Christmas 2013

Once Allison, Tyler and Connor arrived from Denver, the partying began!!  

Our first item of business was making gingerbread houses. This year we tried something new with our Gingerbread houses.  Instead of using a kit, we made them our own way with graham crackers and melted sugar as glue.  We had all sorts of things to use as decorations: candy, cookies, cereal, pretzels, marshmallows, coconut and frosting. I don't know if we will use this method again next year, 

but we had fun trying, and everyone made their own masterpiece! 

There were several walks around the neighborhood, trips to the park, 

and time spent playing in the backyard.

We went to see the lights at CALM. 

 Connor enjoyed the trains and the carousel,

but was not so thrilled to see Santa!!

We had our traditional Christmas Eve dinner: shrimp, cheese and crackers, little smokies, fruit and vegetable platter, and the all time favorite chocolate fountain!!

                                 
                                            The fountain clean up got a little messy!!

                                 
                           Connor was tolerating it well until we put chocolate all over him….

                                            HE DID NOT LIKE THAT ONE BIT!!!!!

                           Once we were all cleaned up, we had our Christmas Eve program.

                                 
                                    Ben, Haley and Hannah got to open their new pajamas!!

                                          A race to see who could change the quickest…….

                                               Connor and I read books while we waited.

                                          Ben ALWAYS wins!!    Our pyramid is shrinking!!

The children exchanged gifts, we read the scripture Christmas story, 

and we wrote down our "gift to the Savior" for 2014.

On Christmas morning the children gathered in our bed

                                                     and then lined up in the hallway.

Connor went straight to his gift from Grandma and Grandpa!!

                                        Haley and Hannah were thrilled with their gifts!!

 The best part of our day was skyping with Sister Judd in Raleigh, North Carolina!!!