So This Is Christmas

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas filled with the love of our Savior and birth of our Redeemer. This year felt really magical to me. The kids are at such fun ages, especially Allie. She really understands the story of Jesus and on the flip side was totally into Santa and the presents 

We had a very low-key Christmas Eve. We cleaned the house in the morning, took it easy during nap time, then watched Miracle on 34th Street half-way through. After dinner we watched the Nativity video from Luke 2 and dressed up. Allie was Mary with her baby Jesus, Katelyn was a (pirate) shepard carrying around her lambs all night, Doug was Joseph, and I was an angel. Then we made a plate and both girls wrote a note for Santa. 

 I remember my parents had a cool plate just for Santa. Ours was nothing special. But kids don't care about presentation, right?

 Katelyn was really into her note. She wrote for 15+ minutes 

Gearing up for Santa. Allie put cardboard pieces down as a placemat for him. So thoughtful.

Christmas morning we WOKE the girls up at 7:30, opened stockings and presents from Santa and then went to church at 8:30. The choir sang three songs and the talks were so good. It was awesome to go to church in the morning and have that spirit with us all day.

When we got home we opened the rest of the presents. Allie had so much fun. Katelyn was so overwhelmed and really only wanted one present and some tissue paper. So we pretty much opened them for her!

We had Christmas dinner at our house with Doug's sister Mattie and her family, her hubby's brother and his wife, and Doug's parents. I love eating and we had some great food. Some of the fun foods were: I made a fun Christmas tree veggie plate, Mattie made the most amazing pomegranate cheesecake, and Luanne made an awesome Broccoli Salad. ALL the kids kept asking for broccoli and vegetables. It was amazing!

We hung out the rest of the night and just enjoyed talking and being together. It was such a great holiday!

 Oh how they love their Pa!

 Girl cousins wrapped in blankets from Nan and Pa

 Doug trying to stick his belly out. Some of us lucky ones don't have to try!

Joshy's chair creation

 Enoch (Ben's Bro) and Ben

Ben and Katelyn, with Alaine in the background!

Now for the New Year! May it be pure awesomeness!

Family Ornament

This was a perfect kid ornament. Allie pretty much made it by herself. And it's cute! Because of the buttons we had, we decided to make a candycane wreath.
We sorted buttons, made a pattern, and tied a bow. DONE!
By the time we got home last night it was time for Katelyn to get in bed...but she did get to help sort the buttons earilier in the day.

Twisting the wire

 Almost done

 Check out that concentration!

It is almost impossible to get this girl to look at the camera. 

Some more advent fun!

I have been terrible about pictures this year for our advent days. I don't know why but I am regretting it big time. So you can just see our ideas but you'll have to imagine what we looked like!

Day 12: Christmas Family Home Evening
Day 13: Help mom and dad with gifts
Day 14: Make treats
Day 15: Serve someone in need
Day 16: Ward Christmas Party
Day 17: Arthur Christmas and Ugly Sweater Party

The Olsen's

The Orton's 

The Stimpson's

The Harberston's

Our hosts: The Fuhriman's

The Haskell's

Us

The whole gang

The winner...our Bishop of course with his smolder. This was during the ugly sweater fashion show

Day 18: Deliver treats

Day 19: Make snowflakes

Day 20: Drink Hot Chocolate

Day 21: Be momma's elves (help put presents under the tree)

Day 22: Make family ornament

Day 23: Gingerbread Nativity

Day 24: Christmas Eve book (The Christmas story)

Lunar Eclipse

Something like this is a dream for Doug. He woke up early, bundled up, grabbed the tripod and camera and headed out for over an hour to watch this baby. Me...I stayed in my warm bed and have been admiring the pictures taken by my wonderful husband! Awesome stuff!! This is the progression during the hour he was out there...I think it was 5:45-6:45 AM.

More Advent Fun!

Day 7: Make a Christmas gift for the missionaries serving in our stake
Day 8: Have the missionaries over for dinner
Day 9: Make Christmas gifts for our family and get a Peppermint Blizzard from DQ
Day 10: Go see the lights at the Botanical Garden. See Santa and Prancer there

Awesome flower lights!

Petting Prancer

Allie was so excited! She asked Santa for paints and Katelyn was on a mission to escape ASAP! I was not impressed with this Santa though :(

Funny picture. We were all freezing by this time!!


Day 11: Watch the Christmas-y Mormon Messages (Links below)
The Coat
The Christmas Spirit
Kids and Christmas
A Gift to the World

 In other news...Katleyn is in nursery now!! Allie will soon be a Sunbeam and boy is she ready!:)

Here are a few things from the past week.

Puzzles

Katelyn climbed in here with the book and cuddled up. What a cutie!

She was very proud of herself!

Advent Calendar Day 1: Put Ornaments on the tree (notice all the necklaces as well)

Day 2: Watch a Family Christmas movie. The library had "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."

Day 3: Put lights on the house

Day 4: Watch the LDS Christmas Devotional

Day 5: Learn a Christmas song

Day 6: Get a new Christmas CD (we failed at this, rather, the libray failed us)

 Playroom art work display. We got the wire from IKEA. We've been looking for something that would work for a long time!!

A surprise visit from cousins Grant and Logan and their parents on Saturday :):)

We painted our bedroom that day too.

  

Hugo's dinner with Doug's parents and Joshy. 

Finally...my Christmas present from Doug (EARLY!) I got the vinyl from a friend and he made the maps and painted thrift store frames. They are the places we have called home: Hailey, Spokane, Boise, Logan, Green River. I love it. I love him! How thoughtful and it's perfect on that wall. 

Thanksgiving

Here's a picture from my 28th bday. We went to Kneader's and had awesome sandwiches. I am so blessed and loved by many and I thank everyone for thinking of me on my bday!

The rest of the pictures are from Thanksgiving. It was so wonderful! :)