A Whirlwind Week of Wonder

It seems like the Christmas season comes and goes so quickly. Just as you are about to sit down to enjoy the festivities it's time to clean up, and yet when you do get around to putting the decorations away it seems like they have been up forever and you are overwhelmed by that wonder, non-cluttered, clean feeling again - if only for a little while. Why is that? Well our holiday season was very much just that, fast, furious, and oh so fun! The week before Christmas pointed us in the direction of the North Pole and a quick visit to see Santa and put in the last minute requests. I forgot how cold the snow actually is! Nonetheless, with Wendy, Jared, Cole, Kate, Lizzie, Grandma and Grandpa Storer and my mom and dad with us - we had lots of warm fuzzy fun. On the Polar Express my children were thrilled that the "Hot, hot, hot chocolate, we got it" was cool enough that they could drink it. The cookies were oh so sweet, even if our singing wasn't and thanks to Wendy and I screaming very loudly, "I BELIEVE!!!!!" Santa joined us on the train and we heard bells all the way home. I guess we really do believe! The kiddos loved it and insisted on watching The Polar Express upon returning to the motor home - they actually stayed awake for most of the show too! The next morning with the sun shining brightly we braved the cold again and went "sleigh riding" as my children called it. (poor deprived desert kids!) I even got a few runs in until my slippers were soaked through! Hey, Wendy was wearing my flip flops! It was a wonderful quick trip - much faster than you would think - to the North Pole and then we headed home for the rest of the week activities.

Monday we had our 2nd annual family Christmas party with the Parkers and the Dunyons and the Stacys, where we started off with too many goodies, a beautiful Christmas Cantata (performed by the children) and a surprise visit from Santa. I guess Santa had realized that we had forgotten to drop off Paige's letter while at the North Pole, so he stopped by, asked for his letter, sat each of us on his lap, got lots of hugs and kisses and was off again to prepare for his annual trip on Wednesday night. What a great man! He does see us when we're sleeping and knows when we're awake!

After cleaning up that fun, we spent Tuesday baking, cooking and making more fun messes preparing for Christmas Eve which we spent at our house too! I love having so much family over all the time - even if it is CRAZY! Sarah and Austin finally made it here - not soon enough, and we ate and partied and played and laughed and then kicked everyone out so that we could get ready for bed and write our letter and pass out! I just Love Love Love Christmas!

Christmas morning descended upon us none too quickly and after reading Santa's response to our letter, checking that he liked the hot chocolate this year (last year was too cold for him) and waiting for Grandmother and Grandfather Dunyon to wake up we tore into the opening of the fun gifts. Santa was very good to us this year. Check out our newest addition! Anyone for pizza? As soon as we finished here, mom and dad took all my children to Wendy's where we met up with them later for a wonderful turkey Christmas dinner and way too much fun with their toys - Santa was good to them too!

All quieted down for about a minute, until Jeff's parents came to visit the day after and the present opening commenced again. Those two spoil us all way too much - Between my mom and Jeff's the girls will be dressing their new American Girls dolls in a new outfit for at least a year! Thank you both! Huge hit with the girls!

So after the Grandparents all left and I mopped the floor, just so we stopped sticking to it, we rested for a week. UNTIL MEGAN AND HALEY'S BIRTHDAY!!!! (stay tuned!)

I love Christmas, with all it's craziness and love and food and family. I can't wait to do it all again next year!