Brunch

Christmas morning brunch is definitely one of the highlights of our Christmas season. A yummy egg casserole is always served along with grapefruit, ham, muffins, and juice. The eggs are considered a delicacy in our house--they have been served on Christmas morning since I was a girl. I remember my mom serving the eggs in a beautiful silver serving tray. It was an amazing site to behold. And then the taste--fabulous. We always asked for a second helping even if you were full. Because it was served only on Christmas morning, just once a year, you had to eat as much as you could. Leftovers were always fought over the next day (and there usually weren't many leftovers to fight over!).

This year we were fortunate to have both sets of Grandparents join us for brunch. Festive food and family added to the wonderful Christmas morning.

Oh, the Presents!

Every year I wonder if my children have been good enough to receive the coveted visit from Santa. Have they done everything they should? We all know that Santa is watching and that he records what we do during the year. Up until the time we go to bed on Christmas Eve, he is watching! Were the Carroll children good enough this year? Would they receive coal in their stockings or treasures? Look at the pictures to see...

Ugg boots were all Ashton wanted this year--SURPRISE! Santa thought she deserved them.

Easton smiles as he realizes that he was good enough this year for Santa to deliver the DS Nintendo game that he has wanted since playing with the 4 D's this summer in Lake Powell.

Grandma and Grandpa are all smiles as they enjoy some presents. They were especially good this year!

Dallin found a present under the tree that had been wrapped with specially, handmade wrapping paper that he made in first grade. What a treasure! Santa did brings some goodies for Dallin--his number one request was fulfilled, Clark Wallabee boot shoes. And a few other items!

Santa really was obsessed with the whole animal print thing this year. From jammies to purses, gloves, sweaters and cool zebra pens--it felt like a jungle in our family room.

Landon pulled it off too! Santa thought he was a great kid this year and brought him a Nintendo DS too and a super cool remote control car that he had his eye on.

We had a wonderful Christmas morning and having Mom and Dad with us made it especially nice. We've never had them in our home for Christmas. I'm sure they haven't had a wild Christmas morning like ours for years.. They had to get up early (7:30) to enjoy the festivities. Grandpa headed back to bed for about an hour before brunch was served!

Santa did it again! See you next year!

Cookies for Santa

We have a cute little Santa plate that gets put out by the fireplace every Christmas eve that is filled with cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer. Ice cold milk usually fills up the Santa mug. Easton arranged the cookies with care and filled the mug with Egg Nog (his favorite beverage of choice this season!). Santa is one lucky dude!

This video clip is for Brad--maybe Keith can show it to him when he's at the house sometime. Dallin has been taking guitar lessons. He's been practicing and is really making progress. He's learned one Jack Johnson song and it sounds really good. I challenged him to learn a Christmas song and so the night before Christmas Eve he taught himself Silent Night. Pretty good for only having 5 lessons!

Landon got into the act as well on Christmas Eve by playing his piano song that he learned during December.

Jammies

Three cheers for Christmas jammies! Every Christmas Eve the children look forward to opening one present. Of course they know it's going to contain the Christmas jammies of the year. We've been doing this since Ashton had her first Christmas. The kids love their new jammies and it's fun to have them in nice, spiffy jammies on Christmas morning. It looks great in pictures, you know. This year Grandma and Grandpa got in on the fun by getting their own Christmas jammies. We had way too much fun!

Christmas Eve Dinner

Oh, the traditional Christmas Eve dinner........when the children were very little I made extravagant dinners and after a few years realized that I was wasting so much time and energy on something that the kids really could care less about. So we started making homemade individual pizzas on Christmas Eve. We would roll out the dough and then add whatever toppings they liked. The pizza dinner was a great tradition for about five years. Then I decided to change it one year, not really sure why. I guess I was in the mood for French Toast! I made a fabulous feast of French Toast that was coated in corn flakes crumbs. We had fresh raspberries, thick-sliced bacon, delicious syrups, juice and real whipping cream to put on top. Yummy! The kids loved it and requested it the following year. Well, we've been eating French toast on Christmas Eve ever since. This year I tried to shake things up a bit by suggesting a more mature gourmet meal complete with tender filet mignon. They would have nothing to do with it!!!! I was assaulted with reminders that French toast was tradition and that's what we were having. So...that's what we had and I have to admit it was very yummy. The whipping cream makes all the difference!

Mexican Train

When Grandma and Grandpa come to visit we always play games at night. Grandpa loves playing games because he is quite competitive and loves winning. He acts like he doesn't care but we all know that he does. Mexican Train is a great game because children of all ages can play it without much assistance. It takes a long time to complete the game so it's a great bonding experience. We've played this quite a few times since Grandma and Grandpa have been here. We've always had a great time playing Farkle.

