Christmas 2013

Christmas morning the kids let N8 and I sleep in! The a gift unto itself! We started presents and stockings around 7:45am.

Some highlights include:

A fun kitty shirt for Emma (she loves all things cats).

Puma enjoyed watching everything atop an unopened gift!

I made N8 a board to hang his running medals on!

N8 got me a compound miter saw!! Yes I asked for it and I am super excited to be able to do some wood crafting!

I got N8 a RC plane. It took quite a few crashes but he's getting the hang of it!

Henry got a fancy new trike!

The kids got the new Disney Infinty, Lego, books, etc. We are immensely blessed and had a wonderful day together! The kids are full of sugary treats and watching a movie before heading to bed. 

Christmas Eve...

Christmas Eve started out as a normal everyday day. N8 got up and went to work. The kids and I did chore and ran errands, not feeling Christmasy at all. Then N8 came home and wrapped some presents and we spent time together. It was perfect!

We went out into the desert for some geocaching.

We made sugar cookies for Santa...Well Benjamin and Emma did...

While these two played on the tablets....

Then it was our traditional dinner of tamales!! Yum!

Then everyone helped decorate the sugar cookies!!

Emma has been very excited for Santa to come this year. She wrote him a letter and also wrote a note for him on her chalk board to put by the presents!

Henry was obviously excited about it

We ended the night by looking at Christmas lights around town, reading scripture about the birth of our Savior and waiting for Santa to come!

Merry Christmas!

We told the kids that they couldn't get up until 7am on Christmas morning! They were up before that, but didn't come out until then. Santa brought them a basketball hoop!! We're excited to play some ball. We just need to set it up!

I found these hats for Bud, Emma and Mo :) I thought they were pretty funny/cute!

N8 got me a soda stream! I'm looking forward to making my own soda. Maybe this will help my curb my bad habit!

We also got the kids a tablet (to SHARE!!). So far they're loving it!

One of my favorite gifts was what Mo got Henry-a hot dog slicer~~

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we hung around the house getting things done and then in the afternoon we finally put together our gingerbread train!

Then Henry and I made rolls (twice!! I forgot the yeast in the first batch)!

And then after a dinner of yummy tamales and going out to look at Christmas lights, we made cookies for Santa! Henry loved the sprinkles!

Merry Christmas Eve Eve...

This morning we took our annual Sunday before Christmas pictures! We got some good ones this year!

And of course we have to do a "CRAZY" picture!

Tonight N8 and Bud have the wonderful opportunity to be in our Stake's live Nativity. It is put on annually the weekend prior to Christmas and each year we love to go and experience the Nativity. This year N8 signed himself and Bud up (they need one boy who needs to be at least 10, he made it this year!!). N8 was asked to participate, but they already had the Shepherd boy. Unfortunately for the boy he got sick at church and Bud was asked if he could do it! It's cold and windy, so they're very bundled up under there! Our good friends Spencer and Megan got to be Joseph and Mary.

Henry was checking out the baby Jesus:

The Tree Lighting...

It's December!! Which by N8's rules means we can finally decorate for Christmas! On Saturday we got the tree down and assembled and the yesterday morning we decorated it!

This year I made a pompom garland to go around the tree. I like how it turned out, but I wish it "popped" more.

My little crafting helper...

Mo is in PreK which is Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. So we still have a lot of time together (with Henry too!). This past week he helped me on a little Christmas craft!! We made a star to go on our house this Christmas. It's not as big as the star we had on our house growing up, but it's still awesome!

He helped me nail it together:

Then spray paint it brown:

Then a light cream coat on to of that to make it more rustic:

All wrapped in lights!

Now it's up on the house with the rest of our lights!!

Busy in Phoenix...

On Tuesday evening we headed over to my parents house. We love coming between Christmas and New Years because we get to see so much family. My Brother, his wife and 3 kids as well as my Sister, her husband and 4 kids were all staying there. That made for a total of 19 people staying there. For N8 and I we had 6 people in the bedroom I grew up in. Me in a twin, N8 on a bottom bunk, Bud on the top bunk, Emma & Mo on the floor and Henry in the pack and play! I should have taken a picture, but didn't.

We did however take TONS of pictures of everything else. Sorry for the picture heavy post, but it's hard to want to leave anything out!

The kids always look forward to going in the "hot pool" while visiting.

The next morning a group headed off on a hike. They met up with my other brother's family as well.

Eva & Emma

Maya & Emma

Emma

Mark

Casey

After the hike we all met up at Joe's Farm Grill. It has been featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive ins & Dives!

We also got to meet another nephew that we hadn't been able to met yet~Samuel!!

N8 and Samuel

On Thursday we headed out ice skating. It's funny we go to Phoenix and ice skate, but the kids loved it and did awesome, especially with the help of older cousins!

Mark & Eva

Bridget & Lydia

All of the Ice Skaters!

Spencer & Henry

Maya

Bus

Taylor & Mo

Emma & Naomi

On Friday we headed a little north to my sister's house for our Pre-New Years celebration!! We do this each year and it's something we look forward to. This year there wasn't snow, which the kids were hoping for, but we kept busy!!

Another hike:

Casey, Taylor, Ray, Bridget & Spencer

The hikers reached the top!

 

That evening we had a gingerbread house making competition!

It's always a great time to visit and just enjoy each others company. 

My mom showing off her new Kindle Fire:

Mom working on the smoked turkey

Lucy & Samuel

  

Henry enjoying a ride in the doll stroller

On Saturday morning while some of the men and older kids when shooting I had a craft for people to make. I had bow & arrows made from Popsicle stick and q-tips as well as wooden puzzles to paint:

We headed back down to the Valley for the evening to my brother's house.

Henry enjoying the swings~thanks cousin Erika!!

Many games of Settlers of Catan were played!

Kyoko made some awesome Indian Fry Bread for New Years Eve dinner!

Just Dance 3

Uncle Paul became the favorite uncle by letting the kids light the fireworks!

Naomi & Erika did Casey's hair and make up for the dance.

We always have a great time visiting and seeing everyone. It makes me wish that we lived closer so we could see everyone more often. But then I wonder if it would loose the fun we have of doing it less often. These times are especially special now as my mom continues her battle with cancer. We grateful that she was feeling well enough to have us there and continue to have faith that she will be with us for many more Christmas seasons to come. 

For this blog I had a goal of posting at least 100 posts for the year on this blog. This post is the last of the year an comes in at  105. I plan to continue updating our families adventures for 2012.

Happy New Year!!