Jen In Rome: It's CHRISTMAS!!!

This Christmas was the first time we celebrated all on our own. Last year we celebrated Christmas Eve with the other american families- but this year it worked out that everyone was on their own. We invited the sister missionaries and our friend Nathan over for dinner and our Christmas Eve program. We read the Christmas story in the bible, watched the video and thought about the gifts we gave the Savior. We each wrote on a note card the gifts we promise to give the Savior next year for Christmas. This year was also the first time the kids 'drew names' and picked out and bought gifts for each other.

We have quasi adopted Nathan in our family. He comes over at least once a week and Ryan helps him with homework and he gladly eats any American food I put in front of him. He lost his headphones, so Ryan gave him a new pair for Christmas.

Christmas morning! It was a tradition in Ryans' family that all the kids had to line up youngest to oldest in the hall before they were allowed to go in the living room to see all the gifts. The tradition lives.

Since Christmas was on Sunday this year, the kids only got to open the gifts from Santa before church.

And stockings, of course.

Clark was SUPER excited to get the box set of Harry Potter books

JR asked Santa for a "skyscraper" hot wheels track. Santa was a little nervous about finding one in Italy, but lucky he's magic and always delivers.

Charly has been obsessed with My Little Ponies and was super excited that Santa brought her the big ones she asked for.

After taking 20 pictures before church- this was as good as it gets.

Kate was super surprised when she got an iPod for Christmas from Ryan and I. We put it in the box Ryan's iPhone 7 came in- so at first she thought we gave her a phone. HA! In your dreams girl!!