Robison Family: Christmas 2014

Oh wow. Christmas. I'm almost half way to next Christmas! This Christmas was such a fun one, I really, truly love the magic of Christmas in our home and the joy the Season brings. I love the special feel of the Season so much that I am never too anxious for Christmas Day to come because I don't want it to be over. It came and went too quickly once again and I am so glad I took a million pictures to remember this special time and the magic it really is for my kids. Jens was especially fun, I love this age so much, I really wish I could keep him 3 for a long, long time. Here are the highlights of our joyous season!

Decorating the tree...

My little helper, he was so helpful with the lights, as you can imagine!

Jens got his first try at putting the star on top of the tree!

The kids love our family tradition of getting a new ornament each year, I think I love it more. I need to start documenting which one they receive each year, it is so fun for me to find a new one for them each year. I love this and only wish I had started doing it sooner.

Madi showing off her beloved Hello Kitty ornament. You can also spot her pink sock monkey and pink ballet shoes.

Pierce showing off his soccer ball bells and BYU ornaments.

Christmas Baking...

One of the best things about the Season! I love making traditional Christmas treats with the kids, I love that they are excited about it and love helping, and we all enjoy taking treats to friends and neighbors.

Pretzel Hugs! We added these to our Christmas baking list a few years ago and they have become a favorite! I love them because the kids can do most of the work and they are amazingly yummy little things too!

Great helpers!

Making Grandma Allen's traditional Christmas tree cookies, I love making these and her butter cookies simply because they remind me of her.

I was telling Pierce about how these were a lot more work for Grandma Allen to make with her old cookie press, compared to my new Pampered Chef version, I was happy to inherit Grandma's when she died and so I got it out for us to give it a try. It was fun for the kids to use both and see the difference and of course fun for me to use Grandma's old one.

Heidi getting in on the baking action! Love how these two play together so well!

Christmas Sunday

My handsome boy in his "Christmas Clothes". He was so excited about his new outfit I got him for church, he still calls it his "Christmas clothes" and requests to wear it most weeks to church.

Pierce was an absolute punk after church this day and refused to be in a picture for me. He had already started undressing when I asked the kids to come for a picture, and refused to put his clothes back on, he is definitely giving me a lot of the pre teen attitude, UG! Not loving it!

Cousins Nativity

The kids loved our traditional gathering with cousins to put on the Nativity. The Eves were sick this year so it was just us and the Halls and Grandma. Smaller crowd but we still had a great time.

My little Joseph

Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus

Some crazy shepherd visiting, Joseph looks awfully weary of him and protective of Baby Jesus.

3 very silly wise men

Attempted group picture. Pierce - Shepherd, Brooke - Angel, Matthew - wise man, Madi - Mary, Jens - Joseph, Harrison - Wise man, Dallin - Wiseman

We enjoyed the kids putting on the nativity and having Ryan read the story from the scriptures, we sure miss Grandpa doing it! We also had fun doing some songs with the chimes and the hand bells.

CHRISTMAS EVE

I haven't done this before but wanted to start a new tradition of giving the kids new pajamas on Christmas Eve. Not sure if I'll give it a try again after the disaster it turned in to. See these three happy kids? They were all thrilled with their special packages and excited to open a gift on Christmas Eve...

These little boy looks thrilled with his new adorable reindeer pajamas doesn't he?

This little smile didn't last much longer than this, this turkey boy decided he didn't like the pajamas, that they were bugging his feet. We read our Christmas stories and then attempted to sing some Christmas carols as a family with the hand bells (I had been subbing for Julianne doing the primary music all month so I had her hand bells, loved doing the Christmas songs with the primary kids btw, I got to teach them Picture a Christmas for the ward party and also taught them The Nativity Song, loved it!) Anyway, all I can remember is that we were all trying to sing and do the bells for Away in a Manger and Jensen was throwing a full blown fit, screaming. We tried to satisfy him with another pair of pajamas and he would not calm down. He was such a little stink. You'll notice he is no longer wearing Christmas jammies on Christmas morning.

CHRISTMAS DAY!

Santa brought Jens a big boy bike, Pierce a Pro Scooter, and Madi a bed for her Kit doll, with handmade bedding!

The big morning!

Love seeing their happy, surprised, excited faces!

Rio! Kidz Bop!

Finally! This kid was wishing long and hard for a "Pro Scooter"

Candy!

Madi's letter to Santa, she was so thrilled, she had left him a note with questions to answer and she was so happy to see that he had written in answers to all of her questions! Pretty precious!

Santa put nuts in our stocking for the first time, we told the kids how we both had nuts in our stocking all the time when we were growing up, but being a new item for them, Jens was a little confused!
Love this face!

Light Saber chapstick action!

He really enjoyed it for about 5 minutes until he destroyed the chapstick and made a mess out of it.

Big boy bike! Jens had been riding a Strider balance bike for a few months and was doing great on it, he was cruising with his feet up and balancing so well. We were excited to get him a real bike and thought he would get right on and ride right away, no such luck. He doesn't want anything to do with the pedals. We had to give the Strider bike back in the spring (we borrowed it) and once we gave it back I thought he'd be motivated to ride, but not so. He still doesn't want to pedal and now just rides his scooter more often. Not sure how to motivate him to try those peddles out!