Christmas 2013

We are nearing the end of another year. Our second year in our new house in Sierra Vista. We still love it here, though there are things we miss around Christmas. I don't like that we don't get to go see the Mesa Temple lights. I didn't realize how much a part of my tradition that was. I miss seeing my family more. I miss Christmas shopping with my good friend, P. I miss Indian food (and although we continued that tradition this year by making Chicken Tikka Masala for Christmas Eve dinner, it wasn't the same.)
Having Christmas in the middle of the week, after a shorter than normal season (having Thanksgiving late in Nov.) made the month fly by. I mean we didn't even had a tree up until Dec 10th-ish! Unheard of in  my Christmas-loving world.
Natalie was in love with the idea of Christmas this year. We went to see Santa so many times. It doesn't help that we are at the mall every week for a breastfeeding support group we attend. And Santa's workshop was right in front of that. Natalie loved seeing him, unlike last year when she was terrified of him. Yesterday after the presents were opened, she asked if we could so see Santa, again. Funny girl, I think she'll be sad that he's no longer waiting in his big golden chair.

This was Abby's first Christmas and she'll not remember it but it was a good one. She enjoyed just sitting with her sisters while they opened gifts.

  Gwen asked for 2 things, a plush owl and a "spa kit". Santa brought her both of those things, as well as a book about an owl and some BearPaw shoes to keep her feet warm.

Natalie asked for 1 thing, a shopping cart. She got that and happily has been pushing it around the house since we put it together. She also received a book and some pajamas which she needed since she outgrew all of hers recently. And we can't forget her stuffed Curious George (pictured above in the shopping cart!)

Rhayn asked for Dr. Who things. She didn't care what as long as it had TARDIS print and Weeping Angels. She was not disappointed at all. A blanket with an exploding TARDIS on it, a TARDIS hat, a Weeping Angel shirt and socks. And for a book- the Doctionary.


Will and I bought the girls a trampoline and Rhayn helped him put it together while I helped him anchor that sucker down. Hopefully the wind doesn't destroy it this year. If so, then we're done with trampolines. Will bought me clothes, nice warm clothes and we got, for him, a grill because his was not consistently grilling any longer.

We almost always buy each other something similar- this year, purple sweaters.