a christmas explosion.

it is december 30th and i am just getting around to writing about our christmas!  i am so behind.  i don't want to be posting about christmas clear into january so here is one big explosion of all of my favorite christmas photos from my phone...the ones from my camera {i actually pulled it out!  i'm so proud of myself} will come later.

the friday before christmas isaac and i decided to treat ourselves to a delicious christmas dinner at communal.  it was a last minute decision to go there and boy oh boy am i glad we did.  our dinner was fabulous and the dessert.  the dessert!  it was a toasted oat caramel pie and it was one of the best things i've ever tasted.

on saturday we had lunch with phil, jerai, boyd, and brewer.  we love them so much and had a great time catching up.  boyd is the cutest and happily let isaac stuff that tissue and ribbon in his hat.  haha!  we love it when they come to utah.  now we need to go visit them in driggs!

i have taken care of brewer through both of his heart surgeries and we have a special bond.  this ornament was the perfect gift, i love it {and him} so much!

mini servings of the desserts i made for our celebration with isaac's family.  peppermint cheesecake & warm gingerbread cake with homemade caramel sauce.

i had to drive to work in a crazy blizzard on christmas eve.  i listened and sang christmas tunes the whole time so it wasn't too bad.  i was supposed to work the entire night shift on christmas eve but i got to go home at 1 am!  it was a christmas miracle!  i went home and got 5 hours of sleep and was ready to party the rest of the day...probably because i ate an obscene amount of sugar.

christmas breakfast: aebelskivers & homemade buttermilk syrup.  my dad served his mission and denmark and isaac made him these for a christmas surprise that we all got to enjoy.  that isaac!

then we got to talk to my brother on skype!!!  he is serving a mission for our church in brazil and he is doing so well.  he was sweating up a storm while we were watching it snow out the window.  it was so strange to be so far apart, especially on christmas.  we miss him like crazy but i think the 4 hour talk with him will hold us over until mother's day.  speaking with him was definitely the highlight of our day.

then it was time to open our gifts.  we had some extra special ones planned that we were so excited to give, it was hard to wait until the afternoon to do it.  i got spoiled like crazy, especially from my hubby.  what are those on my feet you ask?!  they are called hot booties and they are slippers you can warm in the microwave.  pretty much a dream come true if you ask me.  my feet are always freezing and isaac is always concerned about my blood flow...so he bought me these babies.  they go perfectly with my snuggie, my heated snuggie, and my sinus buddy.  ha!!!  i am a "as seen on tv" freak.  guess what else isaac surprised me with!  an ipad!  i am still so giddy about it.  any suggestions on must have apps?!!  i need your suggestions!

a christmas dinner & a christmas pup {who also got ridiculous spoiled}.  she didn't know what to do with herself.

it was such a great christmas day.  i was so happy i got to leave work early and sleep so i could spend the whole day with my fam.  the rest of our night was spent watching home alone 1 & 2 {i hadn't seen them in years, so funny!}, playing jenga & catch phrase, and making some last minute creme brulee in the darling ramekins my brother got me for christmas.  yum.

on wednesday we kept the fun going by doing some post-holiday shopping.  there is nothing i love more than going to my favorite places {crate & barrel, paper source, target} to pick up holiday items for 50% off.  i feel a little guilty buying so much after being so spoiled the day before but i can't pass up those deals!  it's one of my favorite shopping days of the year.  that night we saw les miserables with my family and love, love, loved it.  i want to go again asap. 

i cried when we got home that night.  i didn't want christmas to be over.  i'm going to be a complete mess when i take down our tree.

this was only the first christmas explosion!  i still have the westwood family celebrations to write about and the time with our bffs!  get excited!  if you made it to the end of this you are amazing.  good job.