christmas

When I was little, I remember always be so excited for Christmas, that I hardly slept the night before.
Now, with kids, the excitement is almost more so. I am so excited to see the kids faces as they open their gifts and show each other their treasures.
Christmas is magical like that.



Thank heavens we were on the afternoon church schedule this year and only had Sacrament meeting today.
Lots of time for toys and relaxing.

Tonight we went to our neighbors' for dessert. They even had gifts for the kids.


It was a wonderfully, relaxing day.

christmas eve

This morning we were excited to start our holiday a little early with breakfast at Grandma and Grandpa Nicoll's house. We love our Nicoll family Christmas tradition of Belgian waffles and ice cream. Plus, having the family party on Christmas Eve morning makes for less stuff crammed in on Christmas Day.


This afternoon, my little elf helped me make cookies for Santa.


Tonight we opened our Christmas jammies.
Don't ask me why I only took pictures of KJ.
Probably because he was the most excited.
But who won't be? :)

Our Christmas Day.

For Christmas Eve we went to our neighbors' house, the Burks, and enjoyed pizza and their new xBox 360 with Kinect.
It was a blast!
We had so much fun doing Kinect Adventures and Dance Central.
I'm thinking I need to get the dance game for me.
It was awesome!
We came home and opened a family gift from my mom...


Yes, my mom made us all matching BYU flannel pajama pants.
Best.pajamas.ever!

We herded the little ones to bed around 9:30.
It was a long night.
My brother came up from Orem to stay with us and got here at 10:30.
Parker was up until 11 pm.
We got to bed about 12:15.
2:30 am KJ woke up screaming and I ended up in his bed.
4 am I hear Parker go downstairs to check if Santa had come.
6 am I wake up with a stiff neck and sneak make to my bed.
6:55 am All kids are at my bedside to tell me Santa had been here. I ask why they were in before our set 7 am wake up time and Parker said, "We wanted time to come hug you."

Then Christmas frenzy began.
Lots of fun gifts.


We relaxed for the rest of the day, enjoying our gifts.
Just how Christmas Day should be.
I love sitting and doing nothing, except watching my kids enjoy Christmas.
At 5 pm we went to my in-laws' house for my mother-in-law's fabulous Belgian waffles, topped with ice cream.
mmmmmm.....my favorite!
We took a picture of the Utah Nicolls out front.


My parents called me while we were there to tell me that they were talking with my little brother, Ben, who's on a mission in Peru. The Church gave each of the missionaries 45 minutes on Skype with their families. I wasn't able to see him, but my parents had me on speaker phone so I could sit and listen the whole time.
So cool.
My mom took pictures of Ben on Skype.
Elder Wright:


Elder Wright and his companion:


Afterwards my in-laws gave a sweet lesson about the Savior's life.


A beautiful ending to our Christmas Day.

Norton Extravaganza

Tonight was the Norton family Christmas party.
There were 81 people there.
Um, yeah, it was crazy.
But in all the madness, we were still able to eat dinner,
act out the nativity,
{cutest angel, sheep, and shepherd there :}


listen to "Silent Night" in Japanese,
{Grandpa was in Japan during the war & my cousin Dave served his mission there}


got a surprise visit from Santa,


enjoyed Grandpa's amazing harmonica skills and got to sing along,


and simply enjoying time with the best grandparents ever.


These two people = 128 posterity

Christmas Sunday

Well, I tried.

Holiday Baking...

and tasting :)

Not for the weak...

Christmas shopping is tough work.

Christmas Magic

I finally got Christmas out yesterday.
My 2 year old thought this is what you do with stockings.


Once I got the tree up and decorated, KJ just wanted to lay in the chair next to it.


I can't blame him.
There's something magical about Christmas trees.
Every night I love to turn off all the lights and just enjoy the quiet house and the glow of the tree.


One of my favorite ornaments is this.


