Christmas Morning

The kids were so excited on Christmas morning. We told them they could get up at 7am. Kate woke up first and woke up everyone else who were still sleeping. They loved their presents from Santa. Then we had bubble buns and scrambled eggs before opening the presents under the tree. Then we got ready, played the Wii U more, finished packing up and left around 10:30am for Mattawa to do Christmas day there.

The roads were great. The pass was open. It had been closed for almost 2 days prior so we were so glad to hear it opened late Christmas Eve. Phew. There has been so much snow over the last few weeks. It was beautiful to drive through and see all the flocked trees. Pretty views for Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve!

Christmas dresses and Church outfit! Got them at Gymboree and I loved the black and white stripe with the red. Preston's bow tie made him look cute too.

The day before Christmas Eve we went to a local Church that puts on this Bethlehem experience. I thought it was amazing all the work they put into it with the booths, characters and animals (they had camels!). Kyle and the kids were not as interested. It was hot and dusty b/c of all the sawdust on the ground and very crowded when we went. So it wasn't a very fun experience, but I still appreciated all their efforts. 

Christmas Eve!

Kate opened the main Christmas Eve gift...a Wii U and slowly all the kids started realizing what it was. They were excited. That's what they've been asking for.

We had a alfredo pasta dinner with salad and breadsticks for Christmas Eve and cranberry/raspberry drink in fancy glasses in candlelight. 

Kate played Christmas songs for us on the piano. She learned the three I assigned her in a week and did a good job.

In Christmas pajamas and all ready for Santa to come!

December Happenings

Teaching Chelsea selfies when she's young. 

Chaperoned a field trip for Preston's class. We went and saw Elves and the Shoemaker in Everett. It was a silly show and the kids laughed a lot. 

The kids' school did a PTA activity at the local roller skating rink so we went and took some friends. Lindsey did pretty good for her first time! She found a friend from school there so she skated with her some. Kate is a pretty good skater and had fun with her friends.

Our Christmas decor and tree

Snowflake Lane

Finished the coral pillows for our bedroom. And made a coffee filter wreath for above the bed. Sara gave me that idea and I liked it way better than what I was going to do which was a collage of pictures and artwork from Hobby Lobby...I was overwhelmed with what to do so this was MUCH cheaper and simpler. Except I think I put waaayyy too many filters on mine because it took forever to make it and I used 3 packages when you usually use 2. haha.

For our December Relief Society activity (I'm in charge of planning them, that's my calling still) we went to a local Women and Children's Shelter and did an activity with the kids there. We decorated christmas sugar cookies, read Christmas books, did a Christmas craft and sang Christmas songs. The women and kids liked it as did the women from Church. It was a great thing to do this time of year. We will for sure do something again with them. One of the mom's from the shelter got teary eyed when we started singing Christmas songs. That's when I knew it was all worth it. Oh and another mom said "what a perfect way to end the night."

The kids had their Christmas concert. Here is Kate with a few of her friends. 

Lindsey got to decorate gingerbread houses at school so a friends' mom took this picture for me. 

Chelsea's friend Mikilah came over for a playdate. They were having fun dressing up and dancing.

I liked our front porch this year because I got these trees on clearance last year after Christmas so I was happy when Kyle helped me set them up and get some lights put up outside on the plants. We didn't have a ladder tall enough to go any higher so maybe next year we will. 

A wind storm knocked off this chunk of a branch from one of the trees that hover over our house. It scared us because we were watching TV and then all of a sudden we hear a crack and this huge thing hits the house. I thought for sure the tree went through the roof so I darted upstairs to the girls room, but all was well. Then we went out to the back deck and saw this. Dumb trees.

Chelsea was cracking us up with her mermaid costume and her belly. 

Preston got an award so we did this little face painting thing for it. Oh the adventures in scouting. Preston actually didn't want to do it, but others were doing it so he did. Funny kid. 

Chelsea had fun in preschool because they got to decorate Christmas trees and then they got these reindeer headbands. So cute!

Our gingerbread house this year

The singles ward does a toy drive and has Santa come visit. We went last year and made sure to go again. Preston was determined to tell Santa that he wanted 3 purple mixels for Christmas. Kate was at basketball practice during this and was fine not seeing Santa so we went without her. They had some activities and treats for the kids to do in the gym. 

Thanksgiving 2015

Happy Thanksgiving! We haven't been to my parents house since Labor Day so the kids are excited. That's a long time for us when you're used to going every month. 

They added new toll lanes on 405 recently so we had to buy a Good to Go Pass in order to use these lanes as carpool lanes. Such a racket and so dumb. But as we flew past all this traffic on a holiday weekend I was loving life.

We had Thanksgiving with Kyle's family this year and did it at Melanie's house. She didn't have the kids, but we did it with her, Dee Ann and Arlene. The food was delish and we were plenty full. 

Chelsea is in love with horses so she found them in Owen's room and it looks like this is her horses' trough. haha. The night before we were at my parents and Chelsea touched their hot fire place plate and burned her hand pretty bad. She was a mess and didn't go to bed for a while because it hurt so bad. We had her sticking it in a bowl of cold water and that felt the best. At one point we wrapped it up with aloe vera gel thinking she would be okay, but all she wanted was us to rip off the bandage and stick her hand in water then she was relieved. Poor girl. 

Melanie and I conquered Target on Thursday night after dinner and right before we went back to Mattawa. It wasn't too busy. I was surprised the line wasn't longer. We only got there 20 minutes before they opened the store so it wasn't too bad. We both got what we wanted so we were happy mamas. :) The day after Thanksgiving I went back into Tri-Cities with my Mom and sisters to do Black Friday shopping. We were able to buy all my Dad's Christmas gifts so we were happy about that. We found some other good deals at Target and Walmart then the guys came into town and met us at Panda Express for dinner. Then we went to see a movie, the last Hunger Games movie. It was slow and boring, but we had to see it because it was the last movie.

On Saturday morning, we went up to the school and played volleyball against the Jenne family. It was fun. The younger kids played around the court while the adults played, but they had more fun on wheely carts and jump ropes swinging each other around. 

We had to do some crafting! I requested we do the Merry & Bright sign. Sara and my Mom made my wishes come true. I love it! Jeni and my Mom made us the Thanksgiving one which is cute too. 

My Mom made gingerbread men with the kids on Sunday afternoon. She made some so we could hang them up on our tree.

We stopped at my Grandpa and Grandma Sabin's house on our way home Sunday to visit. Chelsea was cute and talked with Grandpa a lot of the time. She was so concerned that he couldn't walk and she showed him how she could walk. So cute. It was a great Thanksgiving and we were able to see a lot of family.