Grandma Julie and sweet baby Claire, the youngest grand child.
Having breakfast before going off to church Christmas morning.
We has Sticky Bread..hot chocolate..and poached eggs.
Sophia and Caleb, all ready for church.
It just worked out that we were all wearing lots of red.
Ella and Sophia with their balance bikes.
Sophia enjoyed opening her gifts!
Caleb is crazy about super heroes, he loved his Spider man mask.
And what does a kid love most? That noisy toy that drives the adults crazy!
Loving some of my nice gifts.
Ella loved her doll cradle!
There was a loud knock at the door! The kids ran to answer it and
guess who it was? The pajama elf, and he left Christmas Eve pajamas
for all the kids, who promptly put them on.
guess who it was? The pajama elf, and he left Christmas Eve pajamas
for all the kids, who promptly put them on.
We had a really nice Christmas Eve dinner at our daughter Tiffany's home.
She played and we sang Christmas carols around the piano, I love doing that.
Ella was so happy that she got her Rapunzel doll.
Our daughter Lisa loves being aunt to the little ones.
We had 2 small turkeys, a ham, potato casserole, veggies, rolls and pies!
It was so fun to be gathered at Tiffany and Isaac's home.
The 3 gals on your right in this picture are our daughters.
The 3 gals on your right in this picture are our daughters.
All ready to go to church...here with 4 of our 22 grand children.
Sophia..Caleb..Ella and Claire
Sophia..Caleb..Ella and Claire
Our daughter Lindsey and her little family.
And last but not least....
And last but not least....
Our little "Santa Baby Claire"...the newest grand child.
I loved these pictures of Claire, I don't know about you but they
certainly brought out the Christmas spirit in me!
***
This year I simplified everything! A few have asked
me to tell about how I did that, so here goes.
We put our tree up the day before Thanksgiving, with no ornaments,
just the tree and lights. We loved it plain and my husband said to me,
"why decorate it, I like it just like this?!" So, we left it just like that!
I didn't do Christmas cards this year! First time for that in 40 years.
I usually send out 75-100 of them, all personally addressed, it was nice!
I didn't do one bit of Christmas baking this year! I usually do Chocolate
Bundt cakes... (20 of them)... all wrapped up beautifully and given to
all the neighbors and others. I did make 2 doz. cookies for the ward party.
We didn't do individual gifts for every (22) grandchild this year. Less money
spent. We just bought a family gift for each 8 families. Less time at the malls!
I didn't enter any blog parties, tried to go and wish all my dear blog friends
a Very Merry Christmas but blogged a bit less and focused on CHRISTmas.
I spent more time in the scriptures, listened to Christmas music, read. I just let
Christmas, the real one come into my heart. It was the best Christmas I have
had since I was a child!
I hope you had your best Christmas ever...
Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
LOVE TO ALL
JULIE
certainly brought out the Christmas spirit in me!
***
This year I simplified everything! A few have asked
me to tell about how I did that, so here goes.
We put our tree up the day before Thanksgiving, with no ornaments,
just the tree and lights. We loved it plain and my husband said to me,
"why decorate it, I like it just like this?!" So, we left it just like that!
I didn't do Christmas cards this year! First time for that in 40 years.
I usually send out 75-100 of them, all personally addressed, it was nice!
I didn't do one bit of Christmas baking this year! I usually do Chocolate
Bundt cakes... (20 of them)... all wrapped up beautifully and given to
all the neighbors and others. I did make 2 doz. cookies for the ward party.
We didn't do individual gifts for every (22) grandchild this year. Less money
spent. We just bought a family gift for each 8 families. Less time at the malls!
I didn't enter any blog parties, tried to go and wish all my dear blog friends
a Very Merry Christmas but blogged a bit less and focused on CHRISTmas.
I spent more time in the scriptures, listened to Christmas music, read. I just let
Christmas, the real one come into my heart. It was the best Christmas I have
had since I was a child!
I hope you had your best Christmas ever...
Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
LOVE TO ALL
JULIE
79 comments:
Dear Julie;
Absolutely beautiful Grands...The tiny one is so sweet..I have always said there is something really special about having the little ones at Christmas-time. We simplified this year too. Didn't put up the train, left some decorations in the box, didn't bake much--just some Amish Baked Oatmeal for neighbors and friends-only about 10 Christmas Cards--it was great!! Thanks for sharing your fun--it blesses our lives!
Marilee
Beautiful Christmas you had, Julie. Scaled down holiday is what I did too, and I love it. Happy New Year to you and all good things in 2012. xo
I think you had the best Christmas of all, what a wonderful family.
