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Christmas Traditions & Gifts

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This Christmas, I'm truly blessed with a wonderful husband, toddler and a baby on the way. I'm so eternally grateful for my family here and afar. I love my Savior; He truly is The Gift. I am so grateful to know He lives, that there is a plan, and that we can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Parents again some day. My warmest wishes to all of our friends and family this fabulous white Christmas morning.

I didn't manage a lot of pictures of the holidays…yet. With Lexi and I both being under the weather, we haven't aimed to be photogenic. I had a few traditions I wanted to reach (I'll add photos as I get them): 

1. Seeing Santa. We took a quick trip to the mall on the 23rd. She walked up to him, sat on his lap, told him she wanted a trumpet (he tried to also encourage Paw Patrol and I'm all don't push commercialism mall Santa!). The trumpet was pretty random though; I have no idea where that came from, but it sure made dad proud. He got his out that night. She gave Santa a hug and was decently quick to get back down and leave. I guess he only serves one purpose, but honestly she is still too young to understand Santa bringing presents when presents have been wrapped under the tree for two weeks. She enjoys noticing the trees, the lights, pictures of Santa etc… I didn't get a free Santa picture, but she got to see him and there wasn't a line so at least that's a plus.




2. I wanted to take her to see some lights. It was a late night after dad's soccer game, but he drove us around so that she could see a few homes. We wanted to go to Temple Square, but we are still too sick!

3. Cookies for Santa. This didn't really happen even though a friend sent a really cute cookie plate in the mail. I was sick during the day. I'm hoping grandma Smith can pull cookie decorating or "gingerbread" houses together when the other girl cousins are in town. 

4. Tree photoshoot - I like the idea of one Christmas morning and then one all dressed up for Sunday. (Next year we'll try for Christmas pjs & dress but this year she already had too many non-holiday ones gifted)


5. Sledding - it looks like we will have a good winter to get this in. We just need to find a sled. Along with some good kid boots & gloves. If I had thought of this in advance - this would have been a good Santa bundle.


6. Christ's birth story. I want this to be a Christmas Eve tradition - reading from the scriptures. We were out late at Mr Smith's parent's this year eating Christmas Eve dinner, but hopefully in years to come we will make time for Christ's story! I did get a new Christmas book this year and I like the idea of reading that story every Eve as well. I got Polar Express in hopes that we can sort out a real Polar Express trip next year.

Christmas morning we had to beg Lexi to get out of bed. What finally convinced her was dad saying "I guess I will open your presents" at 8 AM. We opened stockings first, which just consisted of a little dollar tree/Target $1 bin disney character stuff. The only thing disowned was the Stars Wars socks that were apparently meant for Dad. She also enjoyed being handed presents one after the other. I'm not really sure how this was internalized. We tried to keep it simple with two Melissa & Doug puzzles, a toy helicopter, Connect4 and some stars for her ceiling. Gammy had left her a play doh kit, lots of pretend food, Sofia game & a couple movies. We then headed to grandma & grandpa Smith's to open some more Melissa & Doug games/puzzles, movies, blocks, crayons, books & clothes. 


Mr Smith got several types of shirts (t-shirts & dress shirts), socks, a Cafe Rio gift card & cash from grandma. I got some gift cards from my grandpa, a time-out stool from my grandma, a fun gift box from a friend, a blender & some maternity tops from mom, a hair dryer, mascara & Baby Lips balm from my MIL. THE BEST thing I got was a surprise (well attempted): four hand-made wall bookshelves for kids books from Mr Smith. More on this later when they are finished and hanging on the wall. They deserve their own post.




She loves her Maren. And maybe one day we'll also have a piano in the house.
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