Christmas

Christmas Eve

I NEVER decorate our table. In fact, we're doing well if we put out a full set of silverware and paper napkins. But every Christmas Eve we have a nice meal with candlelight and I try to fancy up the table some. I thought I'd take a photo this year.

Most of our traditions take place on Christmas Eve. After dinner, we opened one gift...it's always a game that we then play together, we decorated cookies for Santa, we lit a fire in the fireplace and watched The Polar Express. And of course, we read the nativity, watched the video and talked about it some. I love Christmas Eve, there's something magical about it!

Santa Claus
Christmas morning we opened Santa's gifts and the stocking stuffers first. Then we ate an awesome breakfast cooked by Dave. Bacon, eggs, toast, home-made hot chocolate. Yumm! Next we opened the gifts under the tree.

Andrew asked Santa for "a motorcycle with a helmet so I can ride it."
Thank you Santa for being creative! This is actually a really fun toy! And Andrew loves to pretend he's driving his 'motorcycle' around the house.

Evan asked Santa for "a really cool race track." Once again Santa was creative and Evan loves this awesome marble roller coaster set. (He already has way too many 'race tracks'.)

We've spent hours making track. . .

after track. . .

after track.

Christmas Morning Photos
We took a lot of photos. I couldn't decide which ones to post so there is a bunch!
(P.S. I realize Evan almost always has his shirt off! I blame the hot summer days. Since then, I have not been able to convince him to wear a shirt to bed, so I apologize. I should have put a shirt on him for the photos. Oops! He does have clothes, I promise!)

We thought we'd keep Christmas small this year, but the gifts really piled up and the boys got spoiled for sure!

Evan and Dave hauled the trash out in the wagon. Can you tell we're ready for naps already?

Grandpa Clay and Grandma Lizz came over for Christmas Day leftovers and cheer! Yeah! I love having some family around!

We took time to snap a rare photo of our whole family.
Merry Christmas everyone!!

(I am still working on Christmas cards...we'll see if they make it out this year.)

Sunday's Post

Heart Broken

The story: So many of you know Dave coaches wrestling at the high school. Once in a while Dave will take the boys with him just for fun (and hey, Mom's not going to complain!) Thursday we had the cousins over to play, while Will and Cassie did some Christmas shopping. But time came that Dave had to go to wrestling practice so he took Wyatt and Clare with him to meet Will there. Of course Evan got to go along, but poor little Andrew! We just didn't have enough carseats for him to go along too. Talk about rejected! Of our two boys, Andrew is the one who loves wrestling the most too! I think the photo explains his grief. Mom could NOT console him so he's talking to Dave who is promising to take just Andrew next time for some good one-on-one time.



The Finished Product
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When we were buying the candy, I kept telling Evan the candy corns were Halloween candy, but he really wanted them so we got them anyway. Little did I know what he had in mind....he turned them into icicles! What do I know!! He's such a creative kid. (You should hear him beat-box sometime!)

It may not look like it, but yes, Dave is having fun!

Building our gingerbread house.....it didn't make it until Christmas. I'm such a candy freak, and my boys take after me.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Anyone remember the abominable snow monster from Frosty the Snowman?? Andrew doesn't want to remember it. Am I a bad parent? I thought it was cute.

Thanksgiving

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! I have so many pictures I thought I'd just post them all. So enjoy. We drove straight thru the night up to Cut Bank, MT...22 hours. I can hardly believe we pulled it off! And it actually was a very pleasant trip! The kids were absolutely great!

My favorite parts? The food of course!! Judy always goes big. The pies were wonderful! I think I ate two full ones myself. And I literally came home 4 pounds heavier.
The late night games and talks. There's always laughter when the board games and stories come out. Definitely one of my favorite memories.
I also really enjoyed just doing what came along. We visited the highschool, watched movies, drove by the house Judy grew up in and the river Dave used to fish in with his Grandpa, we did a little shopping, played some piano and just hung out.
All, in all, I'd say it was a perfect vacation. So here come the photos...

