First Nather Christmas

Checking out the gifts from Santa

The Night Before Christmas for 5 kids, 2 dolls, and some stuffed animals.

Sea Lights at the Aquarium was fun, though rainy and cold that evening. A highlight was watching Diving Santa read us a story and answer questions as he scuba dived in a tank.

 
As a Sunday movie ("Classics Sunday"), I turned on The Nutcracker. I fully expected everyone to wander away within 10 minutes. To my surprise every.last.kid. watched the entire movie! Well, kinda. The girls started dancing along, which turned into about a hundred costume changes. They probably missed more than they watched by the end. Kieran danced along too, but his wand turned into a light saber of sorts for his interpretation of the classic story.

A highlight of the season is always the Underwater Audio Christmas party. Not really any pictures this year, but most of the kids performed during the talent show to qualify to pick out more prizes. (The prizes are the free gifts picked out when placing large enough orders with an office supplier. This is how I come home with picnic blankets and rolling coolers and the like.)

Kylea had a school play that night so Nate and I did the divide-&-conquor thing and I thought for sure he wouldn't make it back from Salem in time for anything but cleanup. To my surprise they arrived as I was getting my dinner! Yay!!! Kylea received a look-alike-type doll, which I was anxiously waiting to see what she'd think. She can be rather choosey, plus I didn't know if she'd like a doll at all. Hollyn has one (only), so they don't play dolls together, but I didn't know if that's because it's not Ky's thing, or a result of short supply. Nate said Ky had never had a doll before - something about her Mom not letting her have any. So, I took a chance...

At first she wasn't super thrilled, but she was also rather pouty that night in general. Once we got home and she opened it, she was sold. For days afterwards the girls played obsessively with their twins. Made my heart happy. Later for Christmas, Ky got a school set accessory including little books and folders and other school supplies. This has been the favored gift so far. She can use the supplies to play school with her stuffed animals which combines her two favorite things in life. :-)

Ky also made it to our ward Christmas party which was great. We're trying so hard to help her feel a part of the family.

Hollyn in blue, Kieran and Kylea on the end.

The family gift this year was a Nintendo Switch. I knew by doing so I'd reinvigorate the video-gaming in the house, which was pretty minimal for a long while. It has been fun though. The kids really liked Just Dance... until Zelda entered our lives after Asher's birthday and they haven't played any other games since.