Early Christmas

We decided to do an early Christmas this year with my parents since they were going to spend Christmas in Minnesota with my Brother & his family and Mark and I were planning on going to Oregon to spend Christmas with my other siblings and Mark's parents who are on a mission in Eugene. Mark and I decided we would give eachother all our gifts early as well because we don't have alot of room in the car and we didn't want to be packing all our gifts as well as a playpen and a portable highchair for Jaden and whatever else we'd have to take to Oregon. For our "mock" Christmas Eve we decided to go see the lights at Thanksgiving Point with my parents and we took Mark's brother Rob's girls with us (we were taking care of them while he and Sue went to his work Christmas Party). We also got an extra bonus of being able to see the reindeer that they had flown in from the North at Thanksgiving Point as well. Then we went to see a really sweet Light Display in Lindon were the Lights are all timed to Music.

Afterwards we dropped the girls off and my parents took Jaden while Mark & I went to Wal-Mart for some last minute Christmas Shopping. While we were there we were walking past the Toy isles when Mark's eyes got really huge. He saw a remote control Hummer for a way discounted price. He looked like a kid in a candy store! Mark's not one to spend money on things, in fact we are both very, very frugal. But Mark just couldn't resist especially when it was the right price. He asked if we could get it for Jaden and put away some of the gifts that we had planned on getting him until his birthday. We agreed and also agreed that Jaden was going to flip! I think it was as much for Jaden as it was for Mark. We came back home and wrapped presents with my parents and read the Christmas story and tried to go to sleep. But I have to admit I was pretty excited to give Mark & Jaden their presents and it was hard to sleep. That's probably why I got so sick for the next week and a half.

The next morning my parents had the ward breakfast where my Dad helped Santa out by playing Santa Claus. We really enjoyed it and enjoyed seeing people from our old ward. When we got home my Dad took Jaden downstairs and we set up his big gifts. When he came up and saw the Hummer he was so excited he studdered. "ZA....ZAA.... ZOOOOMMMM!!!!!" he exclaimed. He was the happiest kid on the block except for when we took him away from all his new toys to go down for his nap.

The present I was so excited to give Mark was a small replica football helmet that I got signed by Bronco Mendenhall and I got a little football signed for Jaden too. Mark gave me some fun things for the Cricut his sister passed down to me.

The funniest thing about that day was how much it felt like Christmas Eve and Christmas Day even though it wasn't the actual date. In fact Mark and I and my parents couldn't get over how much it felt like Christmas. It just goes to show you that Christmas can be all year round if you let it, but that would be really expensive!

Jaden with his new "ZOOMS"

Mark & Jaden at Thanksgiving Point

Jaden with Daddy & Grandpa Dowd at Thanksgiving Point

Mark & Jaden & Lauren & Madsion at the Reindeer Pen at Thanksgiving Point

My Cute Parents at Thanksgiving Point