Up until last year, Christmas Eve has always been with the Nichol family, but last year it was changed to the Eve of Christmas Eve and this year we moved it again to Christmas Evening. Trying to find a good time for everyone and their in-laws schedules can be kind of tricky, but I think we've got it figured out. It just makes for a busy Christmas Day, but also a fun one.Christmas Eve began with our tradition of seeing a matinee together as a family. This year we saw Alvin and the Chipmunks...the Squeakuel. We all loved it!
We came home, the kids acted out the nativity while Garrett read to us the Savior's birth from the book of Luke and then opened their pj's. Lately the kids have been staying up way too late and I think it finally caught up to them on Christmas Eve because they were all in bed asleep by 9:00! And early to rise the next morning at 7:30 to see what Santa had left.
The highlights were an electric scooter, cupcake making set and jewelry for Ashlyn, a spark scooter, madden 10 game and Legos for Colt, a bike, jewelery, hat bands and clothes for Kenna and a Hot Wheels racetrack and more tools for Wyatt, plus new sleds for each of the kids. Garrett received his beloved Broncos shirt from the kids, a huge belt buckle with an eagle on it and a pistol rack.
And again, he totally surprised me this year. I've been wanting a nice SLR camera for a long time, probably over a year but could never justify spending the money. Quietly Garrett's been saving up extra money, selling things on KSL and even gave up his smoker/cooker just to buy my camera - what a guy, he's always putting my wants before his. Maybe just once I'll be able to surprise him with something as nice! It was a huge surprise because the camera he purchased was a better one than I was ever looking at...a Nikon D5000. I love it and cannot wait to take it everywhere with me.
Before opening gifts, grandpa Sill asked the grandkids to think about why we give gifts at Christmas time. Then he taught the children how the Christmas tree lights symbolize the light of Christ and how we should all seek for the light of Christ in our own lives. He asked us all to sing "Teach me to Walk," it was a great moment. Then he testified of Christ. He has such a tender and spiritual heart. I know he loves the Savior. I know he and Vorelle live the gospel daily and strive to keep the commandments. They are great examples to me. Wyatt loved his new tool belt and tools, Colter loved his Bionicles and the girls loved their new books and jewelery stands.
After Christmas at the Sills, we made our way to Midway and Wyatt did not let go of his tool truck the entire ride, even in his sleep he still held on tightly - look at those dirty those little fingers.A new tradition began this year for the Nichol family. Rather than buying gifts for my parents, my mom and dad decided they want us to take the time to write about a memory for a Family Memory Book. The idea is that every year they will assign a new topic and we will write our thoughts or testimony or memory...I loved the idea! This year they wanted us to write about one of our favorite Christmas memories. It was great as everyone took a turn reading their Christmas memory. Whitney's memory was of the year my parents made us go caroling as a family. Dave and I could not even remember that. We all laughed and joked that we probably blocked it from our memories because it was so bad...too funny! We enjoyed a delicious Cornish game hen dinner, the kids colored in their Christmas coloring books and we dipped chocolates.
Here is a fourth generation picture. My sweet grandma Berk, my mom, me and Whitney and my beautiful girls who are almost as tall as I am!
