Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve day we always get up and get the house all spic and span and then the kids are able to open the presents that they got for each other. 

This year instead of drawing names they decided that boys should give to boys and girls to girls.  Sophie gave Hattie a leap frog cell phone, Hattie gave Sophie Scrabble Trig gave Sam a bay-blade (no idea on the spelling) and Sam gave Trig a transformer.

 At 3:00 we went to my parents house and had delicious appetizers.  My Aunt Lesa and Uncle David were there with their kids Kaitlyn and Parker and my Aunt Carol from Michigan was also there.  Every year we go to the Cemetery in Spanish Fork and Salem.  We decided to go to Spanish Fork while it was still light. I didn't get any pictures but I can't believe how warm it was.  I just had on a sweater and the kids were complaining that I made them wear their coats.  We didn't stay for too long but it is always nice to go there and remember those that have passed on.  My mom's parents and grandparents are burried there as well as my cousin. 

When we came back from the cemetery we had dinner and then the kids opened their Christmas Eve gift from Grandpa and Grandma... aka P.J's.  They loved them.  Sam and Trig's had the Elf on the Shelf on them.  Sam's were skin tight and Keith couldn't stop laughing but I thought that they looked so cute!!

This year about a week before Christmas, my Dad gave us each 2 envelopes.  One of them had our name on it and the other one was blank.  He told us, how many years ago when my mom and dad were really struggling financially my Aunt Lesa came up to my mom and gave her a hug and put a $100 bill in her pocket.  It had a big impact on my parents so they wanted to pay it forward.  Inside each envelope that my Dad gave us was a $100 bill ($50 for Sophie and Sam and $25 for Trig).  He told us that he wanted us to keep the one with our name on it and then find someone to give the other one to.  It was so fun trying to figure out who we should give our money to.  Everywhere we went we were on the look out to see if we could find someone that really needed it.  We decided on giving it to two people in our ward.  Sophie and Sam both have friends thats Dad has been out of work so they gave it to them and with Trig's money he bought his 2 best friends each a gift and took it to them.  He told us that he wanted to go up to the door all by himself and that he was going to tell them Merry Christmas.  We listened from the car and sure enough when they opened the door he said "Merry Christmas" and then took off towards the van. 

This Christmas has been a very memorable one.  I think mostly because we were able to think of others so much...with the help of my Dad.  But we were also able to donate things that we have been collecting throughout the year to Primary Children's.  And a tradition that we have kept going every year since Keith and I were married is doing the Twelve Days of Christmas to someone that needs a little cheering up.