Smith Family Christmas

We went to Tremonton for Christmas day to celebrate with Brig's family.  This picture explains it all.  There's a whole lotta grandkids.  Most of the time we make them go outside or downstairs but we were opening presents so we made an exception.  ;) 

Brielle has been less shy with family lately.  And unlike Ava she's not clinging to my leg all the time.  No, Bree likes to be with the other kids and only seeks me out for food and drink.  And what food and drink we had.  Papa made his scones and there was just a lot of snacks and desserts kicking around.  When I left my mother-in-law was forcing plates of sugar cookies on me.  At one point I tried to ditch a couple on the counter but she noticed and said, "It's either going to be you or me and it's not going to be me."  Tough woman, my mother-in-law.  I'd hate to meet her at the end of a dark alley.  Odds are she'd beat me in a knife fight. 

 Passing out gifts.  Who's going to be first?

 Ava brought Vanessa along and didn't let her out of her arms for a moment.  Well, almost. 

Why, hello lover.  He's looking at me like this because I snuck off at one point during the festivities and tried to catch a few winks in the rarely used front room.  He found me only moments later.  I find it ironic the guy who ditches me at every family gathering suddenly tracks me down like a blood hound.  Come on!  We were up until 2:30, man.  He's not amused. 

Brielle was lounging on people the whole day.  Just walked up to any old aunt or uncle or papa and leaned against them. 

 Brielle and Nash.  He's such a cute kid.  Sometimes I pretend he is mine. 

 Brielle hauling a present the size of her little self. 

 "Bree, show me what you got from Nana and Papa!"

 "No!"

 Then she wouldn't smile at me and hid her mouth behind her hands.  I think she was all posed out. 

 Ava got a necklace.  Her favorite. 

Brielle pouting because we wouldn't open the Little People play set.  I'm sorry but you saw the tribe of kids.  There was no way we could have kept the little people in tact.  Like throwing meat to the wolves I tell you. 

It was such a nice day.  We just visited and ate, and ate some more.  The kids played and I tried to keep my eyes open.  Love those Smiths. 

Christmas Morning

This year was all about dolls.  You never know when a girl will give up dollies.  I got a water baby newborn for Christmas when I was twelve and played with it for the next two years...just around the time I kissed my first boy, Mike Garza under the stairs in the Elevator Room in between classes.  Then who knows what happened to water baby.  All I could think about was that silky black hair of Mike's and those flannels he wore over his wife beater tank tops.  Ah grunge.  Those were the days...well not really. 

Brielle got a baby doll named Brianna.  I have been meaning to throw away all of the old raggedy flea-bitten baby dolls from Ava's childhood, but have been having a hard time.  I'm usually not that sentimental about items. 

Santa in his infinite wisdom decided to get Brielle a doll like Ava's as well, as anything Ava has Brielle wants too.  It's uncanny how much they look alike.  She was laying on the floor that same morning and I had to do a double take to see if it was Bree.  Ava and Bree came up with the name Bella. 

The girls woke us up at 7:30, which I know sounds good, but the parents stayed up until 2:30 helping Santa put together a big dollhouse for Ava.  Oddly enough I never took a picture of our labor of love, but Ava loved it and that's all that really matters. 

This doll ended up being her favorite present.  It's not an American Doll, but a Madame Alexander.  Significantly cheaper but still cute.  Ava doesn't care right now so not a big deal.  She named her Vanessa.  Santa also brought a few matching outfits for Ava and Vanessa. 

Brielle looking less than thrilled with her pony slippers. I would be too if I got super cute Cinderella slippers from our neighbor across the street a few days before. 

It was a good morning and afterwards all Mommy and Daddy wanted to do was go back to bed.  But there was a billion strings to be cut and batteries to be put in and it was Christmas morning so we didn't. 

The Night Before Christmas

We spent the day running last minute errands.  I worked in the morning as well so it felt like we were going all day.  That night we went upstairs to our landlord's Christmas Eve party.  The food was terrific and the Bullens gave presents to the girls which thrilled them.  Ava was anxious to get home though so she could get in bed so Santa could come.  You'll notice two sewing packets sitting on Brig's new gaming chair.  I bought what I thought were new stockings for the girls off of Amazon.  Turns out it was a sewing kit.  And I haven't put needle to thread since I was eighteen.  Maybe over the next twelve months I can get them put together for the girls.  Maybe I can pay someone to do it for me!  It worked in eighth grade home economics. 

The girls in their pink Christmas jammies. 

  Dance, Dance, Dance!

 Dance, Dance, Dance!

 The whole night long!

 Ava had this great idea to set out carrots for Santa's reindeer. 

And she also knew what beverage Santa would really need.

The note reads:

Dear Santa,

If you are feeling tired there is some coke in the fridge if you need some.

Love, Ava

Turns out he would.  We were missing a can out of the fridge in the morning.  ;)