Christmas day...

Christmas day was the most relaxing/best day of our week! I loved it! I will always reserve this day for just our little family. (as much as I can anyway) No places to go, no things to do but just be together, open some presents, and enjoy each other!

Ben & I have a tradition of wrapping all of the kids gifts on Christmas Eve night together, while watching 'National Lampoons Christmas Vacation' . It is a tradition I love! We've obviously have only really done it three years now, but I look forward to many more years of this with him. Every year as we are wrapping the gifts, I always think to myself that we need to tone down Christmas. I really really REALLY love shopping for my kids and getting them toys and gifts and presents. I love researching toys, and playing with toys with Tucker and I love that he enjoys so many things. But I don't love that he expects to get everything he wants on Christmas day! This year one of my friends posted on her blog that she goes by this guideline while shopping for her kids for Christmas; she gets them:

Something they WANT, something they NEED, something to WEAR and something to READ. I loved that! I think that Ben and I are going to start adapting that rule into our home during Christmas each year. I think it is perfect! It is something that I really will need to work on! But I have loved the excitement and wonder and sparkle that has been on Tuckers face this holiday season. There is nothing better than celebrating the holiday's with a child. I love it! I really need to be better at reminding my children the true meaning of Christmas. It is so easy to get caught up in the commercialized version, which can be great, but obviously it is more important to remember the REASON we are celebrating. I have read so many great ideas this year on my friends blogs to introduce the Spirit into Christmas better in our home. I hope to implement these things next year, when Tucker is a little older and maybe able to understand things a little better. This year he was ALL about Santa and Presents. And I just couldn't help but let him get caught up in it, what 4 year old doesn't deserve the wonder and excitement of Santa and elves and magical flying reindeer. I love it! Anyway... Our Christmas was fabulous. The day was perfect!

Here is our tree on Christmas Eve as Ben & I were finally going to bed... I love Christmas Eve. Tucker left cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. :)

Tucker playing with his new shake-n-go extreme race track!

OOps! Santa didn't realize that these were skinny jeans for men. Those of you who know Ben know that he is NOT a skinny jeans wearing type of guy! :)

Taters with her loot! :) I love that pretty face!

Moon sand is so much fun! Moon sand is so messy! :)

Taylor gave me a great Christmas present by pooping on my couch! Yea! :) Thanks Taylor, I really appreciated it! :)

The rest of the day was spent just playing together and watching movies together and having fun! Oh, and an awkward run in with the missionaries! :) I saw them walking by and yelled out the front door that we could give them a ride. Ben was sleeping, they were REALLY early for their appointment and we just kind of all stood there for a few minutes not really knowing what to do. Anyway, I guess you had to be there! :) (We love the missionaries!- We just don't know these ones very well and I don't think that they had a clue who I was, so maybe they thought I was a potential investigator?) :) a little awkward! :)

Merry Christmas everyone!

I love my little family! The rest of our week was so crazy and hectic, I am so glad that we had this one day to ourselves. Sunday we had Christmas with my dad and family. Monday we had Christmas with my mom and family. Tuesday was Ben's birthday, Thursday was my sisters baby shower and then Friday was New years eve! It was a crazy hectic and busy week with tons and tons of family & friends. And I have lots and lots of pictures to post, so stay tuned! :)