The true meaning of Christmas

Well we had a lot of fun with family and we opened a lot of presents and were way too spoiled for our own good, those things are for sure.

I just want to say that I really am so grateful for the real reason that we celebrate Christmas. That our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born into this world to live his life as a perfect example, serving and loving all mankind, to suffer for our sins, be betrayed and crucified and then to rise again all to save our souls! I know that He has done this for me. I pray that this coming year I can be a better mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and neighbor. For all that the Lord has done for me at the very least I owe him that much.

I am so grateful to you all my family and friends for your great examples to me through out this last year. I've come away a better person because of all of you and I still have a long way to catch up to you all!

Merry Christmas everyone! Happy New Year!

Christmas

I know this is a lot of pictures for Christmas but oh well . . .

We celebrate Christmas with the Callahan side of the family this year. We hauled our cookies to Price for fun with the family. On Christmas Eve the festivities began. Brad's mom is a great cook and has a traditional diner of prime rib, yummy!As we were all together as a family (missing Brad's oldest brother), we decided to open all of the gifts for each other on that night. This consists mostly of the gifts for the kids from grandpa and grandma.

Here is our crazy crew of kids getting ready to open gifts, its a lot of kids and a lot of gifts! (for those of you wondering why there is a bow hunting magazine in the picture that is my brother-in-law giving me grief. couldn't get a picture without it. gotta love em!)

Embrie's first present opening experience ever!


Later that night Grandma Callahan got out a Christmas tree craft for the big kids.

Garrett & Cooper

Riley & Ansley

Sydnie & Alex

Afterward they decorated cookies to leave out for Santa Claus.

Some of the kids got their jammies on and Grandma read the story 'Twas the Night Before Christmas!'

Then she read the story of the Christ child from the scriptures.

Now ready for bed! Garrett and Embrie get to open and put on new Christmas Jammies from mom and dad.

In the morning Garrett was so excited that Santa had eaten the cookies he left and that he must have taken the carrots out to the reindeer. He knew which gifts Santa had left under the tree! He picked up on the different wrapping paper immediately!

Garrett got a lot of fun things, but he really carries this umbrella everywhere!

This book was Embrie's favortie gift of the morning!


Hungry? Embrie began knawing on the orange from her stocking, biting right through the peel!

We moved the orange . . . she found it!

The only thing Garrett asked Santa for was a drum and now our family has its own band!

We got home in the evening on Christmas day where there were a few more gifts from family.

Embrie had a meltdown as we set another gift in front of her. She decided she'd had enough present opening she wasn't going to do anymore!

Party Time!

Time once again for the Nielsen family Christmas party (which is one big reunion every year)! This year instead of going to the church which is our norm they rented out a lodge up in the mountains for some outdoor winter fun!

Here is Kalvin with Embrie
Kalvin teaches the kids how to draw on the steamy windows.


After eating a yummy meal of hot soup, bread etc. we all bundled up to go sledding. Even Embrie got to join the fun (had to borrow a snow suit from a neighbor plus not boots so you'll notice later that we ended up with bags on her feet). She makes a cute little snow bunny!

Garrett and Jaxon are soooo ready to hit the hills!

The little fam.

Towing Jaxon up the hill!

I think she likes it!

We know he likes it!

When the snow got too cold and wet we headed back inside where Grandma Sheri had a Christmas tree craft for all the kids!

And of course, it isn't a Christmas party unless Uncle Von brings his guitar and we sing Christmas carols! *tradition*

The kids each get a sign to hold up while we sing the 12 Days of Christmas.

Garrett got to be the 2 Turtle Doves.

Another tradition, though this may seem out of place, all the men in the family get up and sing "Ghost Riders in the Sky". Now we know that this is not a Christmas song, but it was

Great Grandma Nielsen's favorite thing to listen to her boys sing this song. So every year they all get up and go for it. Most of them "hum daadaa hum" through all of it until the chorus which is the only thing they all really know (this is really funny), but the last couple of years they've handed out the words which helps! A few of them really get animated so it makes it extra fun to watch!

It was so pretty up there with all the snow! And the weather wasn't too cold either! It was a fun Party this year!

Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Found the perfect, not too cold night to head down to Temple Square and see the beautiful lights. We did however pick a very busy night, but luckily Brad and Garrett were able to sneak up to the front to catch most of the story of Christ's birth at the Nativity scene. Although we've talked about this story for each of our family home evenings this month I think this experience was exciting for Garrett. Afterwards he exclaimed, "That was awesome!" I watched from a few feet back (seeing as the stroller was more difficult to manuver in a crowd). I could see how interested he was as the lights came onto each group as the story was told. Although it was crowded we definately could feel the spirit.
We all loved to look at the lights, but really Garrett was more interested in the water. Yep, water. He ran from fountain to fountain and couldn't wait to find another fountain. It was too funny. Embrie was such a good baby too! She seemed completely content to be strolled around the lights. She was happy, squealing and smiling.
I hope to make Christmas time a magical time for my kids. I want them to feel the way I felt when I was a kid. I still love Christmas time! I want to have all kinds of traditions for them to look forward to and enjoy. I am so grateful for the birth of my Savior Jesus Christ and that we was willing to come to this earth, live as an example and suffer the way that he did so that we can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again someday. And I am grateful that we celebrate it this time of year! It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

Jerzee turns 1

What a pretty little girl!!!!!!

I like to keep ya'll updated on my brother's life as well, cause you know I love my nephews and neices!

Jerzee turned 1 on December 3rd. She is such a smart little girl. She, like most girls has a mind of her own! I just got a couple shots of her eating her cake. She was very dainty and did not get very messy, no matter how hard everyone tried to get her to dig in. She was set on taking her time and being lady-like. I absolutely LOVE the red hair! Happy Birthday Jerzee Lynn Watson!

Our Version of Twas' the Night

T’was the night before Christmas
and all through our house
the family was stirring
we frightened away the mouse!

The children were smiling
and playing, so happy!
Daddy was laughing
while mommy got sappy.

Jammies were on
they were getting ready for bed
"Only five more minutes to play"
mommy soon said.

When out in the kitchen
there arose such a clatter,
mommy sprang from the couch
to see what was the matter!

There as she feared
Christmas cookies on the floor!
Had been knocked off the counter
scattered clear to the door!

Seeing the trouble
Garrett bolted from the room
tripping over sister,
down she fell with a boom!

Garrett was hiding,
Embrie was screaming,
daddy and mommy
were quite close to steaming!

When what to their wondering ears
should they hear?
A Christmas carol coming
from the player quite clear.

‘O Holy Night’
the caroler was singing.
All about the gift
That Jesus was bringing.

What Christmas is about
they began to remember
Daddy and mommy
soon mastered their temper.

"Come here son"
daddy said with great care.
Then Garrett explained,
"The cookies, surely Santa would share."

Embrie stopped crying
and again started cooing.
"Upstairs to bed, both of you"
mommy was shooing.

Telling the Christ child’s story
with kids on their laps,
they all settled down
for their (hopefully) long winter’s naps.

So if your house is like ours,
sometimes a fright.
From us to you,
Merry Christmas to all, it will turn out alright!

"Its time to put some tinsel on that evergreen bow!"

I love decorating the Christmas tree as a family! In fact, I love everything about Christmas!

Garrett and Embrie, as family tradition, recieve a new ornament for the tree every year from Grandpa Blaine and Grandma Sheri. This is Garrett's 4th and Embrie's 1st!