Merry Christmas!!!

As is tradition Christmas started for us Christmas Eve with our family party at mom and dad's. Jakey and I arrived pretty much straight from our trip to California. Jake was so excited I truly thought he was going to jump out of his skin, esp. as he had spent a bit too much time in the car. It was good to be home, as an adult I have literally never had to "travel" to go home for Christmas, it was a bit nerve wracking as we seemed to just barely be missing major snow storms, but it was really kind of fun to be doing the "over the river and through the woods thing" to get to Grandma's house this year.

It was also really nice to have a nice homemade dinner, I was really sick of restaurant food. Mom with the help of everyone for side dishes had an amazing dinner with all the trimmings, and about every Christmas treat you can think of. She had made ginger snaps, sugar cookies, thumbprints cookies, pumpkin bread, banana bread, and of course grandma's fruit cake (I am by the way not officially "old" yet, apparently you are old the day you actually like fruit cake, I'm still safe, although I tried it again this year which I haven't done since I was a kid). Mom also made, fudge, divinity, cherry chocolates, melbas, coconut balls, peanut butter balls, penouche, pecan logs (my personal favorite, I could eat a whole log myself), and I'm sure other things I'm forgetting. A great Christmas dinner, with mom making sure she made a batch of everyone's favorite thing.

After dinner we headed downstairs for a short program, Tanner played the piano, Ari played the cello, and Ruby, Golda, and Lexi all sang a song. We also had a suprise visit from "Santa", a Santa that as Freestone said "sounded exactly like my dad, and is wearing his glasses). Santa brought a little treat bag for each of the kids, to get the party started. Then handed out all the gifts, it really wasn't necessary for Santa to come at all Grandma and Grandpa spoiled us all so much. Each kids got an apron that mom had hand made for them as well as cookie mix to go home and make cookies. They also each got new P.J.'s, new clothes, paper, pencils, and a pencil holder, as well as a new toy for each kid, it's truly amazing when you realize that mom and dad now have 18 grandkids!!! All the boys recieved new remote control cars which they had a blast playing with upstairs, it sounded like the Indianapolis 500 had overtaken Grandma and Grandpa's house. Mom and dad also made sure all us "big kids" had a wonderful Christmas, I got a Foreman Grill (I've been wanting one of those for awhile now), a new 16 place setting of flatware, new P.J.'s, a new bathrobe, 3 new shirts/sweaters, and a hand crank radio/flash light (one that doesn't need batteries) for my emergency kit.

Everyone headed home soon after, but Jake and I were going to have Christmas at mom and dad's, as it seemed a bit lonely and quiet for Christmas with just the two of us. We all headed to bed pretty early so that Santa could come.

Jake was up bright and early Christmas morning, and despite the fact that he was told he would maybe get a handful of things for Christmas because we went to Disneyland, it still looked like Santa dumped his sleigh in Grandma and Grandpa's basement. We had a wonderful Christmas day full of good food, family, and lots of love. We also made about 100 aliens (with Jake's new Martian Maker), 2 cupcakes with his new cupcake maker, played lots of games, and were confused by about 6 new transformers, that mom can never figure out how to transform. We were hoping to be able to see Rob Christmas Day, but he wasn't able to make it. hopefully next year he will be feeling up to it.

Scott and Circe headed to California for their own Christmas trip the day after Christmas, and as mom was going to watch Jake while I went back to work, we decided it was easier for Jakey and I to just stay there. It was so nice, no matter how old you are, there is something so comforting about being home, I truly hope that I can create for Jake the feeling of love and comfort and "home" that I always feel with my own parents. Mom and dad took good care of us this week, something which I probably needed this year more than even I knew. It was a really interesting year for us, a lot of ups and downs, a whole lot of heartbreak, but I'm coming out stronger than I even knew I was, and Jakey and I are doing great. We are a little family the two of us, but a family none the less, and we know we have lots of people that love and care for us. This last week has been a whirlwind of emotions, but it has been an amazing Christmas once again, and a good reminder of the love which is the reason we celebrate the holiday to begin with.

Plus if you spend the entire week after Christmas at mom and dad's you have unlimited access to all the Christmas treats!!!