Merry Christmas! 2 days late.............

I haven't checked email or sat down at the computer for days. It's been nice. We worked our tails off last weekend attending Christmas concerts, church, finishing up food and gift shopping, cleaning the house for family to come over and hosting both families for Christmas. After all that I'm tired. Dave took the kids to Grandparents yesterday and I slept for almost 4 hours. It felt so good after staying up past 2 AM the two nights before.

Our Christmas recap:
Sunday
The kids did a live nativity at church and sang a couple songs for the congregation
I accompanied the choir for several songs and did okay playing the organ, which I was dreading
I sang O, Holy Night in Relief Society and bombed one part as I was distracted by a strong contraction
Came home and ate lunch and took a quick nap
Dinner at Gram's and then off to sing at the Stake Christmas Concert at church
Home to crash with Dave on the couch and wonder why I said yes to sing so much at 9 months pregnant- my tummy muscles are working overtime keeping this baby in and singing too.

Christmas Eve
Cleaned
Did 9 loads of laundry
Cleaned some more
Dave went out early to get 2 last minute gifts and toiletries
Baked rolls, sugar cookies and made garlic mashed potatoes for dinner
Dan, Lauren and Kristy arrived and helped set the table/play with our chillies
Waited for Mom and Dad and Tom and the turkey to arrive
Ate a wonderful meal with my side of the fam- we fit all 11 of us in our tiny apartment thanks to my cool new table from IKEA with both leaves installed
Exchanged gifts, ate dessert, decorated cookies for Santa and played with the chillies
Kids put out stockings, got jammied up and said goodnight to all
Family left and Dave and I stayed up until 2 AM wrapping presents and cleaning up

Christmas Day
Contrary to our hope of sleeping in a little, the chillies woke up early at 7 AM
We had put up a sheet in front of the living room so they couldn't go in until we were up
Got up to find all 3 chillies peeking through the sheet, "MOM, DAD! Santa filled our stockings!"-so cute
Daddy made everyone peppermint tea and we opened gifts together
Denise and Arnold came over to get Arnold's new guitar we were hiding for Denise. She put a guitar pick in a ring box as his Christmas present that said, "Will you serenade me?" then sent him to our house
Showered, dressed and made breakfast; french toast casserole (thanks Denise!), sausage, bacon, eggs, fruit
All the Bennett's came over for an impromptu gift exchange (and breakfast) at our house- it was so nice to not have to pack up kids and gifts this year. Everyone came to us.
Party adjourned to Denise and Arnold's apartment 3 doors down to play their new Wii
Chilled out as a family at home until dinner at Gram's house at 4 PM
Both sides of the family ate, exchanged gifts, played games and talked until 8ish

Dave and I both enjoyed our family Christmas. I know the kids have had a great week and LOVED having their Daddy home for 5 days straight. It still seemed like the holiday snuck up on me. I wanted to plan more service opportunities with the kids and I just didn't take the time. It's one thing I want to be better at next Christmas and through the year.