The pictures are great, Julie ...you have such a sweet, beautiful family! I love the simplified Christmas too. The family gift idea is excellent ... I think that quality family time is the greatest gift you can give to any child.
May your new year be as blessed as your Christmas!
Hi Julie - looks like you all had a very nice Christmas. We did kind of low-key and less presents this year, too, and we all agreed that it was really nice. We don't have any little ones right now, so we just all drew names. Worked great! Think we're going to do that again! We went to church Sunday morning, too, and enjoyed worshiping on Christmas day the Reason for the Season. Thanks for sharing some of your Christmas pics - love all the red!
Julie- I'd say you had your priorities right this year. I cut way back, too. It felt so good. I didn't decorate as much...I didn't bake at all...I didn't make any candy...but I enjoyed the moments of the Holiday as they rolled in.
Your family, as always, is beautiful...and ya just gotta love that Santa doll at the end! xo Diana
Oh, I was patiently waiting to see the photos of you and your family celebrating Christmas together. And as always, just love seeing each precious person, big and small :)
A wonderful, simplified CHRISTmas for sure!
It sounds like your Christmas was truly the best.
The pictures are so darling. Your daughters are stunning.
You should be so proud.
I love all the red you were all wearing. What a great day.
I think there were many people scaling back. I believe that's what the Savior would want. Less things and more time.
Everything looks wonderful! I know you had a good time! I scaled back on everything this year, too! And you know what? Nobody missed the things I left out! :)
What a wonderful Christmas, and just loved scrolling through the pictures of your adorable family. Felt like I was a fly on the wall watching your Christmas. How fun.
We had a wonderful Church service with the children putting on the play of the Christmas Story, and then to our daughters home where all the family gathered, except our youngest daughter and husband who live in Oregon. They will be coming next Christmas.
Happy New Year friend...
BTW YOU look adorable in all the pictures!
Your simple Christmas sounds wonderful maybe I'll try that next year.
Blessings and Happy New Year
Marilyn
Happy Holidays, Julie! I haven't visited your blog in ages! It's SO hard to keep up with blogs, isn't it? But I am glad I took today to visit because I so enjoyed seeing your whole family for Christmas. They are all gorgeous! I think I remember the first comment I left for you was commenting on that picture on your right side bar of you and your one grandchild and I thought it was your Child, NOT grandchild, you probably don't remember, it was so long ago. And I come today, and what do I see? A similar pic of you and a NEW grandchild! LOL! Well, you are truly blessed: Lovely, beautiful, healthy grandchildren. I can't wait to have one! Oh wait, yes I can (as I always tell people) because my son is only 21. ;)
Anyway, my best to you and yours, Julie!
Regards and a happy new year,
Gloria
What a beautiful family! I love those last pics of the little one in the Santa suit. It sounds like you had an awesome family-filled Christmas.
Sandy
Julie thank you so very much for sharing! I was one of many who asked for you to share your tips! They were great ones too! I am so excited to hear it was a great one, as you had had as a child! Simply the best!!!!!! I will work on it for next year!
Thanks for your inspiration, love Nd support!
Hugs,
Maryjane
It looks like you and your beautiful family had a lovely Christmas. The newest addition to your family is just too adorable in her little red outfit!
I hope you and your family have a wonderful and Happy New Year!
I love your simplify strategies. It was easy to simplify this year because all the kids were at their in-laws (in other states), but I will definitely apply it next year. All of your grandchildren are beautiful, but that little Claire takes the cake in her Christmas outfit:) Happy New Year!
Love all the beautiful family pics Julie!
And especially little Claire, that pic in the santa hat is the cutest ever!
I think you have it right friend, sounds like a great Christmas!
Hugs,
Cindy
It looks like a wonderful and blessed Christmas was had with all of you.Cutie grandkids and that Claire she has a lovely smile.The Santa photos of her are just gorgeous.
I did a little less this year as well.As we get older,the reason for the season as they say,is all about Christ isnt it?Thats such a good feeling.
Have a wonderful New Year Julie,many more blessings to you and your family.
Wishing you a very blessed new year....little Claire is gorgeous!
Dear Julie, it looks like you all had a FABULOUS time, really love the photo where you're all dressed in red - 22 grandchildren? You are seriously BLESSED sister! Merry Christmas and happy holidays. Sharon
I love this post, Julie... most of all the things you did to simplify Christmas. We simplified, too... to allow for more time ENJOYING family, less time working frantically. Time to celebrate a birthday party for baby Jesus with Little Man. Time to focus.
