Christmas Festivities

We had such a lovely Christmas. We started off the festivities on Christmas Eve at the Carters with the sibling gift exchange. Rob's sister Melanie and her husband, Jeff and baby Henry got to come to Utah for Christmas. It is so much fun to have them around and grace loves having a little playmate!

Trying to be patient...

Rob got his first taste of un-packaging and putting toys together this year.

Too slow!!! She wanted her toy that second. Henry has this same little doggy and she loved it, so Grandma got her the little girl version, Violet. She was a happy camper!

Here's Violet and an excited mama.

Gotta love the joy that comes with tearing paper off of packages!

This picture is funny - I never get a full eyes closed picture, they're always the not-so-beautiful half-open-half-shut ones. Pretty amazing eyelashes, eh?

Grace had to check out (and break in...) all the cool stuff Henry got. He was very sweet and patient with his overly zealous and faster moving cousin.

First present of the morning...looking a little sleepy still!

This is Grace's (and my!) favorite present that she got. A little broom and dustpan set so she can help clean up all of her (and our) messes. She loves to sweep, so now we can sweep together!

At first, Grace was really concerned about the excess wrapping paper that she was unwrapping. She wouldn't continue to tear off wrapping paper until she had given the little piece that she had just torn off to someone to put away. Looks like she has her daddy's clean genes! By the end of the unwrapping fun, she had forgotten all about that and left the little bits everywhere.

Grace trying on Mama's new hat and pearls

Gracie and her babies at Grandma's. She has become quite the little mama. She loves to wrap babies up and carry them around and take good care of them. It is so sweet to see her little feminine, nurturing nature taking shape.

We had such a great time spending the day with family (near and far!). We are grateful at this time of year to celebrate the greatest gift of all, the birth, death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!