Christmas Visit...Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we spent the morning at Grandma and Grandpa Cox's house and then headed over the mountain to Grandma and Grandpa Judi's.  I baked up a storm while the kids played with Grandma and pa and toys.  I made macadamia nut cookies for Santa, cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast, carrot pudding (which I tried to bake instead of steam on the stove), pie crusts (which shrunk), and jello for Christmas dinner. 

I love how Ty is pinching his own cheek.

The kids were very insistent that we don't act out the nativity.  Kate didn't want to be Mary and Jack didn't want to have a donkey.  So, we brought our nativity puppets and everyone had one or two puppets while Grandpa read the scriptures. 



Then the kids got to open one present...

Jack was a little disappointed that it was pajamas and not a toy.

I made Kate's pajama bottoms.  Her doll, Kit, got matching pjs for Christmas too.  We only had to reinforce the seams of Kate's pj bottoms twice while in UT.  At least they didn't totally fall apart.

Grandma Judi bought some treats and we had a Christmas Eve snacking party.  Ty loves licorice!

 

Christmas Visit... at Grandma and Grandpa Cox's

We decided to spend Christmas break in Utah this year.  First stop was Grandma and Grandpa Cox's house.  Well actually the first stop and last stops are usually Grandma and Grandpa Judi's house because they are the closest to NM.  It's only an extra hour between grandparents houses, but that hour makes a huge difference when you've been driving all day with three kids!

Steven and Amanda stayed in Fairview the first night they were there.  We had Christmas a little early on Thursday night...

Grandma Cox gave the kids pillowcases with their names embroidered on them.  They loved them!  (Jack's just trying not to show his excitement in this picture).  Ty even knows which one is his.

Friday was super cold, so we decided to go bowling in Ephraim.  The kids played two games and Dave and I played two games. 

The kids loved it!  Most of the pictures that I took of Kate and Jack didn't turn out very well.  They were quite the bowlers though!  I'm pretty sure that Kate beat my score.


After we got home from bowling it had warmed up a bit (it started out at -1 that morning), so the kids got to ride Ginger. 

Jack and Grandpa shoveled the little bit of snow off of the driveway.  I guess it didn't take long enough because then they shoveled part of the backyard.

My kids LOVE Emmalee's dog, Skippy.  Normally Jack doesn't like dogs, but he likes Skippy because he throws balls for Skippy to catch. 

The kids played lots of Wii games.  They loved Mario Kart and bowling! 

The kids also loved jumping on the little trampoline. 

On Christmas Eve morning (Saturday) Ty and I mixed up some cinnamon rolls to leave in the fridge for my parents and Em to bake Christmas morning for breakfast. I guess I haven't let Ty play in the flour for a while. He loved it! He was very covered with flour by the end.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa and Em for letting us come stay! 

Santa 2011

Here are some pictures from our ward party last night.  

Kate asked for a basketball...

Kate's friend, Nina, got to come with us...

Jack asked for a basketball hoop...

 And Ty was going to ask for a digger until he freaked out...

Santa was really nice.  And I think he likes to play softball during the summer.  Jack told me that Santa had a funny laugh, because he didn't say "ho ho ho!"

Nuts, Crackers, and Sweets

Kate had a dance performance yesterday,  called the Nuts, Crackers and Sweets.  Her ballet weekly ballet class didn't learn a dance for the performance because most of the girls in her class were in the Nutcracker (which you have to pay $150 to perform in).  So, Kate got to go to some extra dance classes on Saturday for a few weeks to learn a dance to perform.  She loved every minute of it!

They were the Naughty Elves and danced to Louis Armstrong's CoolYule.  Wish I could post video of it, but I'm not that smart, so pictures will have to do.

First, the Naughty Elves danced...

 Then mean Mrs. Santa came out...

 and gave them dolls (which they got to take home -- Kate loves it!)

 Mrs. Santa shows them how to hold them nicely...

 Then they throw the dolls at Mrs. Santa and blame the next girl...

 Then they get broom duty and fly off stage...

 and then take a bow (curtsy, I mean).

 Kate's friends, Ada, Nina and Sophi came to watch her dance.

Pajama and Crazy Hair Day

Friday was pajama day and crazy hair day at the kids' school.  Jack has never wanted crazy hair before, but he decided to be "crazy" and try a mohawk.  

Kate went with the crazy braid look.

And Ty was sporting his crazy "bed head" look...

First Snow

We've had two snow storms this month.  The second storm gave us a snow day from school and work, and then a two hour delay the next day.  On the snow day, the kids couldn't wait to get outside and get sledding.

 The kids went down the driveway a few times.

 It took a minute to remember which side of the driveway is best for sledding (salted or unsalted)...

 Then we walked over to the middle school to sled there. 

Ty went down the middle school hill three times before he decided that his feet were frozen and that he needed to cry a lot.  Ty and I came home and warmed up while the kids sledded.

The kids wear their snow pants and boots to school.  They get to sled down the hill on the playground on plastic bags.  They love it!