Christmas 2011

I know it's late, but I wanted to post about Finn's first Christmas! We didn't take a lot of pictures which I am so bummed about. But oh well.

To start off, this was Chase's beard right before we went up to Idaho. Fantastic, right?

This year (err, last year I guess) we went to Idaho for Christmas. It was so fun and we had a great time - we didn't want to leave! Finn was a little bit sick while we were there so he was kind of a grump most of the time, but that didn't stop his Grandma Child (who was also sick, poor mama) and his aunts from cuddling him right up. :)

Most of the trip was spent relaxing (and recuperating) but it was perfect. On Christmas eve we went to Chase's Uncle Rob and Aunt Steph's for dinner. We had fun with the family, reading the story of Christ's birth and opening presents from Uncle Rob and Aunt Steph (Finn LOVES his pillow pet! Thank you!)

Christmas morning we went to church and then came home to open up presents, but by then Finn was so very, very ready for a nap. So while he slept we opened gifts and ate breakfast. By the time he got up the living room was full of wrapping paper and boxes and when we tried to show him his gifts he hardly cared. But he was a happy boy anyway.

Chase and I each gave the other a few nice gifts and one homemade gift. Chase made the most amazing perfect awesome wall clock!! It is seriously so cool. It isn't finished because he wants me to design the faces (there are two, one is the hours and minutes, the smaller one is just seconds), but I'm so in love with it already! He is such a talented guy and he spent hours in the garage making it. Ahh, I have the best hubs. :)

For him, I made a website for his music and recording information. Check it out and listen to his lovely songs on the "Music" page: http://www.whatlightmusic.com annnd since I kind of ran out of time, but mostly because I wanted Chase to write the content, it's not quite finished. But all his songs are up and I was able to have a bunch of people listen and comment on them so he could read nice things on Christmas morning.

Eating Grandma's hair... and Grandma's tissue paper.

He loved playing in the snow, but he loved his Grandma Child even more. :)

Anyway, it was a great trip and it just reminded me of how much I love my in-laws. They are such amazing, loving, selfless and FUN people. I adore them! It's no wonder that Chase turned out they way he did. 

And just because I don't want to forget it, my favorite memory of the whole trip was the first morning there, Chase went to go work with his dad on a plumbing job and Finn woke up when he left so I brought him into the bed with me and he fell back asleep. I tried so hard to move softly and reposition myself (he was hogging the bed!) but out of no where he sat right up on his bum, eyes half closed, looked around at me and gave me the biggest, cheesiest grin (exactly like the photo below) and then flopped face down on the bed, fast asleep. Without a doubt the cutest thing I have ever seen.

So surprisingly the plane ride home was fantastic! Finn was super happy the whole entire flight (even though he'd been sick and grumpy the whole trip) and near the end he started to get really sleepy so he wrapped his arms around my neck and smiled and babbled to me for 20 minutes until he dozed off. We're talking about the boy who is notorious for NOT cuddling or hugging. It was by far the best Christmas gift I could ever ask for. I love my sweet boy!

Just one more thing. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I'm grateful that He loved His enemies when no one else would. I'm grateful He embraced the sinners when others would stone them. I'm grateful He willingly gave His life when no one else would or could. I know He is the Son of God and that because of Him, I have the privilege to live on this earth and learn the difference between right and wrong - because of his example. I have the opportunity to have a family who I can be with forever. I have the blessing of going through trials that make me stronger and teach me about the power of prayer and faith and the healing that takes place when I put my trust in Him. I know that life is a gift, an opportunity to become more like Christ and I know that because of his atoning sacrifice, I can live with Him, with God, and with my family again after this life. This is the true meaning of Christmas - to celebrate the birth of the Son of God whose perfect example and loving sacrifice I so often take for granted.