We started off by decorating sugar cookies. Claire loved helping to push the cookie cutters into the dough and to frost a cookie. I was proud of myself for not even thinking twice about the mess she was making. I really must have been in the holiday spirit. :)
What a doll?! She has been loving doing anything artsy lately, like coloring, stickers, and painting.
I wanted to do something special and fun on Christmas Eve so we went to the Kirtland Visitor's Center to see the Nativity displays. It is an amazing collection of Nativities from all over the world. It was so fun to point out all the different characters to Claire and I really think she got the idea. Afterwards we went out to eat at P.F. Changs. Yummy!
Claire and Tommy enjoying the Nativities. It is so fun to have all the Senior Missionaries oooh and aaah over Tommy!
Mommy and Claire!
Daddy and Claire!
I really wanted Claire to understand that Christmas wasn't just about opening presents and Santa, though that part IS super fun. So we talked a lot about how Christmas is the time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus and one of the best ways we did this was by using these nativity magnets. I got them from a Super Saturday our ward did. We read the story of the birth of Christ from Luke and had Claire put the appropriate characters on the pan. Claire loved doing this and we did it multiple times by just talking about the story too. I also told her that the reason we give presents was because the wise men gave presents to Jesus and so anytime we talked about presents she always said "like the wise men" and I said "yep"!
Also on Christmas Eve Jacob got Claire and Tommy new Christmas pajamas. I have never thought about really doing this tradition, but now I want to! It was so cute to see both of them in their new pajamas. Kept meaning to snap a picture and never did. :( Julia also played the piano for us and we sang Christmas primary songs. Claire loved listening to us sing and tried to join in.
I don't really have any pictures of Christmas day...weird. But we had a wonderful time going to church, opening presents, and cooking and eating a yummy holiday meal. I made ham, scalloped potatoes, crescent rolls, sweet potato casserole, green beans with almonds, and holiday raspberry jello. It was delicious if I do say so myself! ;) Of course Claire loved opening presents and wanted to help everyone open their presents too. Claire and Tommy got spoiled this year by mom and dad and the grandparents, and...uh...by Santa too. Jacob also spoiled me by getting me a Kindle Fire. It has been so fun playing with my new toy!...And I think Jacob likes it too. :)
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