Every time he said Right the kids had to pas the present to the right and then every time it said left they passed Left. Maggie didn’t quite understand at first and got mad when Nicole helped her pass the gift, crying “No, that’s mine” After a few times she started getting into it trying to pass it even when it wasn’t time. The kids had a very fun time. We all played a candy bar memory matching game. There were 30 index cards – 15 with candy bar names and 15 with winter/Christmas words on them. You had to figure out which candy bar when with the word. Such as 3 wise men went with 3musketeers, Twix with skies, Santa with Big Hunk, Elves with Runts. We had so much fun that Mike and I made a mad dash to Walgreen's (only place open at 8pm on Christmas eve) and got candy to play it with my family.
Mike’s parents have a tradition of giving out a Christmas ornament to the kids. They have done this all of Mike's life. They now do it for the grandkids. This year, the girls got little pink cell phones and the boys got a basketball going into a basket ball hope. 
Maggie loved it!
After giving everyone Christmas hugs, and taking a few pictures of baby Ethan (oh how I just love his cute chubby face), everyone packed up their kids and headed home.
We Spent a few extra minutes alone with Les and Peggy to open presents then off to Mary’s parents.
My sister, Carolyn, and her family were up at my parents house also for Christmas. We let the kids open their traditional Christmas eve present – new P.J. 
Then we played the candy bar game with them. After all the fun we did a little puppet show that tells the story of the Nativity. Grandma Margaret Played the piano while we sang songs that went along with the different parts. It also talked about the Book of Mormon times and about Samuel the Lamenite and how he for told to the day of the sign of Christ’s birth. It was really neat. I think I will do this again, sing the song along with the story. I feel so bad we were having such a good time that we forgot to get pictures of everything. We then went to bed so Santa could come. This was such a nice change as we usually are still wrapping everything that night. We finally got smart and did it the night before. The kids all snuggled into bed while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. All us adults got ready for a long winters nap. Then all of the sudden we thought with a shutter what about Christmas cookies for Santa? The kids in their sugar comas had forgotten. Thank heaven for neighbor gifts, we were able to find some left over cookies and carrots for Santa and the reindeer. Good thing cuz Santa was very good to us this year. Christmas morning we slept in till 8am. Mike and I didn’t know that in Carolyn’s family the kids aren’t allowed out of their rooms on Christmas morning until the parents come to get them. So we just kept sleeping until we heard some noises, thinking it was the kids we got up and woke Maggie up. We joined the kids in the kitchen and then It was present time. 
Ok, first I have to say when you have 11 people in a room the presents multiply very fast. We talked about how even if everyone only got 2 presents that is 22. The family room was packed. Maggie was so excited about her Christmas stocking and the best reaction we got was from a little pare of purple poke-a-dot sunglasses. (please see previous story about tantrum at Target). She was so excited for them.
Mike got Maggie a BYU Cougar shirt that she had been wanting for a long time. She couldn’t wait to get it on. However, just so you know, it isn’t a BYU shirt... 
It’s a “Go Cougar” shirt.
I got her a "Sunbrella" aka -umbrella. She's been wanting one for a long time. I found this cute princess one and couldn't help but get it for her. She doesn't believe me that it is called an umbrella as she says it is to help keep the sun out of her eyes, so it is called a sunbrella.
My smart little girl.
She had fun with her sunglasses, scarf, and sunbrella all day and pretended she was on the beach.
Maggie also go a new baby doll with a crib, stroller, and high chair. It has a sensor so it knows which one it is in and reacts and talks. Best part is that it has an on off button. Grandma Margaret made her new baby some clothes and a blanket and pillow for the bed. Aunt Carolyn’s family gave Maggie a pretend hair and make-up kit. Maggie had a blast with it, and constantly wants to paint my finger and toenails, and put makeup on me.
Mike finally got his I -Touch that he has been wanting since they came out a few years ago, and a new BYU hat.
As for me, well, let’s just say there will be no more fighting over the laptop with Maggie.
When I opened my laptop Maggie asked what it was. I told her it was a new laptop "just for mommy", which the little stinker replied, “Oh, now you don’t have to use mine”.
I made the grandmas calendars this year with family photos. They turned out soooo cute and both of them loved them.
One package under the tree read -
To: Margaret From: Margaret
It was a quilt she had been working on all year and got it professionally quilted/finished as a presents to herself . It is so cute and depicts Heber Valley where they live.
I have truly missed spending Christmas with family and loved every crazy minute. Being the youngest I was always so excited when my brothers and their families would come home for Christmas and felt that same excitement for Maggie to be able to spend it with her cousins. Family is truly makes Christmas special. It was a great Christmas!
We truly are blessed, not to mention pretty spoiled.
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