The Gift of Time is one of our family's very favorite Christmas traditions! And this year was no different!
Santa knocked on our window when we were all together in our basement...and our kids IMMEDIATELY knew that Santa MUST have come!!!
They all ran upstairs and THIS is what they found!!!
Santa wrote a letter explaining that THIS year, our Gift of Time was going right along with the #LIGHTtheWORLD challenge put on by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints... 25 ways in 25 days to do service and light the world!!!
So, our first letter and gift from Santa was Night Vision goggles and packages of cookies for our little ones and their cousin Xaxton! Their mission, should they choose to accept it, was to wear the goggles and go out into the night, deliver the cookies secretly to someone's porch, then knock and run away so they wouldn't get caught! They accepted the challenge...and it was a SUCCESS!!!
Then, in the morning, Santa delivered another Gift of Time...and THIS one held another gift and assignment...
All the kids gathered once again and excitedly opened the gift...
Xaxton read the letter that said...
..to wear these special 3D glasses and take their families and go see the lights at Temple Square!
These glasses are special 3 D Snowman glasses! Every light that you look at with them on will appear to have a "snowman glow" aroung each light!!!
Just look at the difference in this wreath...the before and after without, and with the glasses...
Pretty neat!!!
That night we bundled up and headed downtown to Temple Square!
We listened to the Nativity story and saw baby Jesus...
Kambriella especially loved it! :)
We took so many pretty pictures of the lights!!!
We were so happy that this was an activity that Tiffany could participate in too! Still recovering from her surgery, she rode in her wheelchair while Colby pushed her around. :)
Real beauty! Bright lights in my life...:)
Gavin, Xaxton, Kambriella, Colby, Tiffany, Clint, Dallin, Kesslyn, and me behind the camera. :)
This was the first year that the older kids had to miss out on a little bit of the celebration, just because their lives are different now and busy with college, work, and school activities.
But that's OK, we will still get to see them soon!
Me and my sweetie!
Aaannndd...trying to take a selfie can be hilarious!!!
Check out our back up crew...
Photo Bombers!!!
Me and my Sweetie pie!!! XOXOXO
Kesslyn LOVES her Aunt Tiffany and almost fell asleep riding in her arms...
These 3 boys LOVE each other and always have a GREAT time together!
And...Kesslyn LOVES her Dada!
Pretty lights for all of us to see!
I love this crazy bunch of people right here!
So fun!!!
The 2 riders! :)
Then, another day Santa delivered another Gift of Time...this one delivered treats and a letter that said for them to go to Xaxton's house and have a Polar Express movie night!!!
Another one of our FAVORITE Christmas traditions!
We went late that night, watched the movie, ate some treats, and even stayed the night! The next morning Santa delivered another letter that told the children that "Jesus helped others to walk, and so can you!" They were to assist their Aunt Tiffany in walking into the restaurant where we would share breakfast together.
It was a quick, but very fun morning! :)
We went late that night, watched the movie, ate some treats, and even stayed the night! The next morning Santa delivered another letter that told the children that "Jesus helped others to walk, and so can you!" They were to assist their Aunt Tiffany in walking into the restaurant where we would share breakfast together.
It was a quick, but very fun morning! :)
Then, on another night, Santa delivered a Gift and a letter RIGHT under our Christmas tree! We were even in the house and NEVER even heard or saw him...he is so sneaky and didn't even make a sound!!!
This gift was a Playskool nativity play set and the letter said that the children needed to teach their little baby sister the real Christmas story!
They were all so cute to play with Kesslyn and tell her about Baby Jesus. :)
Then, once again...Santa delivered another Gift of Time!!!
But this time, Kierra was home from college and everyone would finally get to be together!
I was in the bathroom upstairs getting ready, when all of the sudden I could hear loud screaming coming from outside...I looked out the window to see the kids discovering the note from Santa inside of our mailbox!!!
The letter from Santa told us to pack a bag with a swim suit, warm clothes, and a toothbrush!
We were to drive south on the freeway and take exit 268 and find a yummy place to eat dinner together...
We all chose to eat at JCW's where they serve delicious burgers and shakes. We all sat down together eating and visiting and looking around for other clues from Santa that might let us know where to go next...
When out of the blue, a man dressed up nice in a long dress coat came up to our table and asked,
"You guys are the Trickett family, right?
Well, today when I was at work, Santa visited me and asked me to do him a favor and deliver this letter to you tonight. He showed me your picture so that I would know you when I saw you...so, here you go!
Merry Christmas!"
Then he quickly walked away and disappeared out of sight!
The children were all so amazed and excited as he left...for they just knew that they had finally met one of Santa's REAL elves! The letter that he gave us told us to drive just around the corner and to dress up warm to go see the lights of Thanksgiving Point...LUMINARIA!!!
We were all so excited and jumped right into the car, bundled ourselves up, and headed over to the lights!!!
They were BEAUTIFUL!!!
MY favorite part by far was the very end of the lights where we got to see all of the beautiful bronzed statues of Christ. The Spirit was so strong there that I could not hold back the tears... I felt so happy, so grateful, and sooo very blessed.
As we finished up the lights, we went inside, used the restrooms, and then as we all came out together, a man approached us again and said,
"You guys are Trickett family, right? Well, Santa was in here earlier today and asked me to give this letter to you from him...Merry Christmas!"
You should have seen the jaws drop!!!
The kids were once again sooo amazed to meet yet another of Santa's elves, and to know that their fun was still continuing! We read the letter, and it told us that we would be staying the night just around the corner at the Spring Hill Suites hotel!!!
No WONDER why we had to pack our swim suit and toothbrush!!! :)
Kesslyn sang out loud on Kierra's lap as we drove around the corner to the hotel...
As we checked in and went to our rooms, there on the bed we found another letter from Santa instructing us to put on our swim suits and to go enjoy the pool and hot tub...and so we did!!! :)
Each of the little kids wanted to earn $5 for an awesome belly flop into the pool!!!
Crazy kids!!! OUCH!!!
Dallin...
Gavin...
...and Kambriella!!!
After we were done swimming, we went back to our room and got showered and ready for bed. All of the children fell asleep so quickly! So quickly in fact, that they didn't even notice the last letter from Santa that he had slid under their door...
So the next morning we read it together over breakfast, and it told us how much Santa enjoyed watching us help #LIGHTtheWORLD this Christmas!
We had an amazing year, and were able to go home and celebrate with our family on Christmas Eve.
We are so grateful for Santa's Gift of Time, and for our loving family and the important relationships that we share...and for our Savior Jesus Christ whose light really does LIGHT the WORLD!!!
Merry Christmas an a Happy New Year!!! :)
