Christmas

What a wonderful Christmas time we had this year!  I am apologizing early because I wish I had more pictures.  We had so many special times and you all know how I love to document things with pictures.  You know, a picture speaks a thousand words, and I really am not that good at writing.

On Christmas Eve, we headed up to Salt Lake to be with the Wankiers.  Grandma Wankier puts on an incredible Christmas Eve brunch every year and I haven't ever been able to go.  Almost the entire family was there this year which was especially neat because they are just about to move from their beautiful home that they have lived in for decades.

Carl had fun hanging out in the television room with Grandpa Carl.  I couldn't help but take a picture of him and one of his namesakes.  

Carl and Carl watching football together!  I love that smile of Grandpa's!

Isn't that precious.  I hope that Carl will look at these pictures one day and realize the great men in our lives and the many people that he has to look to as an example.  Especially Grandpa Carl Wankier.

After our Christmas Eve brunch, we went to the Tobler's home! They had a beautiful dinner made for us and all we were able to pull out the traditional crackers and spread the Christmas cheer!  We also were able to view some of Grandma and Grandpa Tobler's pictures of when they went to Jerusalem and here of their time near where Christ lived.  Certainly appropriate for the Christmas time of year!

My favorite part of the night was watching Carl open his gift from his Grandma and Grandpa Wankier (Preston's parents).  They bought him a BYU Cougar Pillow Pet.  Let's just say that that boy put on a full performance to show his excitement!  He was dancing and cheering all over the room!

Then Christmas morning, I figured that I would be able to sleep in since Carl obviously doesn't quite understand the whole "Christmas morning" thing.  Nope, I was wrong.  Bright and early (yep, 8:00am is pushing it), Mom and Dad were at the base of the bed ready to wake up Carl to open his gifts and see what Santa Claus brought him!  Seriously?  I bet he would have slept until 9:30!  Oh well, it didn't take him long to get up and going once he saw all the toys and treats!

 Of course Carl got lots of BYU/sports stuff.  Our personal favorite is his new football jersey with pads and all.  He is just barely starting to get used to the helmet, though his dad probably wears it just as much!

After Christmas morning, we went to church and then packed to go up north.  We stopped at Grandma Cox's and had lunch with her and the Duke family.  Then we went to Grandma Martin's (who had just recently broken her arm).  We had a beautiful dinner at Crystal's home and played with the kids til late!  

Thinking over all of our craziness of the Christmas season, we were able to see both of our parents and all of our grandparents on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  What a blessing!  Especially for us, who will be moving in May to Maryland and won't have the convenience of living so close to everyone.

I am so grateful for this time of year and the opportunity it gives us to reflect on the blessings of the gospel.  I'm grateful for Christ's birth and His life that He dedicated to all mankind.