christmas 2015: a video!

I finally finished our Christmas video. Yippee! Making these family videos brings me so much joy, especially when my kids could watch them a million times a day. Maybe this year I'll branch out and try some professional editing on Adobe Premier. Just maybe!

it's 2016!

How in the world is it already 2016? 2015 flew by! I've still got a million and one blog posts to catch up (including our Puerto Rico trip way back from March), but I'm starting fresh and will get to those asap. I've got to start somewhere and what better way than to start the new year of this blog with our New Year's Eve.

We hit up Temple Square in the late afternoon before it got too crowded and cold. As always, it's beautiful! Then we headed home for a party with Dad, Michael, Sarah, Cheri and Lance. We had a blast playing One Night Werewolf and Dominion until the wee hours of the morning. We banged pots and pans and toasted at midnight. Lots of yummy appetizers and hanging out with the family is the best thing about New Years. We can't wait to see what 2016 brings!

#sundayfamilychristmasfun days 7-26

Day 7: Christmas themed preschool (and yes, my kids were still in PJs. They didn't want to take them off, ever!) Jingle bell bowling, play-dough mats and ornament matching

Day 9: Get Christmas cards ready to send + drive through the Layton light display

Day 10: Played at the park in the sunny weather! I hosted a fun Christmas Sweet Swap with friends and we had another picnic by the tree with Dad.

Day 11: Snowbird getaway for mom + dad + oliver and Blake and Evelyn went to a Christmas party with Grandma and Grandpa Sunday

Day 12: We read Christmas stories by the tree.

Day 13: 3rd Advent Sing + Share. The Lovells, cousin Cheri and Lance,and the Sundays came. Blake sang I am a Child of God, I played a guitar song, our family learned Silent Night on the bells to play and we played some group bell songs at the end. We love this tradition.

Day 14: Blake and Dad built a snowman!

Day 15: Christmas shopping

Day 16: Snuggles in Christmas jammies + sneaking out at night to look at the festive lights on our street--it was the first year on our house

Day 17: Motab Christmas Concert with Sarah. I had such a fun night with my sister.

Day 20: Christmas Sunday + 4th Advent German Night. Our friends invited us to their family's German Advent Night. We sang songs in German and had lots of traditional German foods.

Day 21: Winter Solstice candlelight dinner (since its the shortest day of the year!)

Day 22: Wrapped gifts

Day 23: We slept by the tree! See earlier post.

Day 24: Christmas Eve brunch with the Kings and Thompsons and festivities at Grandpa Daves.

Day 25: Christmas!

Day 26: peek-a-boo! we didn't want the fun to stop.

christmas at the sunday home

Unfortunately, Blake woke up at 2:30 am Christmas morning throwing up. So by the time morning came, we were all feeling a little worn out. It was so sad seeing Blake feel so crummy on Christmas. He slept on the couch most of the morning while Evelyn opened some presents and we ate breakfast.

He started feeling better enough to open some presents. This picture doesn't show it, but I nearly cried when he opened it. Since he was going to be starting Sunbeam class in Primary at church, I wanted to make him a little bag that he could take his Book of Mormon in. When he opened it, he jumped up and ran over and gave me the biggest hug and said, "Thanks so much, mom!" It made my whole day. 

The joy in Christmas truly comes from giving. 

We all loved the cute NYC/Elf themed present from the Polls. Syrup, candy canes, Elf hats, Serendipity hot chocolate mix, and a fun New York at Christmas pop up book were so fun. 

And this guy^ his gift to me always makes me cry. It's tradition for us to write a Christmas letter to each other every year. I look forward to it every year. Well this year, the theme was "Renaissance" since I'm his renaissance girl (meaning I like too many things.) He listed off 12 things he loves about me and a gift for each one. One of my favorites was all of our home videos compiled into year videos.  

After gifts and naps, we went to the Sundays for dinner and a gift exchange and then exchanged gifts with my family. It's always such a fun day being with family. 

And here's the kids and some of their gifts from Santa and grandparents. Because it's so fun to look back and see what they got each year. 

And good thing we had the day after Christmas to play some more.

peace on earth

It's Christmas night. The children are nestled in their beds and Brandon and I are enjoying the quiet of the night. I wish I had eloquent words to say, but lately, the words for these blog posts just haven't been coming as easily as they normally do. Perhaps that's a sign that those thoughts need to be etched in my heart instead of typed out. 

I'll just say this. I'm grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives. I know He was was born for you. And for me. I know that because of Him, we can have peace and true happiness. 

After Evelyn was born (in 2013), I struggled with lots of anxiety and some baby blues that lasted longer than I ever wanted. I was still dealing with it last Christmas and because of it, it wasn't my most favorite of Christmas seasons. 

My hope for 2015 was to find that inner peace that I had always enjoyed. Sometimes it takes not having something to realize it and this was definitely the case for me. 

Because the transition to 2 children was really hard for me, I thought it would be a while before we had another baby. So you can imagine how surprised I was to find out that I was pregnant with #3. 

Well, Heavenly Father is wise and all-knowing. And He knew that having sweet Oliver join our family would be what I needed to have that peace again. I'm grateful for a loving God who gave me this perfect gift. It's been the best gift that I didn't even know I needed this year. 

I can honestly say that my heart has been full of peace (besides when all 3 are screaming at once!) and happiness since Oliver has been born. I've felt more capable, more confident, and more peaceful with myself than I have in a long time. But through this trial, it's been my Savior that has helped me get through. I'm so grateful that  the Prince of Peace was born in Bethlehem that first Christmas. Joy to the world!! 

christmas eve

Christmas Eve was spectacular. I made it a goal 2 years ago to never go shopping on Christmas Eve again (after it practically ruining ours a few years ago) and I'm happy to report I've kept it up. It's made all the difference.

We started the day with a brunch at our house. This was a last minute gathering as we heard the Thompsons were coming into town. It's been a while since we've seen them and are glad that so many others could come, too. As the cousins were running through the house having a fun time together and all the adults were gathered around the table laughing, I couldn't help but feel so happy realizing that this is what the holidays are about.  

Then we took a family afternoon nap before going to my dad's for Christmas Eve dinner. Sarah was in charge this year and planned a really fun Bethlehem dinner. We all threw on some costumes and ate sitting on the floor in the family room. The menu was simple: chicken and pepper kebabs, oranges, pomegranates, bread (that we broke with our hands) and lentil soup. Blake and Evelyn were adorable shepherds and Oliver of course, was the perfect baby Jesus laying in the manger. 

After dinner, we played a Christmas trivia game, and then opened up one gift from my dad which were PJs for all of us and a new map for Brandon since his other one got ruined. Brandon himself got the honor of writing the letter the Santa this year and then per tradition, we burned it and threw it out on the snow for Santa to put together. Then it was off to our house to get into bed for Santa to come! 

^My dad did a good job picking out PJs. I've never had a matching set so I felt very spoiled. And the kids love their soft, footie jammies.