Christmas Day

What an exciting morning! Santa brought lots of goodies for good kids, the old and young. :) Ammon got a Leapster, Shayla got a CD player, and Liam a fancy walker/wagon. Dad earned a nice nod from Santa, and I was shocked to find an ipod in my stocking! I must've really pulled one over on Santa this year. Santa also thought it'd be funny to put silly string in everyone's stockings, but when the first can was whipped out (by me of course) the kids sounded like screaming banshees until we agreed Dad would be the only target.

Of course Dad thought that wasn't fair, so I got a fair share of the string. The kids thought it was hilarious.

We listened to "I've Been Working on the Railroad" all morning amidst flurries of wrapping paper, playdoh, and candy. I made Colleen's breakfast pizza, which was a big hit and a definite repeat I'd say.

On Christmas Eve we spent time talking about the real reason for the season, and also took time on Christmas morning to thank our Heavenly Father for all that He has blessed us with, good health, great family and friends, and most of all, a loving Savior.

Gingerbread houses

Here are our wonderful graham cracker gingerbread houses. Aren't they beautiful? And such a lovely quaint country setting for them. Of course it's more fun tearing them apart and eating them than it is to build. I think 2/3 of the ingredients went into the tummies and 1/3 on the houses.

SNOW

We got plenty of snow this year, and got great practice shoveling and learning some great alternatives to expensive deicer for our steep driveway (kitty litter works great). Shayla dove right in, making snow angels until she got snow inside her coat.

After that it was only snow skirts.

Ammon was more into snowmen and snowball fights.

Liam preferred the cozy indoors, with whoever would stay inside with him.

First Annual Slumber Party

We talked about traditions, and decided a family sleepover in the living room by the Christmas tree each year would be something fun to start. So we set up Ammon and Shayla's sleeping bags next to the tree, and Mom and Dad scouted out their spots on the couch, and the night began. Liam slept in his own bed this year. By morning Dad was in the bedroom flailed out all over the bed alone, I was stretched out on the couch, and Ammon and Shay woke up happy as clams. This is the only pic I took, with Liam being held by big sis under duress. I'm sure it'll be a different story next year. :)

Annual Family Christmas Party

George and Jessica threw their annual family Christmas party, and went all out with food, games, treat bags for the kids, and a hilarous white elephant gift exchange...the majority of it ocurring without power (that's the way we roll on the West side!). The hot gift was a hot cocoa basket, with married couples teaming up to win it. In the end, poor Claire ended up with the lamest gift, and with her yelling, "It's not fair! I don't have a husband to help me!" We laughed SO hard. Good times for sure.

The boy cousins having fun with the train set.

Grandma also took the chance to decorate sugar cookies with the grandkids, and Ali hopped in to help out.

boys and bikes

We HAD to make the mecca to Seattle for the annual motorcycle show this year, and the boys just HAD to sit on every bike that looked awesome... and of course it was lots of fun, even for us girls. Josh and Ammon drooled over many bikes, and it was all I could do to keep track of the kids as they darted from seat to seat, checking out the quads and racers and wherever else they could plant their tooshies.

Ammon and Shayla got to try these new little mini bikes out. Ammon was getting into it, jumping off the ramps and running around with it, while Shayla was a bit more cautious and genteel. Liam and I were the herd dogs you could say, and just followed and enjoyed.

Conspiracy Theories

First, you know when "they" tell you to be sure and leave one faucet running slightly at night when it's especially cold outside? Let me say, it is NOT a conspiracy theory put out by the water company to bill you to the ying yang. Early Wednesday morning, about 4am-ish, Josh and I were both startled awake by a wierd noise.

Josh: What was that?

Me: Uh..it sounds like the neighbor dragging his garbage can down the driveway.

Josh: Garbage day isn't for two days. I think it's a snow plow truck.

Me: What? It's not supposed to snow until tomorrow night.

Quiet....

Me thinking to self: Is it raining?

Josh and I: zzzzzz......

Well we found out that the sound of a copper pipe bursting open and running water all over is kinda like a snow plow and a garbage can being dragged on ice, followed by soft rainfall.

Thank goodness Josh's dad came over and they fixed it together. And even installed one of those fancy pipes with a little heater built-in so it won't happen again. But call me crazy, since then I've been leaving our kitchen sink going with just a tiny stream at night...because...you never know!