It's Christmas, Folks!

Hello bloggy friends. Back in January I wrote several posts for the blog about our Jespersen Christmas. Then I waited patiently for Matt to send me over the Christmas pics that I needed to go along with my ramblings. Well, the day has come. I have the pics and now I present to you: "The Jespersen Family Christmas".


Advents: 
I must say we had an awesome December. I had just a few advents going on: a candy advent where they got to pick a candy from a little tree; a book advent where I wrapped up 24 Christmas books we already had and they opened one each night; and an activity advent where we did a different Christmas-themed activity each day. One of my favorites that we’ve done a couple years now is making tortilla snowflakes. It requires folding and cutting raw tortillas into a snowflake, frying them up in oil, and sprinkling heavily with cinnamon sugar. Tastes like a big ol’ yummy churro and is pretty much adorable.

Also, our family was completely spoiled by a secret family who gifted us with the Twelve Days of Christmas.  It was so much fun for all of us.  I think it made it our best Christmas ever!  (The last two weren't hard to beat, but even so, this year was awesome!)

Trimming the Tree: 
Putting up the tree for Christmas was pretty much the most magical night this house has ever seen. Well, for the kids at least. And for Matt because he got to take lots of pics. I, on the other hand, was having some pregnancy-induced moodiness and eventually had to leave the room because I could feel my bad mood sucking the excitement out of everyone else. When I finally felt up for the festivities Matt had pretty much let the kids have free reign on the decorating. I tried to ignore the huge bare spots on the tree, and the extremely crowded spots and just enjoy Jane flitting around exclaiming repeatedly, “This is the best night of my life!” and “I feel like all my dreams are coming true.” And then there was Jack, who must associate beautiful things with princesses because he kept saying, “It’s beauful! I’m princess!”

(Look how grumpy I look).

Christmas Eve:
When Jane woke up on Christmas Eve our conversation went like this,
 “Mom, did you know that today is Christmas Eve?”
 “Yeah.”
 “Did you know that some people open a present on Christmas Eve?”
 “Yeah, you get to open one tonight.” 
“Did you know that some people open it in the morning?”
 “You're going to open yours at Sharon's tonight.”
 “Did you know that some people drive to Sharon's in the morning and open it? ….Well, just kidding, those people don't know Sharon.”

Well, we did go to Sharon's and she did get to open her presents.  Here are the kids doing the nativity reenactment.

Why is Mary so mad?

I wonder what the angel is doing in the background?

Christmas Morning:

Christmas is fun with kids, isn't it?  Both Matt and I woke up before our children.  They had a great morning.  They probably would have been just as happy with just the stuff in their stockings.

Ella's Christmas Experience: 

Late on Christmas Eve I decided I needed to leave my brother a bag of goodies on his door step since he wouldn’t be getting a stocking that next morning. I still had wrapping to do and our stockings to fill and asked Matt if he would drive it up there for me. Matt said he couldn’t and mumbled something about something he was doing on his computer. I was so annoyed. What in the world did he need to do on Christmas Eve but sit around tinkering on his computer? So I took the drive. I wasn’t sure of Nate’s apartment number but I knew the location in the building. Walk up all the stairs, cross the hallway, and it’s on the left. So I did that. I left the bag, knocked, and waddled/ran down the stairs as fast as a I could. It wasn’t until the next day, when Matt asked him his apartment number that I realized I had been in the wrong building. So some stranger got a Christmas Eve surprise. But that’s not the point. The point is that I was annoyed. And it bothered me that when I got back Matt just kept tinkering away at his computer. It was just so weird and not Matt-like. So when we were both awake on Christmas morning, I asked if we should hug it out. We laughed about it, and I didn’t care anymore. 

For the past, I don’t know, 5 or 6 years Matt and I haven’t exchanged gifts. You know, because we’re poor. I always felt like we should exchange something, but Matt’s wants and anything free or homemade do not coincide. So we just haven’t. Well, imagine my surprise when, after the kids were done with their presents, Matt asked if I would like to see my presents. I was shocked. Not only because we never exchange presents, but also because Matt NEVER keeps a surprise. He was finally able to tell me why he was glued to his computer all night. And how he had stayed up until 3:30 working on it. And how he had been up until 4:30 the night before my birthday hoping to finish it then. (Which also explained why, on my birthday morning, he was so out of it that I ended up letting him be the one to sleep in). So he sat me down in front of the computer and showed me the videos he had put together for my gifts. 

First I watched Jack’s video which was just perfectly Jack. So happy and carefree. The song was upbeat enough that even though I felt emotional the tears did not spill over. Then I watched Jane’s video. The combination of the more emotional song, the guilt over not getting Matt anything and how long he spent working on these videos while I was annoyed with his computer antics, really got the tears flowing. Plus, since Jane is getting to be my big girl reminiscing about her baby days touched me a little deeper. Let’s just say it was a real ugly cry. Tears, snot, the works. As soon as the video ended I stood up and walked straight to the bathroom evading Matt’s attempt at a hug. I stood over the sink trying to catch my breath and calm down. When I finally composed myself enough to be seen, I gave Matt his thanks. They really are the sweetest things. And the best gift he could’ve given. After church Matt asked Jane if she’d like to see her video again. Jane said, “No way. I don’t ever want to see it again. Mom’s going to bawl her brains out.”

**I am still waiting patiently for my Jane video to be finished and for both videos to be compressed so I can share them with you.

Well, there you have it!  Christmas 2011, a wonderful holiday, indeed.  And now all nicely recorded on the blog.