What Christmas meant this year

This has been a beautiful Christmas season, but today is Christmas day and it has been the most beautiful of all.  Had I been given the choice, all Christmases would be on Sunday.  I loved the way attending church helped us keep the focus of the day, spread out the excitement of the gifts and maintained the special spirit of the sabbath.

Tradition # 1: Gingerbread House building with the whole family

Our Version:  Mom and Dad build it alone and gorge on gumdrops

Tradition #2:  The whole family happily selects a fresh cut Christmas tree

Our version:  Angry teenager joins uncooperative family to get a crooked tree that has to be replaced.

Tradition #3:  See the Nutcracker Ballet

Our version:  Watching Evalie and Sophie in a wonderful Moses Lake production

Tradition #3: Beautiful Snowy morning runs

Our version:  Beautiful snowy morning runs

Tradition #5:  Homemade Christmas chocolates

Our Version:  Grandpa Chocolate's Famous Rocky Road

Tradition #6:  Christmas Cards

Our version:  This great picture and NO Christmas cards sent!

Tradition #7:  Decorating the Tree

Our version:  Cooper and Hayden help for 5 minutes and Mom does the rest.

Tradition #8:  Playing in the Snow

Our version:  Building an Epic Snowfort

Tradition #9:  Family Time

Our Version:  Star Wars movie, hotel stay in Coeur d lane and Ski Day at Lookout Pass--with JAKE AND CALLIE!

Tradition #10:  Ice Skating

Our version:  Christmas Eve Ice skating with cousins

Tradition #11:  Christmas Eve Nativity Program

Our version:  Total Chaos, fun anyway.

Tradition #12:  Santa comes!

Our version:  Santa brings surf boards, a new basketball standard, plays a joke on Cooper with an "apple watch" brings Eliza a new camera, Max a sleeping bag he can wear and Marcos NFL legos--the Patriots of course.  Wilson joining us was Mom's greatest Christmas gift.

Tradition # 13:  Christmas Program at school

Our version:  Mom busts her butt to teach "Dominick the Donkey" and "Once There was a Snowman"  The program gets cancelled due to weather and rescheduled for a Monday morning.  Mom's Spanish class sings "Feliz Navidad" and "Chocolate Caliente"  The kids are all adorable.

Tradition #15  Not a tradition, hope it becomes one.

Our version:  Mom takes the Spanish class on a field trip to Sol Vallarte for lunch.