Christmas

Not only is Christmas Mauri's favorite time of the year, but it is mine as well. This year we had a lot of fun with family and it all started a week before Christmas Eve when we hosted an Allen Family Christmas party at our house. My brother suggested a few weeks ago that we get together as a family and have a Christmas party. We did just that, as Dustin and Cassidy with their kids, Tammy and Chris and their kids, and Jimmy and Meagan with Braylee all came to our house for a fabulous party. We ate delicious finger foods, read Christmas stories, watched the nativity and a couple other Christmas movies, had a gift exchange with white elephant gifts, and went and saw Christmas lights at Layton city. We really had so much fun with everyone and spending time together.

Mauri reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas". It appears to be a very interesting read for the older kids, the younger ones thought otherwise!

Pile on uncle Jimmy

Tanzi getting bundled up to go look at lights!

Christmas Eve was a lot of fun and as a family we have started a few traditions that we really enjoy. Here are a few of them:

We delivered Christmas goodies to neighbors and friends during the day and the kids loved taking the treats to the homes and wishing them a Merry Christmas. We had clam chowder in a bread bowl for dinner. It was so delicious and tasty. We watched read and watched "Twas the Night Before Christmas". We read Christmas books throughout the holiday season and this is one of the kids favorites. They nearly have the whole thing memorized. We read the Christmas Story in Luke, and then watched a couple of short Christmas clips put out by the Church. For Christmas Ever, the kids get to open one present each. It is always pajamas, but the kids are always so excited for them. We then put out cookies for Santa and then went to bed. It was such an awesome Christmas Eve!

Christmas Day was so fun too! The kids woke us up and were super excited to go down and see if Santa came to our house. He did, which made the kids super happy! After we opened gifts, we ate some yummy breakfast casserole and then got ready and went to Church. After Church, we left for Pocatello to spend a few days with Mauri's family. We had a blast relaxing, playing games, and eating really good food! Being able to be with family is truly the greatest part about Christmas time.

The Kids on Christmas Eve with their new Pajamas they just opened!

Santa found his way to our home!

Christmas morning before we opened presents.

This was too funny. Graysen had to try on his new shoes he got for Christmas, but he had to take off his footie pajamas to put them on. He was just in his shoes and diaper and I thought it was hilarious. He didn't like that I was taking a picture of him in just his diaper so he was running away. Silly boy!

Dressed and ready to go to Church.

While at Mauri's house, we made sushi for the family. It turned out really good and we think everyone enjoyed it. There wasn't much left after all of us got to it.

I love this picture of Tanzi in Grandma's sleigh.

Christmas was just perfect this year, now we can't wait until next year!