CHRISTMAS DAY

CHRISTMAS DAY

Every year I wait 364 days for this particular day. It goes by way to fast. way, WAY too fast. Here is the recap of our Christmas Day.


3 am - I wake up and ask Clayton if he wants to go open presents. He tells me that we can if I want too. I can tell he is still pretty tired to I tell him I will try to go back to sleep.



4am - after trying to go back to sleep and failing miserably I ask Clayton if he wants to go open presents now. Again he says that we can if I want too. Still seeing that he is tired I told him we can wait a little longer.



430am - again not able to fall back asleep. This time Clayton (who is also laying in bed trying to fall asleep without success) asks me if I want to go open presents. ummm...ok!!!



Growing up we couldn't go open presents until we had said family prayer. Usually dad said it and it was the longest prayer ever. Clayton and I have also held this tradition (much shorter version) so after our prayer we put in our eyes (aka contacts) and ran down the stairs.



We always go and check out our stockings first and then open our presents one at a time. When we done we were going to go get ready and head to Tremonton, but first I wanted to clean up all the boxes and wrapping paper. I started to take some out to the garage to throw away, but Clayton grabbed them from me very suspiciously and told me to go get ready. Now on to the part I regret... I knew something was up so I picked up another box and headed to the garage. He again took it from me. Finally I said, "What is in the garage?" He told me that I might as well go look now. I opened the door and ...

SUP BOARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh. My. Gosh! I screamed and jumped and yelled and screamed and jumped and yelled and screamed and jumped and yelled and screamed and jumped and yelled (got the picture yet?). His original plan was for us to get ready and as I went out to get in the car to go to Tremonton he would be there with the camera to record my reaction. I felt like a jerk. But a super excited jerk who has new SUP boards! Summer can't come fast enough.

After that excitement we headed to Tremonton to see the Woodward's open their presents. There is something exciting about watching little kids open presents. I am so thankful that Jessica and Jared let us come each year and participate in their Christmas morning extravaganza. Jessica gave Clayton and I (let's be honest mostly me) a gift card for frozen yogurt. AWESOME! As you can see Clayton's face just reeks of excitement. After the excitement was over Clayton, myself, Harry and Shira headed back to their house. We watched a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel (Hands down the Best Christmas Movie Channel Ever!), got lunch ready and waited for Chase, Jessica and Jared and their family to show up. After a fantastic lunch of ham, cornbread, shrimp salad, little smokies and baked beans (which lead to a not so fantastic smelling night if you know what I mean) we opened more gifts. Shira and Harry went way overboard and got us a new roof rack for our Subie. This was a much needed gift that we are incredibly grateful for. Subie is going to look awesome sporting her new rack:)

SHIRA & CHASE
Later in the afternoon we paid a visit to IronMan and Kace to see what they got from Santa. Afterwards we drove over to Grandma Housley's and wished her a Merry Christmas and then off to Trenton.

If you read my sister, Rachel's blog you probably think that I'm a pretty horrible gift giver. Let it be known that the Eclipse poster was NOT the only gift I gave Cortney. Yes he wanted artwork for his apartment (next time he will specify what kind of artwork), but he also got a nice Mexican doll from the D.I.

Ok so he also got some new clothes and hat.

Rachel had Brandon's name and got him all this BYU loot (toilet seat cover, plates, bowls, hat, etc.). But my personal favorite was this sticker for his care. A-W-E-S-O-M-E!

Kami and Erik had our names. Clayton got a hat (which Kami thinks looks a little bit Pee-Wee Hermany) and a jacket and I got a cardigan and two beaning headband things that I have wanted forever. My parents gave us a shirt (Clayton) and a hat, clutch (Me) AND...

A NEW KAYAK!

Good timing for that roof rack, huh! We are going to be busy this summer. It can't come fast enough.

After the present giving was over with we gathered around the piano and sang. Don't we just look like the kinda family who gathers around the piano in joyful song? No? That's because we aren't!

Someone in my family said that it would be "rude" to say "No" when someone from the ward asked us to sing. I don't think it is rude. I think it is saving a lot of souls pain and misery (congregation and us) after all isn't that what the Gospel is all about? Saving souls from pain and misery (bring on the weeping, wailing and gnashing of the teeth)? Bottom line...We. Don't. Sing. At. All. We are not the Von Trapp Family. But, we did it anyway. It was just as miserable as i thought it would be. The practice part was funny though. We had one copy for Rachel and the rest of us gathered around the piano and attempted to sing. Words can't describe how awfully funny it was. Just trust me it was funny.

After that (or before that...I can't remember now) we played the Game of Things (thank you Huff's and Hylton's for the introduction to this awesome game).

And that is a Christmas 2011 wrap. I now leave you with a picture I found on my mom's camera. This is Christmas morning at their house prior to opening presents. As you can see they are getting ready for Dad's looooong winded Christmas morning prayer.

A special thanks to my Savior. He didn't give me SUP boards, roof rack, or a kayak (all which I am very thankful for). He gave me the best gift of all ... the gift of eternal life. The chance to live with my family forever. Without him the "magic" of this season would be non-existent.