Bikes and visitors and cheese and other good things from Christmas 2012

Eric's parents and little brother came down for a visit the week of Christmas/New Years. The three siblings that now live in Arizona (craziness!) each took a turn hosting them and we were the lucky ones who got them on Christmas Eve/Day. Eric only had to work (Domino's) on Christmas Eve, so that arrangement gave us the most time together during their visit. And then things got even better when everyone else decided to come up for a Christmas Eve party at our place. It was so fun being with so much family - that is a silver lining about Arizona. We really missed all the family we didn't get to see, but felt pretty blessed and happy and content this Christmas.

Most of the gang gathered round before the eating commenced. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of our awesome spread. It was wondrous - bruschetta, a delightful cheese tray (from Whole Foods and Costco's wonderful selection), a yummy new lentil salad, poached wild pacific salmon, a vegetable tray, and mint sticks. Pretty much perfection.

(picture from Christy)

All the kidlets put on a live nativity for us - Lincoln and Lily were sheep, Parker and Macey were wisemen, Sophie and Maren were angels, Caleb was Joseph, Elena was (a very dramatic) Mary, an obliging doll stood in as Baby Jesus, and Uncle Andrew volunteered to be the donkey.

(picture from Christy)

 We sang carols together, the kids watched a Christmas Eve movie, and the adults rounded things off with a rousing game of Buzz Word (and Eric who is such a trooper went off to work :( He is so good.) It was such a fun night! After everyone took off for their respective homes and Eric got home from work, we opened Christmas Eve pajamas, put out Santa's cookies, and tucked our little misses into bed.

And then the adults worked hard to get everything ready for the morning. Uncle Andrew was lost to us after a little while. :)

All ready to go!

This year still wasn't the year for getting up early. We finally couldn't take it anymore and went and woke up our sleepy heads at about 9am. Maybe next year? These girls like their sleep.

Christmas morning excitement

 We started with stockings...

Lily was super excited for "Cheese crackers - they have MILK in them!!" :) Santa couldn't resist picking up  a couple of packages of those. A few weeks before Christmas, Lily was given the go-ahead to try dairy again (after a doctor's appointment where we think we have finally got a diagnosis for her - tests are still pending - more on that later...). It seems as though she has outgrown her dairy allergy (as the majority of kids do, we were told). She has been over the moon ever since that she doesn't have to miss out on treats like ice cream, cheese crackers in nursery on Sunday, etc. Sweet girl. Nothing gives us more satisfaction that being able to give such a submissive, sweet, patient, accepting little lady what she's been denied for so long. While we still don't eat much dairy as a family, Lily has discovered a deep passion for cheese. Long lost friends, she and cheese are. :)

Opening Lily's Santa present

Admiring

 And then, there was Elena's present from Santa. She ran out from her room and surveyed the presents. She'd spent the week or two before Christmas repeatedly telling me, "I'll be grateful for whatever I get." And then sometimes adding in, "But I'd really, really like a bike. I'll be even more grateful if I get a bike." :) She's been wanting a bike for quite some time. Santa scored a great black friday deal on a bike, so things were all set. But when Elena ran out and didn't see a bike under the tree, her face fell a little bit. What Santa had left under the tree was a bike helmet with a note attached to it. Here's Elena reading the note from Santa:

The note:

She RAN to the back porch to check things out

And then there were tears and shouts and lots of jumping up and down at the sight of her much wanted bike. It was a magical Christmas moment. :)

Oh, so happy!

 A few good Christmas "looks":

One of the hits of Lily's Christmas was this dinosaur play set from my parents (she LOVES dinosaurs and lizards and frogs and things like that. Funny little lady.). She got distracted in the middle of opening presents and had to take a play break.

 Elena also got some new books and lots of new (more challenging) puzzles.

A BYU polo shirt for Eric to wear to work on "casual (but still collared shirt)" Fridays!

And the best present of all- a remote control car like Tom's. :)

Elena could hardly wait for present opening to be finished, so she could try out her bike.

Eric and I made a table and chairs for the girls - this was our big project of November and December. Eric built and I painted. And painted. And painted. And sealed. They were finally finished a few days before Christmas. Whew! And now the girls have a place to hold their tea parties.

Eric's parents left for another stop about halfway through the day and we all relaxed and played with our Christmas gifts for the rest of the day. I attempted to make a fancy Christmas dinner, but by the time dinner time rolled around, Eric and I were deep in the cold/virus/whatever yuckiness that has been going around. So none of us felt very much like eating. But oh well. :) We were sad to see our visitors go and sad to see Christmas go this year - as always. But we rang in 2013 with high hopes for a year as a mostly "normal" family. No crazy out of state moves, no graduations, no (fingers crossed and praying! oh please, oh please, oh please!!) huge medical issues. Here's to a boring, routine, average, quiet, wonderful, debt crushing 2013! :)