~Christmas 2009~

Christmas was wonderful this year, as with every year I get to spend with my family and friends. It was busy with love, laughter, food, crazy kids and lots of people we care about. It started early for us this year... On Dec. 18-20 my mother, my aunt Lisa and I all went to the local "Mexican Store" and stocked up on all the ingredients to make homemade manudo, pasole and tamales! We kneaded, chopped, boiled, spread and shredded 3 pork butts!!! By the time I was done my right thumb was numb because I had worked through the pain and every muscle in my arms were sore!! But it was all well worth it, the food is so good and was made with lots of love! Then on Christmas eve we had our traditional fondue dinner with the Royce's and that is always fun, we then all got to open one gift. Grandma Royce made the kids some really cute little robes, all with their names on them. They haven't taken them off since! Then we were off to go see Grandma and Grandpa Earl and Jameson's dad and aunt Sara. Once again the kids got to open MORE gifts! Then we went to our very good friends the Wood's. After all that we went home, and again the kids opened another gift. It is so hard trying to teach them that presents is NOT what Christmas is all about. We had a Christmas prayer and they sang Happy Birthday to Jesus, after that James said Jesus' birthday was better than his! Ugh, obviously all the talking I had just done went right over his head. Christmas morning at 5:30 Jameson came running into our room begging us to get up because Santa had come! I made him lay back down only to have little Rori Ana wake up an hour later. Finally we gave up and all just decided to go down and see what Santa had in store for us. This is the first year where the 2 girls are close enough in age that they fought over each others presents, they fought over EVERYTHING!! One was always better than the other or cooler or bigger. It made me happy to have just my one boy because I couldn't do this with 2 boys too! I remember when I was shopping for the girls thinking should I just get 2 of everything or let them have their own things and be individuals? Well, you live and you learn! Next year its 3 of everything!! I will never do this again! I might get them 1 special little thing of their very own but for the most part they will all have the same.
Soon after opening our presents we were headed to the Royce's once again where we had Christmas breakfast and got open even MORE presents!! It was fun to sit around and enjoy our family's company. That afternoon we went to my mom's house where we gathered up the whole family to go tubing up at Soldier Hollow, all 4 of my brother's came and that doesn't happen all the time! The kids had a blast and I think we are going to try to make that a new Christmas tradition. After that we finally got to go home and just sit around and play with all of our new toys and fun things and be together, just us. We all had so much fun and I loved being around so many people we love and care about. I am so grateful for all of our family and friends.

Now I have put ALL of Christmas away, I know this is so bad but that is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. I love when all the lights and decorations are up but I also love when I take down all the clutter. Tonight we will welcome a new year. I am excited to see what this year has in store for us all! I will welcome all the surprises (good and bad) and once again I will try to be a better person and make new resolutions. We are like a fine wine, every year we seem to get better and every year we are stronger because of the obstacles we were given. This year I WILL lose the rest of my baby weight, I will try to be a better mother and have more patience with EVERYONE. I will try to give more and ask for less.
I am now busy cleaning and have already started to pack for our upcoming trip. This is going to be a great year!!

Thanks to all of you for being a part of our lives! We appreciate and love you all!!