Our White Christmas

The night of the 23rd we went caroling with the flying squadron.  We had a lot of fun singing at each person's apartment and adding to our off-key choir.  After everyone was picked up, kids were taken home (or to friends' houses) and the adults caroled the group commander's house.  While we were enjoy great company and great food, we noticed that the snow was falling from the sky.  It was a beautiful and magical snowfall.  After the excitement wore off, I was a little disappointed that the prediction for snow on Christmas Eve was a day off, but it just kept snowing.  An hour or so later it was still coming down and Bill and I had a romantic walk back to the apartment towers.  We picked up the kids and drove home.  It took us about 3 times as long as usual.  Tow trucks were everywhere and the snow was still coming down.  Once safely home (well after midnight), we felt free to share our amazement with the beauty of all that snow.  And we were excited because it was probably going to stick around for Christmas!

Kaitlyn woke up on Christmas Eve and about 10 minutes after waking up she remembered it had snowed the night before.  She pulled open the curtains and gasped!  Then grabbed her robe and shoes and went upstairs to our balcony to check it out.  She didn't care that the temps were in the single digits...she had snow!

Ryan woke up shortly after that and she brought him upstairs to show him too.  I got them suited up for snow play and climbed back in bed with Bill and some eggnog lattes.  Loved that we were able to let them play in the snow without having to get out in it before the temperature reached double digits!  A few hours later we bundled up and headed out with our sleds.  The snow was really too fluffy for sledding and the hill we used last year wasn't as good this year, but we had a ton of fun rolling down the hills, and pulling each other along.

We had intended to join some friends for dinner, church, and light viewing, but the roads and sidewalks were a bit too icy and after our safe drive home the night before, we decided not to chance our luck.  We had an impromptu dinner home (thank goodness for frozen food) and started the pies and eggnog french toast casserole.  The house smelled like Christmas, so we opened our traditional Christmas Eve present...new pajamas.  This kids got two pairs this year, as Ryan's came in a set.  Kaitlyn was thrilled with her matching babydoll pjs and her Scooby Doo pj's for girls!  We tracked Santa with the Norad app and thought about how much the kids new about geography from living over here.  Kaitlyn tried super hard to wait for Santa, but accidentally fell asleep.  Her words the next morning.

Our kids don't get a whole lot for Christmas.  They usually get 3 presents to represent the gifts that the Wise Men gave baby Jesus.  Santa also fills stockings.  Santa gave Ryan a remote control monster truck and Kaitlyn got a GoGo puppy.  One that walks with a remote control.  It was her top choice.  They also get one present from each other and one from us.  We added a set of painting books and some science stuff this year and they ended up getting 3 gifts from us.  Hey we tried!

We didn't leave our pjs on Christmas day and it was awesome.  We really enjoyed a long weekend of doing pretty much nothing and today we are working our way back to reality.  We are excited that our next Christmas will be in our home with our own things and thankful that God gave us the joy of a white Christmas.  You know that's not going to happen in Phoenix!  We hope your Christmas was a joyous and special occasion too!