In 14 years since Jay and I have been together we have NEVER spent a Christmas with just our little family. As much as we love being with all of the extended family it was time for us to keep it small and intimate. Everything leading up to this day was so memorable for me. It was the first year we actually had time to take the kids shopping so that they could shop for one another. To see them roam the mall in search for the perfect gift for their brothers or sister was so sweet! Then watching them wrap their gifts for each other, then give them to each other was such a blessing to Jay and I. It truly is better to give than to receive and this year our kids experienced that. It also made Jay and I look at each other and say "we need to do this more often". And we will. Christmas Eve day went to lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant, Costa Vida, then came home and watched the Nativity Story together...the kids LOVED this and want to "watch it together every year" (Kenna). Then we had dinner together, cleaned up and headed to church for a reflective Christmas Eve service. We then headed back home to open our gifts!!! It was such a fun day! Christmas morning we opened our stockings and had breakfast together. Then we hopped in the car and drove to Yakima to spend a few days with my family. We had a great time....unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures...which is weird, I know.
On December first we started reading a story for advent called Jothem's Journey. It is a story about a little boy that gets separated from his family and while he searches for them he encounters the people in the Christmas story and comes to learn about the Messiah. GREAT story! Our kids looked forward to reading this together each night...actually I looked forward to it! We would light the candle on the Advent wreath and cozy up by each other and daddy or I would read our chapter for the night...it was so relaxing! Then we would have wonderful conversations about the story and how to apply the lessons to our lives. It felt like Christmas should....to be focused on Jesus, his coming, his death, and his promise that he will again one day return as our king! What a meaningful month it was for us. I'm already looking forward to next year and I cant say that it has been that way for me....for a while.
Here are some pics from our time together!~
Our sweetie heart! Cant believe how old she looks in the picture. =(
Poor Jaxon had a canker sore the size of a quarter inside his top lip....made it hard to smile so I got a "stop making me try to smile, mom" look. =)
Our Christmas Eve Dinner! Yummy!
Kenna watching the end of the Nativity Story. She was all teary eyed! It was so sweet.
Jay & the cuties!
Poor Jaxon just couldn't smile any more...so here are the other 3 hammin' it up!
Christmas Eve reading our Advent story. Ty seems to be paying really close attention. =)
Advent Wreath
Daddy just opened up the present the kids got him...a NEW wallet!
Kenna got some slippers from Jax! She "was totally wanting some just like these!"
Hud & Ty opening up their storm trooper helmets!
Here is Jax opening up his "big" gift from Jay & I. It was a little box with a BSU Fiesta Bowl T-shirt in it and a ticket to the Fiesta Bowl!!!! But when he ripped the package open the ticket fell on the floor and he didn't even notice...so while we snickered at his excitement over the t-shirt, Kenna pointed out the ticket on the floor. This is the picture of him figuring out that he gets to go with us to the FIESTA BOWL!!!!!!!! GO BSU!
4 comments:
Awesome pictures Heather! It looks like you captured their personalities perfectly. I love the one of Ty peeking his smiling little face out from behind Jay.
Mad photo skillz. Booyah.
How exciting!! Jaxon has got to be one of the coolest kids I have ever met! Thanks for posting & glad you had such a wonderful Christmas!! I love your camera! It takes awesome photos!
Jay & Heather, this is Kyra Epperly. Thanks for your family Christmas letter; it was great to hear how you guys are doing (from Jaxon's perspective). We did our letter this Christmas via email, but don't have a current email address for you. Email us at shalom1@bresnan.net and we'll send you our letter.
Take Care,
Kyra
Post a Comment