CHRISTMAS DAY!!!

This year as the Christmas season approached I wondered how I was going to teach my boys the real meaning of Christmas, how I was going to teach them gratitude, and how I was going to avoid the materialistic, entitled behaviors that so often come with the season of gift giving.  I really feel like my boys have too much, they are spoiled, and there is simply nothing that they "need".  But how do you celebrate Christmas with little children and no presents?  That would be too extreme.  So while we didn't fail in our efforts at having a more Christ centered Christmas, we didn't totally succeed either, I guess it is just another learning experience.  There were however a few things that seemed to help.  We loved watching the new bible videos that the church is putting out about the Savior, they are beautiful, and short, and my boys enjoy them.  We also began a new tradition that a friend suggested to us; only three presents Christmas morning, after all, that is all our Savior received.  So this year Jared and I gave each of the boys a present, Santa gave each of the boys a present (in addition to the stocking/chair presents) and the boys gave each other a present.

Santa as usual filled the stockings with wonderful treasure - some of their favorite presents were in the stocking, which leaves us wondering - why we bother with the larger, more expensive, "better" gifts?  Included with their stocking they each got a sled and a snow shovel, then they opened the one present from Santa, a monster truck - which they loved!

Jared and I gave Grant a LeapPad - super fun , the boys both love it!  and we gave Brandon a giant box of Legos, over 1000 pieces - he loves them, though not as much as I was hoping, in time perhaps?

 Brandon and Grant gave each other games for the Wii, which we are hoping to start using more often.

 I was so worried that the boys would be disappointed by only opening a few gifts, and so worried that they would be disappointed when it wasn't what they asked for, but the truth was they were thrilled, they loved what they got and really could have done with even less.  Their favorite toys were the ones under $10.  Hopefully we will learn our lesson quick!  Our three girt rule however did not apply to aunts, uncles, or grandparents. :)  They were spoiled. :)

 Grandma Julie made the three boys book bags and filled it with DI books, she really does have a talent for finding great books in outstanding shape!

 After fun presents at Grandma Julie and Grandpa Ron's house we went to Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's house for lunch.

Following lunch we all met together to give updates of our families, Brandon was thrilled when his turn came around B - "tell about me mom", he was a hit. :)

 It was such a unique experience to have all of Grandma and Grandpa's posterity there for Christmas, minus Hagen who has passed on and Auburn who spent Christmas with her mom.  What was also amazing was fitting all of us into their living room for a family picture.  Natalie did an amazing job organizing us.  Our family seems to come in fours - four children, four married granddaughter within a few years of each other, four grandsons also within a few years of each other, four granddaughters within months of each other, and the four married granddaughters all had children within months of each other as well and we still have many other wonderful family members who do not come in fours. :)  I hope that someday I will have a posterity similar to my grandparents, we are not without our faults, imperfections and challenges, but we all love each other and enjoy being together and best of all, we are all living close together, that is so unique and special!

 After a fun filled day we went home to play with our toys, the marble works from Grandma Julie (another DI treasure) were a hit.

 Grant's gifts: from Santa - sled, snow shovel, monster truck, treats
from Mom and Dad - LeapPad and protective cover as well as Christmas Eve books
from Brandon - a Wii game (Disney's Just Dance) and a computer game
from Grandma Julie and Grandpa Ron - marble works, lots of books, book bag, new shirt, (which he is wearing) Large box of dinosaurs, Winnie the Pooh V-Tek phone, and a tool set
from Grandma Dee Ann and Grandpa Wyn - a name train, train slide whistle, and Thomas the Train books as well as $50.00 in his bank account
from Natalie, Kevin and Chandler - a light saber
from Jodi, Megan and Ann Dee - a shape/color puzzle and number puzzle
from Grandma and Grandpa Johnson - a 24 piece puzzle and money in his bank

Brandon's gifts: from Santa - a sled, snow shovel, monster truck (stocking favorite - note pad with pens and blubbery crocodile)
from Mom and Dad - 100 piece lego box
from Grant - Wii games Madagascar and Mario Galaxy
from Grandma Julie and Grandpa Ron - new shirt (which he is wearing) lots of books, new book bag, lots and lots of dinosaurs
from Grandma Dee Ann and Grandpa Wyn - 3 favorite whale books (which we can quote easily) and $50.00 in his bank account
from Natalie, Kevin and Chandler - a light saber
from Jodi, Megan and Ann Dee - a WaterDoodle pad
from Grandma and Grandpa Johnson a 24 piece puzzle and money in the bank.

My boys are so abundantly blessed - we are very grateful!!!!!

All together is was a wonderful holiday, great memories made and great lessons learned!  Only 11 more months till next Christmas :)