Marston Family Christmas

We had the most wonderful time at our annual Marston family Christmas this year! It was relaxing, sweet, special and fun all wrapped into one big party.  Highlights included a delicious dinner of prime rib, potatoes and home-made rolls made by Evelyn.  Yummy desserts by Stacy and Catie;  all sorts of games and FHE by me:) and a big service project by Grandma!  Other highlights included a Christmas movie, hot chocolate, presents galore, and hot-tubbing!  For our service project, we assembled 60 stocking stuffers for missionaries who were not going to be receiving family gifts.  A friend of mine was coordinating this effort and our job was to provide a stocking stuffer or two.  Blake donated chapstick from the office, Grandma donated $5 in and out gift cards, and also helped us to collect all the ingredients to make gingerbread men smores.  The kids were so helpful and enjoyed assembling these cute little stuffers and it was a special activity to help us remember all of our blessings and the reason for the season!  That along with a reading of "Christmas Day in the Morning" my favorite Christmas short story!  We played a variation on Balderdash where we had to pick a Christmas card, read the front and then make up a greeting for the inside.  Then decide which greeting was the most accurate.  After a few rounds, I loved when Blake's response to this opening " In every group there's always one...."  He wrote, "who makes everyone play countless christmas games against their will."  Haha!  He secretly loves my games:)  Catie brought a fun Christmas version of Heads-up!  The kids loved their presents from Grandma and Grandpa- best one was the Disney day that we'll have as a family as well as each child going alone for their birthdays!  The adults were thrilled by the phone soap, a special spa day and all sorts of fun Ann Taintor surprises among other things!  We were spoiled for sure and it was such a wonderful day.  Love being together and celebrating the best part of the year.