Christmas 2010

 The Nativity on Chrismas Eve.  Our baby Jesus (Ella) was a little large, and kept crawling away from the set.  Too Cute.  Hayley was the star, Brock and Chandler were wise men, and Jordan was Joseph.  Sophie was Mary and Mattie was an angel and a shepherd.  Mattie has worked for weeks on this Nativity.  They all had speaking parts and they sang.  It was so cute!!!

Christmas Morning was as wonderful as ever.  I think that all of my kids were happy with what Santa brought them.  Jordan got a Leapster.  Chandler got a "Cars" car garage. Brock got a BB gun, and Hayley got an I Pod.  They were all very excited.

 Chandler loves being a cowboy and had worn out all of his other cowboy clothes so he got some new ones.  He has worn them every day since Christmas, and will probably have them worn out just as fast.

We got a new hunting game for the Wii.  Spence likes to play it as much as the kids do, of course.
Spence and I didn't buy gifts for each other this year because we are going to go to Las Vegas in February and that is our gift to each other.

Even though we all got wonderful gifts this year, we all had Uncle Norm in the back of our minds.  He spent his last Christmas in the hospital.  I don't think that any of us will ever realize what an impact he had on this little valley.  We will miss him so much.  He passed away on December 28.  We will always be praying for Marsha and her family. 

Christmas Village

On our way home from Temple Square we stopped in Ogden at the Christmas Village.  It was so cute.  Spence has a lot of memories of going there when he was little, and wanted to start taking our kids there.  It had the cutest little houses with the little mechanical elves and santas.  The kids were so excited to get to the next house. 

 I love how Chandler got so intrigued by everything in the houses.  He would usually push his nose against the glass to see everything!

It was a fun stop to make and will now start going every year after Temple Square from now on!

Temple Square

We took our annual trip to Temple Square again this year.  We got there and the kids had to see every fountain on the grounds.  It was so pretty and the kids got to go up and touch the temple and take pictures by the big doors.  We went to the top of the Joseph Smith building to get a closer look at the top of the temple.  It was a wonderful trip with more lasting memories!!!

School Christmas Play

The Christmas Play at the school this year was so cute.  Brock and Hayley worked so hard on their songs and their dances.  Hayley came home from school everydy and sang every word to every song.  I think I knew the entire play before I actually even saw it.  The teachers and staff work so hard on putting on the school play, and you can tell. 

Uncle Norm

As I sit here tonight my heart is so heavy with sorrow for my uncle Norm and his family.  We just returned from the hospital to give any type of support to the Lish family that we can possibly can.  If I could take any of their pain away I would in an instant, but we all know that is not possible.  This past week my eyes have been opened wide to the things that are really important in life.  My family is the most important to me in the world, including my extended family and it hurts me so bad to see them go through this trial.  We love you Marsha and Norm!

Chandler's 3rd Birthday

Is it really true that my baby boy is 3?  I cannot believe how fast the past 3 years have gone by. 

Chandler had a small party with Adam and Angie's family and both grandma's and grandpa's. 

 He got lots of new clothes and trucks and a way cool Lightning McQueen car and Mack semi to play with.  He had to take them all to bed with him after the party.

He wanted cupcakes with Woody and Buzz on them.  He was trying to blow out the candles put couldn't get enough air out.  He was trying to blow so hard, that he ended un drooling on the candles.  That got them out. It was pretty funny.  He had a great birthday!!!

SANTA!!!

We made a flying trip to Boise with my mom and we went to the mall.  The kids found Santa, and so we waited in line to sit on the jolly fellows lap.  It was so magical to them, especially Jordan and Chandler.  Of course when he asked them what they wanted they would barely speak up, but oh well they got to see him and sit on his lap.  It was pretty fun!

Gingerbread Houses

Spence's grandma gave the kids gingerbread house kits for an early Christmas gift.  They couldn't wait to put them together.  We finally gave in, knowing the mess that was to come with them. 

 They worked so hard.  I got the giggles on how differently each one of them decorated the houses, and how each kid reminded me of my sisters and me when we used to decorate gingerbread houses.  Chandler and Hayley just haphazardly put the candy on, not really caring the final outcome, just like April used to do.  Jordan has no creativity and copied the box, just like I would do.  Brock spent so much time on his and it had to be just right and he still was unhappy with the finished product, just like Angie.  It was so funny to me how they all came together, so differently.

 Jordan's and Brock's

Hayley's and Chandler's

My poor kitchen was covered in frosting and candy pieces, but I would do it again.  They had so much fun and admire their work every day.