Christmas 2022/ New Year 2023

 

Mom P hosted Christmas Eve dinner this year. We gathered at her house early and played with cousins listened to music, had a delicious brisket dinner, yummy triple chocolate cake, and then did our annual Christmas Eve Nativity play. Brandon's family and Eric's family were able to join us on facetime. Its one of my very favorite things we do each year! 

Rebecca got a new camel costume this year! Lexi was so cute!

I was a wise man with these two handsome fellows:

Lizzie was an angel:

Lucy wore a sheep costume, but said she was a snowman! 

Sean and Alana were Mary and Joseph:

The three of us were laughing while stuffing ourselves into children's costumes =) 

Sean played a fun duet with his mom from the Polor Express movie:

We all opened our new pajamas so we would have new things to wear for Santa to come:

I was snuggling up to fall asleep on the couch when Brett came up to me like this, haha!

Santa came! All the kids slept in Lizzie's room this year and Santa left their letters and some flashlights in the hall outside their room. They were all so excited. We read letters to each other and then we made our way down to the tree by flashlight. 

Santa brought Brett lots of mini figs and had set some up and made a little battle! 

Lizzie was very excited about a scribble scrubbie set!

Santa brought Alana a recorder. He also brought new throw blankets for each kid.

Oreo had fun, but was also rather confused! 

Sean gave me a very fun gift. He wrapped grout sponges, grout, backsplash adhesives, and a home depot gift card. I opened the sponges first and actually guessed right away that he was getting me a kitchen backsplash. He has researched it and is planning to install it soon! I am so excited! We got so many fun toys and games from Sam and Jared, Brandon and Michal, Mimi, and Grandma and Grandpa. We felt very loved and spoiled. Sometimes I feel guilty for the excess we find at Christmas time, but this year I thought of it more as a symbol of the Gift Christ gives us. It made gift giving feel very special. Toys and games and clothes don't even come close to the amazing Atonement He has given us, but it is something we can hold in our hands and enjoy. Something that was given out of love from someone else. 

Christmas was on a Sunday this year. We finished opening gifts, then got dressed and ate some breakfast casserole. We went to Sacrament meeting and it was so lovely to partake of the Sacrament and sing Christmas hymns with all our neighbors and ward family. After Church we came home and started playing with some things, then Grandma and Grandpa came. They brought huge bags that my mom had sewn filled to the brim with gifts. The kids had so much fun! I wish I had taken pictures! 

After Grandma and Grandpa left, Mimi came and we opened more fun gifts! She stayed and we had lasagna, rolls, and salad for dinner. I had set out all our cookies and Christmas treats, a cheese ball with carrots and crackers, some summer sausage my Mom bought Sean, and some soda. We had Tricia, Caiden and Rowan Baker over for dinner as well as the Missionaries. It was a lot of fun! It felt very special to get to feed the Elders on such a special day and to get to spend time with our dear friend Tricia. We bought the missionaries some fun gift bags with water bottles, pens, candy, beef jerkey, and summer sausage. One of the missionaries had brought his guitar and we got to enjoy some music together after dinner. 

Sean took Monday and Tuesday off and we did lots of little projects around the house, played with toys, visited Mimi and Grandma and Grandpa. It was lovely! 

I got some fun new gel nail polish from Brandon and Michal! 

My parents made Lebanese food for New Years Eve, we went over on the 2nd and enjoyed!

This is what the bread dough does as it rises!

It snowed a lot! They actually cancelled church on New Years Day! People were getting stuck in the snow and the Elders Quorum couldn't keep it shoveled off the walks. 

Brett had me snuggle Pirate one night while reading to him. I took this picture. Life is pretty magical =) 

Sean did some sticky string art with Lizzie:

We went bowling on New Years Eve with the Saffrons. 

Sam and Jared gave us a fun new game called Architects and Brett is obsessed with this cat pawn!

Sean, Liz and I did lots of diamond art together one day:

Im excited about this new ziplock organizer in our pantry!

Grandma gave Alana a fun curling thing that she loves putting in at night and having very pretty curls the next day. 

Brett was able to have his Aaronic Priesthood interview before church was cancelled on New Years Day. Then last Sunday he was ordained to the office of a Deacon. It was so so special. Sean gave him a beautiful blessing with the ordination that talked about preparing himself to serve the Lord and preparing the hearts of others for Christ's return.