.: Our Own Little Christmas

The week before Christmas was a crazy one. Matt had his supervisors over for a little Christmas get-together. On Saturday, a friend I met at the library had a holiday open house we went to and on Sunday we decided to do our own little Christmas. Matt was going out of town on Monday, the 19th for one day so I decided that Sunday morning would probably be the last day to have a morning to open up our family presents. Sunday night we also had Matt’s boss and two co-workers come over for dinner. So Saturday night we grabbed some Fazoli's (the only place on the way back home from the open house) and our two little men got into their Christmas pajama’s. Tommy opened his and loved seeing Thomas the Train on them! We promised Tommy he could sleep by the tree the night Santa came. Oh, and Santa was coming to fill his stocking tonight, but would leave a present when we got to Nana’s house;) Tommy was so hyped up on Christmas he was all over Tyler. Tyler was just laughing so we just let it go and took some pictures. Before bed we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and reiterated the true meaning of Christmas to Tommy. He knows the story but there’s so much more to teach him. The last couple weeks we talked about why there were people ringing bells in front of stores and why there was a red bucket for people to put money in. I tried to makes sure I always had something for Tommy to put in it. I want to help Tommy understand how fortunate we are to have all that we do and help him really understand gratitude. Although, he really is pretty good about sincere thank you’s….for everything. (ex. “Thank you sooo much for my juice mommy!”)

I am very grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for the opportunity I have to live with my beautiful family forever because of Him. They are everything to me. I’m thankful for the Atonement and that it allows me to become better than I am through the guidance of the Holy Ghost. I need the power of the Atonement every day in my life. I know that the gospel is true and that Thomas S. Monson, is our True and living prophet today. I love him and want to be more charitable like him. I do know that the Book of Mormon is true and I know that from reading it, praying about it, and receiving a confirmation from the Holy Ghost. I know that the Savior is leading our church and that we are blessed by serving in it and giving of our time and talents. It’s not always easy but it is one of the best things we can do with our time.

I love what President Monson has said, “Enjoy the Journey.” Life is a journey and many days it seems like a LONG one, but it should be enjoyed. I need to remember this and I need to be better in so many ways. I have much to work on this next year but also much to look forward to!

Now…on to our little “Christmas” morning!

Come Sunday morning, Tommy had come into our room from under the tree and apparently didn’t remember Santa was coming and didn’t see the presents or stocking. So when he climbed into our bed, Matt said, “Do you remember who was going to come?” and Tommy said, Well, he didn’t come. Matt said again, “Remember, Santa was going to come?” Then, the cutest face of excitement came across his face, I wish I could have captured it on camera. He started to smile and said, “oh! Oh! OH! Santa!” Then I made him wait until I had the camera ready before he ran into the living room. He saw his stocking full and kept asking, “Are those presents for me?” He found lots of little toys in his stocking and then opened up, probably his favorite gift, a trumpet. Tommy always rolls up paper into a tube and blows into it, trying to make a trumpet sound. I knew he would love a ‘real’ one. He then opened the rest of his gifts but after each one would say, “well, I have to play my trumpet.” (He likes the word, “well”) A Thomas the Train DVD was his next favorite and you can tell by the smile on his face.

Tyler got a few gifts as well, although his favorite was the wrapping paper Smile

And he enjoyed watching Tommy throw around an orange punch ball he had in his stocking. Tyler thought it was hilarious! It was such a fun morning and after it was over I looked at Matt and said, I want to do it again! I loved seeing Tommy’s excited face and loving everything he saw.