Having a kid sure does a number on our camera's memory card.  I don't know if I blogged about Christmas very much at all other years...but here I am on my 5th post in 2 days!
So, Christmas Day was as much fun as Christmas Eve.  Of course it was a little different than what I'm used to but it was fun just the same.  I love opening presents in pajamas and I ADORE Christmas with little kids.  Lynny was adorable and Audrey's eyes were wide with wonder the whole time.  She started really enjoying her presents when there were less distractions (watching wrapping being torn is pretty amazing the first time) and we are so grateful for the things she got- lots of board books and new toys.

getting ready for presents

(she had a little blow out during present time so we changed her into her Christmas outfit)

she loved the gifts so much she FAINTED.  or fell asleep i guess.

Andrew gave probably the most beloved gift of Christmas for this year.  He drew Lynny's name this year and gave her a Snow White Barbie.  Right when the wrapping was ripped enough to see it she started saying, "My princess!  My princess!" and continued to rip it as fast as she could.  This was followed by an immediate, "Open please, open please!" to her dad and then the biggest sweetest hug a doll has probably ever received.  She carried it with her the rest of the day and by night poor Snow White was missing her shoes, crown, and had hair that rivaled Tina Turner.  It was just adorable.  It made me so excited to have a two year old Audrey someday who will treasure a toy that much.

Christmas Eve my whole life has been spent with my Hanaike side of the family.  We usually play games and eat good food while we wait to open presents at midnight.  The anticipation was always killer.  I loved it so much!  This year was my first Christmas spent away from home and while I was sad to not be with my family, I found that there were many things about it that were similar to what I was always used to.
The first and most important thing that was similar was lots and lots of family time.  I loved growing up with cousins around and it's always been my goal have my kids grow up with family whether in person or on Skype.  I loved waking up to a houseful of people.  I loved hearing voices in the living room- it made me WANT to get up instead of savoring the little extra sleep Audrey was allowing me.  I loved that the two Dobbins grandkids got a lot of time together.  Audrey had time with every member of the family this season- even Hyrum who is on a mission in Georgia (Skype, of course).

Grandpa, Audrey, Lynny

the two girls

Lynny trying to blow raspberries on Audrey's tummy (mostly it was just a lot of spit)

a beautiful Christmas Eve walk just the three of us as the sun set

beautiful mountains

We stuffed ourselves with a lot of good food all day as we hung out and relaxed.  One of the main events of the evening was going "sneaking."  This is the Dobbin's family name for anonymously delivering treats to friends.  My family has done this as long as I remember, just not on Christmas Eve.  It was great fun driving around seeing all the "kissem lights" as 2 year old Lynny calls them and watching the guys trying to be all stealthy as they ding dong ditched door after door.  There was one pretty eventful one where Andrew's brother Matt almost got caught.  But they stilled pulled it off and we talked and laughed about it over hot chocolate when we got home.
Putting out presents ourselves was a new experience.  I've found that I love being Santa as much as I love coming out to the gifts in the morning.  As usual the anticipation was killer.  We also continued the stay up till midnight tradition- at Audrey's suggestion.  The three of us stayed up watching some shows with the house all dark except for the Christmas tree lights while we waited for Audrey to be ready to sleep.  It was a magical little moment with my two sweethearts.

This year we went to see the Christmas lights at Temple Square with Andrew's family after the Sacred Gifts exhibit.  It was beautiful, as always, and so great to watch Audrey experience another new part of Christmas.

Audrey and Lynny beforehand as we got ready

i guess i always thought a white christmas meant cloudy snowy skies, not the beautiful sunset we saw on the way to salt lake

audrey's reaction to snow up close

and when we got to brittney's to stay the night audrey got pretty friendly with this poor duck

I blogged before about the new art exhibit at BYU called Sacred Gifts and how excited I was to go see it.  We went on the 23rd as a Christmas treat and I have to say it did not disappoint.  I had guessed in the previous post that some of the paintings would bring me to tears and sure enough they did.  It was mostly just private moments of teary eyes as I looked at certain ones and read the commentary.  Audrey did great.  She sat in the stroller with a toy looking around and occasionally letting out a little yell or two.  Other than that I was surprised at her calmness and reverence.  She let both Andrew and I experience each painting and I really believe she sensed the strong spirit that was there surrounding each one.  Andrew and I both agree that it was an unforgettable experience and we were so happy and grateful that Audrey did so well.  That right there is a tender mercy from the Lord.


These were mine and Andrew's favorites from the exhibit.  Maybe someday I will write about why we loved these ones in particular.  I don't think we were allowed to take pictures so these are pictures from the internet of the actual exhibit:

a little more Christmas magic

a visit from our friends the Watts

look at those long legs.  can you believe this is MY baby??

entertaining herself!  i love when i look in her room and her back is to me.  just babbling away at the wall.

chewing on anything she can find these days

guess who's out grown the swaddlers??

she is VERY expressive

visiting daddy at work

favorite new position- the ucho ucho

just chillin

thank you, my shoulder was feeling a little dry

ballerina feet whenever she stands up

cooking the thanksgiving turkey with dad

hanging with uncle matt

deep in conversation

loving the winter clothes

watching basketball

christmas party outfit

hanging out with emil and stephanie at the party

meeting mr max

getting to know tenley a little better

olivia and dalin doing the one handed gift wrapping challenge- a lot funnier and more frantic than it looks

we love christmas!!!

package from grandma and grandpa hanaike

audrey's present!

love just love

i love those big open mouth smiles!!!

one of her new fav faces to make

BYU basketball game!

go cougars!

tired nights

prayer time (hah jk we wish she was this quiet during prayers) cutest little finger fold

conked out

special seat at the table