Christmas 2016

After an INSANE month, it was sure great to just be HOME for Christmas!  The kids were in school right up to Dec. 22nd so Christmas seemed to sneak up quickly on us.  We did all our normal Christmas Eve traditions of new PJs (everyone got onesies this year!), cookie ditching, light seeing, and Sonic shakes:)

Christmas morning was quite eventful.  We let the kids open one present before church at 8:30--they all got a new Sunday outfit.  Then we all headed over to the church early because we all had things to do--Chris had to open up the building and set up chairs, Ethan had to prepare the Sacrament table, Carlie and I had to go practice--I got called in last minute to play organ because the other girl was sick.  So a little more stressful than I planned but it all went just fine and the meeting was fantastic.  We were super glad to get back home to open up the rest of our gifts:)

Ethan was Captain America on the inside too:)

Max trying to look like Ralphie on "A Christmas Story"

Ethan's big present was a new trombone--an upgraded rose-gold trombone with the "F-trigger."  It was very obvious what the present was but we still made him guess:)  He just recently had to get a "pallate expander" in his mouth in preparation for braces so he hasn't even be able to play his new trombone yet:(

Yes...even our dogs got presents:)

It was a great Christmas at home--according to Tatum, it was "the BEST Christmas she's ever had!"  How to top that?!  For Christmas dinner we invited our neighbors (the Thurmans) over to eat with us.  They've been our neighbors for 12 years now and it was sure fun just hanging out with them.  We all were thoroughly exhausted by the end of the day.  What a fantastic day it was:)  Merry Christmas 2016!!!