Love all your family photos... and it doesn't seem to have dampened anyone's spirit that Christmas was 'simplified'! Baby Claire is too precious in that Santa suit!! Your family is just beautiful, Julie! blessings to you and all your loved ones ~ tanna
Julie, love all the pictures of your family that you showed but Claire in the Santa outfit is so precious!!! With that smile!!!
Sounds like you simplfied your Christmas whick left you more time to do what you wanted, good for you!
What beautiful grandchildren!
I simplified my Christmas a bit too! I still got stressed and I'm not sure why...just out of habit I guess. I enjoyed it a lot more this way.
Oh my friend it looks like you had an awesome christmas.. Ijust love that picture of baby claire in the santa clothes.. how precious..
Wishing you and your family many many blessing for the New Year..
Sounds like the perfect Christmas...really the family is what it iall about. Glad to see more and more people going this way.
Looks like you had a grand Christmas! I simplified a lot too this year. Sure does make Christmas more relaxing, doesn't it?
What a perfectly Blessed Christmas♥ Simplicity at it's best. May 2012 bring you and your family many more Blessings.
Great photos of what certainly does appear to be a wonderful Christmas for you and your family! Simplifying is GREAT! It is SOOOO hard to stick to your guns when you think about simplifying though ... but it sounds like you nailed it! Good for you!!! (And I am totally DYING at that cutest, cutest little santa baby! Her eyes!!!! SOOOO cute!)
Looks like you had a wonderful Christmas :)
Family is such a blessing!
We kept everything low-key too... and it was wonderful!!
Loved having a new daughter-in-law to celebrate Christmas with us...so nice.
Have a wonderful new year.
Hope it's your year to shine :)
Simplifying is good. I did some of that myself this year. You just can't do everything.
Glad you had such a Happy Christmas with your family! Your daughters are beautiful just like you Julie!
Oh and the pictures of Santa Baby Claire are adorable and truly brought a smile to my face!
What beautiful pictures! Especially little Claire! Glad you enjoyed your simplified Christmas! Sounds like a good way to go! Enjoy your day!
ditto...kept it sweet and simple...no harried focus on trying to make the house full of "decor" spirit...NOT that it's bad, just wasn't the year for it. I left most of my Christmas decor in North Carolina at Goodwill for someone else to use and enjoy. :-)
Kurt cooked a lovely Prime Rib dinner for the 3 of us here in Iowa. We gave the kids and family $money$ this year. easier to "ship" and we KNEW they could use it. I baked ONE dish of mint brownies. That was it. (mostly because -selfishly- I didn't want to be tempted to eat any sweets!! I know...*mean*. but Kam has been sick with bronchitis and wanted NO sweets at all...and Kurt got his fill at work. Julie, your Christmas looks wonderful. smiles here as I get to view and share it with you. Hope 2012 is a wonderful year for you. Anticipating all that the Lord is going to do. I know the plans are IN place for what HE has in mind for each of us....yet to be unveiled to us. May this be the year your house sells. praying...hugs to you dear sister! xoxoxo :-)
Looks like you had a truly blessed Christmas! I've been trying to do Christmas more simply as well! You have a beautiful family, Julie!
Blessings,
Janet
I too am very simple when it comes to Christmas. It was different when the kids were small, but now it's just peaceful.
I adore all your pics, you know that. What love surrounds you and your family. You can feel the love. No phoney bologna here, I can tell.
I LOVE the fact that the kids get Christmas Eve P.J.'s. I LOVE my P.J.'s too.
Happy New Year my friend.
Love Claudie on a typical Canadian day... freezing cold, windy and snowing... I wished for it I got it ; )
oxoxooxoxoxo
Oh my GOSH Julie, you're killing me with all those grandparent pictures!!
You are one lucky lady to have so many grand kids! Just know I've very jealous! :)
You have a beautiful family but I have to confess, that Santa Baby Claire tops everyone of you! HA!!
I could just eat her up!!
Glad you had a wonderful Christmas!!
'Just goes to show ya, ya don't always have to do it all to have a fantastic Christmas with your wonderful family.
Oh that little Santa Baby Claire...precious!
God bless and have a Happy New Year sweetie!!! :o)
So happy to hear you had such a joyous and peacful Christmas! Your family picture (with all the red outfits) is a treasure.
~Cindy
well it certainly looks like a lovely Christmas. Those last shots of Claire are simply adorable.
Julie, your post was so beautiful to read & look through. Being together with the ones we love at Christmas is the best gift of all. Your photos are so precious and it's easy to see that there is so much love within the walls of your home! A Belated Christmas wish to you and yours and all the very best of wishes for the new year.
