Christmas

Christmas was very different for us this year.  We have been sick since a week and a half before Christmas and through the holidays.  The kids all came down with it first.  It involved yucky respiratory stuff and puking.  Matt and I got it last.  It was nasty.  The kids missed a lot of school, Matt missed a lot of work and we were all pretty miserable.  On the up side, it was also the most relaxing Christmas we have ever had.  We didn't leave the house for a long time, we didn't go to Temple Square, we didn't make any Christmas treats, we didn't do neighbor gifts or Christmas cards.  We were out for the count.
The week before we got sick, we did have a family home evening service night where we each chose something to do for someone and went out as a family and made it happen.  Derek wanted to take cookies to our local fire department.  The firemen were so nice and invited us in and gave the kids all manner of firefighter goodies, hats, stickers, etc.  Next, Zack wanted to take cookies to the librarians.  They were quite surprised, it was very cute.  We ended the night with one more, Austin's choice of putting all of the change we could find at home in one of the Salvation Army donation buckets, or Santa Buckets" as we call them at our house.  It was so much fun and the kids loved choosing what to do.
 We were mostly feeling better be Christmas Eve, but we didn't feel quite up to the Boothe Family Christmas Party.  We have never celebrated Christmas Eve at home so we were not quite sure what to do at first.  The kids were better, Matt was mostly better and I just couldn't shake the sickness.  Matt took the boys to an afternoon movie while I wrapped gifts and napped.  He brought Chinese food home for dinner.  We had our own little devotional and opened some new jammies and then hit the hay around 8pm.  Matt and I finished up Christmas preparations and were asleep by 9.  We party hard over here.

Christmas morning was perfect.  The kids all woke up around 7.  I kept them upstairs for a minute while Matt set up the video camera.  Then we turned on our traditional Christmas morning song and danced around the house like crazy people.  When the song ends, it is present time.  We went very simple on the gifts this year.  We put a lot of thought in to each gift and the kids were thrilled.  I think everyone had five presents.  A gift from Santa (all the boys shared a big set of LOTR Legos, Sydney got a little kitchen), something to wear (a needed shirt or pair of pants for everyone), a book, a movie and then something special from mom and dad (Zack got an mp3 player, Derek got Avengers action figures, Austin got Evil Doctor Porkchop and Sydney got magnetic paper dolls).  It was just right.  We played with toys and watched movies and ate a big breakfast.  Later in the afternoon we made the hour drive to visit the grandparents.  We had decided against going to visit the great-grandparents because we still had a few coughers.  After we made the rounds we headed home worn out but happy.  Although it was no fun to be sick or have sick kids, we avoided most of the hustle and bustle of Christmas and spent a lot of time together as a family.  We watched every good Christmas movie and drank lots of smoothies.  It was perfect.  Here are a few December photos: 

 Zack's Christmas piano recital...so fun, all the kids did great!

 Zack's research recital:  he worked so hard and wrote a book...it was awesome!

 Sydney's top two teeth went through her bottom lip.  Not the first time. 

 Christmas Eve jammies.  We are all pretending that we feel good. 

 Checking out the goods on Christmas morning. 

 Doing our annual Christmas morning dance party!

 Syd loved her little kitchen.

 After breakfast, the kids ran to play in the snow.

 Snow angel.

 Just because the slide is covered in snow, does not mean it is out of commission. 

 Jumping off the snowman base. 

 She likes to cook like mommy.