Christmas 2018

let's just say, we stayed up way too late every night a couple nights before Christmas. we were plum tuckered out by the time Christmas eve rolled around. dev and kenz were up for arizona and we loved seeing their faces! my kids especially loved it! i lucked out and got to have dev all to myself when we went to workout together. when we got home, kendall laid right on the floor by him (she missed him while we were gone) and they both fell asleep. i absolutely love this picture!

same went for adi. she found a comfy spot right on top of grandpa and fell asleep.

the sunday before Christmas (on Christmas/Christmas eve), whatever date it lands on, is my favorite because i love dressing my girls in their Christmas dresses. 

girls are so fun to dress! especially all matching!

anyway, back to Christmas eve. kendall and adi helped my mom roll out the sugar cookie dough and cut out all the cookies in preparation for a big frosting party that night. my girls were heaven doing this and grandma was so patient with them.

after a delicious Christmas eve dinner, we geared up to help kids decorate Christmas cookies. they loved it and the adults mostly tolerated it. but memories made were that they'll always remember and they were so excited doing it all together. 

then it was Christmas pajama time. the kids were all miraculously matching this year and i loved it more than i probably should. the kids were excited to all be matching too, but grandma topped it all off with fun winter accessories for all of them. and even better, the boys got wolf hats with light up eyes, and because that's totally up kendall's alley, grandma got her her own head light and she was stoked! (we headed up to coalville a few days later and the girls and james and i got to open our gifts and stockings from my parents. we were spoiled!)

we did a little cousin gift exchange, our sibling gift exchange, said our goodbyes, and headed home to bountiful. the girls went to bed pretty well and james and i got to work setting out cookies for santa and all the other fun duties.

all those late nights kept the girls asleep until after 8 that morning. james and i were shocked! but once they were up, the magic of Christmas filled our home and their excitement was contagious! we quickly ate muffins and eggs, and then lined up to countdown the 'sheet drop'.

the highlight was definitely the bunk bed that james and i gave them. i bought it back in july and have been anxiously waiting Christmas morning to see their faces! the girls always act so excited and appreciative and i love that. we were able to let them look through all of their stuff, open their stockings, and then play for a little bit before we headed to james's parents' for brunch and more presents. 

we got spoiled again with lagoon season passes and the girls were so excited to know they get to go back in a few months. my mother in law did a really cute scavenger hunt for the kids to find the passes.

they also got some sleds and adi got cute accessories for her two babies she got from santa. 

the traditional ruesch Christmas brunch: praline french toast, and sausage souffle. so yummy!

the rest of the day was spent relaxing at home. the girls played with their Christmas gifts and james and i finished watching White Christmas together. the girls were quiet for awhile and this is where i found them. sleep masks and all, just enjoying some full house.

it was so nice to have james home from work for the next couple of days to do some fun things like go to the movies, sledding, eating out, and of course...having him home to put together the bunk beds. with his dad's help, the had those beds put together lickety split!

and they spent hours playing on them over the break!

it's always sad when Christmas comes to an end, but how great that we have it to look forward to in just one short year. we had so much to be grateful for this holiday season and so many people in our lives that love and support us and we just felt loved and so so blessed. and adi has made it her mission to not let the Christmas spirit go completely by singing daily renditions of silent night to all and anyone who will listen.