Christmas: The Day!

 Christmas is like 1000x better with kids. I know I say that every year, but it is so re-enforced each year! The light in their eyes and the excitement they bring to everything is just wonderful. Best part was, we were all healthy for the day! Ben got the flu on the 11th, and Aria got it on the 17th. Aria got it really bad, much worse than Ben. After Christmas I got a really bad head cold.

Aria asked Santa for one of his flying reindeer. Yes, one of HIS reindeer. Santa told her that he couldn't give her one because he needed them, but that he would take a photo of one and sign it. We helped that to happen, and Aria decided it was Blitzen! She's still packing it around and showing it to anyone who will look. She got so many fun things!

Ben wanted trucks and trains. Of any kind. Ben loves anything with wheels. I swear somewhere my family and his birth family have to have some genetic relation. Like 3rd cousins or something! He wanted to sleep with his new train set that night.

Also, Aria told us that Santa wanted Cookies and Caffeine, not Milk because he had a lot of houses to go to. Hahahahahaha! 

I love how Aria stood looking and thinking about the fact that Santa ate those cookies for so long! And Ben wanted cereal before presents! Haha!

 For my birthday 2 days before my mom gave me cinnamon bread. We made french toast out of it. It was SO DELICIOUS!

 Ben with his Christmas cracker hat!

Christmas: Davis Party

On Christmas Eve the Davis side celebrates all day with Bowling, Pizza, Movie, Egg Nog Toast, gift exchange. This year we had Drew's brother Steve & wife Rachelle. Drew's brother Alex & wife Danielle had us. It was a lot of fun!

We saw Wreck It Ralph for the movie. This year we took the kids and we all really enjoyed it! I was impressed with how well they did. Movie theaters aren't really enjoyable for little ones and they are starting to get old enough! They hated the chairs. Their little bums aren't big enough! lol!

Drew was the champ for the guys last year, but lost it to his dad this year. Lindsey was the winner last year, and I won it from her! Ben & Aria shared a slot and did really well. It was fun!

And we got to hold Baby Kate lots!

Christmas: Wheeler Party

My family does a gift exchange between couples, and a separate one for the kids. We had my sister Peggy and husband Lance. Ben drew Aria's name, and Aria drew Jake's name. Tim drew Ben's name. We had a yummy dinner, played games. opened presents and made gingerbread men! (We used this recipe) it was a super fun activity!

Christmas: Decorating

Decorating! So much fun to put up all the Christmas stuff and totally transform the house.

Gingerbread house making! I love doing this. I love that the kids are getting big enough to be more helpful and actually understand!

"Here's all the candy for the house mom!"

Such concentration...

Finished product. Good job team!

Jinxy found her spot.

Christmas: Ward Christmas Breakfast

Our ward celebrated together with a breakfast. There were some great songs sung by the primary kids and all the soon-to-be Sunbeams wanted to join as they had been learning it as well. Aria's shirt got too short before Christmas came! 1 and only time she wore it. :(

Getting ready to go to it!

Christmas: StringTown Polar Express

A favorite! So glad they did it again this year and that we could get a reservation. I love how they do the train ride - it starts out with the Santa/Commercial side of Christmas. Then you go see Santa and he helps turn the focus to the Savior and what Christmas is really about. It's so sweet and sets the mood so well.

Our Busy December so far...

I love Christmas time. It's my favorite time of the year. It is, however, such a busy time of year too.

On the 2nd I got to go to the Christmas party of my old company! My brother still works there and took me as his +1. It was so great seeing friends I haven't seen in a while.

That weekend was fun! Aria went to her first friend birthday party. Miss Olivia turned 3! Aria had a blast and was such a good girl. Ella did an awesome job with the whole thing - it was an amazing party!
We also went to the big family Christmas party on my side of the family. Had a lot of fun there too seeing my cousins, aunts, uncles. I look forward to it each year.

Aria with her present from the kid gift exchange

Ben would NOT look at the camera! Normally he loves to!

Later that night was our friend Christmas party with our friends from high school that we still hang out with. Crazy how much it's grown over the years with the addition of spouses and kids. The gift exchange was chaotic, but lots of fun!

Sunday was Thanksgiving with Drew's family. It was nice we could all still get together!

Phew! Busy weekend! Since then we've been wrapping gifts (all done shopping!) and other Christmas related things like RS Enrichment, 2 friends with birthday get togethers, etc.

Benny Jammin