Snowy Christmas Party

After Christmas we decided to drive up to Utah to visit family and enjoy the Christmas vacation.  We were thinking about leaving on the 26th, but the weather wasn't so great, so we decided to go the 27th instead.  It wasn't much better.  It snowed on most of the drive, but at least the roads were pretty clear.

On the evening of the 28th, we had the family party at Jennifer's house.  Mom made turkey and all the sides.  It was great, but we didn't end up eating until about 8pm, so we resolved that next year we would do pulled pork sandwiches in a crockpot instead.  A lot less work!

After dinner we opened gifts that the cousins exchanged and some from Grandma.  Cole and Luke got Legos and remote controlled cars, Mia got a bunch of books and purse and watch, and Ella got Wreck It Ralph figures and a barking puppy dog.  Drew and I received new watches from Grandma.  All the cousins had a massive sleepover afterwards.  I'm not sure how late they stayed up, but I'm thinking it was pretty late.

The best part of the trip was the snow.  It's nice to live in an area that doesn't get snow, because then we appreciate it, when we get a chance to see it.

We only stayed in Utah for three days, but we did a lot of fun things.  Mostly we shopped and played with family.  We had a chance to see Grandpa and go to a skating rink, and the kids really LOVED that. 

I LOVED watching these two together!

Whitney wanted to help Ella on her skates.  ADORABLE!

Christmas Season 2012

December was a really insane month for me.  It's my own fault because I didn't get enough of my "need to do's" done in the earlier months, to save room for the "want to do's".  But I decided I really wanted to do fun activities with the kids each day in December so I was just going to have to make it work.

We have a wooden advent calendar with 24 doors on it.  In each one I put a mini ornament to hang on our wall hanging tree, and also a slip of paper with a fun activity to do that day.  I figured it all out at the end of November and made sure to include all the parties and activities that I knew about, so I wouldn't over schedule the day.  But it was still crazy.  Here's what we ended up doing: 

Dec 1-  Decorated the Christmas Tree

Dec 2 – Had a Lasagna Dinner with the Oldhams and Walkers and watched the Christmas Devotional.

Dec 3 – Went shopping to pick out a Christmas Ornament

Dec 4 – Assembled and mailed a care package for Daddy.

Dec 5-  Put together a Christmas puzzle.

Dec 6 – Live Nativity in Henderson, and Ice Skating

Dec 7 –Luke’s Christmas playgroup at the house from 9:30-11:30.  In the evening we played a family game.

Day 8 – Ward Christmas Party

Day 9 –Christmas Book – Read "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"

Day 10 –

Day 11 –  GRINCH NIGHT

Day 12 – 

Day 13 – Relief Society Christmas Party

Day 14 – Cole’s Christmas Party at the Stuarts, and Luke’s Christmas Party at the Dustins.  Aspen spending the weekend, along with Taylor and James Jenkins.

Day 15 – Mia’s Christmas party at Lexi’s.  Visited the Bellagio to see the conservatory.

Day 16- Visiting Teaching open house at the Stevensons. 

Day 17- Delivered Neighbor Gifts

Day 18-

Day 19-

Day 20- Luke’s Preschool Christmas Party.  Military Friend Christmas party at the Oldhams 7pm

Day 21 –  Nutcracker Field Trip.  Decorated a Gingerbread House.

Day 22 – Drew’s Work Christmas Party.

Day 23 –Christmas Piano Recital at Osbornes.  Then watched the POLAR EXPRESS and drank Hot Cocoa.

DAY 24 – CHRISTMAS EVE.  Dinner with friends and act out the nativity.   Open Christmas Eve Gift.

 I had to tell the kids up front that we might not be able to do EVERYTHING.  And as you can see, a few nights were just to crazy to make the activity work.  That's why they are blank.  I think what added to the exhaustion was that we also had basketball practice twice a week, volleyball practice twice a week, games every saturday, piano lessons and practice, scouts, and activity days. 

I found that I was going to bed at about 1:30am every night.  I didn't get enough of the shopping done while Drew was able to help me, so I suffered in the end.  I was starting to turn into a scrooge.  The Reese family was so sweet to invite us over for Christmas Day Dinner and I told them that I was sorry but I was going to spend the entire day in my pajamas and do my best to lay around like a lazy person.  And that's what I did.  Well, almost.  I didn't get ready at all, but I spent most of the day assembling things and running from kid to kid to make sure things were working.  

I'm documenting this Christmas schedule so I can remind myself next year NEVER to walk into December unprepared again.  I thought I was doing great with having my Christmas cards done and stamped before Dec 1st, but I could have done better than that.  Christmas is a time for love and happiness and being with family.  I need to make sure I am able to feel that!  

As soon as Christmas was over I felt so free.  The major stress was gone.  The kids were happy.  I had pulled it off.  Just in the knick of time too.  If I had to go one more week at the pace I may have killed over.  

Christmas Day 2012

My kids must have been great kids this year because they got a lot for Christmas.  This a photo before all the crazy unwrapping began.

We usually have a yummy breakfast of carmel rolls and breakfast casserole, but the kids just wanted cereal.  So I made the carmel rolls and skipped the casserole.  It was a casual year, I guess.

