Christmas 2014

Every other year I have to work Christmas (the joys of working in the medical field!), and so therefore every other year the week of Christmas can be pretty crappy as I have spent more time at work, or sleeping to prepare/recover from work than time at home with my family. This year just so happened to be my working year, only the catch was since I need 12 hours of Holiday time and I had taken the entire week of Thanksgiving off for Russ's surgery I was going to have to work half of Christmas Eve night and all of Christmas night :( But amidst the craziness we made it work and I still had a fabulous holiday!

 Christmas Eve- The menfolk had to work so us women took off to Grandma and Grandpa Garlicks house down in Fairview. We ate a delicious lunch and spent the afternoon playing games and enjoying each others company. Lexi kept making herself comfy sitting and laying around on their presents.

 That night when the menfolk made it off work we had our traditional Christmas Eve dinner at my parents. My mom always make a huge dinner and we eat off her China and drink martinelli's. After dinner we stuck to the other tradition of sitting around the tree while my dad reads the Christmas story, then we all open one present. Ash had found us some quality fox onesies and Taylor had his Santa onesie so naturally we had to have a pajama party before going home.

 Russ and I went home and opened our traditional Christmas Eve pajama's gifts from one another and it wasn't long before I was having to change into work clothes and head out into work at midnight.
My co-workers and I had been checking on the snow status all night while at work and sure enough as Christmas morning came to a start at the hospital the day shift workers were rolling in a little late due to slick roads and a white Christmas. We finally got off work and braved the roads home. I hurried to fall asleep as it was roughly 7am and my Sister Channy was calling in from her mission at 9am. Russ and I sleepily woke up and rushed over to my moms. My mom had made a big Christmas breakfast and the whlole fam was there waiting for Channy to call. After talking to Channy we opened all our family gifts together with my family before rushing back home. We did our Christmas together and then laid down for nap. Tanner was calling at 2 so it wasn't long before we were hurrying back to my parents. We skyped with Tanner man, ate a bunch of delicious leftovers and came home so I could get ready for work. Russ had left his little truck at work on Christmas Eve so we had come up with the plan that we would leave early for my shift that night and drop him off at work and then he'd come home in the truck and I'd go to work. Well.... After driving about 100 feet on the main roads and seeing about 4 accidents we decided it was probably best if Russ just drive me all the way to work and then he'd pick me up in the morning. The roads were TERRIBLE!! I was so thankful that Russ was willing to take me and wake up super early to come get me the next morning. Plus getting into a warm vehicle on a cold morning after working all night on about 3 hours of sleep was a huge bonus!!

 Cute Uncle Russ helping entertain the little ones while skyping the missionaries. Plus did I mention that Ash announced (well had Tanner announce) to the family on Christmas that we're getting a new niece or nephew in June?! I'm so excited! now if they'd only just find out what they're having.....

The dogs LOVED the snow! We felt like we had our own little children excited about Santa with how jazzed they were about the snow. 

In other holiday news... I may have had a crazy work schedule for Christmas but for the first time in 4 years I got New Years Eve off!! I finally got to hangout with my husband in person and not facetime at midnight. So cheers to 2015 as it started off with Russ' s and mine first real New Years kiss!!