Christmas

I know it's really late to post this- everyone has forgotten about Christmas already, but I feel like I've got to post about Christmas before I can move on. This first picture is for everyone who wondered just how huge Melissa got before the baby came. This was taken Christmas Eve. I cried when I saw it. I knew I felt huge, but I didn't realize I looked it. Plus I was super emotional with hormones and not being allowed to go see my family for Christmas.
This was our exciting Christmas Eve Nativity. I wasn't sure how to act it out with just two little boys, so we used their nativity set to tell the story. The boys were pretty excited on Christmas Morning. They got up earlier than we thought they would, but they might have gone back to bed if Ben and I were not up. We waited for Grandma and Grandpa Nichols to come before we opened presents, but we let them open their stockings.Joey and Brigham loved these matching Lightning McQueen jackets from Grandma and Grandpa Nichols, and they look so cute in them!Joseph insisted I put in this one with his truck in it!

One thing I learned this Christmas is that the most important part of Christmas is really not the presents. It is about traditions and sharing time with family. I really missed that, but enjoyed sharing Christmas with Ben and our boys. Most importantly it is about celebrating our Savior's birth and the life He gave for us. It was special to be due to have a baby so close to Christmas and think about the sweet baby Jesus and the love his Mother had for him and how he came to earth as a little baby who had to be cared for as we all did.

We were really glad Ben's parents came to spend Christmas with us and we want to thank everyone for the presents they sent to us to help make our season bright and to show you were thinking of us!
We wish you a merry Christmas all the year round!