New Years Eve...

It's New Years Eve... we'd planned on going to a party, but we've got sick kids... and really, I'm super excited about having our own laid back party at home... hors d'oeuvres for dinner... sparkling cider... most likely a little lot of Wii U playing and maybe even a movie.  I love time with my family.  I'm really looking forward to it.

Christmas

I can hardly believe that Christmas has come and gone... again!  We had a wonderful season- it's so much fun as my kids get older and they realize the real meaning of Christmas.  We are trying to establish fun traditions that are manageable enough to continue... Each night starting December 1st, we read a Christmas story from a collection of short stories... the kids really looked forward to it each night... there was generally a sweet lesson to be learned and a good discussion related to it afterwards... except for a few stories that I've edited out for next year that were just plain depressing!  After reading the story and scriptures, my kids would rush to the advent calendar for their nightly treat.  One snowy night, I handed out tickets for the 'Expedition Express'- we listened to Christmas music and drove around to look at the lights.  Our favorite house from years past now has a crazy amount of lights that are choreographed to music you turn to on a specific station on the radio.  The boys could have stayed for hours.

The Sunday before Christmas both Hailee and Jace were sick, so Nathan and I switched off at church... which meant no kids all dressed up in their Sunday Christmas clothes in front of the tree... dang.  I don't think I got a single picture of the family lined up in front of the tree this year- of course it didn't help that Nathan had the tree down in record time after Christmas.

Christmas Eve morning, we let the kids open their Christmas presents from Mimi and Papa- (we couldn't let them open their presents from Grandma and Papa, or it would have ruined the surprise!!)  I knew what they were getting from Mimi and Papa and wanted them to be able to have time to put it together and play with it without all the other craziness of Christmas morning.  Bryson especially, had wanted the Lego City Police Station for a long time... 

they were ALL super excited and worked so well with each other putting it together:

Jace, loving all things he can push around, loved his new lawnmower:

and Hailee even let him play with it every once in a while

I don't think she was all that impressed with her dress up costume.... 

and why should she be?  Captain America doesn't wear costumes!

We presented the idea several days before to the boys of taking Christmas morning slow... each of us opening one present every hour (or so...) so that we could really enjoy each gift as it was opened the way they'd enjoyed the police station.  They thought it was a great idea (yay!) and it worked beautifully!  I think it's a new tradition for sure.  It really cut down on the frenzy and improved their sense of gratitude.  Nathan and I strategically numbered the gifts in order to open them... they first opened some science kits-  Dallin got a 'gem dig,' right up his Minecraft-loving alley:

Bryson got a rocket ship to build:

And Eli got a volcano kit with glow in the dark lava:

he doesn't look real thrilled here, but it's the only picture I got...

In years past, these gifts would have been tossed aside for something bigger and better, but not this year!  They loved figuring out their kits- and I loved the excitement that lasted for the most part of the day- After the science kits, they opened some legos which they mostly assembled, then some movies- we all watched one as they continued assembling their legos... then some books and then (finally) the big kahuna... Nathan and I splurged and bought a new Wii U for our family (with a nice contribution from Grandma and Papa)- they had wanted one for over a year, and had even started pooling their money twice to save for one... I had faked that our old Wii was broken and that I had to mail it to Nintendo to be fixed, but really, I sold it on Craigslist... I'm so tricky *wink*  So that morning, they were really disappointed when they opened a new video game that was only for the Wii U, not compatible with our old Wii... we feigned ignorance  and they continued opening presents... some new black wii-motes, another game for the Wii U (!!) and then we let Jace open the Wii U- initially, the older boys were speechless and really had no reaction as they were trying to process what in the world was going on!  Eventually they realized it was real and royally freaked out... fist pumping and screaming and jumping around like the crazy kids they are *grin*  I only wished I'd have gotten it on video!  The night before, daddy and I had opened the box and hooked it all up, so it was all ready to play... and I must admit, it's a pretty fun system...

Puppies!

Since we have piano lessons on Mondays up near Kims house, we stop by and see the puppies- they are getting so big so fast!  Just over a month old...

All 10 are healthy- and most are already sold...

Eli-ism

I love that my boys are really starting to think about what they say in their prayers.  Plenty of times they're repetitive regurgitations, but sometimes their thoughtfulness and thankfulness really surprises me.  With the Christmas season upon us, Eli has been very consistent in being thankful that we can celebrate Jesus "Christ-ises" birthday- it makes me smile every time.

Christmas Cookies

This is me stepping back and just letting my kids do it how they want to do it...

We decorated Christmas cookies... but I don't think we're going to deliver them to anyone.

Under the Tree

The kids (sans Jace of course!) were all super excited about the prospect of sleeping 'under' the tree- I remember doing it as a kid and loved it- Dallin and Eli were really trying to sleep under the tree, but didn't fit too well...
They're all sleeping in their 'cozy wraps' (or 'coe-wa' as Hailee refers to them) that Mimi and Papa got them last year for Christmas- they have been the best gift- the boys sleep in them almost every night to avoid having to make their beds in the morning!