Christmas--The Finale & Confessions

Once this is up, then Christmas can be done for another year....well not really. I'll have to start now stock piling on presents because I refuse to pay full price on anything. But at least the decorations are down (have been for weeks) and everything is back to normal...at least as normal as it can be with a THIRD of our house packed....waiting....waiting.... Home buying/selling is cruel....so very, very cruel. Can't wait till its all over. Hopefully we'll never move again--at least not within the states...

Christmas Eve Nativity at Grandma and Papas

Mary obviously forgot about her baby in her belly while riding the donkey:

Mary looking at the baby

Santa? wha?

Christmas Morning. Richard was so impatient to go open presents. I barely got this photo.

Grandma and Papa got this swing set for the girls. I was hoping it would satiate Kate's climbing desires....it just encouraged her to climb up other things!

Christmas relaxing:

More relaxing. Richard and I played many games of Heroes. Yes, I actually slowed down long enough to relax...a little. I also have been reading books. I'm almost done with the 3rd book in the Hunger Games series. Yeah....I need to relax more often.

Now to confessions...We've been pretty secretive this year. A lot has happened. We've known for a long time that we would be moving. We didn't know if was going to be because of our choice or if we'd be forced into the situation. Paychecks were scarce and small this year. We learned to be very resourceful. We ate things that were....lets be honest....LESS than appetizing. A lot of sacrifices were made. All in all though, we had an AMAZING year. We relied on each other. We learned a lot. We did things we would have never done if we had had money to spend--like attending anything and everything free in Utah county. We had a blast. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Don't know if and when I'll ever be able to eat tuna fish again. I'm pretty darn tired of sandwiches. We were never hungry though. We had food enough to fill our tummies even if it did nothing for the palate. I let slip our circumstances to some people....somehow word spread and we received groceries on our doorstep numerous times, new clothes for Abi, and even presents Christmas morning. We tried to be secretive so people wouldn't have to worry and do stuff like this for us but to be honest, it was welcome relief and it was nice to know that people cared. Things are hopefully looking up. We are currently not in need of anything, except for continued babysitting exchanges. We went out 2 weeks in a row thanks to my rantings and ravings! I think this has happened once before when Abi was little. It was wonderful. Maybe we'll make it to 3 weeks in a row!
Anyway, we can never say thanks enough to the people who so generously filled our fridge and home with the things we needed and even with non-essentials that just bring so much hope. THANK YOU!
Here's to an awesome 2011!!!