Ella got a new nightgown for Christmas and insisted on changing out of her other jammies to show it off.  

 I often find that I never take enough posed pictures of my kids.  I should have taken a few pictures of each of them with all their great gifts.  But by the time this photo was taken, we were all a little exhausted and ready to just relax.  So I will just blog about what they got for Christmas.

Mia:
Guitar, American Girl Table and Chairs, American Girl Baking Set, American Girl Outfit, iPod Dock, sewing machine bag, balloon pump and more balloons, a Willow Tree statue called "Close to Me", clothes, and jewelry

Cole:
Furby, Razor 360 bike, Epic Mickey 2, Lego Pirates DS game, Basketball Hoop for his room, Model Rockets, Angry birds and Apples to Apples games, clothes

Luke:
Mini Trampoline, Playmobil Pirate ship, Playmobil Wild West Sets, Playmobil swimming pool, Wreck It Ralph action figures, Zingo game, slippers, stomp rocket, bat mobile Headbanz game, basketball clothes

Ella:
Scooter, LaLa Loopsie doll, Doodle Pro, Princess doll, Dream Lite, Brave DVD, Lady and the Tramp DVD, Tinkerbell DVD, purse, Mickey mouse figures, play phone, and a shopping cart.

Then all the kids got a REAL Cash register!  It has full sized play money, and even prints out a receipt. The kids just LOVE it.

My sweet friend Amber took Mia and Cole shopping a week before Christmas so they could buy me a present.  Mia got me some gloves that work with your iPhone.  And Cole got me a BEAUTIFUL mirror jewelry box that I use to hold my most precious jewelry.  I love both the gifts!

It was a great Christmas.  Exhausting, but Great!!!

Christmas Eve

The kids and I spent Christmas Eve morning, getting the house cleaned up and ready for the big day.  Our celebration kicked off with dinner at BJ's Restaurant with a few families that we adore.  Reservations were for 3:00pm so we could beat the rush. Mia stole my camera from me when we first arrived, and snapped a bunch of silly pictures.

 After the kids finished eating, they started to get really WILD so I was glad to get out of there.  We headed to the Stuart's house to decorate some cookies for Santa!

Then they acted out the Nativity.  It's always so adorable!

Every year the kids get a new set of pajamas on Christmas Eve.  The kids were excited to alter the tradition this year, by opening the presents with their friends.  

After this photo we hurried home, said our prayers, read a Christmas Story, and went to bed.  

Christmas Piano Recital

On Sunday Dec 23, Mia and Cole performed their Christmas songs at a piano recital at the teacher's house.  I didn't get great video of their performances (due to wrestling with a 2 year old in the audience), but they did a wonderful job.  I was so proud of them.

Work Party

Drew's work Christmas party was at Allison's house on Saturday Dec 22nd.  She did such a great job hosting all the families.  She set her pool temperature to 90 degrees so all the kids were able to swim, even though it was about 50 degrees and windy outside.  They had a blast!

Ella wasn't interested in going under water, so she only lasted about 30 minutes before she was ready to get out.  Her face was FROZEN, even though her body was toasty.

But the coolest part about the party (aside from the amazing company) was the food.  We had RUDY'S BBQ from San Antonio, TX!!!!!!   YUP, they had it flown in!  I was so excited, along with everyone else.  Almost everyone at the party lived in San Antonio at one time or another, so we could all appreciate how special it was.

Ribs, Turkey, Brisket.  YUMMY!

The Nutcracker

I was SOOOOOO excited to get the opportunity to attend the Nutcracker with the 5th Graders, as part of their school field trip, held the last day of school before the Christmas break (Dec 21).  I had no idea how wonderful it was going to be though.

We were the first bus to arrive at the brand new Smith Center in downtown Las Vegas.  The ushers showed us to our seats and I was thrilled that Mia and I were in the 3rd row center.  I've never had seats that great before.  And the fact that I wasn't wrestling with any little kids that didn't want to be there, was the biggest bonus of all (THANK YOU Whitney for watching the little ones).

I was expecting to see the typical Nutcracker performance.  Nothing too exciting.  But I was totally blown away by the show.  Las Vegas knows how to put on a show, that's for sure!  You would not believe the sets!  If I could have taken pictures of them, I would have.  It was UNREAL.  A huge three story doll house with people on every level.  And then it transformed into an outdoor scene by spinning the whole thing around.  Drapes would drop from the rafters, and halfway through the show it started SNOWING on stage!  I have no idea how the dancers were able to keep from slipping.  The dancing was beautiful without feeling stuffy.  And they even had a LIVE orchestra, which made it feel so much different for some reason.  The whole thing felt very magical and beautiful, and it really put me in the Christmas spirit.  Christmas was really hectic this year, and this experience was by far the best moment I had.

Mia with her friends Summer, Alyssa, and Katelyn

This is Mia's 5th Grade class.  We LOVE Mrs. Montgomery!

After the AMAZING show, we took the buses back to the school.  I had lunch with Mia (so fun), then they went back to class for an hour while we set up the lunch room for an etiquette course.

The kids enjoyed several pies, cookies, and creme puffs.  And tried their best to practice good manners.

Mia, Katelyn, and Summer

Mia's friends Conner and Jack