Merry CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Hope you all had a wondeful holiday season, and best wishes for the New Year!

We are BIG fans of Christmas in our house...but really??? who isn't?

I have so many pics to post from Christmas, that I thought I would break them up into multiple posts.  This beginning post will show what the first half of our December was filled with. :)

Post #1 : Just Getting Started...

Once Thanksgiving is over, I get so excited to decorate my house with holiday decor!  Good-bye Oranges, Yellows, and Browns....HELLO Greens, Red, and White!

One night, while Trev took Jake to a BYU Basketball game with the guys, Morgan and I decided to get going on the decorating.  She loves it just as much as I do.  I put up the other decor, while she focused on decorating the tree.

Side Note:  When Trev and I got married, my parents gave us a Christmas tree for our first Christmas together.  It has been with us, merrily lighting our home for the last 8 years.  However, time has taken it's toll, and I have been wanting to get a new, PRE-LIT, tree for about 3 years.  In the years' past, I haven't ever wanted to spend the money to get a new one.  This year was no different, but when I tried to set the old thing up, and I couldn't even get it to stand on it's own, I decided, enough is enough!  I want a new tree for my Christmas present! :) 

We were lucky to find a beautiful one, on sale, the day after Thanksgiving.  I saw it standing there, and knew that was the one.  It was 7.5 feet tall, Pre-Lit, and had built in Pinecones and Cranberries on the branches!  Plus it was on sale right??!! 

Merry Christmas to me...then an even more magical thing happened...the very next day, they dropped the prices another 20%!!!  So I took in my receipt, got a price adjustment, and VOILE, a gorgeous new Christmas tree that I will cherish for a long time, and only paid HALF what I was planning!  It truly was a Christmas MIRACLE! :) 

The only problem was, apparently my girls (Abby and Claire) loved the cranberries just as much as I did...enough so, that they thought it would be a great idea to PICK them OFF, and bring me a handful!!  I almost cried, then after 2 days of trying to keep them away from the new tree, I finally decided to just let them do their thing, and turn the tree to the other side next year when they know better.  Luckily, about a day later, they got bored picking cranberries...tender mercy! :)

With all that said, here are the pics of our decorating...

This HAS to be the BEST time of the YEAR!

Merry Christmas to All!

This Time Last Year

So I figured before Christmas hits this year, and a slug of new cute pics, I should post the ones from last year. :)  I'm just a little behind. :)

These are of the kids at their Christmas programs.  Our sweet niece, Saylor came with us to Morgan's Christmas Sing.  We love how sweet she is!

 

 Saylor and Claire

 Abby, Trev, and Jake

 Morgan and her little friend and Kindergarten classmate, Ireland.

 Awww....

 Jake at his Preschool Christmas Program...this is the most serious pic I could get of him. :)

Trev and Jake decorating the tree.

 Presents!

 One of our traditions...We always let the kids open one present on Christmas Eve...it's always jammies. :)

Another little tradition...decorating sugar cookies.

Christmas morning!

Do you not love this hair??! :)

Morgan got a pre-cut Princess Tiana blanket.  We worked on it together...I cut the fabric and Morgan tied.  She really enjoys crafting!  Must come from Trev's side of the family.  All his sisters and mom are incredibly crafty.  They quilt, paint, knit, scrapbook, you name it, they can do it fabulously!  I have luckily picked up some of the magic over the years, but I think that Morgan may have been born with it.  She did a great job, and seemed to really love it. 



It was a year ago, but looking back over these pics just reminds me of how much fun it was.  I just love this time of year!  

A little service at Christmas time...

For the last few months, Trev and I have been trying to think of, and find ways we can help our kids learn the value of serving others.  Especially at Christmas time. 

My Morgan has always been the type of kid that is very considerate and caring of others.  She has an innate desire to serve others.  This is a trait in her that I want to encourage and help her develop; however, I have to admit sometimes it can get to be a little much.  Every time a kid in school, church, the neighborhood, etc., falls and gets hurt she comes in and wants to bake them a batch of cookies or brownies and make get well cards.  I find myself asking her questions about the "severity" of the injury or incident. :) 

So when my mom had surgery on her kidney stones a few weeks ago, I thought, "OK!  Finally a real "need-based" situation she can help with."  I decided to take Morgan up to my mom's house the Saturday after the surgery and give her a chance to serve with me by helping my sweet mom.  I deep cleaned my mom's house, and Morgan and my cute little sister, Jessica, got out the Christmas decorations out and decorated the house for Christmas.  I got to chat with my mom, which doesn't happen too often, clean, and watch Morgan spending time with her aunt, and doing something she is naturally good at...serving.  

    What a great day!  I am grateful to have a loving family.

Crazy

I don't know about you...but things tend to get crazy for us during the holidays!  Busy, fun, tiring, hectic, etc., but I wouldn't have it any other way.  It's my absolute FAV time of the year.  So here is my little Ode' to the Craziness!

Happy Holidays!

Crazy Styles...



Crazy Faces...

Crazy Weather!

...and last but CERTAINLY not least

Crazy Pranking Boys!

(Sitting in my office, heard the doorbell ring, open the door, this is what I find!  It was FREEZING outside!)

Our conversation: 

Me:  "Ummm...WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING???  AREN'T YOU FREEZING???"

Boys:  "NO...we are going around pranking people."

Me (thinking to myself):  I don't get the joke, but you look like fools for sure!

Me (out loud): "Oh.  I get it.  Do your parents know where you are???" 

I'm such a mom. :)

Hope your Holidays are crazy like ours! :)

Merry Christmas