The kids had a great christmas. The three older kids all got ipod touch devices and Kate and Eli got lots of toys to play with. Kate especially loved her Karaoke device. The boys also got Ski Utah Passports. The passports enable them to ski for free up to three times at all the ski resorts in Utah. Emma also got a whole bunch of things for her Monster High Doll collection and some flavorings for her Dippin' Dots.
Christmas Eve new pajamas.
Everybody loves their new soft and fuzzy jambes. We went to dinner with the Aardema clan at the chinese restaurant at Five Points. It is called the Jade Buffett. It was alright. After that we went to the graveyard to light some candles and sing some Christmas songs and hymns at the graves of grandma and grandpa Aardema. We then came home, read the Nativity in Luke and put the kids to bed.
Lana and I had all the presents wrapped and ready to go about a week before Christmas so we were able to set up the traps and go to bed at a relatively decent hour. I just put folding chairs against all the exterior doors and then tied a string to the boys room door, all the kids slept in the boys room, and tied the other end to a few pans full of noise making things. I put some cookie sheets on the floor under a bar stool and put the pans on the edge of the bar stool so if the kids pulled to fast or hard they would all fall. The boys went our their bedroom window and came in through the garage.
They tipped over the folding chair, I made the mistake of using one of the chairs with padding, but Lana and I didn't hear it hit the floor. Next year there will be no mercy!!!
Eli was a hoot. He was old enough this year to really get into the opening of presents. Hilarious! He had a great time. As usual, he liked the boxes more than is toys. next year we are just going to buy him a bunch a card board boxes! Once we set up his toys then he was really excited to play with them. He especially loved his little elephant toy that blows air and pops balls up through its trunk. He plays with that thing constantly.
The kids woke us up at 4:30, even though we didn't need to be to Kip and Jaki's until 8. When we got to Kip and Jaki's (aka Mom and Dad's) we had breakfast and Skyped with mom and dad while we opened the presents they had shipped over from Samoa. Technology is awesome. It was fun to have them on line while we were opening the presents they sent.
We put our tree in the front room so Santa could come to the living room.
Everyone got spoiled. We made our turkey as usual and had a great day visiting with all my bros and sis's. Later in the afternoon we went up to Lan's mom and dad's house to wish them a Merry Christmas.
