Christmas Holidays 2009

This is how our Christmas began. I worked very hard this year to be organized and well planned. In fact, aside from online shopping, I only had to go out to stores three times. Each Christmas celebration we went to got a garbage bag full of presents that filled our car to the brim.

Here is my Grandma Lucas. Still going strong at 92! Thanks for having us over Grandma :)


The girls actually knew what was going on this year. Especially Ava. This adds a whole new dimension of stress and expectations that I wasn't prepared for. Picking the perfect presents, balancing Santa presents with Mom and Dad presents. Budgeting, being secretive, and figuring out what we wanted to tell her about Santa. Yes, I did pull the "I'm going to call Santa if you don't behave."

Here's Audrey in her zebra print Snuggie the night before Christmas.

My dad cutting the ham.. We ate a lot of ham.

The night before Christmas we did a Nativity where we all got dressed up. This year we included 3 Nephi 1, and the story of the star appearing to the Nephites in the New World and the righteous people believing that Christ had been born. Here is our Nephite, Uncle Jared.

My brother Bryce and his wife Stephanie.

My Grandma Culver in front of a beautiful spread she put together.

Some of our home made gifts. Here is the food Tyler made.


Stenciled shirts I made.

One of Ava's favorite presents: a doll she can do hair with.

Uncle KC and I as Mary and Joseph.

Aunt Audrey and our little lambie Violet.

Uncle Riley and our Ava as Angels.

The three wise "people" to be politically correct. Those graduation gowns do come in handy for something!

Some home made name signs I put together with Jenny before she moved. Sad. I totally ripped the idea off etsy.

Ava opening presents.

Violet in her bumble bee dress with Granda Mclean.

Daddy and his girls

Violet's crazy hair braids.

We've literally been gone for the past two weeks straight it seems like. But I am feeling much better!!