Another Christmas post

One of my favourite things to before Christmas is to read the gospels and Christ's visit to the America's, basically reading the life of Christ.
I love doing this and I have kind of made it a tradition, if three years makes a tradition. lol
I love the way that some stories of the Savior's life are made more full by having them in more than one gospel, and I also like the way that some stories are only taught in one or two of the gospels.

On another note, Christmas has suddenly changed for us... We were having over Scott's brothers and their families (16 people) for some Robison times and then my parents would show up the day after Scott's family left for a day and a half of Thompson fun.  In Scott's family the adults and small children divide in half with eight adults and eight children under the age of eight.
Well, now my entire family, (minus Seth, who is hard to get ahold of), are coming for a day and a half... For those of you who don't know, I have seven siblings, five nieces and nephews...oh and I forgot to include my grandmother.  If everyone shows up from my side of the family, there will be 19 people at my house, only five of which are young children.
The difference will not only be that there are more people but MORE OLDER people.  Meaning harder to find beds for them all.  Luckily I have some friends down the street who have said I can stop by if I need any help... which I may once I figure out how many blankets or sleeping bags I will need.  We will have enough beds for my married siblings and for my grandmother but all the other people will be sleeping on the floor. lol  This is going to be fun!
How did this all happen, you ask?  Crystal and JD and their two boys were in Hawaii but my mom let me know that they will be getting back late on the 28th and wanted to stay at our house... the same night that my mom and dad and three youngest siblings would be at our place.  So, I thought "Why not invite everyone, it's really not that many more."  People would already have to be sleeping on the floor as my brothers won't want to share a bed.  It seemed like a good idea.  I called Matt and Katie and invited them and Crystal reminded me to invite Elizabeth (oops with her basically living at my parents house, I forget to invite her separately- Every time I call my mom Ambrosia is there, they just seem like part of that household.)
So, now that all of our family except for Seth and Diane and her family will be at our house within 5 days (25-29).  And what am I doing to prepare, you may ask?
Scott and I cleaned the house this morning and got the beds all ready for the first flux of family.  I made shortbread last week, sugar cookies today, and I will be making mash potatoes that can be frozen tonight ( I loved this idea) as well as some grocery shopping with Scott later on today.
Luckily almost all the presents were bought and wrapped previously and we don't have to add that to our list of things to do.
The worst part about this time will be blood work tomorrow. :(  Scott jokes that my doctor is paid per test that he runs, which could be true.   With all these test, I may not have enough blood left when he is done... I thought bloodletting was an ancient and barbaric custom.  I guess my doctor and I disagree.  But really, I will be glad to get this last test over with and onto the joys of Christmas.

Huckleberry loves it when people come over.  I think he will be overwhelmed with excitement over the next week.

One more thing.  I have been receiving gifts from a pixie for the last ten days. :)  I love surprises and I have been able to have one a day for the last ten days and will be getting two more!  I love surprises!!  And I think I know who it is ;)  We shall see.
Huckles has been enjoying the pixying, too.  If he could open doors, these pixies would have been caught at least by the second day.  Even with me being slow to get to the door so that the pixies have time to get away, he has gotten out once looking for whoever rang the doorbell.  Lucky for them and me, the lady across the street was just getting home and he ran over to see if he could get into her house with her.  She laughed and said that it was fine and that he had visited before.  Oops!  That is the one thing that Huck isn't so good at, listening when he is excited by people.  But we are working at in and he isn't even a year yet, so once he's a little older, maybe that'll sink in a little better.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and that you are able to spend time with loved ones.
Di, we love you and will be thinking about you and your family and giving you more than one call over the holidays!!