Shortbread Cookies

Making shortbread cookies is a Tradition in our home that was passed down from my home growing up. The cookies are tasty little morsels of yumminess! Crisp and buttery. They are made by putting the dough in a cookie press and squeezing them out through various shapes onto the tray. The kids love decorating the cookies with festive sprinkles and colored sugars. Watch them carefully as they cook because you don't want the edges to become brown. I asked Mother the history of the recipe--it was a recipe from her mother (Margaret Lange James) who got it from her mother in law (Margaret Syme James). Four generations of shortbread cookie makers have been enjoying this tradition. I suspect it will continue for many more! Easton is so careful to place his red, white, and green colored candy balls on his Christmas tree shaped cookies.

Watch out or I'll shoot you with my cookie press!

The happy cookie makers humored me by letting me take their picture while wearing their Christmas aprons. Grandma made these for them many years ago and we bring them out every year. Landon has obviously outgrown his! Dallin borrowed one that I made for Ashton because he couldn't even attempt to get his old one on. He'll have to save it for his little children.

Ornaments

Every year the children look forward to digging out all the treasured ornaments and hanging them on the tree. Because Grandma gives them a new ornament every year they have accumulated many varieties. It brings back memories as the children look for their favorites and hang them in just the right spot on the branches. Dallin carefully reaches the higher branches this year.

It was nice to have Ashton join us. We waited to hang ornaments until she came home from BYU so we could do it all together.

The men (Grandpa and Stephen) are very supportive as they sit and watch. Nice to have the whole family together.

Grandma has fun listening to the children talk about their favorite ornaments.

Easton looks on as Stephen helps place a heavy ornament on a strong branch.

Mom wanted this picture of one of my Nativity sets posted because she really liked this one.

A little too much action for Grandpa!

Twister

Oh what a grand time we had last night playing a crazy game of Twister. Haven't done that since I was a young'en and I don't recommend doing it at the ripe old age of 43. Those moves, those awkward angles, those uncomfortable stretches--oh the pain! It's definitely a game for the younger folk. I'm running the spinner next time!

Remember this couple? Well, they celebrated their 20th Wedding Anniversary yesterday. We have been married for 20 years and it's really hard to believe that it has been that long. Time really does fly by! I remember being sealed in the Salt Lake Temple at 4:20 in the afternoon. When we came out for pictures it was just starting to get dark and it was cold and very windy. My veil kept blowing straight up in the air! Our noses were red in the pictures. I kept having to take my coat off for the pictures and then quickly put it back on between each shot. We spent our first night together at Little America and woke in the morning to about three feet of snow on the ground and had to drive up to Park City in the beautiful white scenery for the remainder of our honeymoon at the Homestead. December weddings are cold, but our love kept us warm. (Cheesy)

We celebrated our anniversary by going out to dinner at a classy restaurant called Stoney River. It was a fabulous steak dinner and the waiter even brought us a complimentary anniversary cake to help us celebrate. We then went to an outside mall and walked through the different shops. It was a warm, clear evening--just right for walking and holding hands. We love each other so much more now than when we were first married and we're excited to spend another twenty years together.

Twenty years is a big anniversary and I wanted to surprise Stephen with something he has always wanted--a Bullova watch. He has had his eye on this certain watch for about five years. Everytime we would go shopping together he would always end up looking at watches and trying on the same one. It was really getting almost ridiculously annoying because he did it EVERYTIME we went shopping. So I saved money from teaching piano lessons for about four months. I didn't want him to suspect that I was getting it by taking money from our account--he would see it gone and know I was up to something. When I had the right amount I ordered it off the internet (I got a very good deal!) and had it delivered in October. I had to wait a long time to give it to him--and of course, we kept looking at watches everytime we went to the store. Ahhhhh! Just last weekend he was trying on watches and it was killing me. He kept asking me if I liked the watch he had on and I just had to say NO. The sales ladies must have thought I was a little snot because I just wasn't nice.

Last night I had him open the present before we went out so he could wear it. He was so surprised and shocked. He couldn't believe that I had done that for him. Then he realized how hard it had been for me to watch him trying on watches all the time. Hee hee hee. I had so much fun giving this gift of time to him. I told him it was symbolic of our time we've spent together and the time together that we have to look forward to.

Stephen gave me a beautiful, huge vase full of roses and a card that sounded like he had written it himself. He's a very thoughtful husband--the next twenty years will be awesome!