I think Evan is in love with Aunt Emily!!

Grandpa Dan's AWESOME airplanes!!! And AMAZING story telling!!!

Opening Christmas gifts!


We had an early Christmas celebration with presents and everything!! What spoiled kids!


Evan and Andrew helped decorate the Christmas tree!

Thank you Grandma Judy, Grandpa Dan, and Aunt Emily for a wonderful holiday!!!

Christmas, Christmas!

We just can't get enough of Christmas events lately!

Evan was so excited to put up our tree the minute we got back from Montana. But what he really wanted was to play with the train that goes around the tree. I found our Christmas stockings in one of the tupperwares and pulled them out. "Look! Our stockings!!" Then I set them on the couch. Next thing I know, Andrew is putting them on his feet!

Friday night, we went to our Ward Christmas party! I wish I'd brought my camera. Evan performed with the other primary kids in the cutest little choir robes! Santa came and they were able to sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted.


Then Saturday morning, Santa flew in on a helicopter. Of course, we just HAD to see that! It was really exciting, and we had a front row spot. The wind literally pushed Evan and Andrew backward. I watched Evan as Santa got out and came to greet the crowd. He didn't even glance on Santa...his eyes were glued to the helicopter. So glad we went, and I totally recommend it to everyone next year.

Sunday, we went to the Palo Alto ward's creche exhibit. I was totally impressed as usual! Andrew and Evan loved the childrens' room and playing in the costumes. The marionette show was a hit too! I'd never seen a marionette show before. It was really fun!

For FHE Monday, we drove to the Oakland temple to see the lights and the exhibit at the visitors center. It was beautiful of course. We intended to do some shopping at Seagull Book while we were there, but they closed just after we arrived. FYI, they close at 5:00 on Mondays. Boy did I take for granted the closeness of LDS stores in Utah. Next time I'll plan better.

Since then, it's been shopping, shopping! I'm almost done too! It's all pulling together.

Happy holidays everyone!

VeggieTales

Have any of you ever seen VeggieTales? It's a bunch of vegetables that sing and tell stories. Kind of cute actually! Anyway, I found one of their dvds at the library and Evan thinks it's so funny!



We just got back from the grocery store and this is what Evan wanted to do. Call me crazy for indulging him; but hey, it's keeping them entertained so I can clean our bathrooms.

A Hodge Podge

I had a lot of photos I'd taken to post about. So here they are,various photos from various events.


Thanks Mom and Dad for these awesome Halloween shirts! They love them! And they really get a kick out of matching.

I promised Evan I would post a photo of their jack-o-lanterns so that Lorien and Wyatt could see them. Hence the photo. Evan's is on the right. Andrew's on the left.

We shared a family birthday party with Lorien and Wyatt on the Sunday before Andrew's birthday. Grandpa Clay, Grandma Lizz and Uncle Daniel came up. I made Andrew a soccer ball cake for this party.

Andrew was really excited about his birthday this year! I think this early party with the cousins was a good run-through for him, because he couldn't wait for the birthday party on Thursday. He knew what was coming and what to expect.

If it looks like I'm about to hit Andrew on the head with his present, it's because I am. My family has the tradition of singing "Heavy, heavy hang-over thy poor head. What do you wish __(Mommy)__ with a bonk on the head." Then I bonk Andrew on the head with the gift, Andrew says what he wishes for me, and then opens it up.

Has anyone heard of this before?? Dave had never heard of it when we got married and I could hardly believe it! I thought every family did this! It's one of those strange traditions we'll probably always do.

Thursday was his real birthday. Evan helped me create his "rocket" cake this time, and wrap the presents. I don't know what it was, but Andrew really got it this time, that it was his special day. He loved all the attention.

Here's a photo of the cake. It really was a kind of a mess. One of the rocket boosters fell apart, and the frosting job was not as good as it looks in the photo. But Andrew loved it! And that's what matters.

This photo is totally random, but Andrew found a box of misc hats and wanted to put them all on. I think the total was 5. He likes to wear hats!