Christmas 2011

We were able to spread Christmas out over all of December this year.  The first thing that we were able to participate in was welcoming Santa Claus to Eagle Mountain, and getting to sit on his lap and take pictures on December 2.  Over at City Center every year, Santa Claus comes to visit.  We welcome him in by singing "Santa Claus is coming to town", and he arrives on one of the Eagle Mountain Fire Engines.
Here are some of the pictures from welcoming and meeting Santa this year.

Mason seriously stole everybody's hearts with his smile and stylish helmet.  The Eagle Mountain royalty were no exception.

Brody sitting on Santa's lap and NOT crying!!  A first for him!

Mason was just enthralled with Santa.

We expected Mason to cry (even though he is such an easy going kid) because of experience with Brody crying, but he stayed happy the whole time.

Brody eating the candy cane he had recieved from Santa.

Eagle Mountain is seriously awesome with holidays and such.  They also got Santa to drive up and down EVERY street in Eagle Mountain and wave and and throw candy to all of the children!  I love where I live!

On December 10, we made our way up to Salt Lake to see the lights at Temple Square.  I love it up there.  It was fun for Brody to ride trax as well as walk by the temple and see all the lights.  He LOVED it!

Brody was so excited to get on the train!

Mason bundled up waiting for the train.

My hot hubby and cute son enjoying the train ride.

Me with my boys on the train.

Brody with the lights.

Mason with the lights.

Family shot.

Of course we needed to get a couple of good shots of the temple.

Another pretty temple shot.

This year was Christmas with the Romig family... but we ended up being able to celebrate with both sides of the family.  Since Christmas was on a Sunday this year, we were able to go down to Grandma and Grandpa Dowland's Friday night (Christmas Eve's Eve) and spend the night and part of Christmas Eve with them.  Somehow I managed to not get any pictures down there!!  It was wonderful... and we were all spoiled, including the fact that Adam's family moved "Christmas" to "Christmas Eve" for us.  We did all of the traditional things, but a day early.  We were spoiled with stockings, a delicious brunch, and lots of presents.  Thank you Dowland's for shifting everything so that we could celebrate with you!

The reason they shifted everything is because we REALLY want to always have our own Christmas Eve traditions as well as Christmas Eve in our own home.  So, after celebrating "Christmas" down at the Dowland's, we headed home for our own Christmas Eve traditions, which include one present for each of us (pajamas) and one family present (a game OR a movie) that we proceed to enjoy together as a family.

Christmas jammies...

Adam is in his too.

This year the family Christmas Eve gift was "The Polar Express" movie, and we only watched a little bit before we were all falling asleep, so we just turned it off and went to bed. :)

Most of the memories from Christmas morning were recorded in video instead of pictures... but we did get a few pictures of what Santa brought the boys.  We started out Christmas morning like normal, Mason got to go first because he was the youngest.  And Brody waited so patiently on the stairs to come in too. (We knew it would take Mason longer because he had to crawl over to his gift).

Santa's gifts to Brody..

Santa's gifts to Mason.

Christmas was a fun day at home, and then that night we headed in to Murray for Christmas with the Romig's.  Again, no pictures for some reason.  We had a delicious dinner of pulled ham and potatoes. Then we got to work taking turns opening the gifts from Mama and Papa and cousins.  Our family was "almost" complete.  We also took turns skyping with Angie and her family.  It was a really nice night with my family.

Overall Christmas was a long season this year, with the different activities we did, but it still managed to fly by too quickly.