Christmas 2012; the year I didn't take any pictures.

We had a wonderful Christmas this year, but you're just going to have to trust me on this one.

I can't actually prove it to you because I didn't take any pictures.

Zero.

So, it's a good thing we paid $20.00 for this gem at the mall, or I would be left with no memory of the 2012 holiday.

Because I can't actually depend on my memory to remember anything at all. 

That's why I take pictures.

And that's why I blog.

So, in the absence of pictures I will now describe our Christmas:

My entire family was here.

My mom and Taylor flew in a few days before anyone else got here and cleaned our house from top to bottom.  It was the cleanest this house has EVER been, ever. 

Brooke and Garrett drove the very looooong drive to get here.

My dad flew in on Saturday after a very looooooong trip from Waco.

And then we went on a Christmas Cruise to see Santa at the North Pole.

Going on the boat was very exciting.

Annie and Kate wanted to ride outside and see everything which was very cool and very cold.

The kids were thrilled when Santa said they were on the nice list, but Annie told me she knew it was because the lady with the clipboard wrote it down...

Sunday, we all went to Church at our ward together.

It was very exciting.

Monday was Christmas Eve, there was a little bit of last minute Christmas Shopping (Taylor)

and a lot of cooking.

We ate a really fantastic dinner that we all worked together on- my dad even helped by peeling the potatoes- with my mom giving him peeling instructions the entire time.

After dinner, we dressed up the kids in my scarf collection and acted out the nativity.

And then came the pinata.

I put my dad in charge of the pinata and he filled it with glow sticks, punch balloons, money and gift cards.

It was the best pinata, ever.

Then the kids opened up there new pajamas and we had a pajama dance party.

I learned that our girls are bigger fans of dance parties than most of the other members of my family.

That was code for we were awesome dancers and everyone else was party pooper.

We left some cookies for Santa and sent the kids to bed- all of them in Garrett and Brooke's room.

They are the nicest aunt and uncle, ever.

From there Christmas Eve took a turn for the worse...

We had some assemble problems.

One gift wouldn't ever recover.

And then I tweaked my back adjusting something for greater impact.

So, I couldn't walk and crawled to my bed.

Christmas Morning was chaos.

Kids opening presents. ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

I hate it when that happens.

And then we ate the most amazing breakfast.

G made Crepes and Brooke made something called Cowboy Breakfast.

It was all amazing.

And I crawled around throwing wrapping paper away, 

but don't worry it only took a few hours and then I was back on my feet.

My dad flew out that afternoon to get home for practice.

We spend the next day shopping at eating dinner at PF Chang's.

And then everyone went home.

And I was sad. I would say our house was quiet, but our kids are really loud.

It was so fun to have everyone here... it was one of my favorite Christmas's ever.

Too bad I didn't take any pictures...