Christmas 2024

As usual, our Christmas holiday was jam packed with so many fun things. Lots of people this year said they weren't feeling it this year, but I still loved the holiday. A couple of years ago, I started decorating for Christmas right after Halloween instead of waiting until after Thanksgiving. Last year, my amazing friend Beth Bailey told me she decorates for fall in September, so I started doing that. I decorate for fall in September, add Halloween in October, and get out all the Christmas stuff in November. It's awesome! I love having it up longer.

Baylie was super excited to go see Wicked. We had seen the traveling Broadway show a few years ago and the kids loved it. 

We met up with a big group of friends to see the show.

friend of Rachel; Rachel Chorey; Baylie; Caroline Chorey; ?; Olivia Chorey; Alee, Natalie, Kaitlyn, and Carolyn Bailey 

David and Jalen were the only men in the group. David said it was the best musical he had ever seen and Jalen cried for the first time in a movie. Everyone loved it.

There were also moms in the group - Beth Bailey and Mary Chorey.

I am embarrassed to admit that I fell asleep! I really did try to stay awake and the movie was amazing. But I just couldn't help it. I even snored and David had to wake me up! Fortunately we bought it later so I got to see most of it (although I still dozed off a bit). It's a struggle.

Our family Christmas card. 

And one that didn't make the card.

David, Jalen and I went to the Irmo City Tree Lighting. It's always a fun community event. They give out free pizza and cookies, Santa comes, and this year Irmo Elementary's choir sang again for the first time since Baylie sang at the event. It was fun seeing so many old friends.

Jalen and I went to cut some mistletoe. I love this new tradition. 

David, Baylie, and Jalen sang Christmas carols to help earn money for Baylie's NYC Choir trip in March. 

Our co-op went to see A Christmas Carol. I'm so grateful to do homeschool with Beth. 

David's school friend Nove was a guest conductor with the University of South Carolina orchestra so we went to the performance. We were excited to also see our sweet friend Nikki Moore playing her viola.

Several of Nove's friends from California also came. We had traveled with them when they went to Italy several years ago. They recognized David and it was so fun to see them again.

We had the elders over to decorate cookies. We feed them about once a week and love having them in our home.

We had our annual "Goodies With Friends" activity. I look forward to this every year.

Me, Yasmin Baltzegar, and April Alsup have been besties since our girls were in kindergarten.

The best thing is that now the girls are old enough to do the cooking on their own so the moms can just visit.

Alexa and Baylie

Ava

Jalen's cookies

I love that my friends' kids are also my kids' friends.

Photobomber Jalen

Peanut clusters are my favorite

Divinity

Butterscotch peanut clusters

White chocolate peanut clusters

English toffee

White chocolate covered pretzels

Gingerbread men

Baylie's choir put on a beautiful Christmas concert. 

Ava and Bella Howe are also in the choir.

Baylie got a seasonal job working at the Lights at Saluda Shoals. She had a good experience with that and she loved earning extra money.

We went to the lights on a day she was working.

It's always a favorite activity.

Mary Chorey bought me these cute Irmo gnome ornaments.

The Hummels gave us this stuff for a simmer pot and it was amazing. It smelled so fabulous.

The elders came to make gingerbread houses. I made them smaller this year and each elder had their own. David and I made our own this year too. Usually David helps the kids and I don't make one. The smaller ones were so much easier to work with and no one got tired of decorating them before they were finished. I think we'll do this size from now on.

My house with missionaries knocking.

David's house with holy ghost trees.

The roof looked a bit sinister.

Back

Baylie's criss cross design.

Elder Young's Tree of Life.

He worked very hard on his crushed Oreo roof.

Elder Black's Angel Moroni with rays of light.

Back.

Lots of candy with Jalen's house on the right.

Our luminarios. This year I bought timed lights that would turn on and off automatically. So much easier!

Another favorite tradition - Soup and Singing Night. It always brings such a wonderful spirit into our home.

Bailey girls with Baylie

Andersons, Gideon Bailey, Harrises, Beth

Biewers

Ethan Moore

I rocked this awesome pantsuit several times this season.

Hanukkah fell on Christmas Eve this year so we celebrated a couple days early. Another tradition I love.

Sufganiyot

Latkes

April helped me make this shirt for Yasmin. This is what they call BYU's Jewish quarterback, Jake Retzlaff.

We played the dreidel game.

Yasmin won again! (I did give her my coins though, so I should get partial credit.)

We invited the Everts, the elders, and the Moores to join us for Christmas dinner. It was fun having company, especially little ones.

Appetizers

Declan, Kyle, Charlie, and Avery Evert with Charlie Moore

Ethan Moore, the Elders, and David

David, Nikki Moore, and Kaitlyn Evert

Our gifts for the elders.

I love having a full table. We even got out the china!

Cookie Mania

Joseph and Mary on a donkey

The Sheep

The Angels

The Wisemen

The entire cast

This year's Christmas jammies came with a special surprise.

They glowed in the dark! (I didn't even know this when I ordered them.)

Super cute and comfy!

Another relatively new tradition.

I didn't take many pictures Christmas morning. Tiff brought me this beret from Paris. I had purchased one decades ago, but it got lost somehow a couple of years ago. I was so excited to get a new one.

She also gave me these cute tea towels made by Aunt Julie.

Other presents:

Me - David got me a new food processer, which I desperately needed and wanted. Jalen got me super comfy socks and Baylie got me a Mickey Christmas hoodie - also super comfy. 

David - got a saw horse and money for a table saw. Jalen gave him a shirt and Baylie gave him socks (he loves socks).

Baylie - got Nikes, Crocs, and an old fashioned popcorn machine.

Jalen - got Nikes, Crocs, cargo pants, and a Lego Death Star.

It was a beautiful Christmas season.