Christmas

Another Christmas come and gone. Another year come and gone. My kids are getting too big and I wish I could bottle them and their cute little personalities up exactly how they are right now. Then five, ten, fifty years from now I can go back and remember what life was like right now. Since that's impossible, I try to keep track of small details on this little blog of mine. Little details like Christmas...

It was a Moyes Christmas Eve this year. We started earlier since it was Saturday but I still felt like we didn't get to do it all. We had to leave before everyone else since we had a 90 minute drive home. But what we were there for was great! Santa came. Molly sat on his lap and shyly asked for Stompeez slippers. Stockton was way better than when we saw him at the library. He wouldn't sit on his lap but at least he got somewhat close. Brynn only wants me to hold her whenever we are somewhere and she was no different that night.

A group shot. Why is Stockton always being the grump in these cousin pictures?

Santa gave them each an early present: Molly-bead set, Stockton-safari Jeep, Brynn-pink Little People van

We did the nativity. Molly was an angel this year, Stockton wouldn't participate, and Brynn was baby Jesus.

We exchanged cousin presents. Molly-Connect 4, Stockton-train, Brynn-book

Poor Stockton was sick the whole weekend so we took off after this. Molly tried hard to stay awake the whole ride home but she crashed somewhere around Orem. She woke up when we got home so she could set out cookies and milk for Santa and listen to dad read The Night Before Christmas. She fell back asleep very quickly.

Molly was the first one up on Christmas morning. We waited for about 20 minutes for Stockton and Brynn to get up but the suspense was killing her so we let her go down. Our top-of-the-stairs picture this year:

All month long Molly had been asking for one thing: Stompeez slippers. She saw them on an infomercial...they are slippers and when you stomp your foot, an animal face and ears pop up. I didn't want to pay $30 for a pair of slippers but it was the one and only thing she asked for-and she really never asks for much, if anything. So we ordered them on Dec 3rd or something. Apparently, there was a back-order and we are still waiting for them. So I felt a little bad that she didn't have the one thing waiting for her under the tree that she asked for. But she was plenty spoiled...she got a new bike! She had definitely grown out of her last one (which was just a hand-me-down anyway). Santa also gave her some fuzzy purple slippers. :) In her stocking: a movie, a Leapster game, chapstick, treats, just the typical stocking stuffers.

Brynn woke up next. She got this play cube. Her stocking was filled with a movie, leggings, and lots of baby snacks.

Finally Stocky woke up. He got a Mack truck with some cars that go inside it (ultimately it will fit 16 Cars 2 cars, right now he has 5). Also the car rug and his stocking: movie, underwear (which he hates), tractor, motorcycle, and treats.

We always prepare and eat a nice breakfast before we open presents from each other. It seems to stretch the morning out so it's not all over at once. We tried to scale back the present-giving this year. I don't know if we succeeded or not...

Molly got a bathrobe (and one that matches her doll) from us and a dress up from her siblings.

Stockton got a tool set from us (Justin made the tool caddy) and a pillow pet from his sisters.

Brynn got some decorations for her room from us and a ball popper from her siblings.

Molly got one extra "special" present: a Book of Mormon with her name inscribed on the front. She's been asking for her own scriptures for a while.

I really enjoyed having Christmas on Sunday. And not just because the kids got to wear their new clothes. It just felt good to be at church.

We went to Justin's parents for dinner and relaxing. More presents were given. Each of our kids got their own duffle bags with their names on them. We've already been using them!

Molly got a ladybug nightlight-it's pretty cool, it projects tons of stars all over the walls and ceiling in a few different colors. She also got a pretty necklace to wear to church. Stocky got some more tools...funny though that there were very few duplicates between the set we gave him and the set Gene and April gave him. Brynn got some books and a baby gate. Yay!!

We try to get a family picture each year in front of the Christmas tree, whichever house we happen to be at. But let's be serious: it is so hard to get anything decent these days! Grrr.

Before we left for home we drove to a house in Sandy that's yard is covered in blowup Christmas decorations. So many that we had to get out of the car and walk around their yard to see them all.

Christmas continued the next day for us. My parents came to visit to see what the kids got and to shower them with even more presents. Grandparents are good at that, you know. Brynn got this activity cube with the cutest blocks to go with it.

Molly got a Wuggle Pet maker.

Stockton got some more Thomas train stuff to go with the starter set they got him last year.

Oh and they all got some nice warm blankets that we use every single day. In fact I can't keep them kept away because the kids constantly want to sleep with them or snuggle in them during the day. Anyway, they were all happily playing when Grandpa pulled out one more surprise...

Yeah, they are completely spoiled.

It was a great Christmas. I don't think Molly even remembers asking for Stompeez...maybe we'll cancel our order. Then again, maybe we won't and she'll get a random surprise someday...whenever they arrive...