I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

We got our wish for a white Christmas this year. On Christmas Eve it started snowing and it snowed all day. Sarah was scared she'd get snowed in up in Hidden Springs  so came to our house early on Christmas Eve to help with all the preparations. We made and decorated a double batch of Christmas cookies that afternoon for Santa and the neighbors.

Taylor, Devin and Whitney took the kids sledding on Simplot hill and they had a great time!

We always have a "Christmas Around the World" theme for Christmas Eve and choose a country to learn about and try their cuisine.

This year we chose Greece and we loved all the Mediterranean flavors.

Taylor even wore Tom's Greek hat and my old Christmas sweater, just to be festive.

We served Greek lemon marinated salmon, lemon rice, pita chips and hummus, a delicious cheese/antipasta plate with delicious olives, grilled veggies, spanikopita and greek salad and grapes with kourambithes and baklava for dessert

Looks like Eva and Sophie have a little Greek blood in them

I sure do love this bunch!

We tried to get a few pictures of Tommy in his Santa hat and Eva and Sophie thought they should get in the picture too.

Sarah got a professional looking one.  Isn't he just the cutest little elf?

Merry Christmas from the Devin Morris family

After out delicious Greek dinner we had our nativity program.

Devin was Joseph, Sophie, Mary and Tommy the baby Jesus

 

Eva was the angel

Taylor was the shepherd/kings

I love how the light seems to emanate from the angel

After we read the Christmas story, we did our gifts to Jesus, hung our stockings and did our Christmas eve deliveries

Christmas morning we woke up bright and early and drove up to Hidden Springs to be with Devin's family on Christmas morning.

Their living room looked so pretty with the tree lights on and Santa's gifts all ready to be discovered

I love the excitement of Christmas morning

Eva got just what she asked for

Not sure what Taylor is doing

Baby Tommy loves Christmas

Taylor had time for a nap while we made our Christmas morning breakfast

We enjoyed our traditional aebleskivers, scrambled eggs, sausage, and hot chocolate for breakfast

Devin got some Bertie Bott's beans for Christmas

and there were some brave souls that tried the jelly beans.

I think mine was moldy cheese, and Taylor got stinky socks.  YUCK

The funniest thing was Sophie's reaction to the gift,

you'd have thought someone gave Devin poison

New fallen snow on Christmas morning 

(the view out Devin's back door)

We came back to our house to open our gifts and then had Christmas dinner later in the afternoon.

We invited the missionaries, and Charlie and Lucille, plus our family, so we had a full table.

I served ham and potatoes, lemon pudding salad and rolls, and Sarah brought some delicious roasted veggies.

Later we played some games.

 

We all went to dinner at Cafe Rio on Tuesday night

Taylor enjoying a McDirty

(McDonald's double cheese with a Mcchicken in the middle)

On Monday night for FHE we had our Gabrielsen Family Christmas Extravaganza.

John brought the makings for weinerschnitzel, spaetzle, rotkohl, and we had german potato salad, cucumber salad, mulled cider, pretzel rolls,

cheese and veggie plate and a German chocolate cake for dessert.

It was delicious.

It is quite a crew with John and Cindy, Aaron and Carina and family,

Missy and Jedd and family, Devin and Sarah, Taylor, Whitney, Tom and Joan.

The adult table

The kid's table

After dinner, we broke into teams and played Minute to Win It games in the basement. I think the Smith family team won.

It was super fun!

Then we opened white elephant gifts.

I think Taylor ended up with Jedd's Hello Kitty robe

We had a wonderful Christmas.

We are so blessed with a wonderful family and friends and most importantly a Savior who loves us, was born, lived and died for us.