So This Is Christmas-2008

Christmas Morning at my in-laws in Tooele

I had such great intentions of starting a Christmas Journal. I saw the idea on a show and loved it. You scrapbook (first problem) the outside of a plain journal with cute Christmas paper and add tabs inside for each year. For many years you have a journal filled with memories from each Christmas--what activities you did, fun traditions, funny anecdotes, gifts given and received, stresses, etc. As mentioned above and while very minimal, I was lost at the scrap booking. I haven't even taken the time to jot down the musings of the 2008 Christmas season, so I thought I would at least take a moment to blog about our holidays.

PARTIES & OUTINGS

• The Nutcracker @ Capital Theater
• Xango Semi-Formal Christmas Party @ the Grand America (again we won nothing, but the employee gift ensemble was delightful)
• Neighborhood Kids Christmas party for Max at the Stewart's home
• Johnsen Family Christmas Party in TooeleThe nativity great-grandchildren...and Max... interrupting Silent NightGrandma Johnsen--annual Johnsen family Christmas party in TooeleGreat-grand kids do the white elephant gift exchange--Max is threatening to steal Camilla's gift
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at my in-laws in Tooele

Max loves his "PaPa"

TRADITIONS (New & Old)

• Johnsen family party is no longer on Christmas Eve; it's the Saturday before Christmas and the adults no longer have to do the white elephant.
• Loveless Family Christmas Eve at Ryan's parents home includes Christmas Eve dinner, Luke 2 video and a Christmas sing-along.
• This year Mark brought in a new tradition--watching "The Gift"--you know, the one where the little boy gets up early to milk the cows for his dad. I don't think the grand kids cared, but all the adults seemed to be a little touched. As parents, we would all appreciate such a gift from our kids.
• Loveless Family Gift Exchange on Christmas afternoon
• Our weekly FHE consisted of showing Max the nativity and trying to get him to realize the baby was Jesus. He seemed confused, but did grasp the concept of mommy, daddy, baby, and of course, cows, horse, sheep, and star. We were pleased with that much. He learned the "Asleep" version of "Away in a Manger" and liked to pretend he was sleeping.
• This year Ryan and I started a tradition of writing down a gift we want to each give to the Savior for the month and also one for the upcoming year. We have a dedicated ceramic gift box that we put our written down gifts in and we will pull them out next year and evaluate and decide on another gift.

CHRISTMAS MUSINGS:

• Ryan gets so excited every other year when we overnight it in Tooele. He never forgets to remind me that Santa delivers gifts not to his mother's very elegant upstairs tree, but only to his father's very brightly lighted and ornamented downstairs tree...complete with water bubble lights and Santa head ornaments.Papa's tree--where Santa leaves the gifts
• Our first year to have two trees, one upstairs and one downstairs. As I added to the elegant tree this year, Ryan continually reminded me that Santa would not be leaving presents at that tree. He insists that next year we have colored lights on the the dedicated "family ornament tree" downstairs. He wants to be in charge of it from now on.
• Outside lights--my, oh my. We realized Ryan's intense aversion to heights. After much time and serious contemplation, Ryan returned safely to ground and hired a friend to hang the lights.
• Max thought Santa was Jesus for about two weeks.
• Max's first visit to see Santa. He realized he wasn't Jesus and he also realized that he wants nothing to do with him up close. We now have the very classic screaming on Santa's lap picture. He did tell everyone that Santa says "HO,HO, HO"

Max on his new rocker pony

GIFTING AND RECEIVING:
This year we were determined to get the shopping done early so that we could enjoy the holidays. We were successful and I even had it all wrapped about a week and a half prior to Christmas. We also wanted to stick better to a budget. We weren't as successful as we wanted to be there; surprisingly it was Ryan who over did it.

MAX

• Gave: joy, laughs, new vocabulary, dancing, tantrums, kisses and hugs and the magic of Christmas as only a child can give
• Received: Wiggles guitar, books, rocker horse, vacuum cleaner, light saber, blocks, drum, pop gun, outfit, Wiggles DVD and slippers, animal block puzzle

Max's favorite thing to do--help unwrap every one's gifts... ...and take the trash to PaPa who would "gobble it up in the big bag" Max with his pop-gun
RYAN

• Gave: lots of time and effort to the new ward, especially in organizing, delivering, and giving to the Sub for Santa, time studying for the CPA, running a "run for it's money" 954 miles for the year, special Daddy time to Max and always, precious moments with me
• Received: new electric razor, remote control airplane, shoes, shirts, tie, sweaters, sweaters, sweatersRyan gets what...another sweater?
  CALLI
  
• Gave: cooking, cleaning, cooking, cleaning, diaper changing, home organization; exchanged her running shoes for morning sickness, weight gain, prenatal vitamins, and sleepless nights; motherhood and nurturing, cute neighborhood gifts
• Received: black boots, brown suede boots, scarves, jewelry, maternity coat, gift certificate, a new little boy on the way
  
  
  Likely Max's favorite gift--the vacuumMax helping Uncle Jeff unwrap a gift