Christmas Card 2013

Merry Christmas (a day late)!  I hope everyone had a FABULOUS Christmas!

Polar Express 2013

We LOVE going on the POLAR EXPRESS up in Midway (really the Heber Creeper) every year!  This year we were lucky enough to go right after Thanksgiving with LOTS of my family (Lance & his family had already left).  It was a little weird to go so early (day after Thanksgiving) when there was no snow, but that also meant it wasn't as cold.  

We always go on the 5:00 train (the 7:30 is just way to late by the time you get home).  So it was still light when we got there and we had to wait a little bit.

 So what do you do when you have to wait?  Well you have CHICKEN FIGHTS of course!

 The kids all LOVED being together.  This is McKinley (Scott's little girl), Kesley, and Kristen (Mitchell's sister's daughter).

 Gram and Kesley

 Scott & his youngest Brooklyn

 Michael (Scott's oldest - same age as Dallin), Brecken, and Dallin

 4 of my boys!

 Braxton (Scott's third kiddo), Kyler (Scott's nephew - LOVE him), and Kesley

 Brooklyn

 Maddi (Scott's second) and Carlie (Gina's oldest) - both girls are 9

 Berkeley (Gina's second)

 Gina & Corey

 Michael & Dallin TRYING to be cool

 We had GREAT elves this year - here is one making Cameron HAPPY!

 Here is another elf dancing with Kesley

 All the elves were so sweet to Kyler!

 Kesley - having a FABULOUS time!

 Matthew, Gavin, and Cameron

 2 thumbs up from Cameron - he had a GREAT time!

 The elves even got Dallin up to dance!

 These 2 are BEST FRIENDS - I LOVE that!

 The AWESOME ALDRIDGES!

 Cute cousins!

 Cool boys!

 Such fun elves getting the little ones to dance!

 Sweet Cameron and Brecken!

 Dallin and his buddy Brookie!

 Cameron & Ed

 These little 3 are too cute!

 Me and the twins - see, I was there!

 We are almost to the North Pole.  Looking for Santa!

 Cameron making a heart with his hands!

 Everyone got a turn with Santa - Cameron

 Gavin

 Matthew

 Braxton

 McKinley & Brookie

 Brecken

 Michael & Dallin

 Kesley

 Berkeley

 Maddi & Carlie

The boys loved getting bells.

 Happy kids!

 What a fun way to spend the first real day of the Christmas season - on the "Polar Express" with FAMILY!  LOVE IT!

Santa Party 2013

I must say, of all the parties we have during the year, our SANTA PARTY is my FAVORITE!  Seeing the little kids' faces LIGHT UP is PRICELESS!

25 Families

and

87 Kids!!!!!

That just makes me SMILE!

It is a pretty simple party to throw too.  First, I call SANTA in August and get our party on his calendar.  Then I send out Save the Date emails in September (got to get it on everyone's calendar). Then the actual invite goes out about 2 weeks before the party.  Here is this year's invite:

Everyone brings a treat to share and I do a HOT CHOCOLATE BAR.  It is always such a fun night.

 Here is Gavin - he was the Christmas bandit - no idea why but he was having fun!

 Love these two!

 I do have some fun letters they kids can write/color to Santa while they wait for him to come.

 Cameron was all smiles!

 Dallin is starting to THINK he is too old for parties like this - but he isn't!

 Love watching all the cute kids get ready for SANTA!

 They are all growing up way too fast!

 Great to see some of my friends too - wish I could chat with them more at this party but I sit by SANTA the whole time to watch the kids and help "remind" SANTA their names.

 LOVE all these boys!  Miss living right by these two!

Trying to act "COOL". 

 Singing songs to get SANTA to come!

 Seriously just LOVE LOVE LOVE all these kids!

 They really started to get into singing as loud as possible!

 He made it!  SANTA heard the kids and came!

 We didn't get a picture but sweet little Jake in the blue shirt, ran up and HUGGED Santa's leg.  So adorable!

 The kids were all so patient waiting their turn!  And some just sat waiting to get up the nerve to sit on his lap!

 Get ready - here is one picture of every kid that willing sat on Santa's lap and a few we made!  Sad we couldn't get all the kids to sit on his lap - there is always next year!  Thanks to my sweet neighbor/babysitter Kimberly that took all the pictures for me - love that girl!

 My sweet Brecken!

 My sweet Kesley - wish I got one of the twins together.

 Somehow, Matthew got out of sitting on Santa's lap alone - here he is with his two buddies from our old neighborhood.  

 LOVE my Gavin!  

My sweet cousin Cortney - miss seeing her all the time!

 Yeah - Dallin sat on Santa's lap!

 Don't love this picture of me (needed a shower after shoveling the sidewalks and driveway before the party but no time) - but had to share to show you are NEVER too old to sit on Santa's lap!

 This picture made me SMILE!

 My whole family!  LOVE LOVE LOVE them!

 Cameron FINALLY warmed up to Santa!

 Trying to take a picture of all the girls still at the party and Cameron had to photo bomb it!

 Love all these girls and those that had already left and those that couldn't make it (Dani, Paulette to name two).

Thanks so much to everyone that came and made it a MAGICAL night!