Christmas!!

It feels like our family has so many Christmas traditions its sometimes hard to keep up with them!! Christmas Eve is always a busy one for our family. A good busy, but busy! We ended up finishing all our Christmas baking on this day and delivered all our goodies early in the evening. Eyn had to work that day (another post soon) and he missed out on most of this. We made plates for our neighbors and several of our friends in the ward. They were sure yummy!! It was fun to visit and spread some Christmas cheer! We then came home and had to quickly do our Christmas eve rituals. Since Elizabeth was a baby we have opened one present each year on this day and it has always been new pajamas. I remember a year that Trent (I think it was Trent) was so excited to open his present on Christmas Eve and then when he opened it and found pajamas he just started crying! He was really disappointed! Who wanted to open clothes! No tears anymore! (Luckily!) Then everyone settled down to listen to the Christmas story countdown we have been doing and to have Daddy read the Night Before Christmas. The traditional "M&M" cookies were put out for Santa, reindeer food thrown outside for them to eat, and then off to bed. All 4 children actually slept in Amberly and Elizabeth's bedroom. I didn't think they were ever going to calm down! I stood outside of the room with the door closed and just listened to them laughing and giggling. It was priceless! We actually didn't start opening presents this year until nearly 8:00. I was really glad! I was exhausted!! I think everyone was happy with what they got. The big presents this year included a new bike for Amberly, a DSi for Trent, Rockets Tickets (two games - Great seats!)for Eyn, and a new camera for Elizabeth. It was a beautiful Christmas morning!! Grandpa Bruce and Grandma Sharon came over around lunchtime and spent the afternoon with us. We had a fun time playing games and eating yummy food. (Ham, Sweet Potatoes, Cheesy Potato Casserole, Etc, Etc, Etc. Lots of it!!) Amberly riding her new bike. She was excited to get a bigger bike. She loves riding it!

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that the wonderful Spirit of love felt each Christmas season will be felt in your homes all year long!!

Katy 3rd Ward Giving Tree

One of the highlights this Christmas season for me was being in charge of the giving tree for our ward at church. Each year our ward provides gifts for people who live in the Seally Branch and any within our ward who are struggling this Christmas time. I was asked to be in charge of it this year and found it to be a marvelous experience for me and my family. We were given a list of 117 gifts. We made ornaments which had a gift listed on each ornament. These were placed on a tree and the members then were able to choose which ones they would like to buy the present for. The bishop and Relief Society president were really worried that 117 presents was asking a lot of our members. But I actually never worried about that. It was amazing to me to see the stars pulled quickly off the tree and people saying that if there was extra to let them know and they could do more. It was incredible!! And then the gifts started arriving! I was really humbled by the entire experience. Some of these families just asked for warm clothes for their families. Someone asked for new underwear and socks. I was humbled by the requests and humbled by the generosity of others. It was a great way for me to truly feel of the Christmas spirit. I have told them I would be more than willing to do it next year and hope that happens!

This is the back of the suburban once it was loaded with all the gifts. It was packed full!! It was such a beautiful sight!

Trent's Christmas Orchestra Concert

It really amazes me how fast children can learn!! Just a few months ago we went to Trent's 1st concert in orchestra and it amazes me the difference in just a few months!! Wow!! They did really good!! I was so proud of him!! He loves playing the cello and is doing an amazing job at it!! He actually gets bored with his school music and is always transposing other music we have here at home to play. It amazes me at how talented he is!! Way to go Trent!!

If you look closely you can see Trent on the second row in the middle. What a cute kid!!

I'm looking forward to the next concert to see how much they have learned!

What Happened to December??? It just flew by!!

I put all my pictures in backwards... so we'll do a Pre-Christmas review backwards. Oh well. It will have to do..

This year was Trent's turn to put the Angel Moroni on the finished tree. We waited until Elizabeth got home from School to do it so it actually ended up being put up on Christmas eve. He was quite excited to have his turn. New Star of the year.. Each year for the past several years I have went out and bought a new star for our tree. As part of our Christmas tradition before Christmas we go in seach of the star. I hide the star somewhere in the house and everyone has to search to find it. I have usually gotten silver shiny stars or even more decorative, but this years star stuck out to me when I saw it in the store. I liked that it was simple and more homemade looking. I guess when I think of the birth of Christ and that a king was born in a lowly stable...I don't know, I guess the star just seemed to fit this year. :)
Elizabeth came home from BYU-Idaho on the 19th of December. We had already decorated the tree but we saved her special ornaments for her to put up.

The greatest gift we got this year was Elizabeth coming home from School. Quick story... her plane came home late in the evening so Darin and I went and picked her up alone. We left everyone else home. We took her out to get a bite to eat before home and arrived back here around midnight. Everyone had waited up for her but Amberly and fallen asleep on the couch. Elizabeth went over to her and tried to wake her up. Amberly gave her a hug and let her hold her but we could all tell she was not awake. She laid back on the couch by Darin as Elizabeth hugged on Trent and Eyn. Darin sat and rubbed Amberly trying to wake her up. She finally opened her eyes and looked at her Daddy and realized we were home and that meant one thing... Elizabeth was home!! She jumped off the couch and attacked Elizabeth. It was priceless!! She was so overjoyed to see her big sister. It was one of those moments that I'll always treasure!

Like I said earlier... decorating the tree. Nearly done with it!

Putting the tree together.
We had a great time decorating the tree and getting ready for the Christmas season!

Christmas 2008

Christmas morning is always fun at our home! Amberly and Trent tried to start the morning before 6:00 but we held them off until nearly 7. Once we said okay Amberly was instantly in Eyn's room jumping on his bed to get him up and Trent was doing the same to Elizabeth. Just a little excited!

This picture is of Elizabeth, Trent and Eyn anxiously awaiting the opening of our "Big" Family present that Santa brought us this year. For some reason he decided that our family needed the Wii system. Everyone was quite thrilled about it and have had so much fun playing it! We also got the Wii Fit. (more pictures to come!)

Eyn opening his new weight set. Trent opening a present.Amberly excited to get her new Easy Bake Oven. Elizabeth holding up a sign Trent gave her for her bedroom door. Amberly excited over her gift from Elizabeth. She made her a cute little apron. It's adorable! Anxiously waiting by the Christmas tree. We had such a wonderful day! Grandpa Bruce and Grandma Sharon came over around noon and spent the rest of the afternoon with us. It was a fun day that ended too soon.

Family Christmas Photos

This past weekend we "finally" went out and took our family Christmas pictures. We had so much fun being together in search of the perfect picture! I was finally able to have everyone match for Christmas! No complaining either! Miracles do happen! Hope you enjoy the pictures! Elizabeth and Amberly
Elizabeth and Eyn (Elizabeth was attempting to be taller than Eyn. I think she sometimes gets mistaken for being younger than him because she is so much shorter than him. Sorry Elizabeth! You'll appreciate that someday!)

Eyn and Amberly

McShane family

McShane Children