This was a Christmas to remember! But in a positive way. Last Christmas we spent in the hospital with sick little Ellie, and that was a Christmas to remember too, only NOT in a positive way. We had a much better experience this year!
The week before Christmas was a non-stop celebration filled with 3 birthday parties for Ellie, "pretend" Christmas Eve, real Christmas Eve, and then Christmas.
"Pretend" Christmas Eve consisted of Mike, Ellie, and me eating Christmas goodies and hanging up stockings on the 22nd, making the 23rd "Pretend" Christmas. We decided that lugging our own personal presents to various family gatherings would be less fun than having an extra Christmas with just our own little family. And Santa was kind enough to come to our house a few nights early!
Here's Ellie hanging up her stocking on the couch, which consequently, I realized not everyone does. Mike looked at me real funny when I told him to take down the stockings from our chimney/bookshelf where they were hanging so we could put them on the couch. I thought everyone did that! I realize all the Christmas songs and poems describe stockings as "hung by the chimney with care" but my family always hung them on the couch. How is a small stocking hanging from a chimney supposed to fight gravity and support the immense weight of so many presents earned by me, a girl who's been on the Nice List for 26 years running?
This picture is of Ellie, who loves cheese. And has apparently learned to cheese-it in pictures. I love this smile!
On Christmas Eve, we went swimming with Stacy, Bryan, and Ada at the South Jordan Rec Center which has: THE LONGEST LAZY RIVER IN THE STATE! Very cool! We all had a really good time, but I'm sad to say Ellie didn't retain much of what she learned in swimming lessons over the summer. That night we had dinner at my parent's house and ate the most fantastic Christmas Ham I've ever had in my entire life. I'm not exaggerating! It was phenomenal! Here's a picture of Ellie and Ada with Grandma Mona & Grandpa Ken.
After dinner, we drove up to spend the rest of Christmas Eve with Mike's family. Their family tradition is to read Christmas stories and eat homemade cinnamon rolls and drink wassail, which was all very delicious!
We woke up Christmas morning and enjoyed opening presents with Mike's family. His parents gave Ellie a gigantic Play House with 300 of those colorful balls you find in McDonald's ball pits. I think Ellie may have died and gone to heaven. She loves balls! (This gift now occupies our entire front room!)
This is a fun picture of Tiffany taking care of all 3 of her babies: Kingsley, Spartan, and Rusty. Such a good Mom!
Then it was back to my parent's house for Christmas Part II. Again, here is another fantastic Ellie Smile!
Ellie & Ada in their Christmas get-ups!
And here is Ellie in her Play House.
It was such a great Christmas and we're very thankful for our wonderful families! It's always nice to have family so close during the holidays!
I hope everyone else had an enjoyable Christmas season as well!
Ellie doing Downward Dog.
Ellie wearing Mom's glasses (one of her favorite things to do).
I was sitting on our couch, when I see Ellie walk out of the kitchen, face covered in something. "Oh no... what did she find on the floor?" was my first thought.
Yes. Those are cupcakes. On top of the table. The little stinker stood on her tippy toes, extended her little arm as far as she could, and stole all of the frosting off the nearest cupcake. 
I was secretly proud of her. I think a valuable life lesson was learned here. For her and for me. Ellie learned that when you want something, and you work really hard to get it, you can achieve your dreams! I learned that if I don't want Ellie to steal my cupcakes, I'll have to put them in the middle of the table. 
Tiffany is a cake-guru! Her cakes never cease to amaze me!
On Christmas Eve, we went swimming with Stacy, Bryan, and Ada at the South Jordan Rec Center which has: THE LONGEST LAZY RIVER IN THE STATE! Very cool! We all had a really good time, but I'm sad to say Ellie didn't retain much of what she learned in swimming lessons over the summer. That night we had dinner at my parent's house and ate the most fantastic Christmas Ham I've ever had in my entire life. I'm not exaggerating! It was phenomenal! Here's a picture of Ellie and Ada with Grandma Mona & Grandpa Ken.
This is a fun picture of Tiffany taking care of all 3 of her babies: Kingsley, Spartan, and Rusty. Such a good Mom!
Ellie & Ada in their Christmas get-ups! 
And here is Ellie in her Play House. 
