Christmas Vacation Thoughts

I know that I posted a bunch of pictures from our vacation with very little prose.  That was mostly just to get something out there, in case I went on another 6 month hiatus from blogging.  Life can get pretty hectic, and my forecast for the next few months is 'busy'.  I just wanted to take the time this morning and write down what a wonderful break we've had.

The best part about the break was having all of my family together so that my kids could have some cousin playtime.  It took some time to remember everyone; I overheard Noah ask, "Are you the one that I was playing with before?" But after that, there was no separating the cousins. Noah and Jack were constantly together, out on the tree, running around the yard, playing legos, etc.  Harrison had fun getting integrated with the older Anderson kids.  I was also really excited when he started to want to play baseball.  Adam and his boys do a lot more sports than me and mine.  That's been something I wish that I did more, but just haven't found the time.  We actually don't even own a baseball mitt.  Adam, Adam and Mark were often out in the front yard playing catch or pickle.  Noah and Jack really liked to join in pickle, although I 'm not sure Noah knew what was going on.  I think he just liked the running.  Harrison would come running from the house and ask to be part of the fun.  He did really well playing catch.  I think this spring we'll have to start in our back yard (we now have one!).

I also really was glad for the kids see a variety of fun Christmas traditions.  For the last several years, since Harrison was an infant, we've done Christmas at our house; just us.  Holiday travel is difficult, and we were poor students a lot of that time.  I love Christmas with us, don't get me wrong.  It's calm and relaxing.  But with several groups of relatives this year we got to see lots of different ways to do Christmas.  At my parent's house with the Andersons, we had a rocus Nativity re-enactment.  It was a lot of fun. They include Samuel the Lamanite on the wall as part of the nativity, which I thought was fun.  Then there was the classic donkey ride to the full inns.  I got to play a sheep, helping to mark my corner of the living room as the stable.  Sara brought their costumes from Arizona, and had enough for all my kids.  A neighbor of my parent's came over to offer a hay-ride.  So they got to be out in the Texas night singing carols with a full moon.  Then at my Aunt Betsy's house in SLC, they got to be part of a musical retelling of Luke 2.  The Fetzer and Nagel cousins all came with their violins/cellos.  John Nagel would read a verse out of Luke and then they would play a Christmas song.  I figured that since I didn't have a violin to play, I would sing as my talent.  Clark, John, Sara Nagel and her kids soon joined in.  This was a really beautiful way to relive the Nativity.

This Christmas also featured a lot of family building.  My sister-in-law Sarah had her first baby on Christmas Eve.  My sister Sara is expecting. My brother David got married. My brother Dan got engaged.  I was struck by how much fun families can be; the more the merrier. We're all at some point on the path, but I really love being with a big family.  When people ask me why I have three kids, these times are one of many, many reminders.  My mom and dad did a heroic job raising six kids, and it's wonderful to be part of that.