Christmas 2011

Another late post: Christmas! We were here in Alaska for Christmas, and had a nice weekend. Joshua got sick Christmas Eve, so he was pretty much in bed for all of Christmas day and a couple days afterward, so it ended up being pretty low key.

As per our Christmas tradition, on Christmas Eve we acted out the Nativity story, this year with Julia as Mary, Ethan as the Angel, and Christian as Joseph. Joshua was the donkey and narrator, and I was a narrator and the wisemen and shepherds. We start out the scene in one room and work our way around the house, to a different room where we eat a Bethlehem style dinner (fish, pitas, grape juice, olives), and then to another for the stable scene. The kids really love it, and it's a special time for all of us, remembering that special night and the special gift the Savior is to us.

Then Christmas morning the kids opened up their stockings and then the kids and I went to Church while Joshua suffered with strep throat at home. It was a really nice service with a lot of lovely music, and Julia and Ethan participated in the primary song (Julia snuck Ethan up with her, even though he wasn't officially in Primary yet but knew the song by heart). Then we came home, opened presents, talked with family, played with new toys, and ate. It was a nice day, although I wish Joshua would have been well enough to enjoy it too.

We loved celebrating the birth of our Savior, and the joy and hope He brings to our life. We were also grateful for the contact we had with loved ones during the season through cards, gifts, and Skype/phone chats. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas too!