2018 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Bryant and I had to get out of the house on Christmas Eve to give some people the chance to work on their homemade gifts for us.  So we went out in search of stocking stuffers.  Bryant also got to try this traditional Japanese New Year's treat made with mochi and something else.  They're made into the cutest little animal shapes.  

Bryant has no fear about trying new foods.  I kind of envy him.

We got a message from a friend saying that they decided that Bolton was the spit'n'image of Ralphie from The Christmas Story.  We quickly found our most Ralphie-like glasses and sent this to her.

I'm happy to say that the kids were all happy with their Christmas Even jammies!

Fisher was happy, I promise. He just can't seem to handle not being held by his momma if he can see her.

The kids were eager to go to bed... they left us to it!  We were more prepared than ever before, though, so it was quite an easy and pleasant night.

Putting out gifts.

Christmas morning!  My phone was lost before heading to bed the night before so I had to use an actual camera for most the morning... and I don't know how I'm going to get those photos usable, so these will have to do for now.

We started the morning by meeting together in the seminary room to sing some Christmas hymns and say a prayer.  We talked about our Savior and what a gift He is to all of us.  Then we went out to check out our stockings and then finally gifts!

Ethan looking at his new toy... a GoPro camera.

Jonas really like his new hoodie and joggers.

Eliza has been having so much fun with her pianica.  You have to blow into to it to make music (so its like a cross between a piano and harmonica).

Levi was a sweetheart and used his own money to go buy gifts for each of his siblings.  He was really excited about this marble race he bought for Bolton.

AND... our family tradition of handmade gifts!  Yippee!

Bryant made Jonas this awesome athletic shirt.  We cannibalized two big shirts on clearance at the BX.

I made Levi this chess set and board.

I wanted to document the process a little.  I used peg dolls and clay to create the knights and bishops.

The rooks and queens were made by glueing some peg doll bases in creative ways. 

 

 These aren't part of our family exchange, but I made these ornaments for my mom.  Using antique fishing floats, I painted some sites that we visited together while they were here.  They aren't very good and my husband can't lie to me and tell me that my mom will love them...so they took a detour to the trash can before I talked myself into sending them to her anyway.

Jonas made Abe this awesome geoboard.  He had almost no help from me.  I was so impressed with him.

 Ethan created this lovely work of art for me and then made it the cover to a binder to help me in my ambition to play my mandolin.  The heart is created with lyrics to one of "our" songs.  We are definitely better together.  What a sweet and thoughtful gift.  I love him.

 Abraham made Ethan this awesome little bowl/candy dish out of perler beads.

Bolton and Eliza made gifts for each other.  Bolton made this amazing Totoro (with a lot of help from mom) and Eliza made this neck warmer (with some help) and these fantastic Harry Potter glasses (with no help at all) complete with ziplock bag lenses.  She's so creative.

Levi made Bryant some ankle weights to help him in his ambition to make it to the NBA.

Christmas is so relaxing and pleasant when we have it at home.  We open round one of gifts, play with them for a bit before moving on to round 2. And so on and so on until all the gifts are open.  Bolton was pretty stoked with his new guitar.  Everyone was thrilled with gifts from their grandparents and looking forward to their gifts from their cousins... no one gets to open them until we have them all and we're still waiting. Ha.

It was a very merry Christmas for us.  We are so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who sent his Son to the earth all those years ago.  Jesus Christ provided the ultimate gift to us, as we look to a new year we will try to give Him the gift of love through serving others.