Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve!  Christmas Eve was so much fun! We get together with the whole Bird side (whoever can make it) and have a party. We had dinner-super yummy and then we had a program after. Different cousins played the piano (including McKailey playing "Silent Night"), singing, sign language, and reading stories. It was a very good variety and everyone did an awesome job. Uncle Robert read the Christmas story after the talent section.

Christmas program

 

Grandma opened her presents from everyone after the program. She opens them on Christmas Eve while we are all there. One thing she received was a calendar with pictures from when she was little and her brothers and sisters. It was awesome to see who everyone is.

After that, we played games. Here is McKailey playing some Minute to Win It games. She had to knock the water bottle over with the tennis ball and nylon on her head. Braxton played it too. They loved it.

 

Alie playing with her cousins.

Alie's mornings

This is how I find Alie every morning-on the stairs with her blanket and pillow. She doesn't say anything, she just lays there to wakes up. Eventually we notice each morning and go say good morning to her. She loves her blanket and pillow pet.

Vera Christmas Party 2012

 We had a fun time down at the Grantsville stake center spending time with the Vera family.  Lots and lots of family members showed up.  We enjoyed it.  Here is Grandpa prepping Kris to share why education is so important in our lives.

 Belinda put together a dance with these three during the party.  They did an amazing job from just practicing there at the party.

 The twins are very mobile and we had a lot of fun watching them.

We are all thankful for the Thortons and their examples.  We love them.

Lopez Family Party

 These two are best pals.  They spent a whole 24 hours together before the party and they still love each other. 

 Is McKailey excited for money?

 Braxton and Mckailey have been reading a lot lately, so when they got books as a present form their Grandparents, they sat down and read for a few minutes.

We had a grand old time at the Lopez family party.  Everyone was there.  We ate, caroled, made gingerbread houses, and opened presents. 

McKailey and Alie's Dance Recital

They both love dancing! And they are good at it too.  It was their Christmas recital.  They are both on competition teams.  They were a little bit nervous, but you couldn't tell on stage.  They looked like pros.  We forgot our zoom lens, so some of the pics. are zoomed out, but if you click on them, you can see them better. 

Day Christmas Party

 Jessica and Squeakers

 Jane and Grandma

 Making Christmas trains.

 Quinn got an airplane from Braxton for Christmas- he was pretty excited. (Seeing how he gets to go on one soon).

 Alie got a hair salon that she was pretty excited about. She loves her toy.

 McKailey received a makeup kit. Between Alie's hair kit and McKailey's makeup- they opened a beauty salon the next day. :)

I got my 3 barrel curling iron. Love it! I have loved to find new hairstyles lately and I have been waiting for quite awhile for it.

It was a wonderful Christmas party that we as a family look forward to every year. We had a yummy dinner-Dave cooked the meat. Excellent. Then we made the trains- pictures above. Then the White Elephant exchange. Jessica got gold fish- you should have seen her freak! You wouldn't have thought it was just gold fish. But leave it to my kids- they ended up with it. To bad we are not good with fish- 2 out of the 3 have already died (only 1 week later). Told you we are not very good.
Braxton received a hexbug, McKailey makeup, Alie hair salon, Alex itunes card and Michelle 3 barrel iron. We are very grateful and love them all!

All of the kids pitched in together and we gave Mom and Dad $ so they will go buy their passport. One step closer to St. Maarten to visit Jessica and family.

McKailey's Practical Joke

Yesterday, I woke up with McKailey painting on my face with lipstick.  A while ago, while the kids were sleeping, we drew mustaches on their faces.  Today, McKailey was trying to do the same, but I woke up too soon.  The picture of McKailey is her afterwards.  Very suspicious looking, don't you think?

Braxton's First Basketball Game

Braxton decided he wanted to play basketball for the very first time this year.  Michelle and I were very excited to get him out and running.  He needs his running time.  He did very well in his first game.  He had a lot of fun!  He, of course, needs some more practice, but for his first game, and only after one practice, he did very well.  Here are a few Pics.

Alex's famous quote

The words you hear from Alex about everything and anything, "It will only take a minute to do."  (We don't wonder why it's crazy in this house.)

Alie's quote for the day

Alie is learning how to buckle herself into her car seat. So while trying to buckle herself up she said, " I wish I had three hands, I need 3 hands to buckle."  Oh Alie, I wish I had 3 hands too.

Our Halloween Parties over UEA weekend

 We had an awesome weekend! We went to Salt Lake and played a bunch of Laser Tag games and mini golf on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday we had some Halloween parties. Yesterday, we went to Grandparent Day's house for one of our parties. It was lots of fun. We first played in the leaves.  Brandon, Braxton, McKailey and Squeakers all took turns jumping off the swings into the pile of leaves. It was a big pile. We threw leaves in the air and of course- took pictures. Then we carved pumpkins, went trick or treating and ate a yummy dinner. It was awesome.

On Saturday we went to Grandparent Lopez's house for our other Halloween party. We also carved pumpkins there (Braxton was most interested in destroying his pumpkin this year instead of making a face. He had hammer and tools and discovered pumpkins had juice.) We went trick or treating, decorated cookies, and played the game of eating donuts off of a string with no hands (sorry, forgot what it is called).  It was awesome. (I told you are kids are spoiled:)

 Alie is Dora the explorer, Kyla is a pirate, Aleah is a witch, Braxton is Harry Potter, McKailey is a queen and Cozette is a princess.

 Decorating cookies

 Playing the game Colored Eggs.