It Takes a Village...

and some socks to make us happy!
We were so excited for our annual trip to Christmas Village.

It was so great to have Aunt Becca back from Pennsylvania.

We bundled up and braved the cold...

to see the lights and all the cute little decorated houses.

This year we even got to ride the little train.

Then we headed back to the house.

We got all the grandkids together (all 16 of them) handed out the presents and then the pandemonium started.  First they all opened their books...which they all loved.

Then they opened their pajamas and promptly put them on.  The granddaughters also got these cute fuzzy slippers with toes.  It was a little tricky getting each little piggy into each slot and I think each of them commented at least once that the "socks had an extra toe!" :)

The grandsons each got a light sabre and the duels began!

Baylor was just happy to be held the whole night!

Nativity Night

It's become a Christmas tradition to visit my Aunt Lori's house and see all her nativities.

She feeds us chicken nuggets and mac 'n' cheese. The kids get to hear a nativity story, ice cookies, and take a cute nativity craft home.

This year she had a nativity scavenger hunt that the kids loved. 

 Here are a few of our favorites:

 The smallest nativity.

 Cat Nativity

 African Nativity made out of dried and twisted wood.

 Russian Nativity with stacking wise men.

 Stained Glass Nativities

 Dog Nativity

 Wire Nativity

 Nativity in a Box.

Scrooged

Since Kylie was gone when we saw the Nutcracker over Thanksgiving Break my mom decided to take her and the grandsons to see Scrooge at the Terrace Playhouse.

She loved being with Grandma and Aunt Aly, eating snacks, and watching the play.

Kylie loves plays and the night was the perfect thing to kick off the holiday season.

Here Comes...

SANTA CLAUS!
A year or two ago a couple of my friends and I decided that we should get together so we could have a little adult conversation...oh and let our kids play.
We would meet on Mondays and rotate whose house we held it at.  This little playgroup became known as "Mommy Monday"....see it was all about the kids ;)

Well this last get together was possibly the best Mommy Monday EVER!

As we were gathering we heard a knock on the door and who should appear but the jolly old elf himself...the REAL Santa Claus!

All the kids took their turns with him.  There were little to no tears and each child got a special candy cane stick.

It was pretty magical.

Thanksgiving...with a few perks

 We had a great Thanksgiving this year.  The younger girls enjoyed making indian headresses and having "feasts" with their preschool and kindergarten classes.

 Tessa had to earn each feather in her headress; she got one for knowing all her numbers, another for memorizing her address, etc.

  We had a different Thanksgiving this year with Kody and Kylie traveling up to Oregon to visit Kody's family. The other three kids and I spent Thanksgiving at the Plain City Fire Station where my brother-in-law is the fire chief. The food was delicious!  The company even better!

How many of you had a personal firehouse tour of the ambulance and firetrucks over Thanksgiving? Just one of the perks of knowing The Chief ;)

Our little Baylor wore his superhero firefighter onesie under his turkey sleeper to make the day complete!

The week was so great!  Our cousins slept over, I saw Breaking Dawn Part II with my sisters, aunt, and mom, I got a night to myself when my girls slept over at the cousins, and Tessa and I saw the Nutcracker preformed by Ballet West at Weber State.
Such a relaxing week with lots of great activities...so much to be thankful for!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

When Kody and I moved into our Woods Cross house eight years ago we outfitted ourselves with the homeowner basics:  lawnmower, tiller, leaf blower, and a GIGANTIC snow blower.  Each winter we would get a little snow but as Kody would put it "not enough to use the snowblower."  I can't tell you home many winters I found myself shoveling the few inches that fell. 
Well you know what they say about carma....
Our first Fall in our North Salt Lake home and we get this!
It started snowing Friday morning and it kept snowing, 

 

and snowing

 

and SNOWING!

 It snowed so much he had to break out the four-wheeler with the plow,

 

the snow blower

 and a shovel.

These pictures were taken on Saturday afternoon and it actually kept snowing until about afternoon on Sunday.

On the plus side it looks so beautiful and it has sent the deer down our way....

Can you spot them in the picture below?

Crazy Hair Day