Christmas 2011...Better Late Than Never?

So, where did the time go? Suddenly I was realizing Christmas was a week away, and now its a whole new year! Between the holidays, getting to help the besties but together a nursery for their baby girl, helping plan a baby shower, and dealing with all of the financial junk that we are going through right now...well, I just don't even have a moment to sit. I am starting to notice my feet are absolutely killing me by mid-day because I never rest. I never knew standing in your bare feet all day could be so painful. I'm loving this time though (well except for that last part). I am now going to try to play catch up, at least on posting Christmas...and eventually I'll make it to the new year.

We saw Santa. 

Side story. After this year Josh and I have really been praying about if we wanted to do Santa or not. He was fine either way, but I was so dead set on continuing the Santa traditions that I had grown up with. Well, something changed because I honestly kept feeling like the whole Santa thing just wasn't right for our family. This shocked me! I never thought I would say that. To be honest I used to think people who didn't have Santa in their home were just plain bonkers (sorry friends!). However, we started to realize that we felt like it was taking away from our Savior's birth and honestly, we felt that by adding in new traditions we wouldn't even miss the old ones. We will still watch all of our favorite Santa inspired movies, we will still bake cookies (we just won't put them out for Santa to eat, but probably give them to friends and family), we will read "The Night Before Christmas" and all those sorts of things...but it will all lead back to Jesus' birth. Please note we have nothing against Santa...in fact we LOVED him growing up. I'm still in shock that this decision came to us as it did. So, by all means, have Santa visit your homes, we think there are so many great things about that bearded man. 

We went to Washington to spend time with Josh's side of the family and had so much fun. We rode a train (something we won't be doing until Eden is MUCH older, that girl knows how to throw the best tantrums at the worst times), played at the pool (indoor of course), had lots of Christmas meals, saw lots of family, opened presents, and had lots of fun!

The tutu we made Stevee

Afraid Eden learned to put her hands on her neck when she is overwhelmed from me...I do it a lot.

The kidlets (cousins and second cousins and such)..the best one I could get. My child is mean to her cousin. You can't see Peyton. You can kind of see Darren. Julia is cut off. James is hiding behind the couch. So Caleb and Eden are stars of the show apparently.

This year we made almost all of our gifts. I'll have to do a separate post on that one. 

We all came home late on Christmas Eve so that we could spend Christmas morning opening presents at home, going to church, and then eating Christmas dinner with my side of the family...oh and of course open more gifts.

Obviously Christmas was too much for Eden this year.