Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Everyone! We have had a great Christmas! I took about a thousand pictures so it's a little overwhelming. I will start with Christmas eve then I will post pics from Christmas later! The night before Christmas eve, we went to Dallas's parent's house and spent the night. The kids had so much fun playing. Mackenzie was awake till about 12:30, Gavin till 1:30, and Avery was up till 2:00. She doesn't travel well. She can's sleep unless she's in her own bed so it was a long night! Then, Mackenzie woke us all up at 7:00 so none of us got much sleep. Christmas eve, the kids just played. I had to run to a few stores to pick up a few things and it was INSANE!! I will not go shopping on Christmas Eve EVER again! We had the kids exchange gifts while we were there- then we had a yummy dinner.

TageTreyThis is what Mackenzie got from Grandma and Grandpa. She has wanted an American Girl doll but she has Never played with dolls. Not even when she was tiny so I did not want to spend $100 on a doll that would just end up shoved in the closet. So, Shelley got her this doll that looks a lot like the American girl dolls and Mackenzie didn't even know the difference. She was so happy!! The kids all got books from Grammy. Mackenzie LOVES to read. She reads every night in bed. Gavin wanted a K'nex roller coaster SO BAD and Shelley was going to get it for him but when she went to wrap it, this was all she had. She had bought the ferris wheel to go with the roller coaster but somehow, the roller coaster went missing. We looked EVERYWHERE and everyone was sold-out. So, she bought him this dinosaur to make up for it. It's a really cool toy. It dances, it talks, it runs, it barks, it burps, and it bites. Gavin loves it! Avery wanted a monkey for Christmas and Grandma found her this colorful one. She was pretty happy! KysonAvery LOVES babies! She is such a cute little mommy too! Grandma and Grandpa also got her this baby. It laughs, it cries, it talks, and it crawls. She loves to make it cry! Avery- trying to hold all of her goods! Avery and Chelsey When we got home, the kids opened up their new jammies. The kids usually get a new blanket too on Christmas eve, but this year we did something a little different. Mackenzie and Gavin got little snuggies! They are the funniest things but Mackenzie has wanted one forever! Avery got a blanket that she of course won't use because nothing compares to her favorite blankie! We also had a little drama- When we were on our way home, Mackenzie said "you can fix my doll's arm, huh"! Well, then she tells us that when they took the doll out of the box, one of the arms broke off but the doll had a tight shirt on that held it in place. So, of course, I tell her "no problem!" Well, we get home and that arm is impossible to get back on. Then Dallas decides- if he can get the head off so he can get his finger into the body, he will be able to get the arm on... well, he gets the head off and now, he not only cannot get the arm on, but he can't get the head back on either! Mackenzie was so upset! She was almost in tears. So, he has me open up the seam on the back and he pulls out the cotton so that he can get his hand up in the back. He tries everything.. and still he cannot get the arm or the head back on.. At this point, it's a little beyond being able to exchange at the store, so it looks like Dallas owes her a new doll!! This is a picture from the other day. Mackenzie was making an igloo.
Also, I try to get at least one new christmas decoration every year and this is what I got this year. I think it's pretty cute!

SNOW DAY!!

Today, school was cancelled and the kids were so excited! We woke up to quite a bit of snow so they of course wanted to play in it!! we tried making a little hill so they could sled down it but it didn't work too well! We need a bigger hill!

Avery doesn't love the snow. She wouldn't keep her gloves on- so her hands would get cold and she would cry.

I pulled Avery around in the sled and she loved it! until she leaned to the side and fell face- first into the snow.
Snow angels! Gavin had his snow pants, coat, gloves, and snow hat on but they got wet so he went in and put on jeans and a light sewatshirt. He didn't stay out for too long after that! This is our ginormous snowman. Me and Kenzie spent about 45 minutes making it!
and here's a picture of our huge snowman next to Mackenzie. we tried! The snow was so powdery it would not stick together at all. We would get a big snowball started and it would just crumble. We had to go into the gutter to get the wet, slushy snow to get it to stick together.. Maybe we will try again tomorrow!

