3rd Christmas

We spent our third, and actual, Christmas in Caldwell. Christmas Eve was spent chowing down on delicious food and relaxing after the fun day in the snow.  After stuffing stockings and eating Santa's cookies, we stayed up far too late playing Password and super-intense-crazy-Uno. If the kids only knew what we did after they went to bed...

 Shae was excited to finally open the presents that he had been told not to touch for so long. However, his excitement only lasted for a few presents before he peaced out into the play room. He stayed in there playing with a train ornament that he received in his stocking for a good while. I think there was just too much going on for him to handle. We continued to open presents, putting his aside for when he was ready to come out.

Shae in the playroom

 Later that afternoon, Stephen's family came over and we started the present opening all over again (and ate some DELICIOUS Lasagna courtesy of Anna). 

It was such a fun day filled with goodies and presents and family. With that said, my favorite part of the day was later in the afternoon when we sat down to watch some Christmas videos that the church has made. There is so much that happens during the month of December, so many things to try and get done and traditions to make and keep. It really is so easy to get caught up in everything. I loved being able to sit back and remember the true reason behind the season. I'm grateful that we have this beautiful time of year to remember Christ's birth...to remember why it's important that Christ was born...to remember who he was, and who he is...to remember what he did for us and how he continues to bless us...to remember his example and ponder on our own lives and how we can be more like him. The great thing is that even though the Christmas music and candy canes and decorations and presents and advent calendars come to an end, Christ does not. He stays with us all year round. That is special.