Christmas

Christmas time was super busy this year. It was strange not to see any family, but since we were going to Florida for Austin's Make A Wish trip  and to Washington later in the summer to help run
the fireworks stand we really couldn't take more of Ben's vacation time to go up.
While I was getting ready for a RS activity Austin was playing the nursery with some YW as supervisors. The next thing I know the girls come in and tell me something is wrong with Austin with eyes as big as dinner plates. I rush up, knocking over my food, and jet on down. I find Austin crying in the arms of one of the YW, with blood dripping down his face. I was relieved! I was thinking that maybe he was throwing up blood, or something had happened to his kidney, face stuff we can handle, the other stuff? Not so much. They were playing duck, duck, goose with the carpet squares when he tripped and hit the AV cart. I ran down the hallway shouting for Patty Egetoe, who is a nurse and friend. She came into the kitchen and BAM! All with in 10 minutes, I had a babysitter for Emma and they went to get her car seat, wrapped up Austin's head, the ER was called and a Dr was waiting for us as well as someone to drive us to the hospital (Thanks again Patty!). I have said this before, and I will say it again. When you become Mormon there is something that happens to your DNA when you come out of the waters of Baptism. You are rewired. When there is something to be done, especially in an emergency, we do it. And we work well together in groups. We are unstoppable. I was very impressed, and very grateful. 
I love to take pictures of the kids faces on Christmas Eve right before they go to bed. There is something magical in their eye. Hope? Faith? The Christmas Spirit? I don't know. What I do know is that it is exciting. The kids had reindeer food (oats and sparkles) we put out on the lawn. We put out milk and cookies.  Then we read the nativity and looked at the pictures in our Christ book.
In the morning we had some streamers across the door. You can see Austin bursting through them. The funny thing is that Austin thought that the streamers meant that he should stay in bed. I thought it was weird that they were staying in bed for so long. So finally I had to give him permission to burst through them. Boy did he think that was fun! But then he asked in a confused way why I put stuff in front of his door to keep him in. I had to explain that it was just a fun thing to celebrate Christmas. I thought it was hilarious that he seemed a little offended that I would do such a thing.
Christmas morning was awesome. The kids had a great time with their gifts and had a lot of fun giving them as well. We skyped with different family members. I was surprised with all my kitchen stuff I received, especially this really cool ceramic knife set. I was telling Ben that I will have to be careful and that I would probably cut myself on them at some point. He assured me that I wouldn't, and while getting them unwrapped he sliced the end of his right index finger! Uggh. It was a gusher. I really thought at one point we might need to take him in to get stitches. But we did what any resourceful, bright, and intelligent person would do...we super glued it! It took a couple of tries but held it together in the end.
We went to go see Santa Claus a few times. First at the ward Christmas party and then at the Starlight Foundation Christmas party. Emma really did not dig Santa by himself, but throw a Mrs. Claus in there? She had a great time!!! She wanted nothing to do with Santa, only Mrs. Claus.
We had the opportunity to see the Nutcracker and that was way fun. We took the whole family, and didn't stay for the whole thing, but it was a fun outing none the less. Emma was very prim and proper watching the dancers. I watched her, curious how she would react. Did move for the first ten minutes. She was totally mesmerized. Austin hated it fro the start, he only liked the part that the Mouse king was dancing and fighting.
We were invited to have Christmas dinner with Brian and Tammy Murphy at Tammy's Mom's house (who happens to be married to the mayor). We had prime rib and everything was soooo yummy. We felt very blessed to be invited.
There is a picture of Emma with her map and back pack. Ever since we went to Yellowstone she likes to pretend she is packing up and going to the "cabin". She packs food, clothes, and other assorted gear. It is so heavy she needs help putting it on. She then carries around her map and consults it often on her way to the cabin. So cute.