Christmas, Visitors and the Last Birthday of the Year

I was so happy to get back home after the wedding.  There was much to do to finish Christmas preparations.  Cookies to finish, presents to wrap and just fun things to do.   We enjoyed our typical Christmas festivities with just our little family which hadn't happened for a few years.

We enjoyed our holiday dinner, then the kids received their traditional holiday gift.  This year we mixed it up a bit with the gift coming prior to talking about the Birth of our Savior.  I feel like it helped preserve the sacred nature of Christmas just a bit longer than in year past.  They still went to bed anxiously awaiting the gifts Santa would bring.

Christmas PJ's

The older kids enjoying their gifts.

 Hyrum's brother, Nate and their family joined us Christmas afternoon.  We opened more gifts with them and enjoyed our appetizer smorgasbord.  The kids really enjoyed spending a few days together and we had a good time playing games with other adults.

After family home evening on Monday night we had a great time laughing while Nate and Hyrum battled it out at Twister.  It was a great visit and we're glad the cousins could come.

Margaret and I took the kids to the Science Center

Hyrum's Birthday falls a few days after Christmas and can be kind of a letdown.  I had vowed to try my hardest to make it a fun and exciting birthday for him.  We succeeded.  He spent the day working from home but we tried to remind him frequently it was his birthday.  I made him raspberry, lime, chocolate cupcakes (they were horrible) but the best part was as we were settling down to fold laundry the doorbell rang.  Surprise!!  I had invited friends over for treats and games.  He had his very first surprise party ever.  It was great.  He was so shocked.

Hyrum's cupcakes and a blue ribbon that says, "Best Dad Ever."  The ribbon was from Jonathan.

That was how we said goodbye to 2015.  Hyrum's mom called us late on New Year's Eve long after we had gone to sleep.  It was a great year and we are really looking forward to our 2016 adventures.