Tubing at Gorgoza Park in Park City. So much fun!!

Megan having a ball in the snow in the "kiddie area" while the big kids were on the bigger hills.

Landen & Megan after church.

ChRiStMaS morning:
Landen & Megan checking to see what Santa brought.

ChRiStMaS EvE:
Movies with my brothers and their families - Yogi Bear (the KIDS loved it)

This year Grammy & Papa John decided to do a progressive/travel day and visit each of our families in our homes and share a quiet time with presents. We were the "chips/dips/dorks". Shredded pork sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, stuffed mushrooms, meatballs and other various treats. It was a very nice evening.

I love reading NieNie Dialogues for her endearing comments about her lovely family and happenings. I missed this morning's post, but good thing Lisa's sister (in another state) saw it...NieNie was in our area! We scurried to get ready so we could finally meet her and Mr. Nielsen and give them both a squeeze. We bought her 2011 calendar (she wrote me a note on MY birthdate) and we got a VaNIEllA cupcake!

frame from JustSoScrappyToo brag books (hannahbanana)

The Eccles Christmas Card

I designed the front and back myself using a kit from Summertime Designs, had them printed by the fantastic folks at Scrappingsimply!! (Thanks Matt for picking them up!!)

It's become a family tradition to attend Alpine's Night in Bethlehem. My favorite part is in the stable, listening to the live music and looking at the live nativity (see picture of the little ones in the bottom right corner).

We recognized the soldiers this year!

(Papa John and Derric)

The evening ended at Grammy & PapaJohn's with soup and Christmas Jammies for the grandkids.

frame from JustSoScrappyToo brag books (merryandbright)

Our friends' parents raise reindeer in Colorado and every year they bring the reindeer to This Is The Place for the Christmas season.
We got a sneak preview to one of them. Their schedules were pretty booked that day!

As a little girl I grew up watching the Thanksgiving Macy's parade and waited and waited until the Rockette's would perform. I'm amazed at their precision in dancing and their amazing kick line. When I heard the Rockettes were coming to town for the first time ever...I knew I HAD.TO.GO.

Finally...last night was AmAzInG!

My seat was on the floor in the 11th row right smack center to the stage...it was PeRfEcT!

Can't wait for next year!!

Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

My plans:

Eating

Sleeping in

Reading

Spending time with the Family

Movies (Megamind & Tangled)

Digi-scrappin'

Taking naps

GoBbLe...GoBbLe!

I did NOT plan on going to Disney on Ice this year. I just wasn't too crazy about the characters (although we love Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy).
I was at work listening to KBUL 93, as always. The DJ asked a question and for some RAN.DOM reason I picked up the phone, started dialing while google'ing the answer. The DJ answer...asked the question...I answered correctly and WON 4 tickets to Disney on Ice!!! Needlesstosay I was pretty.darn.excited! I N.E.V.E.R. win stuff like that...and why was I calling during work??? NO-IDEA.
Well, then the questions began...who do I take?? A dear friend who I've gone to Disney on Ice with in the past asked us to go but I declined because I wasn't interested in the character, but then I couldn't invite her without inviting another dear friend...and then there's my sister-in-laws, we've always gone together in the past with our kids...WHO do I take???
Then, I thought of a sweet gal who I've gotten to know over the past year or so (also a soccer Mom and Landen's good buddy's Mom) and her daughter, Gracie (who is just a year younger than Megan). They were thrilled and it just felt right to invite her and do something fun together since we're always on the soccer sidelines cheering for the boys...we needed to do something together that was US. I felt even better that I wasn't going to hurt anyones feelings (at least I hope I haven't now that I've revealed we went).

We had FABULOUS seats! Friday matinee was awesome...hardly a crowd. Everything about Disney is AlWaYs magical and I find myself getting "choked up". Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy always come thru and are the best part. I especially loved the Peter Pan part and Little Mermaid. Now I remember why I NEVER cared for Lilo and Stitch...that was a weird part of the show.

Megan turned 4!!
All she wanted to do for her birthday was S-W-I-M...she L.O.V.E.S. the water!!
So that we did! She got spoiled with some fun presents, too--a sleeping bag, dress up stuff, accessories for her new bike and money!
 

Megan wearing her birthday t-shirt, crown and getting ready to blow out ALL.THOSE.CANDLES!

Megan got a big girl bike this year (with training wheels).

She was so excited and the expression on her face was priceless when it was wheeled in.

Here's Megan frosting and licking...frosting and licking her birthday sugar cookies made especially for her and her birthday party (intstead of cupcakes) from Connie (who makes THE.BEST.SUGAR.COOKIES.EV.ER)

We have two HUGE trees in our yard and it takes FOR-EV-ER for the leaves to fall. Landen spent a good hour cleaning some up on Saturday and within another hour there were even more that had fallen. They kept falling all Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. While Megan was taking a nap, Landen racked up a HUGE pile of leaves. They jumped in them for hours and kept racking the pile up and jumping again. Our fun neighbors who we hardly ever see (even though we literally share a driveway)...we rarely see each other came over and joined in the fun. It was fun to watch the kids play and visit.

We were so proud of Landen for getting STRAIGHT As his first quarter of 7th grade so we went out to dinner to celebrate! He loves all his his classes, especially his teachers. He's also involved with the chess club and MESA as well as his competitive soccer team practices and games, attending all his church assignments and takin' care of his responsibilities at home. It's been amazing to see him mature these past months.

I found in the paper an advertisement for a new salon having a Grand Opening and ALL services were 50%. In the picture were cute little kid pedi chairs. I'm a H.U.G.E. fan on pedis and take Megan with me when I go. She likes to get her toes and fingers painted. This was just the place for her to finally get her own pedi with the water and everything. Her birthday is coming up so I thought it would be a fun Mommy/Daughter date. Gotta start 'em young learning how to treat and take care of themselves...right??

She loved the chair and the guy was so sweet to her. She sat so still, enjoyed the massage in the back of the chair, loved the bubbling water and watching the lights change. She chose a bright green with pink polka dots on her fingers and pink with the bright green polka dots on her toes. So stinkin' cute!!

It's become a tradition the past 5-6 years to congregate all the cousins and go trick-or-treating together. We always have yummy, warm and delicious chili/taco stew/soup with all the fixin's.

A treat this year was Grammy's "fingers" (hot dogs or this year we got mozzarella sticks with an almond for a fingernail...dipped in bloody marinara sauce) and stuffed mushroom eyeballs. The kids always get a kick out of it (or maybe it's just me that does).

These are the kids we walk out in the rain for!!
Back row (Landen-ninja and Jalene-lamb)
Middle row (Claire-bunny, Dane-cowboy and Liam-mummy)
Front row (Megan-witch, Draedon-power ranger and Daxton-dracula)

Jalene was a darling little lamb! Dustin was the toothfairy!

It was raining pretty good...but that didn't stop the lil ones from trick-or-treatin'. Meg was totally in to it this year and knew exactly what was going on. She ran from house to house to house...we had to slow her down to wait for the other two!

Capt. Jack Sparrow AKA Uncle Drew with a witch (Megan), a bunny (Claire) and a cowboy (Dane).

The slyest ninja and cutest witch I ever did see!!

Megan LoVeS the snow. She loves to play in it and especially eat it!! When the snow flew on the 27th she couldn't wait to come home and made a snowman. She was sadly disappointed when all of it melted on the front lawn but there was a teency weency bit left in the backyard. She definitely made the most of it!!