Nativity

 The Sunday after Christmas our primary did the nativity during music time. The leaders came up with costumes and they all took part. I didn't see it, but one of our friends who is in the primary told us it was really cute and that Bryce had done a great job being a sheep and even seeing some of the songs by baaing. She even sent us a picture. What a cute little sheep! I wish I would have though ahead and I would have went in to watch it. 

Christmas

I've said it before, but I truly love Christmas. I just love the spirit it brings and the joy and excitement. I definitely get it from my Mom and I seem to have passed it on to all of my kids. They truly get excited for the whole season. Christmas morning not to be exempt. It's hard to sleep in. When we were little my parents would always let us get up pretty early. Landon and I have carried on that tradition with our kids. I mean it's once a year-why not! 

With that being said. This year Christmas was actually one of the hardest Christmas's I have ever had. The week previous we had gone through some pretty hard things with Tanner, and if kind of affected the whole mood of Christmas. I struggled to be happy or feel the same things I usually do on Christmas. I actually cried on Christmas Eve something I don't think I've ever done. I really had to try to be happy. I didn't want  my mood to affect how anyone else was feeling, and in the end I was able to feel better about things. I think we all ended up having a pretty good couple of days and were able to still feel the magic and spirit we usually do, despite the trials we were going through.

Christmas morning started early as usual, honestly Bryce got up every single morning in December at 5 o'clock so we couldn't expect it to be any later than that now could we ;). We had told the kids not before 4. Well Bryce was in our room awake at 3, and he asked me every 5 minutes if it was time yet. I gave him my phone to watch Rudolph to buy a little time.

A little before 4 the two older kids joined us, and at that point we knew there was no sense fighting it any longer and we went out to see what Santa had left under the Christmas Tree.

Looks like Santa found us. Notice the progression of gifts. The older the kid the less they have. It's because the gifts get smaller and more expensive.

Stocking Treasures

Tanner got plane tickets to New York

Bryce was so excited

 Bryce told Santa he wanted a Yeti for Christmas aka Abominable Snow man. Mom and Santa went all out with the theme. He  got Yeti PJ's for Christmas Eve and his wrapping paper from Santa was even Yeti's. So Fun!

The Yeti he wanted.

 Chloe was pretty happy to get some Jake Paul merch and the camera she really wanted but wasn't sure she would get.

 Peeps. Landon and the kids all love these. Mom not so much. I'll just stick to my nuts and junior mints.

I received an ancestry DNA kit for Christmas and I'm excited to send it in and find out my results.

 We had a nice relaxing day must hanging out and playing with our new Christmas stuff. Landon and I even went back to sleep for several hours that morning.

Usually when we are in Fillmore on Christmas we are able to sled but this year there was hardly any snow,, which meant no sledding, but it did mean the kids were able to go on the zip line and jump on the trampoline. Bryce even went down the zip line this time and loved it. The kids as usual had a blast with their cousins.

Chloe put her camera to good use and was able to catch some great shots of Christmas Weekend.

I truly love my family and am so grateful that I am able to spend times like this with them. 

Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve

This year Landon's family was getting together on Christmas. We thought about just going up Christmas Day after we had opened presents and stuff, but in the end we decided as a family that we would go up Christmas Eve instead so we could have one more day with the family. 

Christmas Eve was Sunday so we went to church first thing at 9 am. (it was only an hour long-just sacrament meeting). It was the perfect Sunday service and the speaker said just what I needed to hear after our hard week previous. After church we came home and opened our family gifts. Each kid gave each person in the family something thoughtful and nice. Bryce thought of his gift on his own and had gotten each family member a big box of their favorite breakfast cereal-apparently that's a big deal in our house. The kids also opened up some clothes and their Christmas PJ's from Dad and Mom.

After that we finished packing and loaded up the car.It was quite an undertaking loading up all the presents, suitcases, and kids but we managed to pull it off.

On the way to Flowell. We stopped in Cedar City to visit my Grandma Marshall. We were able to give her our gifts and have lunch and a nice visit before heading on down the road.

We finally made it and had a nice relaxing rest of the afternoon/evening. That night the kids did a small nativity performance with some of their cousins.

After that it was time to set out our stockings and snap a quick traditional picture of the kids in their Christmas Eve PJ's.

Why is it so hard to get a good picture-HA!

"Are we there Yeti?"

 **side note**I am so excited about our Christmas Stocking in fact they are new this year. I had been wanting a matching set for the whole family for a few years now. They put these ones on clearance the day before Christmas Eve at Target and I was able to find 3/5 thinking I could order the other 2 online. Only to get home and discover I couldn't. I then went back to Target and asked them if they would please check the back room to see if they happened to have anymore. They did and finally after waiting for quite awhile the nice sales associate came back with the exact two I needed. I was beyond thrilled-a small Christmas miracle.**

After that it was off to bed for a short, but good nights sleep, as Christmas morning comes early for the Ellison Family.

Santa

Of course we had to take a trip to see Santa. We like to go to the Boulevard to visit him, but this year the line just seemed to long and we didn't feel like waiting, even for a free picture. So we visited the mall Santa instead, and we actually bought a picture (something we have never done before). Tanner came with us but opted not to be in the photo. Bryce asked Santa for a "Yeti" aka "Abominable Snowman" for Christmas...kind of like the one on his shirt only a little scarier. 

Chloe went later with her friend. They actually stood in line for the Boulevard Santa. 

Ho!Ho!Ho!

Ugly Sweater Contest

At work we had an ugly sweater contest in our classroom. Landon and my Mom helped me make my sweater actually sweatshirt. It was pretty awesome-complete with lights that even lit up. I didn't win, but I came in a close second.

Christmas Time Activities

We had lots of fun during the Holiday Season with various activities.

We made Christmas sugar cookies. Most of the cousins came over. I failed to get a picture while they were decorating, but I did snap a few of some of the cookies when they were finished and the kids had long fled the scene. They were delicious as always.

 Chloe and I made fleece blankets for several of her friends, a few neighbors, and a couple for the Navajo Santa charity. She even made one for Bryce. I think we ended up making 12. It was a fun project but I think it ended taking a little longer than we expected. Here are a few of them...

 Tanner helped Bryce make a Gingerbread house.

We tried to watch a Christmas movie each Sunday in December. We watched Home Alone, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, and The Grinch. 

We made and delivered neighbor gifts.

Landon made some of his yummy Christmas Candy.

One thing that we didn't do that we normally do was to go look at Christmas lights. The night we were planning on doing this we actually ended up being in Fillmore so it was okay with everyone that we skipped this one. 

Even though we didn't quite check everything off our list. We had a great Holiday Season and were able to spend lots of quality time together.