Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas! It was the first relaxed Christmas at home that we've had in years. (The Christmas two years ago when we went to New Zealand the next day really doesn't count cuz that was anything but relaxed!) It was such a great day and, boy, was I glad for the AC so we could enjoy our Santa hats. 

  Santa brought the kids some pretty cool stuff. Lydia got Walkie Talkies.

Isaac got a remote control snake. (It's a good thing this bad boy has a fairly loud electrical whirr to it, otherwise I'd have to have some serious lectures about sneaking it up on people.)

Evelyn got two Barbie dolls, one being a mermaid. Ooh!

And Bridget got a stroller.


This way she could stop pushing the play chair around the house, which was a common occurrence, as shown here. (Terrible picture, I know. That girl is too darn fast!)

The kids also got marine animals reminiscent of our snorkeling trip to Lady Elliot Island.

This year the kids picked out a paper mâché figure from the craft store to paint for each other. Lydia painted a wand for Evelyn, Isaac painted a giraffe for Lydia, and Evelyn painted a dinosaur for Isaac.

Aunt Angie made the kids hooded towels.

After a few hours of playing inside with their new toys and consuming far too much sugar we tossed them outside to play with some MORE Christmas presents! Will wonders never cease?!!

A snazzy three laned Slip N Slide for the older three...

And a water table for Bridget!

In the end the water table was good fun for all.

Christmas evening was wonderful! We had the senior missionary couple, the Millers, and the Elders over. After dinner we retired to the "pretty room" where Lydia, Isaac, and Evelyn put on a Christmas program for us. They had planned (all by themselves) and performed it for FHE so we asked if they'd do it for Christmas too. They led us in Silent Night, then Lydia was an angel proclaiming the birth of Christ (verbatim from the scriptures) to Isaac the shepherd, who went to see a very giggly Mary with baby Jesus. It was delightful!


Elders Alofa'ae and Smith gave us their Christmas devotional complete with a moving duet. Beautiful! Then we found Santa had left Christmas presents under the tree for the missionaries too. Toothbrushes, Sharpies, soap, and chocolate! What fun! In the end it was a truly wonderful Christmas! We are so grateful for the gift of our Savior and the peace and hope He gives us. Merry Christmas!

Location:Jumbuck Court,Glen Eden,Australia