Looks like a lovely Christmas, Julie. Being with family and celebrating Christ's birth is SO much nicer than fighting the crowds at the mall and trying to do so much that you are exhausted by Christmas. Glad you enjoyed this wondrous holiday. :0)
I scaled down a lot this year too and it really seemed nice. Even used paper plates for Christmas dinner which I never thought I would do! ha! Love, love, love all the pictures of your beautiful grandchildren with you and hubby! The blessings just keep coming don't they?! I would love to do our Christmas all over again as I know you would too! Sweet baby Claire is beautiful! What a precious little one, I would love to hold her! I miss having little ones like that, our youngest is eight and sometimes he seems all grown up. I am so happy that you had a wonderful CHRISTmas my friend!! xoxo
Oh Julie- What a beautiful and wonderful family you have. PRECIOUS.
I absolutely LOVE how you cut back and enjoyed the CHRISTmas holiday more than you have in years.
I spent very little money on gifts. I made only one batch of fudge. I did make lots of wonderful snacks for Christmas Eve. And a delicious breakfast Christmas morning.
Our boys said it was a great Christmas even though there was little to open.
I also enjoyed the holiday more than I have in years. I see next Christmas ... more of the same,
Have a pretty day
Kristin
Julie, you have a beautiful family! I also enjoyed a more CHRIST like Christmas! It felt good.
Happy New Year!
Hi Julie.... (one of my all time favorite names, by the way...)
I'm thrilled to read about your Christmas. How wonderful. What a precious blessing. And, what a beautiful family you are.
Happy New Year!!!!
Spencer
xox
Hi Julie,it makes me happy to see so many smiling faces..you sure had a great Christmas. Happy new year to you and your lovely family!
Julie, I admire your simplifying your life but when I look at your lovely family photos I think to myself, if you sell that gorgeous home of yours, where in the world will you have room to gather your whole gang at one time? You´ve got a LOT of family around you, one of the things I love most about your blog....hearing about your family get togethers...and I think if you get a smaller place you´ll not have room for everyone and what a shame that will be?
And I can totally understand the not writing Christmas cards...didn´t get to that myself this year...but no baking???? ARGHHHH!!!! I probably wouldn´t have baked for the neighbours..although I think about that every year...but for my family I would have lots of goodies ;-)))
Enjoy the rest of the holidays with your wonderful family and that incredibly adorable Santa Baby Claire ;-)))) What an angel!!!
Hugs from Norway :-)
I am glad to hear that you had a Merry Christmas with your loved ones.
That little Santa is adorable for sure.
I did not do as many cards as I have done in the past and we also down scaled the gift giving also.
Have a Blessed New Year and may God continue to walk with you and yours.
Hugs
Your faces declare your love for one another. Oh the blessing of family...especially at Christmas. And I think it would be wonderful to hear you sing!!!
Enjoyed your family Christmas photos as always Julie!
Your simplified Christmas sounds wonderful! We cut back on gifts too, and enjoyed more quiet time, it was wonderful too.
Wishing you and your family a very blessed, and Happy New Year.
Sue
Happy Holidays Julie....beautiful Christmas with a beautiful family...you are truly blessed....I cannot believe you are up to 22 grands....that is fabulous....the new baby is a doll......May God bless you and your family for the New Year.....Hugs from Georgia....Sue.
Oh my goodness, baby Claire has stolen my heart! What a PRECIOUS little girl!!!
So happy honey that your Christmas was wonderful. Mine was too.
Your darling babies in these pics are just wonderful. Love the one of you with them all dressed in red going to church.
Have a very Happy New Year
Love
Maggie
What a beautiful family you have. The love and respect really shows in these pictures. I like your simplify tips and will definitely remember them when December rolls around next year. Have a blessed and happy new year. Patty
Very beautiful family and Christmas photos! It looks like everyone had a wonderful time. I tried to simplify Christmas quite a bit this year too. I sent cards to immediate family, and cut the rest of the list WAY down. First year I have ever done that. I did not bake for neighbors like I usually do, or give gifts to all of them. We kept gifts very simple this year. It was a lot less stressful, and did really give us more time to focus on the real Reason for the season. :)
Have a beautiful week!
xoxo...Gloria
What a wonderful Christmas! LOVE the photos and yes, the red is a favorite. :-) I'm glad you simplified...I did too but still did a lot of cooking/baking ~ just not the normal. We had a lovely Christmas Eve with friends and family, church at 11pm and gifts later.
xo
Pat
What a beautiful post. You have a beautiful family, I love all of you dressed in red. Isn't it wonderful to have family to cherish the wonderful times together. Hugs to you, Karie
It sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas Julie. I did far less this year too, and I loved it!!
