Christmas

Our Christmas Vacation started on December 23 right after we got out of Church. We drove down to Pocatello to be with Jeremy's Family. Neil and Shelley were nice enough to watch all 11 of their grand kids, while the rest of us enjoyed some games with just the adults. This is quite the feet as six of the kids are 2 or younger. Also, James got sick ant puked while we were gone. I felt really bad for them and for him. 

The next day we enjoyed Christmas Eve at Wendy's house. It was nice to be together and I like the time that is more focused on Christ. My boys did spend quite a bit of time on video games, and when I say boys I am talking about all three of them.

Neil and Shelley gave all the kids new PJs for Christmas as one of their traditions. 

We spent Christmas Eve at Jeremy's sister Michele's house. Ethan has been so excited to put out cooks for Santa for a long time. We even wrote him a note, and he wrote one back to us. 

Santa brought the boys light sabers and a few other little things, but it was all about the light sabers all day. 

Grace got a stuffed puppy that talks and a few other things. I am sure she will love it once she is more than a few months old. 

It was nice to have our own Christmas morning. Neil and Shelley came over to see the kids find their gifts from Santa at 7 a.m., and we had to wake the kids up then, so they could make it over to see our niece Libby. 

Around 10 a.m. everyone came over for breakfast and to open more gifts. We of course were very blessed in what we were given. 

The rest of the day we just enjoyed eating and playing games. That evening Jeremy's Uncle Gary and his family from California arrived. Always nice to see them. Then we stayed up way to late that night playing games with Jeremy's sister after we got our kids to bed. 

Wednesday morning we got up and drove to Lava to see the Avery side of our family. There were more gifts to open. Once again so very blessed. The boys were defiantly more interested in the toys than the clothes, but we loved it all. 

We were so glad to have a day to be with Jakob, Angie and Quort before they had to go home. I love just being around my family, and my kids love there Aunts and Uncles. 

We were so excited to have snow. Last year there was never enough to go sledding, so this was James first time sledding more than Jeremy just pulling them around the yard. One of the benefits of sledding in Lava is the four wheeler to take you back up the hill. Mostly we tubed, but we did try the old ta bogon that was broken.  

That night Jeremy got sick, so did our brother in law Jayson. I let him rest as well as James who was just plain tired. Ethan, Grace and I went down to visit my Grandma Avery. We had a nice visit, but Ethan was disappointed that my cousin Preston did not make it before we left her house. 

While we were at my dads house we enjoyed lots of card games, some minute to win it games and a few board games. Ethan loves when others will play with him. He is getting better at following the rules and waiting his turn. 

 Saturday Morning we got ready to leave for home. Jeremy was really still sick, so we only stopped for a few minutes to open gifts from her. She wanted us all to be there. Ethan was once again disappointed to not get to stay and play with Preston.

It was a fun Christmas Vacation, minus Jeremy getting sick.

I think I did quite well being the first Christmas with out my mom. I only cried once when I opened an ornament from Neil and Shelley about having someone you love with Jesus for Christmas. I could not even say thank you I was so emotional. I was trying to keep it together in front of everyone, but it was hard. I sure thought about her a lot. I really wish she could have been there with us, and not just in spirit. Here absence is so obvious in all I do. Most of all when we go to my parents home.