Farewell Christmas 2008

Last Saturday I took down all of our Christmas decorations and trees with the help of two nice young men (Jon-Erik and Simon). Simon, way to wrap those lights!  I wasn't tired of looking at it yet, so I thought it was a good time to put it away. So this blog is dedicated to remembering our Christmas and putting it away for another year. As I stated in our Christmas letter (I'll send it to you if you didn't get it!) spending Christmas with family was the BEST! We celebrated Christmas, Swedish Style on Christmas Eve with our traditional Swedish Smorgasbord (no pictures of the food this year...I was too anxious to eat), short program, singing and opening the gifts that the cousins drew names for. Our little living room was packed with people. We really cut back this year and I can honestly say that sometimes LESS really is MORE. It was a very nice, simple Christmas filled with things that truly matter: remembering the Savior, spending time with family and counting our blessings. I was able to count many as I Looked around our living room on Christmas Eve: Grandma and Grandpa Nissen, Mormor and Morfar (my parents), my brother Andy and his family from CA, my brother James and his family and Christine's parents from Michigan.

We have two decorated trees, but this one is my favorite.

I have a good friend, Lois, who is very creative and crafty. She makes the most awesome things out of old quilts, including these wonderful stockings. She gave me one one year and when we moved from CA, I bought 6 more to have one for everyone. I love seeing them each year.

Simon and Emma played "The First Noel".

Emily and Annika helped us sing some Swedish Christmas songs.

James and Andy gave us a Christmas song, Elvis style, while Christine looked on.

My dad and Brian's parents taking it all in.

As the youngest, Olivia got to open the first gift. 

You can see why they say Christmas is for children. The stuffed animal: some $$, watching Olivia open it: Priceless.

Jon-Erik drew Ella's name and gave her these pink, sparkly shoes and Emma gave her one of her old dance dresses. 

I think she liked them. It was fun to see her dressed in the dance dress and shoes the next time we saw her. 

Emma loved her sweater from Baby Boy Flink. She finally wore something different to school today. :-)

Emma drew Hannah and thought she would like these woopie cushions among other things. I think my brothers liked them even more!

Our Nativities

We lost a donkey ear a couple of years ago. Just an imperfection that reminds me that things are not perfect.

A sweet gift from good friends when we left CA 6 years ago. Thank you Mona, every Christmas.

This was one of our first Nativities, a very child friendly (and dog friendly!) nativity. There is something about the smiling shepherd in spite of his chewed up face that sends the right message to me: "Fear not little sheep. Life is still good. Press forward with faith and have a brightness of hope."

Now it's all been put away until next year, but the good memories and sweet spirit from the season lingers.