Out with the old, in with the new...year!

Festive family room...
Christmas morning kids (and pup)...
This Christmas was FABULOUS and the kids were perfect. We have such grateful kids!! Being our first Christmas as a family, I was all about traditions (trying, anyway...), starting with Christmas breakfast, which meant waking up even earlier than was already necessary to get that going (so that we could eat as soon as presents were opened). I made a yummy breakfast strata and then a (fattening to say the least) coffee cake. They loved it, and that tradition begins. I kind of got that idea from my mom who, growing up, would make these great quiches for General Conference weekends. Same idea. Anyway, the day was really wonderful - and I loved how the kids were sooo excited to GIVE their gifts. Seriously, they were distracted from getting them when it came to whose turn it was to give one. So cute. That evening we had a large family dinner (26!) at our house. My mom has begun a new tradition where every individual family participates somehow during Christmas dinner. We all took a letter of the word CHRISTMAS and did something Christmas/holiday/seasonal related with that letter. The Stockwell's had "S" - Nate and Kayla proceeded to come up with 44 s-words (from snow to sleigh bells to spirit to Santa) and found this clever website that makes a crossword puzzle for you out of any words you type in. We also read a story ("You Are Special" - get it, "s"pecial), and then Kayla led the family in a Christmas carol on the piano. Others read a poem, sang a song, gave a thought, etc. We all were laughing and loving all of it. I will say, however, that next year we'll let someone ELSE host dinner at their home. Between hosting both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners this year, we're tired... :)

For New Year's Eve we started out at (brother) John and Tre's house with the Seron's, Martindale's, my parents, and us, for dinner and games, etc. (eye-clopse anyone?). Then we (Stockwells) left to go join our neighborhood party. We sang karaoke (Matt dominated that microphone... latent rock-band desires), and, yes, I sang. It was mortifying and fun and we LOVE our neighbors/neighborhood. Happy New Year!