Christmas

Right before Christmas we went to IKEA to get gingerbread cookies to hang on our tree (better late than never), the girls and I got our nails done, we made sugar cookies, and we had our Christmas dinner. And then on Christmas Eve we skied, went to see the windows at the Grand America, and tried a new Chinese restaurant with Janet and Kent and Cam and Sarah and their family. When we got home, we opened our Christmas pajamas, including some for Ollie. We also told the kids we were taking them to Mexico the day after Christmas. Nate and I were really excited about it, but the kids were not quite sure. They were excited, but so surprised that we decided maybe we aren't a surprise family...I think everyone needs time to anticipate and plan. But, it turned out great in the end. 

And Christmas Day was great! The kids had fun with each other and with Ollie. Every year I print a year from this blog and give it to the kids for Christmas. Watching them read it and also read the letters Nate writes to them every year are always some of my favorite parts of Christmas. This year Nate gave me a really nice gift in addition to his letter. He had my great, great grandfather's stained glass window repaired. It sat in a box at my parents' house for years and after the divorce, my dad gave it to me and it sat in a box at our house for years. Now it's hanging in our house. And it's beautiful! It was so thoughtful of Nate to do it. We had a nice night with the Nelsons too. Janet asked Lia to bring her violin and play and I got so sad watching her knowing she wouldn't be here next Christmas. But I was so glad she played and I was so grateful for the nice couple of days we had together. We had tickets to the Jazz game that night (which we will never do again on Christmas Day) so Nate took Kent and the girls and Josh and I went home and he finished his lego set, a Ford Raptor truck.