Christmas was spent with the Anderson bunch. It was so cool to see everyone one of the Cutlers in November and everyone of the
Andersons in December! All three of my brothers were home and it was great! It's so wonderful to see our families growing with spouses and babies... it's just FUN!! One of the best things was my brother Nick and his wife Lindi moved back from
Las Vegas to Billings!! Now they're only an hour and 1/2 away instead of 14 hours or whatever it was!! We also had my Grandpa and Grandma Anderson with us, which was very nice, too!
The "baby" of the family home from college!
Hayden Nicholas hanging out with Uncle Nicholas and Aunt Lindi
One of the traditions we have in our family is playing the chimes. Each chime has a number that coordinates with a music chart and we play Christmas songs together. Sometimes it can be an interesting arrangement, but it's a great tradition.
My Mom's favorite tradition is using this Nativity scene (Tyler cut them out of wood for her) and having the kids tell the Christmas story in their own words. It's funny to see the different ages and the way they interpret it.
CJ was pretty much quoting Luke 2. When it was
Taysum's turn, he just shouted out the name of the animal he was holding. :) It will be fun to see how it evolves as they get older!
Uncle Matt played "Silent Night" for us on the guitar
"Helpful Hayden" on the loose "helping" great-grandpa with his shoe straps
One of my favorite traditions is when my Dad reads "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." It's so great to watch him read it to the grand kids now!
Then it was time for presents! The kids could hardly stand the wait! Grandpa and Grandma spoiled them all and we had lots of happy kids!! Something new this year was, I wanted to put together a family CD. Each family chose a song that kind of "fit" them. It actually turned out really nice and everyone really enjoyed it! My brothers want to make it a tradition. We have a family joke about "It's a Wonderful Life." It's my Dad's favorite Christmas show and we can all pretty much quote it by heart... but he sleeps through it each year and we always make guesses about how long he'll last! I found a song by Mindy Smith called "It Really is a Wonderful Life" so I put that as the first song. My Mom chose "Shower the People" by James Taylor. My Dad chose, "Memories Are Made of These" by Dean Martin. We chose "Remember When" by Alan Jackson. The
Lindsays chose "In My Arms" by Plum. Matt and Megan had "Dental Care" by Owl City. Nick and Lindi had another perfect fit with Elvis Presley's "Viva
Las Vegas." Tyler chose "The Boys of Fall" by Kenny
Chesney. We decided that each CD would always end with "Love at Home." It was pretty much the song we always sang at scripture study or when someone in our family needed a "reminder." I was happy that it went over so well!
I just love watching the kids open their presents. Their excitement is so infectious! My Mom saw this little kitty toy and she said she just knew she had to get for B. It's very life like and it mews and purrs and moves it's head... it looks just like a little kitten. Bailey was just in awe. She kept checking and re-checking that it was OK for her to take it home; it didn't leave her hands once that night!
We went home and opened our Christmas pajamas and hopped into our beds so Santa could come. It was another WONDERFUL Christmas Eve!! This year, more than any, I felt overwhelmed with love for all of my family. The best part is everyone being together. And the greatest gift of all is that our loving Savior, whose birth is the reason for this
incomparable season, has made it possible for our
families to be together forever. I think Heaven would be very similar to having the wonderful feelings of the holidays(without the muss and fuss) everyday!
The "baby" of the family home from college! 
Hayden Nicholas hanging out with Uncle Nicholas and Aunt Lindi 
One of the traditions we have in our family is playing the chimes. Each chime has a number that coordinates with a music chart and we play Christmas songs together. Sometimes it can be an interesting arrangement, but it's a great tradition. 
My Mom's favorite tradition is using this Nativity scene (Tyler cut them out of wood for her) and having the kids tell the Christmas story in their own words. It's funny to see the different ages and the way they interpret it. CJ was pretty much quoting Luke 2. When it was Taysum's turn, he just shouted out the name of the animal he was holding. :) It will be fun to see how it evolves as they get older! 
Uncle Matt played "Silent Night" for us on the guitar 
"Helpful Hayden" on the loose "helping" great-grandpa with his shoe straps 
One of my favorite traditions is when my Dad reads "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." It's so great to watch him read it to the grand kids now!
Then it was time for presents! The kids could hardly stand the wait! Grandpa and Grandma spoiled them all and we had lots of happy kids!! Something new this year was, I wanted to put together a family CD. Each family chose a song that kind of "fit" them. It actually turned out really nice and everyone really enjoyed it! My brothers want to make it a tradition. We have a family joke about "It's a Wonderful Life." It's my Dad's favorite Christmas show and we can all pretty much quote it by heart... but he sleeps through it each year and we always make guesses about how long he'll last! I found a song by Mindy Smith called "It Really is a Wonderful Life" so I put that as the first song. My Mom chose "Shower the People" by James Taylor. My Dad chose, "Memories Are Made of These" by Dean Martin. We chose "Remember When" by Alan Jackson. The Lindsays chose "In My Arms" by Plum. Matt and Megan had "Dental Care" by Owl City. Nick and Lindi had another perfect fit with Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas." Tyler chose "The Boys of Fall" by Kenny Chesney. We decided that each CD would always end with "Love at Home." It was pretty much the song we always sang at scripture study or when someone in our family needed a "reminder." I was happy that it went over so well! 
I just love watching the kids open their presents. Their excitement is so infectious! My Mom saw this little kitty toy and she said she just knew she had to get for B. It's very life like and it mews and purrs and moves it's head... it looks just like a little kitten. Bailey was just in awe. She kept checking and re-checking that it was OK for her to take it home; it didn't leave her hands once that night! 
We went home and opened our Christmas pajamas and hopped into our beds so Santa could come. It was another WONDERFUL Christmas Eve!! This year, more than any, I felt overwhelmed with love for all of my family. The best part is everyone being together. And the greatest gift of all is that our loving Savior, whose birth is the reason for this incomparable season, has made it possible for our families to be together forever. I think Heaven would be very similar to having the wonderful feelings of the holidays(without the muss and fuss) everyday!
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