyn got a stomach bug in the wee hours of Monday morning.  Luckily it only lasted for a day, but then Jacey started complaining of not feeling well, so we spent Monday and Tuesday home with sickies.  Jacey ended up having strep throat - completely different sicknesses than what Londyn had, and neither one ever did get the other's.  And (knock on wood) neither Will or I or Calvin ever got either of them.  So we spent the second half of the week, including New Year's Eve in South Jordan with my family.  My mom hosted a New Year's Eve party with her parents and siblings, so we were able to hang out with some of my cousins and relatives that I don't get to see very often any more.  But unfortunately I didn't take any pictures.  :(

The end of the Christmas season always brings mixed emotions for me.  It's always such a good time and I love being together with our families so much during the holidays.  But I also look forward to the return of routine and order once it's over.  But I never look forward to January.  Yesterday I found myself thinking "Gee I haven't even felt all mean and nasty about January yet!  Maybe this one won't be so bad!"  Then I looked at the calendar and saw that it was only the 5th.  I thought for sure it was at least the 10th.  So now I'm back to being Mrs. Grouchy McGrouch about my arch nemesis month.  My goal for the month is to get my kids' books caught up through Christmas 2010.  Poor Calvin doesn't even have one yet.  Of course that is always my January goal, and last year it took me until middle of July I believe.  If you see Calvin's name added to the sidebar sometime this month, I guess you'll know I'm on track!