A day in the life of Julie: Christmas 2008

Hey fellow bloggers, sorry it has been so long since a entry...but I hope you all had an wonderful Christmas. I really enjoy Christmas and spending time with my family and friends and this year was no exception. It has been a very snowy white winter already and we started having snow about 3 days before Christmas and got up to about 12" (which Washington hasn't had this much snow in a long time) So I have been enjoying (but not) the weather, since I live on a hill and it's annoying to drive on but it's been fun to play in even Rocket had fun playing in the snow. But dad had been picking me up. so Christmas Eve I had packed because I was spending the night at my parents. Dad picked me up at my apartment at around 11:00 so I could help mom make dinner and all that fun stuff. Jana and the kids came over for dinner at around 5:00, Jana had caught the 24 hour flu..(LillyAna, and Adrian had had it earlier that week) but was determined to have a good Christmas Eve. The kids had fun playing but were anxious to be open their one present (which was pajamas) and have ice cream for dessert. They had been tracking Santa on Norad Santa tracker all night long. They went home to go to bed and wait for Santa to come. After they left mom, dad, and I went over to the Vance's for a Christmas Party get-together for a couple hours. Afterwards we came home to get ready for Christmas morning. (made the strata, put out presents, organized the living room for breakfast) Santa's helpers went to bed about midnight. We wake up at around 6:30-7:00 and we find it SNOWING!!! Another white Christmas this year (YAY)...We were expecting Jana and the kids to come super early at around 7:00 (because they wake up early already) But come 8:00we were wondering where they were we called them and they had just started opening the presents Santa had left at their house. (which was VERY surprising to us). They got to the house at around 9. Adrian was so EXCITED that he started break dancing (which you will be able to see in one of the pictures below) We opened presents and Adrian of course wanted to help pass presents out but dad wouldn't let him this year because he was SO excited. Dad got a NERF gun, a Nemo teapot for his kayaking stuff, Jana got some pots and pans, Kohl's card, I got some towels, make-up, perfume, a Kohl's card, scrap booking stuff, bath stuff, socks, The girls got some high school musical dolls, and Madam Alexander dolls which are about the same size as American Girl dolls (they wanted American Girl dolls but mom felt they were too young for that) and clothes for they among other miscellaneous toys, Adrian got lots of Pokemon stuff, and the camcorder that I bought at JcPenny's. Mom got a new crockpot, a calender, some baking stuff. We ate breakfast and having fun playing with our new toys. Especially with the NERF guns. The kids went home to take naps and come back later. I got ready for the day and helped clean up breakfast and helped finish getting food ready. Dad went to go and get a newspaper from the mini mart next door. Lisa came over at around 3:30, and Jana and the kids came back at around 4:00. when Jana came in she had asked "Who's van is that in the driveway?" We were all thinking "What?" Lisa had thought it was Jana's but it didn't click in her mind until Jana had got there that it wasn't Jana's...Dad said the key was hidden in the tree. My mom got a 2008 Dodge Caravan that had stow and go seats, which she had been wanting a van with stow and go seating for awhile, my dad had went and picked it up at the mini-mart where he had it parked for the night. There is more to this story but I'm not going to get into it here, so that was mom's BIG Christmas gift!! Boy were we all surprised. I was jealous. But anyways the girls had wanted me to do their hair so I curled each of their hair with my straightener/curler. We had just a free for all buffet table that had fudge, meat for sandwiches, veggie tray, rice pilaf, Chex mix and other miscellaneous stuff. The Vance's had come over and Adrian and dad had fun ambushing Evan with the NERF guns they got (yeah Adrian got one too). The Vance's visited for awhile and had food, played and just had fun. After they went home we were all tired so we picked up and I again had spent the night at my parents due to the weather.

The Christmas at the Hartup's was so joyous and filled with lots of laughs and love. I am so grateful that we have a day where we can think about the birth of Christ. I love the Lord and am grateful that I have such wonderful family and friends that I was able to spend this day with. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. There are pictures below the first two are before Christmas and at my apartment I have more pictures posted on my Facebook and Myspace if you are one of my friends)

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