Christmas traditions - old and new!

Christmas this year was great. We're at a great age as a family for loving Christmas and yet keeping it low-key and relaxing. We loved having Jozie home from school for almost two weeks. It was great for her and Haven to spend so many hours playing together like they're used to and to get to play outside a lot with friends!

I am loving our family traditions these last couple of years and using these traditions to work towards my goals for our family.

One new tradition that I think we'll keep was an advent calendar for each kid. I filled a bowl with little things for them to do - watch a video about the Savior, make a card for someone and give it to them, make a Christmas decoration and put it on the wall, etc. - and each time they did one they got to eat a chocolate from the calendar. They only got about halfway through it but it was still great to do a little Christmas-y thing most days.

We did our traditional candlelight dinner on Christmas Eve. I really love this - it sets such a nice tone for us to watch a special video about the Savior afterwards and focus on more spiritual and loving things that night.

After the dinner and video the girls got to open presents from each other.  I love being able to highlight sister presents and making them special by having them opened Christmas Eve. Haven got a pen that changes ink colors and Jozie got a headband.

I don't know why Haven insisted on closing one eye!

We decided to end the night with something new - a walk on the beach! Someday it'll be great to remember walking along the sand on Christmas Eve.

The girls are really into the "I love you" sign lately! I think it's better than the super popular peace sign anyway!

Sometimes Chad and I write "J + C" in sand, etc. I love that Jozie invented one for our whole family (Daddy Mommy Jozie Haven Claire):

After the kids were asleep I laid everything out nice and pretty:

Actually the presents have been under the tree for weeks. We're not good at hiding them. But they got rearranged at any rate. :)

The kids still sleep in on Christmas day, which is kind of hilarious. I beat them up every single year.

Breakfast was provided by our stockings.

Then presents! We tried to take a lot of pictures of things our moms had kindly sent (thanks Moms!).

A doll for Claire from Grandma B

Slippers, a play skirt, and gum from the "gum grandma" (Grandma B)

Haven's been waiting to open this headband for over a month

A sweet recorded book with Grandma Dalley's voice

An interactive storybook from Grandma Dalley

Jozie's waited for this scooter for months. Chad told her she had to get really good at her bike first and she practiced tons so she could get a scooter for Christmas.

It was awesome to get to go outside and play this year on Christmas! We love our neighbor friends so much!

For lunch we ate our traditional Christmas pizza:

Then after lunch we ate our gingerbread house (well, not the whole thing)!

It was a great day!