christmas 2008

Well, another Christmas has come and gone. I've been sitting here going through all of the pictures I took (there were alot this year!) and thought that I would share some of the highlights. Christmas was so much fun. We were busy busy with family and get togethers, but that's the way it should be, right? The girls were especially fun this year...they knew exactly what was going on, and their excitement was contagious. I just loved being "mama" this year...even though Graham surprised me with a new camera (thanks, sweetie!), it was watching how happy and excited the girls were that made my Christmas this year. I love you, little family of mine!!!




And now on to the pictures.





making cookies for Santa on Christmas eve-day...





Oh, this was sweet...Gabby managed to unwrap half of the presents under the tree on Christmas eve-day while I was folding laundry. AAhhh! I cried, but luckily Payton wasn't with her, so no surprises were ruined. Gabby could have cared less about the presents, she was just loving the "unwrapping" part! Oh, my two year old stinker.




Unicorns from nana and papa on Christmas eve...




Christmas jammies...





with their big cousin, Winter...





Dressed up as Mary, Joseph and the sheep for the reading of the Christmas story from the scriptures...(this is their cousin Kennedy and he was making this face in every picture! Gotta love teenage boys. hehe. And the girls were so serious and reverent as they played their parts and listened to the Christmas story. So so so cute. Gabby loves this costume!)





Opening presents on Christmas morning...






We always head to Graham's parents on Christmas day and this year the kids had soooo much fun playing with their cousins...and Grandpa is always right in there with them!






And here are the kids and grandpa in the hot tub! (Mya, Gabby, Payton, Kedan and Osh)





Like I said, it is hard to believe that Christmas is already over...I always have mixed feelings of sadness and relief at this point. You wait so long for Christmas to come and then it's over so quickly. But it was wonderful. I tried to talk in my last post about how grateful I have felt this year for my family and for the chance we have to celebrate our Savior's birth together, but I couldn't find the words. I tend to have a hard time sharing things that are personal to me in fear that I'll come across as cheesy or even worse, fake, but I really do want to say that this year has been special. Graham and I felt it and we were able to share that together, and for that I am grateful. Hearing Payton sing the wrong words to Christmas songs just slightly off-key, made me the proudest mama. Watching Gabby's face light up as she exclaimed "Baby Jesus!" every time she saw the nativity melted my heart. It is all those little moments and simple joys that made this Christmas one to remember.




Oh, and I had to share this video...Payton and Gabby performing Payton's little Christmas dance on Christmas Eve. Keep in mind that Gabby has never taken a dance class in her life and she's still wearing the sheep costume. Totally and completely priceless. A favorite memory for sure.





xoxo
Tal