Christmas

     This year Paul and I were really excited about Christmas. Jace has started getting so big, and started understanding so much, that we couldn't wait to see his reaction to things. Our plans for Christmas day were pretty crazy but they all seemed to work out pretty good. We needed to be at the Burnett's by like 8:30 or something crazy early like that. We knew that Jace would wake up pretty early that morning so we could do our little family Christmas before we went to visit the grandparents. Sure enough Jace got up that morning a little earlier than we expected. He was up at 6:45 just bright and early, (he must have known it was Christmas morning)! We had all his presents laid out and ready for him, and it was really so fun to see his reaction. He was a little hesitant at first, but he got into the whole present opening thing pretty quickly. He was enthralled with all the fun little things in his stocking, and his other presents were just as fun. I think the candy was the biggest hit for Jace though, (I tried to not give him a lot, but he made his way into Paul's and my candy as well). Paul and I enjoyed our Christmas, but for us, the most exciting part wasn't the gifts that we gave each other, but watching the magic and excitement that Jace experienced. We can't wait for all the other Christmases to come!!

Christmas Eve PJ presents! Jace was so excited that we let him open up a present. 

He thought his PJs were pretty neat. Cute Paul there with his PJs too. 

I let Jace help me open mine before he went on a rampage and got to the gifts under the tree. 

Ta-da! all dressed in my jam jams. 

All the presents laid out before bed on Christmas Eve. We like to use "recycle-able" wrapping paper, (blankets), for a lot of our wrappings. Especially the gifts that are too huge to use regular paper for. 

All the stocking not hung by the chimney with care, because the hooks aren't strong enough to hold a full stocking, but still looking super cute! 

Jace walking down the hall Christmas morning

Jace's smile of excitement!

Now we are getting to the good stuff! Stocking time!

Candy! He was excited, but also confused because he didn't know exactly what it was.

More presents.

And more presents, 

And snacks! Sorry for the picture overload, but it was too cute to not show the sequence. 

Paul putting on a smile with his stocking

Me pretending to be happy about being up before 7 on Christmas morning

Jace just happy as a clam with all his fun little things

Woah! Slippers! Now Jace can have warm feet in our cold basement apartment. 

Oranges!! Seriously Jace loves oranges! He even knows how to peel them all by himself!

Cars! Jace loves his cars!

Silly Grin

The present from Mom and Dad

He likes regular wrapping paper much better than blankets, but loved the surprise under these blankets!

Mom and Dad's other present. Jace was excited about the actual wrapping paper on this one!

A chair!

A chair and my saw! It doesn't get any better than this!

      After our fun little Christmas, we went to Paul's parents house. It took us just a little bit to get there because it was snowing like crazy, (driving was awful, but it was super magical to have so much snow on Christmas). We opened our family presents, because some of the other siblings needed to leave and go do other things, then we had a super yummy breakfast. We spent the rest of the morning playing games, and helping the kids put their toys together to play with. Paul's mother got us the coolest gift. She bought every person an activity to do with their spouse. Paul got a rock climbing pass for the both of us, and I got a flying trapeze class. We are so excited to go do our activities together. A little bit later into the afternoon we left to go to my parents house.

Jace got his sweet ride from Grandma and Grandpa. By far one of his favorite gifts. He just sits in it and watches TV or chills in it. He is a little too short to scoot himself in it, but it will be fun when he figures that part out too. 

Yeehaw! 

Yup, this is the life I tell you! 

     My family has a tradition of going to a movie on Christmas day, so while Paul and I were at his parents house, my parents and younger siblings went to see the new Star Wars movie. When we got to the parentals house, we opened our presents and played games, then the older kids with babies got to go see Star Wars while Mimi and Papa watched the grandkids. We really enjoyed our little date night at the movies! We had a dinner feast when we got back to my parents.
     Christmas was a crazy busy jam packed day. We had a lot of fun, but it definitely wore us out. This might be one of the last years we drive all over the valley to see both sets of grandparents. We might be just visiting only one. I guess we will have to see how everything plays out these next few years.

This is my quilt this year. Wreck it Ralph. Had fun making this bad boy for Tanner. But he loved it. A lot. So it was worth all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into it! Okay, okay, so it was mostly curses under my breath, broken sewing needles, and unpicking seams sessions that made this quilt what it is today.  

Front and back. clearly far from perfect, but I am still proud of it. 

We got mustaches and had to try them on!

Jace wasn't a fan of keeping it on, but thats ok. We also got matchy matchy BYU shirts from Peter and Jessica. We all wore them all day. It was super fun! 

     Despite all of the crazy happenings, Christmas this year has been very dear to me. My grandpa passed away Christmas Eve, and it was really hard for me. It happened so suddenly. No one expected it at all. But it gave me the opportunity to truly love and cherish the family that I have here with me now. I think that the Christmas season will always hold a special place in my heart because of this. I know a lot of people struggle with enjoying life, or the holidays when someone close to them passes. For me its different. It makes me want to cherish the moments and enjoy life even more. I think there will still be tender moments and thoughts around the holidays, but I think I will have more of a desire to make the most of the moments I have with my family now.