WARNING...long post...but follow along if you care...
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Christmas Eve at Grammy & Papa J's. We call it "chips, dips and dorks". Fun presents, too!!
Through the eyes of a 3 year old and her world. This is what happens when she gets your camera. Some pretty good shots though ey?

Getting ready for Santa. Carrots, nuts, toffee, caramels, couple of cookies and a good 'ol Dt. Coke.

The big kids on Christmas morning!!

L's Christmas. He received LOTS of surprises, though most NOT on his Christmas list. He got "hooked up".

Christmas was so fun this year with a 3 year old. Her expressions were priceless. Before opening every gift she excitedly asked "what is it"? She was maticulous at peeling of EV.ER.Y piece of paper and tape. M received LOTS of fun stuff. Her most favorite was her pink and black soccer kleats.

The FAMILY gift surprise was a trip to DIS.NEY.LAND!!!

It's very rare to get ALL five kids together...so this is the best family shot we could get.

We took out our Christmas gifts and went shooting together. It was pretty cold, but fun to be together. M was hooked up hanging out in the Suburban watching a movie and a buffet of snacks. She even took a turn at shooting with Daddy's help. A friend loaned us their AR15...WOW, did that have a KI.CK!!

My sister and her family came in to town the day after Christmas...so we were NOT done partying...it only got started. We had a progressive dinner with our families, since we normally hang out at Grammy & Papa J's house. We had appetizers and a "message" at my house. Along the way to the #2 house we had to sing a song with whoever was in the car and then had a salad and played a game. At #3 house we had delicious cheesy potato soup and played another game. It was fun to see their homes and the holiday decorations.

These are all the faces I love the most...good lookin' aren't they?? The cute kids in the bigger ones, my siblings and their spouses along the sides and then Grammy & Papa J, too. My Hubby and I didn't make the cut.

We got to have cousin McK spend the night. For fun we got up early and went to Hagerman's Bakery for french toast. The kids thought it was great and YUMMY.

While waiting for our "next activity"...this is what kept the kids entertained for almost an hour folks...PIPE CLEANERS...everyone should have a stash of these for the car, church bag or the kitchen drawer. They kids were so creative and had lots of fun.

We took the whole clan to see the "Squeaquel". There were these cute figurines, taller than the kids and of course had to take pictures.

It was SO.MUCH.FUN being together, the cousins playing together and hanging out with my brothers and sister and their spouses. I'm so grateful we could all be together and have fun. We created so many memories. Though it's so crazy loud and busy with all the kids together, I cherishe the time we have together and look forward to the next time.

Happy New Year (and thanks for hangin' with me). xoxo-m.e.

We've been talking to M over the past couple of weeks about getting rid of her "passy". She is 3 now and we still have some "baby-ish" things going on...but she's potty trained and sleeps in her own bed every night...so we're good there. I decided that involving Santa on this occasion was the right way to go. We started talking about it and she wasn't going for it. She insisted Santa was going to given them back to her. We tried to convince her that Santa would give them to the "baby elfs" at the North Pole (cause they need them right?).

She had her fist visit with Santa at the mall. That went well, she loved him. We didn't have the "passy" with us cause it was a totally spontaneous moment to see him. But as we kept "running in to" Santa over the past couple of weeks, we talked about it and kept reminder her she was going to give them to him. She seemed okay with it.

Well, we heard Santa was going to be stopping by the Babysitter's house to check in on her and see if she was being a good girl. This was it...it was the time to give 'em up. She seemd excited but I don't think she really realized they were going to be gone for good. We put them all (6) in a baggey and she headed out the door for the day.

Apparently, she anxiously waited all day for him to come and as soon as he walked thru the door she ran to him with the bag of "passies" in hand...

She's still holding on to them with Santa...but they didn't come home with us.

We did let her keep "1", her favorite...and when that one is "lost"...it's lost. Christmas Eve is still in a couple of days...she might give the final one up then. Baby steps...

(she's our last one and we'll stretch it as long as we can get)

Here's your holiday greeting!!

L graduated from the N.O.V.A. program this week.
Nurturing Opportunities Values and Accountability

All 6th graders participate in the program.

This little girl LoVeS to draw...anywhere.
She will soon LeArN how to clean the walls, too!!

I'm so going...just booked our "luxury suite"...2 more spots available in our room...Anyone??

http://www.digitalscrapbookmemories.com/default.asp.

One of our family holiday activities this year was going to a live nativity in Alpine. We bundled up and headed out to brave the cold. There were soldiers riding horses and we walked a lit path to a barn. The barn had live animals and people dressed during the time of Christ. Some of them were working, baking and playing as the people did. We walked another lit path to another barn. There we saw the setting of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus in a manger. It was the most sweetest, reverent feeling. There were about 10 adults and 6-8 children at the time...not one of them made a "peep". M stood at the little fence and just stared...not saying a word (shocker I know, she is my daughter). As we left she whispered to My Hubby..."that was baby Jesus".

(click on each picture for a closer look)

After the nativity we went back to Grammy & Grampa's house for a wonderful meal. G&G had a gift for each of the grandkids...yep...jammies!! They loved opening their first Christmas present of the year. They all looked so cute, warm and cuddly.

Thank you Grammy & Grampa for a wonderful evening of food, family and fun!

We had a Holiday Reindeer Party at work for the folks I work with. My boss' family raises actual reindeer and brings them over for them to reside at a well known place here in Utah for the holiday season. The reindeer were beautiful and amazing. Apparently, they only bring over the best looking ones, that still have antlers. The reindeer left at home had either broken ones or they had fallen off. While we watched these beautiful creatures get unloaded from their trailer and check out their new holding place we kept hearing a "clicking" sound. We learned the reason for "up on the house tops click, click, click"...it was their ankles. WOW!!

L was a HUGE helper and helped me set up the arena for Santa, our singing entertainer, hot chocolate and donuts. It was ABS.O.LU.TLY FrEeZiNg and he stuck it out the whole time. At the end of the night when someone handed me a pair of gloves I gave a funny look as to "why are you handing me these"...I found out L had given them to our entertainer because he didn't have any and his hands were freezing. I got a little choked up. He did it all by himself.

M loved the reindeer and Santa. She was totally giddy and excited...and totally freezing, too.