This is what happens when Avery plays with Gavin.
They were coloring with markers and Avery just decided to color herself instead of her coloring book. Then, gavin got in the tub and let Avery into the bathroom. She used the laundry basket to reach my make-up in the cupboard and helped herself to my mascara. Doesn't she look beautiful???
This is the kid's gingerbread house for the year. They are such a pain- they never stay together. Every year I buy one, then I say that I will never buy one again but then the next year comes and I end up buying one anyway. Last year, I got so frustrted, I finally hot-glued it together bacause it kept falling apart. This year- we got it to hold up for just long enough to get a picture! I had to throw this one in. I love this picture. This is from story hour at the library. Avery has seen santa 3 times now, and every day, she asks to see him again. I am so excited to see how she reacts on Christmas morning!!

Party!

We have a week of Christmas parties this week.. Last night we had Dallas's company party. We went to Little America and had a really nice dinner. Tonight, we had our ward Christmas party. a yummy dinner, and, of course, santa! It was the cutest thing. Avery LOVES santa. I can't even explain how much she loves him. She was talking about Santa and waiting to see him all day. As soon as we got to the church, she started begging. After dinner, the primary kids did a little program and at the end they were singing some christmas songs and on the other side of the room, they opened the curtain- and there he was. As soon as Avery saw him she dove out of my arms and ran as fast as she could to santa and jumped into his arms. He picked her up and she gave him a big hug. She was so happy! Then he asked her what she wants and she said.. "a monkey!!" She just started saying it yesterday and I have no idea where it came from but every time anyone asks her what she wants, she says a monkey. Then sometimes she says "a scary one." A scary monkey... Funny funny girl! This time, Mackenzie and Gavin both asked for roller skates. The primary singing some christmas songs Happy Girl!

While Kenzie and Gavin were waiting in line to see santa, Avery sat at the table and dug in to her candy bag. She took a bite out of every piece.
Kenzie wouldn't sit on his lap.. She's not even 8 and she's alredy starting to outgrow santa.. sad!

Gavin sat on his lap but he wouldn't look at me- He hates having his picture taken.

Tomorrow they are having a christmas party at the Library for story hour and Santa will be there so Avery will get to see him again! Then, this weekend, we have my family's Christmas party so that's going to be 3 nights this week that I don't have to cook! Wahoo!!

Ho Ho Ho!

We went to the Craft Fair this last weekend and the kids saw Santa. I thought Avery would be terrified but she wasn't. She was so excited to see him and to sit on his lap. She told him that she wants babies for Christmas. Mackenzie told him roller skates, and Gavin said an i-pod- not hot wheels . I don't know why he asked for that because he already has one... I think the kid before him asked for an i-pod so he just said the same thing! Mackenzie also had her christmas dance performance the other night and she did really well. I didn't get many pictures but here's a few. I did record it though so if I get a chance, maybe I will put in on here.

Mackenzie and her friend Hannah.

say cheese!!!

All ready for Christmas!

Thanksgiving is over so now it is time for the christmas holidays! My favorite time of the year! thanksgiving was wonderful! We spent the day with Dallas's family. We ate lots of good food then grandma took Mackenzie and Gavin to see Tangled in 3D. They loved it! I am a little jealous now because I have never seen a movie in 3D. Someday I will! right now, I would rather do anything than try to take Avery to a movie. The last movie I took her to lasted about 15 minutes. I ended up just having to take her home while Dallas finished the movie the other kids. As you can see, I have no pictures from Thanksgiving. I did take my camera, I was all prepared... I got it out and started taking pictures, then I looked down at the screen and it said "no card".. the memory card was at home, in the computer.. So, just imagine me with a huge plate of food and a mouthfull of olives, and that pretty much sums it up! The kids are all ready for Christmas.. Here's some pictures I snapped before church on Sunday.. Of course, Avery had to have her baby in the picture.
Mackenzie has written about 30 letters to Santa. this is het first one. I thought it was cute.

Dear Santa,

I would like a new bike, a teddy bear to sleep with, a big stuffed animal, a new outfit for my mom (how sweet!), $1,000 dollars, a big bag of candy, a new pet fish, clothes, potatoes, cheese, and crackers, and 2 pillow pets.

ps. the fish I had died

ps. I don't care what pillow pets I get

Love, Mackenzie.

