Merry Christmas!

We've been so busy between Christmas and Thanksgiving (as I'm sure everyone has!) I didn't get anywhere near as much done as I would have liked to and we still haven't done Christmas with the Henning side yet. But, we do have some pictures from Christmas, playing in the snow! (it wasn't a white Christmas, but a white day after Christmas) and Ryder on his trusty steed Cookie. Hope your Christmas was merry and best wishes for 2009.

Getting to know me - Christmas edition

Ok - I've gotten this email twice so I'm taking care of it here so everybody can get to know me Christmas edition. And you are tagged to do it, but if you don't I totally understand (but you should still email me with your answers because it would make me happy).

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper
2. Real tree or ....Artificial? Real - there HAS to be Christmas tree smell in the house
3. When do you put up the tree? About 2 weeks before Christmas I guess
4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day
5. Do you like eggnog? yes - as Dad always quotes from the "Santa Clause" "it's a traditional holiday favorite" or something like that
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I'm not sure there were a lot of great ones
7. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad and Husband
8. Easiest person to buy for? Ryder
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes - 2
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail - but I might have to be an emailer this year - sorry!
11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I had the flu one year and that is the worst present you can get
12. Favorite Christmas Movies? Rudolph, Frosty, Charlie Brown Christmas, Elf
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? A while before, but I always do projects so I am scrambling all the way up to the day of.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I honestly cannot remember right now
15.Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Egg Dish, Sticky Buns, and all of Christmas Dinner (Wilson side wins on that one!)
16. Lights on the tree? Duh
17. Favorite Christmas songs? I love them all - EXCEPT the MOST annoying one EVER - "simply having a wonderful Christmas time" - yes Amanda and Mom it is the worst
18.Travel at Christmas or stay home? both
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Sing it with me, "you know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen. But do you know the most famous reindeer of all? . . . Rudolph
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A Bow
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? too commercial and people seem to think it starts right after Halloween.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? homemade and country/vintage looking
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Didn't I already answer this one
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? For me to be better, our marriage to be healthy, Ryder to be healthy, our lives back to "normal"
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Oh, who knows
27. Who is least likely to respond to this? Jeremy, of course
28. Favorite thing about Christmas? getting together with family, buying/making gifts special for each person, wrapping presents, watching the joy Christmas brings to others, the lights, the peace of Christmas day, singing Christmas hymns in church, and remembering that all of the wonderfulness is because our Savior was born.

Where Did Thanksgiving Go?

This is my favorite time of year and also in a way I dislike it because everything becomes so rushed and I get more anxious than I already am. I wonder if the doctor can prescribe anything for holiday stress. If they have something for that I'll let you all know. Thankfully though a lot of the things going on are fun. This week alone we are going to the zoo with playgroup from church and then I am going to my Grandma's to make some Christmas cookies with her and my Aunt. And Sunday we are going to the Temple lights to hear a women's trio group, which I have heard before but not at the Temple lights. They have the most amazing voices and I am excited that they are finally scheduled for a weekend night so we can go listen to them. Things are busy, busy, busy!