Christmas 2013

I realize it is January.

Not only is it January, but it is almost February!  I keep wondering when time will slow down but I think I have finally realized that it never will.  I must make the effort to memorize my children's faces daily because they will be different tomorrow. I have to record things I want to remember because as much as I promise myself I WILL remember this, I won't because my mind is full of today.  And I like it that way.  I like to be full of today, but I really must write my precious memories down because I never want to lose them.

With that being said, Christmas 2013 was wonderful.  In so many many ways.  To start off, we celebrated in our new home.  A home we spent so much time dreaming up in our minds and working to create!  Now we get to live in the "here and now" in that home our minds concentrated on for so long.  It was magical.  Plus, with Jeremy's new job as a principal we get to see him now! Yippee!  He comes home to us at night more often than he doesn't and that is new.  Very new. And awesome.

We celebrated Christ's birth with old and new traditions and it filled our home with the joyful feeling of love and gratitude.

 1.Christmas tree hunting! 2.My favorite shot of Christmas tree hunting.  They are so excited. 3. Cousins that came to hunt too. 4. Live nativity in our home town of Nibley. This year there were two camels! 5.Crocheting presents. Aunt Toni made this sweet minion hat for Clarie. 6.Christmas themed colored pancakes by dad. 7-9. Gingerbread houses with the ladies. 10.We didn't have an ugly sweater party this year, but we reminisced. 11. The girls loved playing with the nativity this year.  Someone surprised us and brought us a new piece for the 12 days of Christmas.  The girls died over it. 12.Winkle was a menace and a sweetie pie this year. 13. The Christmas train extravaganza at my parent's home. 14.My Christmas baby. Love her. 15. Fancy dinner was a huge hit again this year. 16.Christmas dresses from Honey and Ba. They looked lovely. 17.Christmas Eve was a night at the stable.  It was so very fantastic. 18. Jer was the innkeeper and let us slip in the back to the stable since there was no room. 19. I made minky blankets for the ladies to go with their jams. 20. Santa came!! Claire is a bake master. 21. Want to be their groupie? I do. 22. The stage and dress ups were awesome. Jer even joined in too. 23. Teepee fun with grams. 24. We made it to Declo to play with family. 25. New Years party with some sweet cousins!  

Some of my favorite pictures from this Christmas season

 A kitten and a unicorn made an appearance to see baby Jesus.

 Nativity

 Christmas morning!

 Olive loves her princess and pop star dollies

 Jamming session

 Sweet Nora bundled up