Christmas 2014

This Christmas was so much fun. But it went by way too fast. This year all my siblings spent Christmas at my parents. Well... technically Steves family slept at their home but you get the idea. My parents had one full house. It was crazy with kids running around and screaming. But it was so much fun. This was mine and Nicks last Christmas in Utah before we move. We might not be able to come back for Christmas when he is in school so we wanted this Christmas to be perfect... and well.... it was.

We got to Ephraim late on the 23rd. We just hung out, watched T.V. did last minute shopping and stayed up late talking with family. Then on Christmas Eve the real party began. First we had our traditional brunch with rice pudding and the almond. This year my mom gave out 6 almonds to try something new. Kiersten got one along with most of the Coxes. After brunch the boys had a fooseball tournament. After me, Nick, Steve D., and Matt got into an intense game of Risk. That game lasted for hours!! The whole family was watching and yelling and cheering during our battles. Once it got down to me and Nick I gave up. We had a dinner party to go to and I still needed to make my dish and I was going to lose anyway.  Then off we went to dinner. It was fun as always. We played Don't Eat Pete. And Jenny the Elf put together a White Elephant game. I ended up with a sock monkey. After dinner we had our Christmas Program. It was totally random. Steve C. found some old Christmas piano books so Kiersten and Nick made me play The Little Drummer Boy. I haven't played the piano in YEARS. I was a little rusty. Steve C. and Kiersten also played the piano. The Cox boys along with Braxton said a poem. The Durrance girls whispered a Christmas song. Then the highlight was Levis song on his guitar. He sang the Hanukkah song. It was pretty awesome. Once the program was finished  the kids went downstairs to bed while the grown ups cleaned and got ready for Santa to come. Once all the cleaning was done we squished into a bedroom and watched a movie. I didn't make it threw the movie.

Wills White Elephant Gift

The Championship

Bright and early the next morning like I am pretty sure it was before 7 am Levi came and put his flash light in my eyes and says, "Kellie its Christmas wake up!" I look at my phone and I already had a text from Steve C. asking me if we were awake. ha. My family loves Christmas! So we eventually all made it up stairs to see what Santa brought. Then we opened gifts. I got shoes, jamberry nails, a coat, watch, scarf, Disney Movie Club and my favorite Shampoo. Nick got a shirt, popcorn maker, cologne, and a cool shadow box filled with tickets to sporting events he has been to. Then we did the grab bag. And low and behold the very last gift in the grab bag was a special gift for Nick.... something he begged for. He got a gun! All the boys were excited.  After presents we all got ready for the day and played with our new toys and gadgets. Nick, me, and Steve C. went shooting with Nicks new gun. We played board games and just relaxed.

Their new PJs and award for most awkward family photo...

Macie loves to tell me, "no"

I beat Nick in Scattergories for the first time ever!

The next day me, Levi, Nick and my parents went to visit my grandparents and went to the Heslop Christmas party. Nick, Levi and I stopped along the way and did a little shopping. By the time we got to the Heslop party we were already full from all the food my Grandma Cragun fed us. But it is always fun to see my cousins. I don't get to see them often.

Then on December 27th. Nick and I didn't hear our alarm go off. I randomly woke up at 8:31 am. When we were supposed to be in Saratoga Springs at 9 for Jaymes baptism. Don't ask me how we did this but somehow we got there right in time. She looked so cute. She had the biggest smile on her face. We couldn't stay long. We rushed home and got ready for family pictures with Nicks family. Ridge was so funny while getting our pictures taken. He was so bored after one picture.  Sometimes he would smile sometimes he would just open his mouth wide like he was going to scream. Other times he would just walk off. After freezing in the cold with family pictures we went back to Nicks moms for dinner. We ate so much food!! Then we opened presents, played games, watched a movie and hung out.

Hanging out in the car.

See what I mean? It was perfect. There is no better way to spend Christmas than with your family.