I woke up that morning to hearing Jameson knock on the door. If he can hear people, he will sit in his room and knock on his own door. If he can’t he will come out and knock on my door. I guess it’s better than waking up to him staring or jumping on me. Anyway, I heard him, and got out of bed. I could hear Ella too, so I told Jameson to go wake Daddy up. While Jameson did that, I went and turned the lights for the tree on, and got Ella out of her bed. We told him Santa came, but I don’t think he believed us until he saw his “Big Rex.” Even on Christmas Eve, when Kevin asked Jameson if he wanted to open some presents, Jameson would reply, “Not until Santa comes.” I had that pretty drilled into him. When he realized Santa had been here, he was so excited. Kevin pointed out that that meant we can open presents, and Jameson dug in. I think Ella was just as excited.

We spent a long time opening presents. We did one at a time, and Jameson helped us all. Then he had to play with everything that was opened before opening another one. We stopped for a break around 9 for some German Pancakes, bacon, sausage, and eggs from the chickens next door. Once we were fed, Ella went back down for a morning nap, and we opened all the packages that have come over the last couple weeks. Although it was different not being with any family on Christmas day, it was so much fun receiving packages. Jameson loved the hand puppets Grandpa Judd had wrapped for him.

Around 12:30, the missionaries showed up. We invited them to spend the day with us. I asked them what they usually eat on Christmas, and the first answer from Elder McClellan was tamales. Since I don’t make those, I asked Elder Bergstrom. His reply was that he usually makes Christmas dinner. I asked what it was he makes, and he said, “Prime Rib.” Well that settled my question of what to have for dinner. I told him to get me a list, and he can make our dinner. It was awesome. They got here, and he got the prime rib in the oven. Then he called his family. We chatted and ate some appetizers with Elder M. and  he was enlisted to help me with rolls. Then got into a game of Settlers of Cattan. We finished that game about the time Elder B. got off the phone. We gave the missionaries their gifts… buckey balls and nerf guns, along with groceries. Jameson wanted to show them the train…

(They weren’t quite prepared for a picture. Elder B. is on the left and Elder M. on the right.)

Then it was time for a nerf gun war. Furniture was turned over for barricades, and grown men were hiding on the floor. After the ammo was lost behind the couch or other furniture, it was time for a break. We finished up dinner, and had a fabulous prime rib. Kevin said it’s the best he’s ever had. After dinner, Elder M. called his family while we cleaned up and then put the kids to bed. Once he was off the phone, we played one more round of Settlers, and ended just in time. Our game ended at 9:15 and the missionaries needed to be home by 9:30. So that was our day. It was nice to have the missionaries here, because the tv wasn’t ever on, and computers were left off. There were no outside distractions, and we were in our own little world for a day. Hope everyone else was able to enjoy their day as well.