Dave with his first gift
Me with my new pj's and My Princess Stocking. Yes it has diamonds, and velvet, and gold, and all! I love it!So Dave and I had the greatest Christmas we could have ever asked for this year. We feel so blessed with everything our families got for us. It was touching and sweet and we are so thankful to have such amazing families.
For Christmas Eve we did what we will do every year. (I did it last year with Davey because we were engaged, but this year we got to sleep in the same bed!) We went to his parents house and ate dinner, played Bingo, played games, opened the name exchanged gifts, Lou read the Christmas story out of the Bible, Bonnie told us all about the tree, and we just hung out and spent time with family, and then settled in to spend the night. It was so much fun.
I made cookies this year and took them over because of course the kids have to have cookies for Santa. That was something that we did at my house every Christmas Eve, so I just have to bring my tradition home to Dave's house with me. So we spent about 1-2 hours decorating the gingerbread and the sugar cookies with the kids. We had sprinkles, red, green, and white, frosting, frosting to write with, and just about everything any child could imagine of wanting. It was so much fun!! Each child then got to pick 1 cookie for Santa which we put on a plate with a glass of milk and sure enough in the morning Santa had come and taken a bite of each cookie and drank ALL the milk. :)
I woke up at about 4 when everyone else was asleep and I went downstairs and and just sat in front of the tree and looked at it's beauty and all the beautifully wrapped presents. It was so much fun. I sat there for an hour before I went back to bed. I just thought of the true meaning of Christmas and how grateful I am for what my Savior has done for me. That tree was beautiful. I loved all of it.
The next morning we all woke at around 8:30 and started opening presents. I can't tell you the massive amounts of presents you can have when you have 8 children, their spouses, their children, stockings, and all of it. That room was PACKED!!
Dave has the most amazing nephew named Lincoln though, and he truly taught me the true meaning of Christmas this year. He 1st told his Mom that if Dad and Lilli (his little sister) had been to naughty this year that he would give them all of his gifts from Santa. He then had 2 requests for Christmas. A SUPER Green Bouncy Ball and a Wall-E book. He opened those and was so thrilled that Santa had brought them that he didn't even want to open anymore gifts. I can't believe what an amazing mother Bonnie is and an incredible father Kimball is. Their children were happy with just a few gifts, and so grateful and so loving, and needed nothing else. It really touched me because all of us just opened our gifts and moved on to the next, but Linc was literally thrilled and so excited over 2 gifts and so thankful. It was just a very touching experience to me.
After we were done at Dave's parents house we headed to Papa Kirk's and Momma Cay's for Abelskivers (Danish Pancake). Dave and I got there and we were the first. I was shocked. Then everyone started showing up and we all had breakfast. I even got to see my childhood best friend who now lives in Italy. I haven't seen her for 3 years and it was so wonderful to see her!
Christmas at my parents was a completely different but amazing experience. It was so touching and so emotional. My parents are amazing and went all out this year. They know (obviously) what Dave and I have been going through and gave us a gift that we needed more than anything else in this world. I had Photo Calendars made for my mom and dad and we wrote them a card which made them cry, and it was just an amazing experience. We were truly touched to say the least. We truly have 2 of the greatest families in the world.
After my parents house, we went and saw Dave's grandfather in the rest home and then back to Dave's parents for Christmas dinner. (We had still yet to have our Christmas together). We had dinner and then at about 9:30pm we headed home to have our 1st Christmas together.
We were so excited when we got home. We ran in like little kids and grabbed our stockings and looked through them. We then moved on to the presents. Dave got me the most thoughtful gifts. Things I have wanted for years that he has just heard me talk about. I was so extremely surprised because I never expected it at all. He knows exactly what I love and did such an amazing job. I'm so blessed to have such an incredible husband. I got him mostly clothes because he needed long sleeved shirts. I got him a couple thoughtful gifts, but not nearly as sweet as his. I love that boy! We had such an amazing Christmas.
We then settled on the couch to watch "A Christmas Story" because I have never seen it and so we were going to watch it for my first time, and yes I thought it was absolutely hilarious. We had so much fun!
I truly had the greatest Christmas I have ever had in my life. I can't express the joy I have from my husband, his family, and my family. We are just so blessed. I'm so grateful for the love that people have for us. This was the best Christmas we have ever had!! I don't know if anything will ever beat this year.
Our 1st Christmas together and a kiss to end our perfect day.
