Pre-Christmas Cheer

Due to pregnancy sickness, the only Christmas-related item we got out of storage at the beginning of December was the box with the Christmas books.  Eli was anxious to have them out, and doing so didn't require any work from me or David.  So we read Christmas books, did our tradition of reading scriptures about Christ for the 25 days leading up to Christmas, and listened to lots of Christmas music.  That was all we managed until we FINALLY put up our tree and other decor on December 21st.  I was so lax this year, I just let the kids decorate the tree, which they were of course very happy to do!

Since we were heading to my parent's for Christmas, we celebrated our own small family Christmas the morning we left (on the 23rd).  I stayed up way too late working on wrapping and packing and way too much stuff, then Eli woke up too early at 6:00.  He came in, turned on our light, and shouted "Look at my new sunglasses and chocolate coins!!!"  I quickly hushed him so he wouldn't wake Clara that early.  I told him it was too early to open his stocking, and that he'd have to play in his room until the rest of us were ready to open gifts.  I should have just gone out with him then, because of course he went through his whole stocking without us so that when we were there and he reopened it, all excitement was gone.  :(  I just wanted us to all be there together!  Guess I may have to hide stockings in the future.

We at least got to witness his excitement when he opened his gifts--a Wild Kratts creature power suit a piggy bank (to replace the one he had broken a few weeks before), and a lightsaber,  Clara was soo happy to receive an Elsa barbie doll.  Even though she's never seen Frozen, she was given an Anna doll, and loves playing with them.  Both kids received new jammies.

A cute video of Clara opening her stocking--

Merry (early) Christmas!