Chirstmas

I know it is way past Christmas, but I have too many cute pics and info to let it slide by.
Two weeks before Christmas I was called to be Primary President. To say I was surprised is an understatement. Now you would think with all my experience in church callings this would not throw me. But boy has it! More about that later. But having that new responsibility two weeks before Christmas and one week before the family came was just a little overwhelming for me. But I got it together and got the house and myself ready

We had Danielle and Clay, Mike, Amy and Maddie, my mom and dad for the the first 4 days. That included Christmas and Christmas eve. It was great! We had delicious food and a great time. I picked them up at the airport the evening of the 23rd in Portland. Bought another car seat at Target before we picked up Amy and Mike. So now I have an infant car seat, toddler car seat, a bumper car seat for pre-school age, a play in pack, a fancy stroller (a bob), an umbrella stroller, portable highchair, bumper seats for the kitchen table, 2 little step stools for the sinks, toys, a very large gate for stairs, a normal size gate for stairs, a swing, monitors, sippy cups, I could go on! I think I am pretty well stocked!

Christmas Eve was wonderful as always. We made lots of food, and my mom literally brought enough home-made candy for a candy store. It was to die for. I wish she wasn't so good at candy and cookies! I ate way more than I planned as usual! She made some new kind of truffles oh...... they were the best! We chose to open all our presents on Christmas eve because of trying to get ready for church and all the commotion. It as a wise choice. We had time to enjoy the process and appreciate what people had given us. We read the Scriptures and sang songs, my dad brought his keyboard and that was nice also. I didn't' make it to the movie part. I was exhausted after long days of preparation, driving to Portland and then cooking all day on Christmas Eve, so I went to bed.Christmas was a very special day, because it was Sunday we had church of course, but it was only Sacrament meeting. Amy and Mike waited to have Maddie blessed until they got here! I have to say, blessing a baby on the Saviors birthday was a very unique experience for me. It brings me to tears just thinking about it. I think it was the first time I really thought about the condescension of Christ and the first time I could really imagine the Savior as a baby, about what that must have really felt like for Mary and to know he came here with total dependency on his parents. The total humility of the Savior astounds and awes me.

Mike gave a beautiful blessing. Maddie was beautiful as always and very good. She didn't cry at all! I realized that we didn't get a pic with all the men that stood in the circle with her or a 5 generation pic with the kids while my parents were here! What a mistake! Mikes parents and his brother were here also. Mikes parents came over after for lunch, that was nice. The rest of the day was pretty laid back, badly needed. They took 62 pics of Maddie in her dress, I did my best to choose some.Jake, Lyndsey, Ruby and Miles, Megan, Greg, and Scarlet came the next day and my parents went home. It's always fun when the little kids are there. They all loved Maddie of course. I am so grateful for cameras, I would have missed a lot if not for others taking pics.Speaking of babies, the star of the show!
Do you think Maddie is loved? Maddie, Ruby and Scarlet.

Miles with Maddie! Pretty funny, you can tell he's a boy and half afraid of her. I couldn't resist the pic where he was just being curious and then got in trouble.

Is this not one of the most beautiful pics of Ruby! Holding a baby does that to us!Last year or the year before, I bought a lot of plastic bulbs for the tree so I could line the bottom of the tree with them. That way I don't have to worry about the kids and the tree. Sweet Scarlet and Ruby.

I don't know why, but I love this pic

Miles! I'm grateful we have at least 2 grandsons! It's been fun!Auntie Danielle with Miles and ScarletIt wouldn't be a visit from grand kids without cookie making and a tea party. I felt a little bad that we didn't include Miles he wanted to be there, but Ruby didn't. She wanted a girl tea party. So we had it when he took a nap. It was great fun as usual, Ruby's dress was amazing and so were her cookies! I wish we would have taken a pic of all of us at the table, we usually do, I don't know why I forgot!!! Our present to Scarlet, a talking purse, pretty fun!The only pic of me all week!I love it when Steve puts the kids and Grandkids on his shoulders, and it is always fun to watch him find fun things on the computer for them.
The rest of the week was pretty laid back, the aquarium, games, movies, way too much food. Amy didn't feel like she got enough caramels so her and Danielle made some more. I love these pics they look like they are on a cooking show!Then Maddie needed a bath, I love this pic, all the girls crowded around the baby taking a bath. We are so mesmerized by babies. The simplest thing makes us all "coo", "ahhh", "Ohhhh" and etc, no matter how old you are or if you are a boy, girl, man or woman. Babies are perfect and special.It rained everyday but one. But we still had a great time. The sun was there before the grand kids that were old enough to play outside got there. Oh well that happens. One more advantage of moving back to Idaho street, we probably would have gone out for a few minutes if it had been easier.

All in all it was a great week. I was grateful to have so much family around us.