Christmas, Christmas, Christmas...........

"It came, now it's over.  The end."  That is how Christmas went for Jason!!  Truthfully, that is how Christmas seemed to me.  I don't know why this holiday in particular seems to come faster and faster every year.  We have the same amount of days every year, with the exception of our leap year and yet I cannot believe how the holiday sneeks up upon me.  We had a fun holiday season as always.  We never lack for places to go, people to see, and things to do.  Here is a very not-so-brief run down of our holiday activities.

We start the Christmas season off with a Krantz Family Progressive Dinner.  We have the opportunity to have a gourmet five course meal.  All of the Jason's sisters, brother, and parents put on their chef hat and create a fabulous feast.  Karen and Adam created amazing potato skins for the appetizer.  Next, Kirstin and Dan served a "fancied up"(Jason's culinary term) green salad.  It was a perfect palate cleanser for the main course.  Normally at this point, we would have donned the doors of our house.  However, Kameron and I were home with a nasty cold that we chose not to share.  So, our contribution to the dinner (homemade rolls) was sent via Jason to his parents home to be consumed with the AMAZING crock pot lasagna his parents prepared.  Lastly, off to his brother Kevin's for dessert and the reenactment of the birth of our Savior.  We have a fun family that enjoys spending time together.  I love seeing all our kids playing together and enjoying each other.  It makes me think back to my childhood and remembering all the Christmas's where I did the same thing.  I loved seeing and spending time with my cousins and I hope my kids will grow to love it too.

Our family always looks forward to attending the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert.  We have had the opportunity to go for the last several years.  We were fortunate to be able to go again this year.  Jason always says that is just isn't Christmas until he has heard the melodic sounds of heaven.  This is Christmas to him.  Most often, many of Jason's family attends the concert with us.  However, this year, due to an unfortunate illness, we had some that could not attend.  So, at the last minuted I enlisted a family in our ward who is much like us.  We had a fun evening consuming fat free and calorie free Crown Burger, attending the concert, and we concluded the evening creating our own frozen yogurt concoction at Orange Leaf!  It was a marvelous!

Bring on the Joyful noise.  Or as we like to call it, Christmas Parties!  My side of the family, the Sheriff's, all get together for a fun Christmas party.  We are so big, that it requires the use of the cultural hall in someones church.  After a yummy lunch, Santa always comes and brings the kids a fun gift.  It is from my grandparents and is most often something that is somewhat handmade.  It is so fun to see the kid's faces light up when the jolly ol' man himself enters the room.  I have to admit, that I am really partial to this particular Santa because I have sat on his lap every Christmas ever since I was 10 months old.  He is one of the nicest, most genuine men/Santa's that I know.  I am always grateful every year that he chooses to help brighten the season by allowing an enormous number of Sheriff kid's to sit on his lap.  My grandparents always beem from cheek to cheek when they see that room full of the family they have created.  The words "I love you" just do not do justice to the way I feel about my grandparents.  They ares selfless, loving and so much a part of who I am.

Christmas party number two is a different kind of animal.  We get the opportunity to go to Jason's grandparents home.  They live in Plain City and so we do not get up there to see them very often.  We get to enjoy the company of all his aunts and uncles and cousins.  This year we were able to see Jason's aunt and uncle who live in California.  They were here for one of his cousin's wedding, which was the day before.  This is a fun gathering because all of the kids get to showcase a talent that they have been working on this year.  Most choose to play a tune on the piano.  Others display art, or just talk about something they have accomplished during the year.  Britten played "Away in a Manger" on the piano, and Kameron, well he tried to sit still (that is a talent for him).  Usually the adults just sit back and enjoy the show however, Jason chose to sing his favorite version of "O Holy Night".   Jason has been singing this particular song ever since were were married, and probably long before then too.  However, on this night, I don't think it ever sounded more beautiful.  Through choked back tears, he dedicated this song to his mom and his grandmother.  They have instilled the love of music in him from a very young age, and music is so much a part of his life.  If he could choose anything else for a career..he would be Brad Paisley, I mean a musician. Anyone who has come to our home knows there are usually only two things you hear, yelling at the t.v. during a sporting event, or music....all types of music.  I am so grateful that he has shared this love with our kids.  Our kids love music too.   We end the evening munching on very delicious treats brought by all. 

And then comes, Christmas Eve.

Let the mayhem begin!  Christmas morning is always an adventure.  With it being on a Sunday this year, it was even more so.  WE ACTUALLY GOT TO SLEEP IN UNTIL 7:00 AM ON CHRISTMAS DAY!!  I cannot believe that!  Britten came rolling in at the stroke of 7:00 to tell us it was time to get up.  So, after rubbing the sugarplums from our heads, we ventured to the living room in hopes all our Christmas dreams would come true.  Imagine that, they did.  We made it partially through our ripping of paper and then got dressed up for Church.  Jason and Britten sing in the ward choir and they had several numbers to sing.  Jason also sang in a quartet of men.  It was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the day even for an hour and reflect on the birth of the Savior and all the glorious gifts he has given to us.  And to remember that by living as he would want us to we can say "Thank You" to him.
Returning to Mayhem....After opening presents at home, off we went to my parents home.  I love "going home" for Christmas so to speak.  I love that my kids get to experience the look and feel of Christmas that I had growing up.  My parents spoil their grandkids rotten!!  Kameron could not hand out the gifts fast enough, and we could not open them fast enough...for him anyway.  My brother and my sister-in-law and their cute girls were there too.  It is fun to see them all dressed up in their Christmas dresses.  Almost makes me wish I had a girl....then again maybe not once the drama ensues.  After spending the afternoon there, we headed off to Jason's parents for the nightcap.  The traditional dinner of Ham and Cheesy potatoes and more gift opening.

The day after Christmas, we made the family pilgrimage to Temple Square to see the lights.  A must for us.  Apparently we decided to go the same day as everyone else.  I don't think I have seen it so busy before.  My kids loved the different nativity displays and getting the chance to see the model of the temple where you can see what the rooms inside look like.  I always forget how much there is to do there and how we need to go more often when it is not the holiday season.  After hot chocolate and pie for dessert, we ended the 2011 Christmas season.

Christmas Day goes just as fast as it comes.  Now we must all wait an entire year for it to come around again.  Something tells me, it is not going to seem like a year though.  Perhaps I should start my shopping now!