Warning: The following post is mostly for the Grandmas

This is one of those posts that is basically just full of pictures of our kids. So, if that kind of thing bores you, move on. We won't feel bad. And I know that it is mid-January, but this is the Christmas blog. So deal with it.

After last years "crazy snow storms with 6-hour airport wait" on the 23rd, we decided that it wasn't worth trying to fly before the holidays. We booked our flight for the 25th in the evening. We had our own quiet Christmas Eve.

We did our best to keep the kids occupied all day. They were a little hyped up, but we survived. Jonah was real keen on the fact that Santa needed cookies and the reindeer needed carrots. Santa had already had too many cookies that Christmas season, and had many many more before the month was out. But a determined little boy can't be turned down.

I don't know why Noel looks so annoyed. I am sure someone had said something or done something that didn't fit into his life plan. So we read our books and told the Christmas stories and got the stocking all laid out.

I don't remember the exact hour of the waking. I know it was early, and I know the kids nearly had a meltdown in the 2 minutes it took me to run downstairs, turn the lights on and get the video camera. All in all, the day was a hit. The kids were fun and said thank you, and played well together.

I realized I had officially become my mother when I was frantically picking up wrapping paper and stuffing it into a garbage bag, concerned that some crucial instructions, or small parts to some toy would get buried in the mess.

Does this picture remind you of last Christmas? I think this will be a theme with this one. Once he opens the latest video game, he spends the rest of the morning playing it.

Lila got into the spirit of things. Most of her toys would get stolen by her brothers shortly after she opened them, but she is pretty good natured and didn't mind.

Later that afternoon, we headed off to the airport. It was mostly uneventful - the kids are getting pretty good at traveling, and we know how to read the signs of meltdowns, so we can head most of them off.

Even though it was officially after Christmas, we had some Christmas traditions that needed to be celebrated.

I know it comes as a surprise that Noel chose not to be in the nativity. He is usually so flexible and willing to do whatever anyone suggests.

The kids made some delightful Christmas Cookies (remember before when I said that many more cookies were eaten before the end of the month? These are the cookies. Ok, fine. These are some of the cookies. I ate other cookies too.)

And because there are two Grandma's in Utah, Christmas became a three day celebration. The boys got to play Mariokart with their cousins, which they thought was about the greatest thing ever.

Lila hung out with her cute cousin Saren. I don't know if you can tell, but Lila is a couple of inches taller than Saren, and about 6 months younger. We make 'em tall at our house.

Lila also got her first Cabbage Patch doll from Grandma B. Her name is Kacy Gwendolyn (Seriously, Xavier Roberts, what is up with you?) Lila thinks she is delightful and smiles any time she sees her. Of course, Lila smiles when she sees most things.

It was great to see family and friends. Happy Christmas!