It's A Wonderful Life

We had a great Christmas!

The festivities started on Christmas Eve's Eve (Saturday) with the Johnson Family Annual Christmas Eve out-to-breakfast. We went to Golden Corral again this year - everyone really enjoys being able to get what they want on the huge buffet. There were 12 of us there, Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad, Steph Clinton and Savanah, Nikki, Dan, and me Bob and Braden. Lots of fun.

That night we had our extended Johnson Family Annual Christmas Eve party. Kim and Nancy were in charge, so the party was at their ward building. Most of the extended family was there, with the exception of those living too far away or doing other things. The dinner was yummy Lasagne, with the side dishes and desserts being pot luck. It was all good. Then they had a little program with the Great-Grandkids acting out the nativity. Braden wouldn't participate, he doesn't yet feel comfortable around people he doesn't see everyday. Then Grandma and Grandpa opened their gifts and gave out the gifts they brought for the family. Each of the grandkids families got a marble game, handmade by Grandpa. The Great-Grandkids also all got a fun bible story book, the girl grandkids all got President Hinckley's new book for Women and they boy grandkids all got a daily new testament quote book to use for 2007 as we study the new testament at church. A very nice evening.

On Christmas Eve (Sunday), we went to Church where I got to attend Relief Society for the first time in over a year. It was a wonderful Christmas lesson and I really enjoyed it. Braden and the other kids that are moving up to Sunbeams next year got to go to primary's singing time for 10 minutes and he did really good. After church we came home and hung around until time to go to mom and dad's for Christmas Eve. There we had an appetizer dinner, Bob and I brought a yummy cheese ball and a pumpkin cheese cake - both were very yummy.
After dinner, we headed out to go see some great Christmas light displays. We went to 3 houses. The first house had a disco ball turned on it's side in the front of the yard, so that it's lights played on the front of the house - looked like snow coming down right in front of their house - very cool! The second house was a 'talking house' of sorts. They had their lights blinking on and off - to music! It was very neat to see. The music came through a special station on the radio. The third house we went to was the house of Dan's boss - where Dan had helped put up lights. He and others from Dan's work worked on the house 8 hours a day for a full week! There were soo many lights! We even got out of the car (with tons of other people) to go and look at all the displays. Pretty cool!
Then we came home and Dad read a cute Christmas Nativity story and we watched a Christmas Nativity DVD. Then we got to open our Christmas Eve gift - cute jammies! We took lots of pictures of us in our jammies, had some more snacks and then went home. Braden fell asleep on the way home, but woke up at home long enough to cut the last chain off of his Christmas Countdown chain.

On Christmas morning, Bob and I had to wake Braden up at about 9am - we couldn't wait any longer! We were just way too excited for him to open all of his presents. He was pretty cute about the things that 'Santa' brought him. Loved the things in his stocking, but didn't think that Santa should bring games or fruit. Only toys! Funny kid. Santa brought him a Chutes and Ladders game, lots of Toy Story toys, an orange shirt and 3 oranges. From Grandma Sara, he got a Cars' Magna Doodle and a toy 'Mater'. From Grandpa Irish and Lesley, he got a Cars T-shirt and a huge parking garage for his little cars. Aunt Linda and and Uncle David gave us all a cute Christmas book. Grandma Gullans sent a $10 check for Braden to buy a Christmas present. Bob and I gave Braden a ton of things (as always) including: 3 DVDs, a Little People PreSchool, some pretend cooking gadgets, his first piggy bank, a huge remote control car, a sleeping bag, a Backyardigans book and music player, and a Lace N Trace book. He loves all the gifts!
Bob gave me an under the counter CD/radio, a new hair dryer with diffuser, some scrapbooking pens, mascara, funnels, a commuter cup and more.
I gave Bob the 2nd season of Smallville on DVD, Toy Story 2 on DVD, new garments, a Superman T-shirt (from Braden), some Axe body spray/deodorant, a commuter cup and some chapstick.

We sent Grandpa Irish and Lesley a 2006 scrapbook of Braden and a foot masager. We sent Grandma Sara a 2006 scrapbook of Braden and President Hinckley's new book. We had Aaron and Hollis for Christmas and sent them a Pampered Chef Bamboo cheese board. We also sent a gift to Katie (a toy horse) and Zachary (a matchbox car).

At noon on Christmas Day, we headed over to Mom and Dad's house for the family gift exchange. We gave Mom the 1st season of Gilmore Girls on DVD and Dad a Pampered Chef BBQ basting brush/bottle. They also got a 2006 scrapbook of Braden. They gave us some cash taped to a box of Life cereal, a family Book of Mormon, a cuddly oversized red blanket, a thumb-drive, journaling stamps, and a revised copy of the family cookbook. They gave Braden a new sweat suit, 2 big toy tractors, an Incredibles costume, some bath fizzies and washcloth.
We gave Steph a foot masager, Clinton some wood puzzles, and Savanah a Lacing set and a crocheted Scruncie. They gave Braden a Buzz Lighyear sweat suit and they gave us a gift card to Target. (With the gift card, Bob bought some new jeans and I bought some divided trays and a mini muffin pan.)
We gave Dan a shirt and playing cards. He gave us a CD and a DVD and a truck that tows a boat to Braden.
We gave Nikki a Pampered Chef rice cooker. She gave me a whisk and a scented heat wrap for my neck, to Bob a CD-a gift card to Old Navy-and a gift set of his favorite scent, to Braden a Cars race track.
We gave Grandma and Grandpa Johnson a new set of towels.
Later Christmas day, we watched a couple of movies, played a new game together, snacked a lot and played with our gifts. We went home at 11pm! It was a great day.

Yesterday, Tuesday, we slept in and then headed out shopping. I had to stop at JoAnns and there we found the tree skirt that I'd been wanting - for 70% off! We also found a nice wreath for 70% off. Then we went to Old Navy where Bob got a new coat with the gift card from Nikki and part of the cash from Mom and Dad. While we were there, I used part of the cash from mom and dad to buy 4 pairs of socks and a cute fleece hat that I found for Braden. Then we went to target to use the gift card from Steph and Clinton. We had lunch at McDonalds. Then we went to Walmart to use the rest of our Christmas cash to buy Bob some new shoes. I also found new jammies on clearance.
Then we came home and cleaned up the house. 2 of Bob's friends from high school came over to visit for a while - Nate and Steve. After they left, we ate dinner and watched a movie.

Today, Bob's back to work and I'm back to watching the kids.