Christmas!

Our Christmas really began when Grant arrived into DC on the 21st.  And luckily Jonathan has been home this whole time!  With Grant, we of course had to hit his favorite eating joints here, "5 Guys", (and mine Chipotle).  Friday night we did the Bull Run Festival of Lights, we've done the Leesburg Outlets, Fair Oaks Mall and just run around town and had fun.  Grant can make you have fun and laugh till you pee no matter what you're doing!  On Sunday night the 23rd we went with our great friends the Bensons and the Naudes to the DC Temple and enjoyed all the lights there.  I've never seen the grounds lit up like that before and was surprised at the amount of people there and the beauty of it.  It was also nice seeing a live nativity.  That was Austin's favorite part.  

On Christmas Eve, we enjoyed a beautiful evening.  After all was said and done, Uncle Grant got the kids on the computer to find out where Santa was right before they went to bed.  I believe he was just leaving South America at that time.  The kids hurried upstairs and their excitement was contagious.  Austin could hardly contain himself, as after we tucked him in, we heard a squealing type sound from his room and heard the bed mattresses bouncing around. Uncle Grant then rang some jingle bells outside his window about an hour later.  Pure excitement!

On Christmas morning, Austin waited in his room (impatiently) until his alarm went off at 7:15am before he investigated downstairs.  He then ran into my room and told me that Santa had come!  We got up, got ready, Grant came upstairs in a cousin Eddy white turtleneck and tight green vest ready to hand out presents.  For breakfast we ate chocolate that Kendra had sent us and nibbled on things from the stockings.  Santa of course went overboard this year as always, so I had to put a few things back in a closet for later enjoyment.  We all had an amazing Christmas!!!  Jonathan then cooked his delicious whole rotisserie chicken dinner and we toasted to sparkling cider!  Austin and Ashley love to yell, Cheers! and toast as much as possible.  This year was truly a year to toast to our wonderful family together, our health, our great friends, the wonderful area we live in, and most importantly for our gospel and our Savior.

We truly  hope you had a very Merry Christmas as well as all of you reading this are our closest friends.  THANK YOU for your amazing Christmas cards.  They're up all over our home and we love reading them/looking at the pictures.

Angie