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This morning was the Sevy family Christmas party. We had a dutch oven brunch, read memories, played games, had a grandkids talent show and opened presents.
(To Mom and Dad: Grandma and Grandpa LOVED their Hong Kong nativity set!)
Tonight we had a wild Smith family New Year's Eve party - complete with playdoh, mountains of food, fireworks, a long game of Risk and skypeing with Grammy and Grandpa.
What a great way to ring in the new year.
Today we got to play with our Smith cousins. We also got to open our Christmas presents from Grammy and Grandpa. It's fun to get gifts from halfway across the world!
Today we kept up another Heiner tradition. Instead of exchanging sibling and cousin gifts,
we used the money to do a service project. This year we tied fleece blankets for an organization that takes children out of abusive homes.
There was a tender spirit as we all worked together to help others.
Even though my parents are in Hong Kong this holiday season, we still wanted to have a family party. So all of my siblings congregated in Utah to party.
First we all went to Jump On it. The kids loved it. And the parents loved laughing at the kids.
If they all look blurry and you can't really tell which ones are mine, you know how I felt.
Tonight we had our Heiner family party. We skyped with Grandma and Grandpa and it almost felt like they were there. When Grandpa said the prayer on the food, there were a lot of wet eyes.
We kept all of the important traditions; we ate smothered enchiladas and fruit soup, we each wrote and read a family memory, we opened presents from Grandma and Grandpa,
and we laughed and cried a lot.
The day after Christmas is my favorite.
All the work is done, and we can just relax and enjoy eachother and our spoils.
The kids spent three hours Skypeing with their cousins and comparing presents.
I LOVE that they love their cousins.
We started Christmas this year by speaking in church. Yup. Merry Christmas to us.
It was actually a very precious experience.
But we were excited to get home, get back in our new jammies, and open our presents!
Santa brought our family a Disney cruise!!! Santa is awesome.
Mitchell loved opening presents. You know, when you're the fifth child, you really don't need any new toys. So we pulled some of our favorite toys out of storage, washed them off and wrapped them up for Mitch. He loved them!
Macey's favorite gift was her Webkinz dog.
Sawyer's was his viking hat and dragons. I'm SO glad that he didn't open that hat before church.
He refuses to take it off.
Shaylin's favorite gift was her nail kit.
Skyler's was his new Sonic game.
We had a lovely Christmas. It was full of food, gifts, love, family and the spirit. It was perfect.
I hope yours was wonderful too.
Merry Christmas Eve!
Today Jason took the kids skiing, and I finished up all my Chrismas projects... just in time.
Tonight we had our annual Smith Family Talent Show. Mitchell showed us all of his animal noises. (Monkey and bug were the cutest.) Macey taught us how to make paper masks.
Sawyer danced for us. This is his head spin. That little guy is effortlessly cool.
Shaylin and Jason sang We Three Kings.
Skyler showed us some of his snowboarding videos. I face painted Macey.
Then we had our cheese fondue dinner. Macey just ate cheese.
Next, we had our chocolate fountain. We ate until we felt like this.
Then we snuggled and watched The Grinch.
Last we set out treats for Santa and hay for the reindeer, and we crashed in bed.
He will NOT say "Merry Christmas". He refuses.
When we say, "Merry Christmas, Mitchell!" he says, "Happy Birthday!"
every time.
I taught 200 elementary school students how to make these tiny pinatas at our annual Christmas Around the World. (Our country was Mexico.) I'm getting better at Christmas Around the World.
I've learned to use as little glue, glitter and paint at possible.
Then Sawyer's class had a fun party and gift exchange.
It looks like everyone was pretty darn pleased with their gift.
Shaylin and Skyler's 21st Century program has fun parties. Their program takes up the whole top floor of the middle school. So on party days, every classroom on their floor has a different movie or game going on and different treats to eat. The kids wander around where ever they want and play all afternoon.
Macey got to see Santa again.
She made it very clear what she's expecting from him on Christmas morning.