A picture can't do it justice.
It is gorgeous.
It was a wedding gift Kempe and I received from a family that I nannied for one summer.
At first I thought it was just a good idea for a wedding gift.
Later, I found out this Swarovski Crystal ornament was more expensive than the average ornament.
The beauty and worth of this ornament was the perfect wedding gift to remember our most important day, when Kempe and I were married for eternity in the Salt Lake temple.
A crystal ornament is a perfect symbol of eternity.

New Nativity.

My parents have a cool tradition of buying a nativity from each country they visit.
I love to see the differences, and many similarities in each of them.
I decided I want to do that too, so earlier this year when Kempe and I went on our anniversary cruise, I brought home this little one.


It may not be the cutest or prettiest nativity I've ever seen, but I love it.
And it's wonderful memories.

A Little Holiday Spirit each day

This month I kept a list of the little bits of holiday spirit I enjoyed each day.
I love the holidays.

31. cleaning up the holiday madness
30. sent out remaining christmas cards
29. snow. snowing all day long.
28. christmas stuff down & back in the garage
27. christmas church clothes
26. christmas clean-up
25. children's christmas morning excitement; christmas breakfast w/ the in-laws; christmas dinner @ grandma's
24. delivering christmas joy to friends & neighbors
23. holiday baking finished
22. receiving the gift of free babysitting
21. norton family christmas PAR-TAY!
20. tons of christmas shows on tv
19. taking our christmas card photo {finally}
18. helping with Riley's class winter party
17. christmas cards from friends
16. Visiting teachers making a fabulous christmas dinner
15. another driver letting me merge in without giving me an ulcer
14. carolling and treats with good neighbors
13. poinsettias
12. christmas shopping done!!
11. christmas shopping with the kiddos
10. finally working on christmas gifts for the parents & in laws
9. cub scout treats & carolling to the widows
8. nothin' like the ward christmas party & santa
7. snow...more snow
6. christmas hershey's kisses from the bishop
5. christmas sweets party
4. christmas sugar cookies baking with emma
3. evening christmas shopping run
2. cub scout ornaments
1. christmas boxes in & tree up

Our Sunday Best.

Technically the Sunday before Christmas is considered Christmas Sunday.
My kiddos usually each get a new Christmas outfit, courtesy of my mom.

On Christmas Sunday {last Sunday}, Riley was sick.
She and I stayed home.
So did my brain.

Needless to say, I forgot and the others wore whatever they wanted {with my approval}.

Now, two days after Christmas, we are having our Christmas photo-op that I'm sure the kids think I do strictly to torture them.

Emma didn't want anything to do with it.


Unless...I humor her.

She says she was sleepy.


And holding hands with Mr. Tree


Of course, monkey see, monkey do.

Christmas was a scream

But it was early


Then we were off to the traditional Nicoll Christmas morning breakfast.
My mother-in-law makes the best homemade Belgian waffles.
My father-in-law indulges us all with ice cream on top.
Oh, it is so delicious.

The kids love being with their cousins.
They are all so close in age and couldn't be better friends.

Parker & Capp (aka: inseparable gamers)
{8 months apart in age}


Riley & Sim (aka: peas in a pod)
{8 days apart}


Emma & Jesse (aka: Bonnie & Clyde)
{3 weeks apart}


And the runt


Real men enjoying their breakfast.


Oh, and my new sweater.


The kiddos played the Nativity this year while my sister-in-law read the story.


Afterwards we went home for 15 minutes,
yes, 15 minutes,
so I could frost cookies.
We loaded up again and headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Again, lots of food and everyone was feeling quite festive.


Finally, we ventured home and saw a cute little family out for a nice Christmas afternoon cruise on the freeway.

I was trying to discretely a take picture,
while Kempe pulls up along side them,
rolls down his window,
and sticks his iPhone right out there.
Up close and personal.


We savored the rest of the quiet evening at home with the kids enjoying their new gifts.
KJ loved snuggling in his new Cars blankie from Grandma Wright.