Happy New Year to you and your beautiful family :)
Blessings,
Marcia
What a wonderful Christmas Julie. Sometimes doing less helps us receive the full meaning of Christmas. Wishing you and your family a great 2012
Love the pictures of you, your hubby and those darling grand kids. You all look great in red. Santa baby Claire is an absolute doll! So glad you had a good Christmas. Happy New Year!
Julie...you are just awesome. I love your simple Christmas this year. I think Christmas would be ENJOYED by a lot more people if they'd just downsize a bit on everything.
Put more into service and love.
BTW...one of My grandaughters got the very same Rapunzel doll. so dang cute.
all your photos are great. You guys in all your red outfits is such a GREAT picture. What a pretty lady you are.
and I have told you this before...YOUR grandkids are ALMOST as cute as mine (*tee,hee*)
I have made it my challenge this year to read Bruce R. McConkies book....The Promised Messiah.
(I can only read a little at a time)
then I'll move on to the others.
start somewhere eh.
happy new year to ya and may it be a wonderful 2012
big hug
What a great Christmas and i love that you simplified. I did too...but i was forced to with this pregnancy. LOL
I love that you were able to focus on the savior because of it.
Lots of love!
Happy new year!
I can see by your photos that you did have a marvelous Christmas. I wasn't going to send out Christmas cards either, but I kept getting more and more in the mail and I enjoyed the getting of them that I decided that it would be wrong of me not to send a few out. So I sent out the bare minimum.
Your grands are all darling, as are your grown children. What a beautiful family you have, you are truly blessed!
Hugs, Cindy
Hi Julie. Man you get lots of comments. I have taken down my All About Arizona blog due to some problems and have created another new one - new title and all that jazz.
Blog address is now http://stinkeestinkee.blogspot.com/
Hop on over when you can.
what a beautiful family you have. sounds like the perfect Christmas to me. I simplified a bit also and it was wonderful! happy new year!
You and your family are just picture perfect, no kidding! So pretty.
I also simplified and I tell ya...those cards about kill me...but hubby won't let that slide.
I didn't bake a single thing. I love to too but none of us need the calories! It makes me sad LOL.
Well, Happy new year!!
Love your blog and pic's, Do drop by sometime.Happy New Year.
Love all the family photos. I know how special it was to have your family there and that tiny Santa Baby. How cute is she??? We also minimized our Christmas pomp and circumstance and it was soooo liberating to do what we wanted, not what was expected.
Hi Julie,
I so enjoyed the photos of your lovely family. Sounds like you had a simple and blessed Christmas. I hope you have a wonderful New Year that is filled with many blessings and happiness. :)
Hi Julie
Wonderful photos from Christmas. I've lots of catching up to do here :-)
Happy New Year ♥
Merry Christmas AND Happy New Year Julie. Simple is best isn't it? I get to wrapped up in the details and MISS things...I do NOT want to do that! Your simplification plan this year was brilliant!
Sounds like the perfect Christmas! Love the picture of all of you decked out in red!
Julie
I've loved catching up with you and your family here on your blog. You all look so happy. That's what family does for ya.
Those precious little babies are so sweet, I just want to hug them.
Wishing you a Happy New Year.
Your Christmas sounds perfect! I don't know about you but I was not even close to ready for it all to end!
It sounds like your Christmas was just perfect. I really enjoy decorating and my husband takes it all down and puts it away, so I'm up for that. Music sure does bring the spirit of Christmas and I think we should always have Sacrament meeting on Christmas morning. It made for the loveliest Christmas for me.
Your family is so beautiful, Miss Julie! And I always enjoy seeing all the yummy food at your place... *grin*
You are such a beautiful person inside and out- I'm so glad you and I are blog friends and I'm looking forward to an exciting new year for both of us!
That little Claire could melt anyone's heart...
wow...
Hello Julie, What a beautiful family you have. Lovely pictures for memories of years to come!
I love how you simplified your Christmas and concentrated on the important things. We did the same too this year, never even hung one bulb or light on the tree. We also concentrated on the true meaning of Christmas and secretly made some families in our ward very happy this Christmas.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful New Years!
Hugs, Ann
Such adorable photos...and, a good thing I don't live close to that SANTA BABY...I would go to jail for kidnapping. O, she is such a doll.
I did simpler Christmas this year, too...and have plans for even more SIMPLE for next year. Once we began to get 10 to 20 grands and great grands, the gift giving has to stop somewhere. NO MONEY. :(
I want that Watermelon Pie on your side and, Oh, yes...I need to fill our cookie jar.:)
xoxo bj
So glad you and your family had a wonderful holiday together. You are so blessed to be surrounded by so much love!
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