it only comes once a year.

christmas that is!

wake up at 6 am
{because chad is calling at 7:30
and we have to open gifts!}

so i wake a 6 and wake up all my siblings
{used to be austins job, but i seem to be the only one
who wants to wake up early for christmas anymore.. haha}
and we all gather in mom and dads room while mom and dad
go check if santa came.
he did!.
we line up,
youngest to oldest {as always}
and walk in the living room.
find your stocking
and sit by your things.
look around at the unwrapped {from santa}
and then start from youngest to oldest
to open the wrapped presents.

it was a successful year!
not that i think i need presents to make christmas successful,
because it's not about that.
but being with family and feeling the love that is around
and of course celebrating the birth of our savior.
my savior.

but of course i don't feel like being excited about presents is a bad thing!
it really just means, some one was thinking of you
and wanting you to know they know you!

but presents were there, and i am happy with what i recieved!
my very own NIKON D5000!! ahhh!!!
complete with 2 lenses, and a camera bag!
my photography days have only just begun!

clothes, jewelry holder, boots
and a few other odds and ends
{including and antique looking paris pocketwatch necklace!.}

after gifts we got to skype with elder chad james nilsson!
{and tanner and ashley in orem}

gosh. he rocks.
i miss him so much.
he hasn't changed at all.
just as happy as ever.
only 9 more months!!

then off to church.
christmas church is the best.
filled with music
holding the testimony of christ.
his birth
and his life.

home to deliver a few more presents.

first to annie's.
we exchanged gifts.
she gave me:
a journal with the effiel tower on it
a movie she has made of our time living at uvu together
and a big poster of the eiffel tower!
because i WILL travel to paris one day.
and take LOADS of pictures of the eiffel tower.
she knows me so well, and put so much time into them!
of course, just having her as one of my very best friends
is enough for me.
i love you fann!!

i gave her
a jar i made with music around it
and a candle to go inside,
with a quote from Sophie Rose Barton on it.
and.....
a UKULELE!!
i was so excited about this gift
because annie did not ask for it
but a few weeks ago she came home from her cousins
and talked to me about how she played it with them
and had so much fun with it!
and she loved it!

after just visiting with her and catching up
{on the last like 5 days we havent been together.. haha}
i continued my trip.

stopped by best friend emmies to give her a present!
i gave her some nice fuzzy socks!
they are my favorite and i knew she would love them too!
she informed me she got just dance 3 for christmas.
PARTY!!!!
love you em!

then a visit to the next best friend.
a special one ;)
addison kyle walter.

we exchanged gifts as well.
he gave me a christmas mug {to cure my shivers!}
a keychain from hawaii of a hula dancer {inside joke hehehe}
and some screen cleaner for my NIKON D5000!!!!
all perfect gifts!

and i gave him
some nice gloves
{the kind where they are mittens but can fold over
to fingerless gloves, all my brother ask for on their missions}
and a nice scarf for his mission as well.
it's going to be cold up there in canada!
i told him how i REALLY wanted to get him a watch,
but i found out his grandma was already getting him.
i was super bummed
but i was just glad he got one!

i sat and visited with his family
who i just love.
his dad, Mark
who is kind of a goofy guy and makes me laugh a lot!
his mom, Jill
who is always so welcoming to me and i feel like she is my second mom!
his sister ashley,
who is so kind and SO creative and an amazing example to me!
{she definitely inspired me to start this blog!}
I love the Walter family SO much!

then to my surprise
mark told me i got to choose something out of his
surprise feely bag {he didn't wrap gifts.. haha}
so i stuck my hand in
and pulled out a puzzle!
ohhhhh i love puzzles!!!!
it was so kind of them to get me a gift!!

after that wonderful visit
i went home to my whole family
we haven't all been together for a while!
so we definitely take the opportunity to take a family picture.

on my NIKON D5000!!!!! hehehe

i love my family so much!!!
all my brothers ROCK
and they picked the best sisters for me to have!!

OFF to grandma haws
to tell her thank you for the gifts,
plus get some hilarious stories from grandpa's new book
about his life.
oh i just crack up.
my grandpa is getting old
and who knows how much longer he will be around...
but i believe he really has lived an amazing life
and i really look up to him!

and to grandma nilsson's house we go
for the annual cousin gift exchange
plus themed gift from grandma.
her theme this year was the liahona.
a life size liahona and zipper pulls
to remind us to go in faith.

some mobile speakers from kaleb and talysha!

and then for an amazing dinner
{as usual for grandma}
no joke, i would eat my grandma's dinners
over ANY restaurant in the WORLD!
its one of my favorite places to be!

then just visiting with the cousins.
me and best cousin scoot in our christmas attire:

yes i have taken every opportunity to wear this sweater!

classy as always.

after a long, full, day
we head home. exhausted.
plus i feel a sore throat coming on!

then i REMEMBER.
i have to deliver one more gift!
down to tanner howells house to give him a handmade bracelet
i promised him:)

THEN home.
addison came over to see what i had received
and we just sit by my tree and talk and laugh.
then 10 minutes before chritmas is over,
we read the polar express together.
ha cheesy?
i dont care.
i loved it.
loved it A LOT.
a perfect way to end chritmas!

i hope you all had an amazing day,
just as i did.
as one santa claus would say
"merry christmas to all, and to all
a good night."