Christmas 2010

We had a fabulous Christmas this year. The only thing that could have made it better was if Reid hadn't have had to work, although I am not complaining about it because I am grateful that he has a good job. We were lucky enough to have Santa make an early stop at our house on Christmas Eve so that we could see what he brought us while Dad was home. The kids were very excited with all of their gifts that he brought them. Here are some pictures.

Savanna got a Baby Alive- a doll that you actually feed and it pees and poops. It has been very entertaining watching her care for this baby. She also got a new scooter and some books.

Carolina got a Little Mermaid trike along with a doll and some books.

Treyton got a Nerf gun, a truck with a fifth wheel attached and some books and t-shirts
. The first thing he noticed was that Sants didn't bring him his Handy Manny tools he had asked for. I guess that sometimes Santa knows best.

Mitch also got a truck with a fifth wheel, and a scooter and t-shirts and books

This was our tree with the presents under them

Christmas Eve we spent at my parents house, we had our annual nativity scene with the kids all playing parts. Treyton and McKay were the shepherds

Carolina was a lamb- although I was lucky to get a picture cause she didn't want any part of this costume.

Cooper, Elijah and Mitchel were the wise men.

Easton and Savanna were Mary and Joseph and little baby Naomi was the baby Jesus

We all had parts in the program- our family sang "Away in a Manger" and Savanna played her songs on the piano.

Carolina loved her trike

Savanna was excited about her new books

The boys were very excited about all their goods

The kids in their new Christmas outfits today before church. They look so cute!

All in all it was a fabulous Christmas. I feel so loved and blessed. Reid spoiled me with some new boots, running shoes and church shoes. He also got me a gift card to JCPenney to get family pictures. I can't wait!

Savanna's new room

I tried to get shots from all angles. This is her closet doors.

Her barbie house

The wall with the window- we need to find some cute curtains

Her bed

her open closet- I should have got a shot before we put stuff in it, it is nice and big with lots of shelves.

We finally got Savanna's room finished in the basement. We promised her in September that we would have it done by Christmas, and we made it--barely! It turned out really, really nice. She told me when she saw it after the paint was done "I didn't think it would turn out this nice with just Dad doing it." She is lucky to have such a handy Dad, that is a perfectionist!

Now we need to find some cute decorations to put on the walls. It has been a good excuse to clean out all the bedroom and do some re-arranging and to get rid of a bunch of junk, just in time for Christmas to bring a bunch more in.

A few fun miscellaneous December happenings

We got to witness Uncle Shon (Reid's sister Roxanne's husband) coming home on leave from Afghanistan after being gone 6 months.

Cody and Shon seeing each other for the first time.

I have to admit I got a little teary. I can't imagine not seeing my little babies for that long.

Shon and Roxanne

Treyton was so excited to see Shon

Treyton and Cody playing while they were waiting for the plane

We also went to Leo's place for Cody's birthday party, I didn't get many pictures.

This year I made gingerbread men, for the first time ever. The kids has so much fun decorating them.

This morning I heard Carolina saying "poopy" so I thought I needed to change her diaper, until I looked over and saw that she was trying to get the wipes out so that she could change the dolls diaper. So cute, I had to take a picture.

This month has been busy and fun, I just wanted to post a few of the pictures I have captured so far. I didn't have my camera the night we did our gingerbread houses and Santa visited at my parents house, but we had a lot of fun then too.

Trip to Salt Lake

Sara and I having a nice discussion on the train- yes I look unhappy, but I wasn't.

Mitch and Savanna on the train

Shane and Lauren

Reid, Carolina and Treyton

James, Mitch, Treyton, Savanna, Sarah and Emily at temple square

Mitch, Treyton, Savanna, Sarah and Emily

Lauren, Shane, & Sara

our family

Reid and the kids walking from the train to temple square

Sara and Treyton, they were little buddies at Temple Square. It was nice to know that I didn't need to worry about him while there.

This last weekend we went to Salt Lake to see some family, to see the lights at Temple Square and mostly to just have a get-a-away weekend. We didn't have much planned other than Temple Square. We ended up going swimming with the kids in Holladay at the Lion's club athletic center. They have a very fun swimming pool with an indoor water slide and several play structures that spray water and a very large shallow area that is super kid friendly. We all had a lot of fun swimming. We stayed at the Hamilton's house and we had a lot of fun there, and the kids enjoyed playing with their cousins (thanks Corri and Brad for the hospitality). Saturday night we met up with Sara, Shane and Lauren, along with the Hamilton's and got on Trax in Sandy and took the train downtown to Temple Square. The kids were really excited to ride a train. Temple Square was super crowded so it was hard to enjoy the experience, especially when you have little kids you are worried about losing. But it was pretty and good to go there. After that we went to dinner at Fudruckers, it was really yummy. It reminded me of my mission in South Carolina because they had one right next to my mission home in Columbia. All in all it was a good trip, but it is always nice to come home.

Putting up Christmas

My Christmas village houses that I painted years ago. It is my favorite of all our Christmas decorations.

Every year after we get our Christmas trees we all look forward to decorating the tree and putting out all our Christmas decorations. It is getting so fun now that the kids are getting a little bit older and they remember it and get excited when we pull out all the stuff. They especially love it when we get out my Christmas village. This is the village that I mostly painted before I got married. Reid and I painted a few after we got married, but once kids started coming we stopped doing it. Maybey once we don't have a little toddler running around I can start this project again.