Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Sunday after Church, I asked my SIL Kayla if she would take our family pictures...you know since we were all dressed up and stuff....SO we headed to Axtel to her grandma's house and had a photo shoot...we took lots..but these were 2 of my fav's...if you go to my facebook, you will see more pictures posted there. Thanks Kayla :)

Christmas Eve...yummy dinner tradition. First...it was LATE as usual....but ever so yummy, steak and shrimp...with the works! We watched "The Nativity" which was really good...the first I have ever seen it and I really felt so much for Mary and Joseph on their not so little trip to Bethlehem....then Daddy read from the Bible and the Book of Mormon about the birth of our Lord and Savior. By that time it was REALLY late and the kids were falling asleep (really and late was 9 pm, but that is late for them who are usually in bed by 8!) So they opened their Christmas Jammies, which ended up being WAY to big for the girls...so I will be doing some alterations on them! haha! and off to bed....for the KIDS...different story for MOM and DAD!!!!

****AND SANTA ARRIVES****

OH...Santa Came!!! the picture is dark, but it looks Christmassy so that is why I used it... :) The next picture is with the flash...and shows a bit better that SANTA did come! So excited for the girls to see the doll houses....my big "project" that I could NOT of ever done with out Brady cutting the roof and the sides and Rhett cutting the back and the middle! Putting it all together was more than I thought it would be...the picture on the Internet looked so easy! lol! If you can't tell...the house are made out of book shelves!!! Two REALLY tall bookshelves...It looks a bit plain...but I thought I might let them decorate it themselves...we will see! I can tell you this...I am not a carpenter! lol...my hands are SOOO SORE today! lol!  anyways...I had so much fun putting all the furniture and stuff in the house....

The little tree has 35 mini lights on it and some cute mini ornaments on it...Balls, bows, beads, candy canes and stockings....which are HOT glued onto the tree! Had fun doing this too! And I thought it was sooo cool that I found a cute mini nativity set that Barbie has all set up on her hot pink table! :) The first thing Jen noticed was the Nativity (may have something to do with the THREE nativities we have set up at home :) She said "Look mom, a nativity...Santa knows my Dolls love Jesus!" How totally cute is that!!!! Fun Fun!

WE didn't make it to bed until 4!!! Because it took forever to set stuff up! and then CLEAN everything up! Plus the kids bedroom is RIGHT by the TREE so Dad played guard...Valerie got up 3 times and Jentrie once...the boys slept like logs! Just before I went to bed Valerie asked me if Santa had come yet and I had told her nope...because mom is still up cleaning...and her response was "That's it mom, you are on the NAUGHTY list!" LOL!!! The kids started getting up around 6, so Rhett went with the boys and I with the girls...Peyton was still asleep and if any of you have a 4 year who needs to wake up on his own or else...you know what I mean...so by 7 :15  the older kids were just DYING!!! So we did wake Peyton up....BUT mom was to slow and didn't get a picture of them waiting to open their gifts.....The Girls LOVED LOVED LOVED their houses! Dallin loved his fishing pole and his binoculars and was totally thrilled with 2 new arrows for his bow! (you would really have to know this boy!) Peyton was totally stoked about his Peyton Manning football jersey and his new Football..."it's a big one" he said! (is old one is a really little one...that has HAD it! :)  Rhett and I got a new TV for the family room along with a nice Turkey Deep fryer! (plus that camera I got in JULY!!! :)
    I finally did get a group picture of the happy little souls!!!  Then daddy and I made breakfast and OUT the door they all went! For some fun in the SNOW!!!! Then back in for HOT COCOA and HOT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES...yum...made with orange flavored craizens!

yummy hot cocoa and chocolate oatmeal cookies :) a quote from my Jentrie...."this is the BEST day EVER!" It really was...even if I was TOAST all day! :)

We went down to Uncle Brady's and Aunt Kayla's for a while later tonite to see the new puppy (and all their Christmas treasures!)...but it was all about the puppy...Gator...which my boys LOVED!!! Specially Dallin! He was all over that puppy and that puppy was all over HIM....HUM...maybe it is time for mom to loosen up...all little boys need a dog right! Hum...maybe next year! I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and that the NEW YEAR will bring much Joy....