Meeting Santa and Christmas Day!

So it was about this time in our vacation that my camera battery died on me. When I went to charge it I realized I had packed my video camera charger instead of my regular camera charger. GRRR! This posed an interesting dilemma. I love taking pictures, not for the aesthetics of the picture, but for documenting purposes. However, I often think... would I enjoy the moment more if I wasn't so worried about getting a picture of it? I believe the answer is yes. Soooo, I tried my best to forget about pictures and rely on other people to to capture the moment. Easier said than done! I felt like my left arm was missing, not having a camera for two weeks. I guess it worked out ok, except that upon leaving, it took hours to copy everyone's pictures, request pictures through email, transfer them to my computer and organize them chronologically. Next time, I'll just remember the right charger.

*

After missing "Breakfast with Santa" in Buffalo, it suddenly struck me that- oh my gosh! I need to take Collin to see Santa!! A couple days before Christmas we finally got a chance to head to the mall. Santa started pictures at 10am. We walked in right on time. We were welcomed with a line that was 2+ hours long. Double GRRR! We lasted all of 5 minutes before giving up.

I was perplexed. If the mall is so stinkin' crowded, why don't other stores step up and provide a Santa?! Well.... that's when Trav's brother told us they take their kids to Bass Pro Shop to see Santa. Why not? Animal carasses always get ME in the Christmas spirit. It actually worked out great. Not so crowded AND they give you a free picture. That's right, free. Not $20-50 like the mall charges. I think we'll have an elk in every Santa picture from here on out!

I was getting all ready for a show when we set Collin in Santa's lap. Nothin'. He acted like he was pleased we had plopped him in the fat man's seat. So much for a funny pic. We met Trav's friend, Chase, there with his wife and kid, Kael. Kael was terrified of all the animals in the store. Smart boy, I think.

Again, Collin looks amused at best with the evil animal he's straddling. Funny boy.

Well, besides meeting Santa, you just HAVE to go see the Christmas lights at the temple to truly get ready for the big day. We left Collin with Grandma, thinking we would do the lights again and take him. Well, that never happened, so I guess he'll just see them next year. Bad parents.

We went with my sister, Marcie, and her boyfriend, Austin.

Ok, Christmas Eve..... awful, awful, awful. I woke up that day with a horrible stomach bug. Couldn't eat all day. I spent most of the day in bed. I hobbled over to the Evans (well, hobbled to the car) for their Christmas Eve program and loathed all the people eating the delicious food and enjoying their night. Sorry, it's true. :) Each family is supposed to have something to present for the program. We are major slackers and have failed each year. Trav rendered a verse of "Must be Santa" with actions courtesy of Collin. Way to go boys.

Time for the cousin nativity! Collin got passed up for baby Jesus by sweet Adele. His calling was a shepherd boy. I wish I had a picture of his getup. He wore an arm rest cover on his head. Didn't last long, but it was pretty cute. Wish I had a picture. Sigh.

After we put him down to bed, we went back to my parent's house to watch A Christmas Story. Just love it.
I couldn't sleep from pain and hunger and about 1am I could feel the pain start to lessen. Hooray! A 24 hour bug. So I got out of bed and wrapped some presents, finally hitting the hay about 2:30am. I guess that's fitting for a parent on Christmas Eve.

We woke up to a fabulous Christmas morning thanks to my parents and, well, Santa. I have a 9yr. old brother that still believes in good 'ole St. Nick, so we get to keep that belief alive and well. I just love Collin's face in this pic. Could a kid be any happier?

Grandmother came over to open presents with us.

We aren't a "rip and tear" kind of family. Opening presents is fairly orderly. Stockings first. Always a DVD. We got Bolt, and Julie and Julia. Collin got Baby Einstein.

This next pic is classic because it has David holding his prized gift. Hot Wheels. David is 17. He was quite disgruntled this Christmas when my mom told him she didn't have time to shop. She gave him his money and told him he could go buy what he wanted and she would wrap it. Where is the fun in that?! (I think it's the ideal situation, but whatever :) I think he felt his childhood slipping through his fingers so do you know what he went and bought? Hot Wheels, Legos, and a kid game called Don't Break the Ice. And he was beyond thrilled when he opened them. ( A few nights later we walked into the basement to find him and his girlfriend assembling the Hot Wheels track and exclaiming how hard it was to put together :) I just love David.

We gave my mom pics of the three grandboys.

Shelley's sister in law, Breanna, took them. I'm in love.

For the past couple years, my mom has organized a scavenger hunt for us married kids to get our Christmas money. This year she mixed it up with a Jeopardy Game! It was really fun. The categories were: Out and About, The Church is True, Mom the Sharon, and The Oil Man (meaning, my dad).

We ended up pretty much tying and then the "banker" was generous and gave us the money for the bonus question even though we both missed it. Do YOU know all four streets that border the Mesa Temple? Ya, I didn't think so. :)

I think I'll always refer to this Christmas as {The Year of the Kan Jam}.

Trav and I ordered the game, Kan Jam for both our families and I think pictures of us playing it dominated all cameras.

It's a frisbee game that was invented just north of where we live in Buffalo. So it's kind of popular on the east coast. It doesn't look like much, but it's pretty addicting. So if you want to be cool like us (haha) just ask us where you can get one :)

After scarfing down traditional biscuits and gravy for breakfast, we spent some time at Trav's parent's house, then headed to Grandma Ann and Grandpa Jess's house for a late lunch

and to see what books awaited us!

Then back to the Evans for the evening. (We feel a bit like a ping pong on Christmas) My mother in law is amazing and sews everyone new pajama bottoms every year. I know you can't see mine, but I promise, I'm wearing 'em!

I was on the ball with coordinating our outfits.

We truly had such a wonderful, marvelous Christmas! We felt really lucky to be able to spend time with both families. We were spoiled rotten and can hardly wait 365 days to do it again!