~Tree Decorating

I love this time of year.  Jolene and I set the tree up the other day and put the lights on so it would be ready to put the decorations on it tonight.  We ended up putting 1500 lights on the tree!  I love our tree.  Ward and I got this tree our first Christmas together.  I still love it as much today as I did that first time we put it up.  The magic of Christmas is the greatest feeling.  I love the excitement of watching the girls go through the ornaments, deciding where to put each one on the tree, the lights, the celebration, the joy and the love the magic brings to our home. 

~Christmas Morning Part 1~

Christmas on a Sunday made the Spirit of Christmas that much stronger. The girls couldn't wait to go downstairs and see what Santa brought them. With church being later in the morning we were able to come downstairs enjoy the Santa gifts and look through the stockings. They were so excited. Jolene has been asking for months for a guinea pig. She has done research on the computer, read books, watched YouTube videos and of course wrote it in her letter to Santa. She came downstairs and hugged herself with excited when she saw the box of a guinea pig cage. Santa brought the cage and we will get her and Raychel a guinea pig for her birthday. After we went through the stockings we enjoyed some warm cinnamon rolls and hot cocoa before we headed to church. Church was wonderful, the Spirit was so strong, it was the perfect way to start Christmas. I wish Christmas could always be on a Sunday.

After church we had a fun little photo session.

I love Jolene's face in the first one.

~Christmas Part 2~

Let the gift giving begin! The best part of Christmas is the excitement of buying gifts and watching the other person open it, or in Jolene's case she has to help them open it. I love watching their faces and how excited they were with each gift. I love surprising them! The day was perfect, from the first sight as they came downstairs, church, open gifts, watching movies, eating, playing games, eating, laughing, and hanging out together.

Raychel's gift to Ward

My gift from Jolene and Ward

I think her American Girl Doll is a success!

Her face was priceless when she say her

retired American Girl Doll!

She begged for hunting socks to go with her

boots so her feet would be warmer when she

goes hunting with Ward.

The camouflage sweatshirt she wanted!

My wireless printer!!! Love it!

Jolene's gift to Ward

Jolene couldn't wait to put her guinea pig cage together.

~Last Minute~

Time to get busy and work on the Santa list. Jolene got the laptop, all her catalogs, and started her list to Santa. It was very well done with descriptions and page numbers. After she finished her list and let us read it she had a few items on it for her and then lots of things to go with a Guinna pig including a Guinna pig and the colors she wanted it to be. She looked at us to innocently as if it had already been agreed upon she could get one. I guess we will have to see what Santa shows up with.

~Unexpected gift~

I know my husband loves me, but this Christmas I learned just how much. He went way over board this year on me, yes, he spoiled me! Weeks before Christmas he asked me what I would like. I gave him my little list; new dishes, a tripod for my camera, an ipod so I could go running to my music and not have to borrow one from the girls. And then last and the most expensive was a laptop computer. I love to work on my pictures, I love to blog, I love keeping my journal on the computer. All of these things have fallen behind because the computer is upstairs in the spare bedroom. I don't like being up there when the family is home because I love to be with them, if I go up there during the day my mommy chores fall behind. So there it is, my list for him to pick from. I honestly didn't know what he would do. Christmas morning we always get hair combed and teeth brushed, Ward and I go downstairs first so we can see the girls as they enter the room. I LOVE that moment!! This year Ward made me stay upstairs with the girls. When we came downstairs I saw the greatest tripod in my life!! It is so light weight, it is easy to use and it is mine!! I was more then happy with my gift. I really felt he had listened to me and understood my love for photography and was supporting my hobby. I set it up and took lots of pictures of the girls while they opened their gifts. It was fun to use and play around with it and my camera. Well, when we were finished with all the opening there was paper and boxes everywhere. I started gathering up all the garbage. Raychel took my camera and started to take pictures of me. I laughed and said really you are taking my picture while I am cleaning up the garbage? She just laughed. Then Ward came into the room and set a box in front of me. I was really confused. What was this??? He was so excited, saying open it!!! The girls were all giggling. I started to open the box and then realized it was a LAPTOP for ME! I was more then shocked!! I looked at him and the smile and the way he was looking at me I started to cry. I am so loved, I am so well taken care of, I have a very supportive loving man who got me exactly what I wanted and needed. I couldn't believe it! Raychel did a great job capturing all of my faces as I realized what I was receiving. I was completely speechless!!!

Thanks for making me feel special~

All. The. Time.

~Merry Christmas 2010~

I love Christmas!!!

It is such a magical time of year!

There is so much excitement in the home,

the anticipation on Christmas Eve is almost unbearable!

I couldn't wait for the girls to see the gifts we

got them, and to see what Santa gets them.

I love sitting back with Ward watching the girls

take turns and get excited about

not only their own gifts but excited with what the other

got as well. The love, gratitude, and excitement is

wonderful. I am so very blessed with my life. I have

everything I could ever ask for, I have more then I could

ask for. I am a very blessed person, I am very loved.