Christmas 2011

We had a really nice Christmas this year. I can't believe how quickly time flies, it seems like Christmas comes and goes before we know it. Christmas Eve was spent preparing food, going to see "We Bought a Zoo" (super good I would recommend seeing it, and having a yummy dinner. After dinner we got the kids bathed and cozied up in new Christmas pjs. We laid out our cookies for Santa, our reindeer food, and sent the kids to bed. They were too excited to stay for long and kept coming out promising that they saw Santa's sleigh. Finally about 10:30 they fell asleep. Sam woke up about 6:45, and excitedly declared that Santa had eaten all of the cookies, and completely overlooking the brand new bike and race track there for him! Jack and Sam both tore through their presents, and were so happy with what Santa, grandparents, and cousins had given them. Here are the kids' list this year:

Sam - bike, race track, beyblades, and angry birds toy

Jack - candy, gum, candy canes filled with candy, a bike helmet, angry birds game, and a Big Dipper Machine (to dry up all the water in the world)

Lyv - stroller, necklace, dress-ups.

Except for the Big Dipper machine (Santa really did try to find a way to make this happen) all was delivered. Santa is one popular guy here at our house because last but not least, he delivered a trip to Orlando in Februar with the entire Summers' Family! We are soooo excited for that.

We headed out to church after a yummy omlete breakfast, and enjoyed a really nice sacrament program. We came home and had a seafood fest with shrimp and crablegs with our friends the Thuns. After the kids went to bed happily exhausted, Shawn went to NYC to pick up Nate and Christine and I cleaned up the mess!) We had a great Christmas this year. This first Christmas without Ryan was difficult for everyone in our family. I thought about why this was - because if he hadn't died I probably still wouldn't have seen him during Christmas anyways. But there is something about Christmas that draws our thoughts to family, home, and happiness. Some of my best memories are of Christmas' spent with my family, and one in particular included Ryan specifically. I wish that I could have had him open our family Christmas card, and known that he was attending a family party or two. Christmas was felt a bit more deeply this year, with a stronger focus and appreciation for for the "Gift" that was given.