Every year we look forward to this wonderful breakfast probably even more than Christmas Eve dinner. This year, Donna and I went with my Mom to Siegfrieds which is a delicatessen in Salt Lake City and specializes in European food. We had so much fun picking out all of the breakfast foods and learning the names of the different delicious cheeses and meats. We want to make it a tradition and go with her to pick out the food every year.After breakfast we all opened presents. Porter was so cute with his presents and I was so excited that he actually was curious about the presents and played with his toys aftewards. He was so adorable. He got a baby sled, an elmo rideable airplane, lots of books and clothes from us (Santa), an x-lophone toy, a baby Deena (incredibly soft Norwegian quilt) and pillow, clothes and a 'my first christmas' blanket from Grandma Haslam, and a really cute moose outfit from Aunt Donna and Uncle Geoff. He had a great Christmas. 
Paul got a black Wii Mote and Nun chuck controller, clothes, and a computer chair for Christmas and I got new black boots, lots of clothes, jewelry and gloves-scarf-hat set for Christmas. We both also got a beautiful picture of the SLC temple and lots of serving and baking dishes from my Mom. 
We got an AWESOME green travel carry backback (to carry Porter on our backs) that Porter will fit in until he is 5 years old from Paul's Dad. It is awesome. We got homemade fridge magnets that are so adorable from Erik and Dara, a beautiful candle holder from Shane, and Andrew Lloyd Webbers Christmas Party DVD from Teddy (which I can't wait to see) and a beautiful Christmas book and Christmas music cd from Donna and Geoff. WE ARE SPOILED. After we opened presents we basically just crashed on my Mom's couches and vegged on Christmas candy the rest of the morning and afternoon. It was awesome!! 
After my Mom's house, we headed over to Paul's Mom and Step Dad's house and enjoyed the most delicious homemade chili and clam chowder you have ever tasted. IT IS HEAVENLY and I always love when Cheryl makes them. I also drank so much egg nog (my absolute favorite) until I just about exploded. Soooo yummy!! 
What an incredible Christmas we had and I am so thankful for my family. We are so lucky to have such wonderful people in our lives and to be able to spend this great Christmas season with them.
Paul got a black Wii Mote and Nun chuck controller, clothes, and a computer chair for Christmas and I got new black boots, lots of clothes, jewelry and gloves-scarf-hat set for Christmas. We both also got a beautiful picture of the SLC temple and lots of serving and baking dishes from my Mom. We got an AWESOME green travel carry backback (to carry Porter on our backs) that Porter will fit in until he is 5 years old from Paul's Dad. It is awesome. We got homemade fridge magnets that are so adorable from Erik and Dara, a beautiful candle holder from Shane, and Andrew Lloyd Webbers Christmas Party DVD from Teddy (which I can't wait to see) and a beautiful Christmas book and Christmas music cd from Donna and Geoff. WE ARE SPOILED. After we opened presents we basically just crashed on my Mom's couches and vegged on Christmas candy the rest of the morning and afternoon. It was awesome!! After my Mom's house, we headed over to Paul's Mom and Step Dad's house and enjoyed the most delicious homemade chili and clam chowder you have ever tasted. IT IS HEAVENLY and I always love when Cheryl makes them. I also drank so much egg nog (my absolute favorite) until I just about exploded. Soooo yummy!! What an incredible Christmas we had and I am so thankful for my family. We are so lucky to have such wonderful people in our lives and to be able to spend this great Christmas season with them.
I love that she always incorporates some Norwegian traditions as well. One of my favorite Norwegian Christmas traditions is having rickrem (rice pudding) for dessert. My Mom hides an almond in the pudding and then dishes out a bowl for everyone. Whoever gets the almond in their pudding wins a prize. This year my younger brother Teddy won. I was jealous..maybe my turn will be next year. 
My Mom is such an incredible cook. She always makes such wonderful food and cooks way too much. We ate and ate and ate and ate. Porters favorite was the brussel sprouts, the stuffing, and the rolls. Paul's and my favorite were the Swedish sausages..Mmmm...!! We had lots of yummy desserts and Swedish "Glog" to drink afterwards...DELICIOUS!!
After dinner, we all sang Norwegian and American Christmas songs around the Christmas tree (another Norwegian tradition). Everyone was kind of awkward at the beginning but slowly got used to it and really enjoyed it. We then read the Christmas story and it is always nice to read the beautiful story of Christ's birth to help us remember what Christmas is all about. Thanks Mom for making our Christmas Eve so wonderful and memorable!!
To start out the holiday fun, some cute sisters in my ward had a way fun cookie exchange and white elephant gift party. We had so much fun and it was so wonderful getting to know some of the sisters in our new ward better. I made 4 dozen mini cheesecakes and then came home with more than 4 dozen different cookies..pretty awesome and it made Paul very happy! I also brought home a shower spa thingy from the white elephant party! 
A couple of days later, I went to an ornament exchange with my sister Donna and some cute ladies in her ward. It is actually our third year doing it and we love it. Such a wonderful tradition and it is amazing to see the ornaments that the ladies make each year. I made a wooden Christmas tree with a red heart in the middle and Donna made the cutest little pinecone reindeer. A lady in Donna's ward named Erma, cut out the wooden ornaments for me and even helped me paint them. She is incredible and was such a great help. I am so thankful to Donna for letting me come and do it with her each year. I love it and we have so much fun!! 
Porter sat on Santa's lap for the first time at our Ward Christmas party. I didn't know what to expect because I heard a lot of horror stories about babies just screaming when placed in Santa's lap. But Porter absolutely loved Santa. He just sat there and stared at him and played with his beard. It was so incredibly cute.
Because he liked it so much, I decided to go and get pictures of Porter with Santa at the Layton mall. Porter looked so cute on Santa's lap. After we got pictures, Porter had fun playing on the little mall baby toys.
I absolutely loved it and really want to make it a tradition for our family each year. Porter did wonderful and had fun sitting on Santa's lap for the third time..haha :) 
