Favorites on Christmas Day

Christmas morning is so much fun. It never ceases to amaze me that Justin is able to wake up so early without any alarm??? It never works at any other time!

We were so blessed with so many thoughtful gifts this year...it was really a neat Christmas. Some of the gifts that were especially special ...

Joanna sent us Oil paintings of Justin and Max. Joanna's talent is amazing...and we are the fortunate recipients. Much of the art in our home is from Joanna. It all is created with such love and effort. They are not only beautiful but so meaningful! I love every single masterpiece!

Our Bishop's family (John and Tiffany Wheeler) gave us 7 Ornaments with the names of all our children on each one, including Oakley and Jacob (and one blank one for the little forthcoming child), and one for me and Geoff. It was such a sweet and thoughtful gift. It was like having all our family around the Christmas tree. They are so beautiful as well.

This is a beautiful Christmas quilt that Nancy Moore made and sent to us. We absolutely loved cuddling with this quilt! Nancy is quite amazing in so many ways, but in this particular gift you can see her quilting talents, and can see the love she sent to our family. A very special gift.

Russ and Carrie Cummings and girls drew our name on the Cummings side, and sent us a child's cooking dream collection! Mixers and squirters and measurers and stirring utensils, and then the most adorable aprons. So very cute, so fun, and already so well used! We loved the gift.

This gift given by Alisha and Mike Neyman almost made me cry. I don't know how Alisha knew, but it is one of my absolute favorite pictures. It was taken in front of a field of tulips (Jacob's flowers). It's a picture that makes me feel like all my boys are together. And I love how Max is looking at Justin. Alisha had the picture blown up a painted contemporary style. We absolutey love it.

My mom is simply awesome. I told her that my dream gift for Max would be a little bucket I could bring to church and let him fit pieces into it that would fall quietly to the bottom. Well, she made it, and Max loves it! In fact, he played with this "Bucket of Fun" for most of the day! My mom later told me she received two blisters cutting out the shapes in the top. Hopefully, after reading this she'll feel gratified for her sacrifice...we all love his gift!

My all time winner of Special gifts given, were the gifts Justin gave to me and Geoff (totally unsolicited from us...he completely surprised us!)

Geoff's gift.

My gift. My absolute favorite. It did make me cry!