They got here in time to join in on all our family stuff. Christmas Eve we always go to Carrie's and she had the cutest stockings for all the kids hanging from her staircase.
Brita's Christmas present this year is that she's taller than Carrie.
Meg still has a ways to go, but she's hopeful that she will grow taller than Carrie soon.
Isabel shared their Christmas Eve tradition of Christmas crackers. They had these cute paper crowns inside and all the girls put them on right away.
They wore their crowns as they got to work decorating their aprons that Carrie got for them. They all turned out so cute and I love how it's easy to tell who each apron belongs to by the way it's decorated.
We did our cousin gift exchange and hung out and visited for a while longer.
When we got home, we immediately broke out the Christmas Eve pj's. The girls LOVE this tradition.
Then we watched the girls each give their gifts. This is always my favorite part because love and gratitude seriously fills the room. Each of the girls is so excited to give the gifts they've carefully planned and each of them are so grateful.
I can't believe I don't have any pictures of Christmas morning. I guess I didn't want to be distracted by the camera. I love having photos to help bring back the memories, but there's also something to be said for just being able to experience something without having to reach for the camera every two seconds. I guess I was just with my family this Christmas. But pictures or not, the Christmas magic was there.
It didn't last long enough for some though, because here's Meg and Buddy trying to hang onto every bit of Christmas as I was cleaning and boxing up our decorations a couple days later.
We found time to squeeze in a ski day that everyone talked me into. Isabel and I agreed to go if we could take a lesson. It was nice to ski with someone close to my same level and not feel pressure to have to go too far out of my comfort zone. Here we are with our darling instructor who made the slops fun for me this year.
As much as I didn't want to go, I'm actually glad I went and it was fun to be up in the spectacular snow-covered mountains with my family. I'm hoping that I can get better and that Meg will join us on the slopes soon too.
Before Doug and Isabel left we absolutely had to drive through the Spanish Fork lights. It was so much fun to pile the kids in the back of Jared's truck. It was so cold, but they bundled up in blankets and sleeping bags. It was so fun to listen to them. I love that they have so much fun together and that this group is one where each cousin knows for sure that they are loved and included.
The time with Doug and his family is never long enough, but we had such a great week with them. On the morning they were getting ready to leave, Leah and Meg just couldn't let Doug drive away without one last "Roxie" prank. Roxie is a mannequinn head that's been circulating among a group of friends from our single days. Doug found her and put her in the fridge one morning and from that point on it was the big challenge to put her somewhere that would shock the heck out of the person who found her. So of course Leah and Meg had to get Doug good before he could leave. Look how excited they are.
It's always sad to say goodbye, but we know how to do it in style. Now it's back to the grindstone and we'll all return to our normal lives. It sure was fun to mix things up with all that happened in December, but we'll all go back to normal knowing that we filled up our time the best way possible - with family all around us.
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