Christmas 2013

This has been a busy holiday week as we've driven back and forth between Parowan, Cedar City and St. George 5 times now (Adams Family Progressive Dinner, Christmas Eve program, Christmas day, day after Christmas, temple trip and Collin's baby blessing in St. George) to celebrate together.   I have loved all the time with family, but I have also felt very worn out from the constant shuffling, the no-napping and the cousin craziness.  Daphne has vacillated between an angel and a little pill, which hasn't helped matters, so we are looking forward to getting back to our normal routine after one last trip to Parowan tonight.  Here's a review of our Christmas for our records.

Thanks to another winning hand-me-down dress from cousin Maia, Daphne looked smashing as a mini Mrs. Clause on Christmas Eve night.  We enjoyed an amazing dinner of ribs, mashed tatters, etc., followed by a talent show put on by the grandkids (plus Nellie with her hilarious "Popcorn Popping" rendition) and the reading of Luke 2 by Grandpa Alan while the kids dressed up for the nativity.  It was an emotional night for Marie who has gone to Cedar City for the past 35 years every Christmas Eve to be with the Urie side of the family for a similar program.  With Grandpa Pug's passing last year on Christmas Eve, it was especially hard for her to have the tradition completed as well as the reminder of her father's death.  Grandpa Pug formerly always read Luke 2 and I'm sure no one in our family will ever be able to hear the reading of the nativity scenes without thinking of the wonderful man who is no longer with us.

The highlight of the evening for all of us was when we played "Secret Santa" to a family in Parowan.  Earlier in the month, we had all chipped in money to buy gifts for a family in need.  Kristen then took Sadie and Macie to help her pick out what the two little girls from that family, about their age, would like for Christmas.  In the end that family was showered with gifts in the form of food, toys, and cash.  We all bundled up with Burke and Chev sporting Santa hats and drove over to the home, leaving the presents on the doorstep and doorbell ditching them...with no response!  The family was out of town and we were all so disappointed, worrying that their little girls wouldn't get it in time.  However, late that night Chev and Krissy went back to check on the presents to find the lights on in the house and the presents off the doorstep.  We've decided this will be a new family tradition.  I love the lessons that it teaches our children about the joy of giving, noticing those who are in need, counting our blessings and treating others the way the Savior would have us treat one another.  Truly, it is so much better to give than to get.

After dropping off the presents we parked in front of a home in Parowan that has a timed light show coordinated with Christmas music.  You turn your car AM radio to the listed station and can enjoy the show right from your car.  I was pretty impressed and the kids of course were loving it!  Daph was going wild and kept cranking the volume up in her enthusiasm. 

When we got home to Cedar late that night, Burke and I were like little kids setting up Daphne's presents and anticipating her excitement in the morning.  

Daph at the top of the stairs on Christmas morning

When we heard her crying at the top of the stairs at 6:00, we weren't even cranky as we rushed to the bottom and sang her "We Wish You A Merry Christmas!"  She caught on pretty quick that there was no need to cry what with all the twinkling lights and pretty presents waiting for her under the tree.

Daph was pretty thrilled with her new art easel (whiteboard on front, chalk on back).  She is our little artist lately and would draw all morning long if she didn't have to stop and eat.  Burke and I tried to keep Christmas very simple this year with this one big present for Daph and a few little things.  We're saving up for a trip in the spring so we just got a few small things for each other too.

My favorite gifts that I gave Burke this year were his mission tapes (recorded by his family on VHS and sent to him while he was in Texas serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) converted to DVDs.  We watched bits of them throughout the week, my favorite scene by far being a teenage Kevin line dancing all out at Parowan's birthday celebration. I gave copies to my mother-in-law too because they're really more of a history of the rest of the family rather than Burke since he's not in any of them.  I was also stoked about the Laudree Cookbook for Burkie in honor of our visit to their divine bakery in France as well as his FOURTH WEDDING RING that I nestled at the bottom of his stocking!  Now, I had to put that in all caps just to make sure you didn't miss it.  FOUR wedding rings people.  Four.  This man is never ever allowed to tease me about losing things because all I have to do is hold up my ring finger and he clamps his jaw shut instantly. :)  Haha!

After some time together as a family, we loaded up and headed to Parowan to be there in time for Elder Brett Adams's skype call from his mission in Columbia, South Carolina.  Kevin got the computer hooked up to the TV so we could all see Heed's lovely heed.  It was pretty neat to gather round as an entire family and hear how he was doing.  He looked so good and sounded even better.

The rest of the afternoon was spent putting together a puzzle, down at the farm, eating Nellie's delicious butternut squash soup and enjoying each others company.  It came and went too fast, but then I guess it always does.