Gavin, on the other hand, could care less. He is very excited for christmas but he doesn't care what he gets. He hasn't written any letters for Santa and I can't get him to be at all specific about what he wants. He did get excited the other day when we were at the store and he saw the hot wheels- he said, "I know, I can ask santa for a hot wheels car!" So, that is his plan- to ask for a hot wheels.. I started laughing and told him- maybe you could even ask for two! It's funny that Christmas just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and here I have a little boy that would be happy as could be just to get a couple hot wheels! I am all done shopping and am ready to just enjoy the holidays. I like to get my shopping done early. It's a good thing but it's not because you say you're done, but then you keep buying more and more and then you forget how much you have bought, and the kids end up getting a lot more than you intended. That's what always happens to me, anyway..This time, though, I really am done- I did buy a little too much I think but my wallet has officially closed! Bring on the lights, the parties, the food, the 5 extra pounds, and the excitement of Christmas!!

Happy Holidays!!!

Poor Thanksgiving doesn't stand a chance this year! It's all about Christmas! I am so excited this year I can't stand it! I have always loved Christmas- but this year, I do even more so. I don't know why I am so excited... Maybe it's because last year we moved just ten days before Christmas, Put the tree up just a week before, and didn't even put out any of the other decorations. I usually like to decorate the day after Thanksgiving but this year I did it a week before. Dallas thinks I'm crazy. I even put up lights outside and that is something we have never done before. The year after we got married, I bought a bunch of lights for the outside of the house and here we are, 9 years later, and those lights were all still in their boxes- never been used because I could never get Dallas to put them up. So this year, I put a few up myself! and while I was at it, I put the tree up too! I ws a little upset because as I was getting out all of my christmas stuff, I realized that a box is missing. It must have gotten put in the wrong pile when we moved and ended up at the DI. So, both of my nativity scenes and a bunch of other decorations are gone. I'm over it now though- It gives me the excuse to buy the willow tree nativity. I have wanted it for so long! I will just have to buy a few pieces every year though because it's a bit pricey! Up until last year, we had a tall, skinny tree with white lights and pinecones and I would decorate it all matchy and I wouldn't let the kids touch it because I wanted it to be perfect and I wanted the ornaments a certain way. Last year though, I thought about decorating the tree when I was little and remembered how colorful and fun it was and I decided that I wanted my kids to have that so I bought a tree with colorful lights, and let the kids pick out the colorful ornments, and I now let them decorate it themselves. It is messy. In some spots there are no ornments, while in others, there are clusters of them but I think it's absolutely perfect! I can have a matchy tree when I'm old and don't have any little kids- and then I will probably miss my messy tree!

I bought these trees to go outside on the front porch. They didn't last 5 minutes. The wind blows, and down they go. So, they are now inside trees.
The kids also have trees for their rooms and they get a few ornaments every year to add to their trees. This one is Gavin's Of course, Mackenzie and Avery's is pink!

I have been thinking a lot about Christmas and what it means and why it's such a magical time of year and was thinking about what my favorite parts of christmas are...I love all of the christmas lights, the parties, and the community events. As far as our family celebrations, I love doing pj's and blankets on christmas eve for the whole family, and I LOVE doing the stockings.. Out of all of the shopping that has to be done, doing the stockings is my favorite part. The best thing about Christmas though is Staying home on Christmas day- Staying in our pj's all day, playing games, eating good food, and just enjoying the day with my little family. On that day, nothing else matters! It's easy though to sometimes forget why we have Christmas so we have also made it a tradition to tell the nativity story on christmas eve before going to bed. This year, I am hoping the kids can be the ones to tell the story. Tomorrow is thanksgiving though and I do love thanksgiving too. I love spending that time with family, and I love to eat, so it's the perfect holiday! It's a good time to reflect and to think about all that we have and how truly lucky we are. Now I just hope the roads will be clear so that we are not stuck home! If we do get stuck here, my poor family may be eating pizza for Thanksgiving dinner!

Ready or not!

I am going through my files and deleting pictures that I don't want and I figured, even though it's old news, I would post these before I delete them! I am so not ready for the cold weather!! It snowed a couple weeks ago and this is what we woke up to.....The trees hadn't lost any of their leaves and the snow was very heavy so we had several branches break off of our trees. Dallas wasn't home so I thought it would just have to wait till he got back but thanks to some good friends, it all got cleaned up that day. Hopefully we can survive the rest of the winter without any more damage to our trees!

I really, really, really don't like the cold or the snow and winter just seems to come way to early and it stays way too long!! I think I am ready to move to florida! Anyone want to join me??