Christmas 2011

Christmas Eve was a fun and busy day.  We slept in after a long traveling day, being up late the night before, and having a sick Cooper throwing up during the night.  I think his poor tummy must have been upset from all the driving and snacks.  We did a few things around the house- washed sheets, wrapped a few presents, and even hit the stores to buy groceries and a few last minute gifts that had not been bought yet.  Matt and Sydney headed over to Nana's house, while I stayed home with Cooper so he could get a nap.  

Later, Cooper and I joined them at Nana's, where we had our annual Christmas Eve dinner.  This year we had soup and bread bowls and it was delicious!  We had a white elephant gift exchange, which was really fun.  Sydney opened a funny picture of Kelsey, and she loves it and wants to actually display it in our house. Sydney, Cooper, and Mason also exchanged gifts.  Mason gave them cute little quiet toys for church, that I'm sure we will all love!  We also read the Christmas story.  I love the book that Nana and Papa put together.  It includes many songs, which I think always brings the spirit and helps break up the reading.  It is such a nice tradition.  

For the past couple months, Matt and I have been working on a Christmas present for Nana that would be from all the grandkids.  When Matt was preparing his talk for Papa's funeral, we had the idea to compile a book of all our favorite memories of Papa along with pictures.  We thought it would make a perfect Christmas present, and that it would be a nice way of having those memories written down.  The book included a personal memory written by each grandchild along with pictures of that grandchild with Papa.  It also had Matt's "grandchildren talk" in it.  I think it turned out really nice, and we were really excited to give it to Nana on Christmas Eve with most everyone there.

It was obviously very emotional when Nana opened the book.  I think we were all a bit teary.  She looked through it for a bit and came around and gave each of us a hug.

When we got home from Nana's house, we set out some cookies for Santa, and Sydney and Cooper opened some new pajamas.  They went to bed so quickly, which I was grateful for because we had so much to do!  The other big project that Matt and I have been working on was a Christmas present for the kids.  We've been building a play kitchen for them.  The kitchen still needed another coat of paint, the backs nailed on, sink glued in, and more.  We were up pretty late working on it, and it still didn't get all the way done.  I'll have to post a picture of the finished product.  It still needs doors on the fridge, and the curtain isn't done being sewn (I just taped it up for the kids to see when they came out).  But it was finished enough that we could give it to them.  I think it turned out so darling, and I love it!  I can't wait until it is all the way finished!

Then we wrapped presents, put them under the tree, and helped Santa lay out presents...

It was a lot of work, and another late night... but the morning totally made it worth it!  We video taped the kids coming down the stairs and into the family room.  It was so fun to see their reactions.  Cooper saw his Mac truck and Lightening McQueen first. He was so excited.  Sydney loved her scooter and scooted around on it all day.

They didn't even notice the kitchen until we pointed it out to them... but they were so excited about it!  Most of the presents that were from Mom and Dad were kitchen related.  Little pots and pans, play food, etc.  They would each open a present and take it over to the kitchen and play for a little bit before coming back to open another one.   They also got some cute kitchen things from Pamps and Grandma Holmes (a toaster, mixer, and hot cocoa maker).  They love playing with all their kitchen stuff.  

It was such a fun morning.  I loved watching the kids play with all the presents they got.  And I loved having a morning just to ourselves.  I just love our cute little family.

After a relaxing morning at home, we went over to my family's house for a late breakfast.  Then we headed up to my grandparent's house.  We missed church, because the only time we could visit my grandparents was during church, since they had to be up at Temple Square most of the day.  I was bummed to miss church, but it was really nice to visit with my grandparents.  After that, we headed home.  My family came over to see the kids' toys and kitchen.  After they left, we watched movies and took some naps.  And we ended the day with a nice dinner at my family's house.  Such a great Christmas!

Christmas 2011 was nearly picture perfect in the Page household.  Don't get me wrong... there were a lot of things that I wanted to do that didn't get done.  But as I look back on pictures, and remember the month of December, I think about the spirit and magic of the Christmas Season.  I remember the fun things we did together as a family.  I remember the projects Matt and I worked on together.  I remember our kids being so excited about Christmas literally every day, especially Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  The things that didn't get done aren't the things we will remember.  

I feel like we were so blessed this year to spend some of Christmas with almost all of our loved ones.  We spent the week before Christmas with Matt's parents and most of his siblings in Oregon.  We spent Christmas Eve at Nana's house with cousins, aunts and uncles, Chris, Lisa, and Mason, and Nana.  We spent Christmas morning in our home with our little family of 4.  And spent some of Christmas Day with my parents, siblings, and grandparents.  It really was perfect. (Funny how that can happen even when your house isn't clean and your projects aren't finished!)  I am so grateful to have such a great family.  I am especially grateful for Jesus Christ.  I'm grateful for his glorious birth and his resurrection.  I'm grateful for the Plan of Salvation, and that through Christ's Atonement we can all be together forever.