I was the first to awake on Christmas morning. The house was so calm and peaceful. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. I had put together a bread pudding the night before that I just had to put on the oven. I turned on some lights. I turned on Christmas music. No one was waking up. We have 9:00 church so if we wanted to not be rushed and have time for bread pudding, people needed to wake up! I turned the music up louder to get the job done. Grayson came out already dressed for church. We went downstairs to see what Santa left but didn't open any gifts.
I had new church clothes set out like I do every year. It was nice to have the kids be able to wear their new clothes the very day. I had fun picking out fabric for the girls skirts. They were SEW fun. They all left to their rooms to change. Matt was just sitting there. I finally had to ask, "What do you think of your new suit?" He hadn't noticed. Must be a boy thing. Grayson's clothes were also left on the bench. I asked Grayson if he wanted to change. He looked at me confused, "I'm already dressed?"
There was just enough time for the kids to look at some of the toys and things sitting out: a football mat for Grayson, a train mat for Graham. Callie ran right towards the baby dolls, "These are mine." They were. The older girls put on their new shoes for church.
The night before after the kids opened their new jammies they exchanged gifts with each other. Callie opened a ballet Barbie from Katrina. I looked at Callie as we were sitting down in the chapel that morning, she was clutching Barbie. It was Christmas, figured I'd make an exception. I wondered to Matt why we were sitting so far back. Since people come out of the woodwork for Christmas services only the front two benches were available. I said,"It's better than this." We got up and moved. See, Katrina was on the Christmas program to speak and I didn't want to be way towards the back.
Callie and that Barbie! I spent the meeting telling her to quit waving it around and making it dance on top of the bench. She finally sat it on the front row. I peeked over to see Barbie alone on the front pew, sitting and looking at the speaker. If ever a Barbie doll has seemed out of place, it is in Sacrament Meeting.
The music was so beautiful that day and the talks so fitting. Katrina talked about faith. The faith it took for Samuel to stand on the wall and prophesy of Christ's birth. The faith the Shepherds needed to follow the angel's heed. And the faith we need to follow the Savior. She did wonderfully and she looked so cute in her new duds.
I remember last time church fell on a Sunday my parents and Cade were over. During church Cade wrote at the bottom of the program, "Presents!" The same went for this time around. Following church we came home and opened...Presents!
Katrina and Mallerie enjoyed opening new cameras.
Ava said her favorite gift was the netting to go over her bed. Graham said, "Now take a picture of my room." I did. Then he wanted to be in it. You can't tell here but when the last two pictures were on the camera and you clicked back and forth it made him appear and disappear over and over. Sort of freaky. (Side note: Callie has since yanked her netting out of the ceiling. I could see it coming).
