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Christmas Is Changing

It's a different phase of life we are in right now. With Stockton on his mission and Douglas married, Mason is the only one around.  This was our first Christmas without Stockton.  We spent 2 years without Douglas but we got him back.  This year he was gone too.  I couldn't really imagine Christmas with only Mason but it turned out just fine.

Here we are trying to make sure we don't poop out on fun Christmas stuff.  This is the completed project.  Mason really doesn't care!  Luckily, I bought this gingerbread house on clearance the year before.  It doesn't matter if the candy is stale because we don't eat it anyway.  In fact, we didn't even open it!
Amelia spent the night at our house so she could be here when Stockton called.  We decided it was legal to wake up at 7:00 am.  I got up early enough to be showered before gifts since Stockton was calling at 8:30 and I didn't want him to think his mom had let herself go!:)
The haul

What he wanted most, quick triggers to add to his Xbox One controllers so he could have a faster shot in Fortnite.  He also got 2 new video games (baseball and basketball) an electric scooter and a Lego set.  In his stocking was a magic trick and some magnets.  He also wanted some real pajamas this year.  I ditched Christmas Eve pajamas a long time ago because the big boys wouldn't wear them but Mason wanted to experience that part of Christmas.
By far, the coolest thing about Christmas morning was talking to Stockton!!  Mason even mentioned a few days before that he was looking forward to that more than presents.  We talked through Facebook messenger which allowed us to get multiple people on the call.  Douglas and Daisha joined in from Idaho and Grandma and Grandpa were even on for a bit.  Stockton was happy and sounded great!  It was hard to hang up.  I was prepared for a big missionary call hangover of sadness but I did pretty well.  It was good to hear him doing so good.  It made all the difference.  We were told we would only have 45 minutes to talk but we ended up being about an hour and a half. 



There were a couple of funny stories for the day.  Mason was convinced that a present under the tree was either a video game or a movie.  It was the perfect size.  He was openly disappointed when it ended up being a book!  We have a motto in our home, "Leaders are readers" so Russell and I felt like everyone needed a book as a gift.  It will probably turn into a family tradition.  He also complained that all of his other gifts under the tree were clothes.  He was not happy or grateful about that either.  Turns out, he really liked his clothes, especially this full zip Nike jacket. 

We went to 7-11 at lunch time for fountain drinks.  We invited Grandma and Grandpa over for dinner.  Dad and Grandpa cooked steaks on the BBQ in the rain.  It is such a bummer to get rain on Christmas Day!  A white Christmas is way more festive.  Dinner also included yams, scalloped potatoes and a candy bar salad I forgot to get out of the fridge so we ate it the next day.  We had a store bought Red Velvet cheesecake for dessert.  They guys sat around watching college bowl games and Grandma and I worked on the hardest puzzle I have ever done in my life!

This is such a pretty puzzle but the colors blended so much that it was hard to pinpoint where individual pieces went.  I didn't realize it would be so hard when I bought it but once I started, there was no turning back.


We missed having Douglas and Daisha but were super glad they got to spend Christmas with her family in Idaho.  When they got home on the 28th we exchanged gifts and went to dinner.  

Famous Dave's garbage can
Douglas and Daisha got Mason a super cool chain with his baseball number on it.  He loves it and wears it every day.
#17
After dinner the young cousins got dropped off at our house while Wilson and his friends babysat.  The Sproul adults did a family sealing session at the temple where Grandma sealed her parents together and was sealed to them.  We also did family names we had been working on.  It was a very special experience.  The spirit was strong and I knew we were doing the work of the Lord that day.  After the session, Grandma and Grandpa treated us all to our favorite ice cream at Leatherby's.


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