MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We spent Christmas with Seth's family in Idaho this year. (We spent Christmas there last year too and had a good time, so...) This year all of Seth's family was together, since Seth's brother, Jeremy, came out for the holiday.
We went up early to hang out with Jaime, Seth's sister, and her family. The boys had a blast playing with their cousins and going crazy.
Christmas Eve was very special. Sam and James were excited to have Santa come and were even able to spot him out the window!

They were so excited and it was hard for them to sleep...even with the excitement of it being Sam's first time sleeping on a top bunk! :)

We put them to bed and were just hanging out that night, when we heard Sam grunt-yelling every once in a while. I decided to check on him and when I came in the room he said, "Ahhh! I need my Dinosaur Train now!" It was so cute how excited he was and how he couldn't sleep because of his anticipation.
We woke up to a beautiful, and early, Christmas. This year the boys' Santa gifts were wrapped, so they were a little confused and looking around for their gifts...but that didn't last long. They dove right in!
Sam and James got dinosaur trains, a vacuum, guns, lightsabors and star wars tent, zhu-zhu pets, Toy Story books, movies and books. Chloe got some nesting dolls I made her, play dough, penguin bowling, an outfit, movie and book. Seth scored some Wii games, wii fun pack with rackets, guns, etc, a blanket, and a movie. And I got some drill bits, potato heads, cricut cartridges, and Seth's sister gave us a beautiful picture of the Salt Lake Temple!
It was a great Christmas. I also made cute shirts and headbands for Seth's nieces, and all the grand kids helped me make a blanket for his parents.
We had a relaxing rest of the day. We even caught a movie later that night. I had never been to a movie on Christmas before. It was fun, but felt weird, since Christmas day has always felt like a Sunday to me. We had a great time in Idaho, but are grateful to get back home to our lives and some quite time! :)
We did at least get a family shot. I always love that. I am still working on my photoshope skills, so here's what I've done so far!

Family Christmas Parties

We love Christmas time. The parties, music, goodies, people, decorations, lights...and all the other great things it brings. And this year it brought parties. Lots and lots of parties. It was fun to go to the various parties. For work, family, friends, family, neighbors, church....The only thing was that my poor kids are now so confused and wonder if Christmas is really actually coming! :)
This year, with my parents moving here to Utah, we got to have a "T" family party as well as our usual "M" family party. They both brought wonderful people, great times, good laughs, fabulous food, and excellent gag gifts! :)
We had Seth's family party first. It was fun and I was grateful when it was finally here. It is a lot of work to help get it ready, but I always really enjoy it (plus I get to wrap a TON of presents - my favorite!).
Seth and I opted out of the adult White Elephant and took all the kids into another room to help them with their exchange and let the adults have some free time. It was fun, but tiring.
Santa came to the party again and that was a big hit of course. Sam ran right up and had to get on his lap. It was so cute. James loves Santa too, but from a safe distance. He did give him a high five so that he could get his candy cane.
I love that the boys are so into Santa. I'm definitely not a Santa Hater. I love anything and everything that gets people into the Christmas Spirit. Religious or not. Sam has even called Santa a few times on the phone to make sure he brings him his "Dinosaur Train." James doesn't call, but he puts his plug in for his "Vacuum" (a push toy that jingles, like a popper).
It was a great party and we were VERY tired after it all! :)





My family party followed shortly after. It was fun. We went to California 2 years ago and that was Seth's first experience with it. It was fun to have it up here with all of my Utah family.
I got really into the cookie decorating this year. It was so fun. Especially since I had free hands...thanks to Natalie, my sister-in-law who is expecting, who just loved all over Chloe that night. I had fun with Matt, my brother, as he ended up producing some great cookies too, one of which was my favorite, his gingerbread Charger player.
We then had a fun wrestling match, great pizza, an excellent Christmas Story, read from the scriptures by my dad, and acted out by all my nieces and nephews. (We didn't get very far with our boys and the costumes) I am so glad that my parents put so much effort into the reading and re-enactment of Christ's birth. It is these hard times, when the kids cry, goof off, fight, etc., that are the teaching moments and the moments that hopefully the kids, and us will remember.
We then ended the party with a fun White Elephant. We scored some great moon dough and play set for James, a Superman shirt and beanie for me, and 2 awesome gifts for Sam and Seth that we quickly re-gifted to our next door neighbor, Dave, for Christmas. He's gonna love them! :) The best prank gifts were both opened by Tressa, an Edward pillowcase (from Twilight) and necklace, that was of course stolen from her by my brother Mark, and a pare of 6XL whitie-tightie! It was hilarious!






It was a blast to spend so much time with family. As I am writing this we are now actually at Seth's sister house in Idaho for Christmas, yet more family!:) We hope that it will be a great Christmas that our kids and Seth and I will remember. It's not going to be a huge one in terms of gifts, but it will be the best because we tried to focus of what would be our favorite thing, and that's all we really need.
Some of my favorite Christmas traditions growing up was the waking up early, all of us climbing into my parents bed, my dad checking to see if Santa came, the hall picture where we're lined up in order of age, the running in and opening up of our Santa gift, our taking turns for the rest of the presents...and looking back, probably my most favorite thing is that it was never overboard. We had our Santa, parent, 2 grandparent, and sibling gift. I LOVED that! and I love looking back and always remembering what was giving, not what was not gotten. I hope I always keep that in perspective as a parent. I always want to try to do what is best for my kids.

Four

Sam is four! It was so fun to have his birthday this year because he "gets" it. He was so excited about everything. From the presents, to the cake, to the party, to the birthday shirt, to the banner...he was going to make sure it all happened and that it was all fabulous. It was such a crazy day/week/month, that his birthday snuck up on me. I was feeling really overwhelmed and bad that his birthday was going to suffer because of all the other things I had been up to. So I decided to take the advice that my husband is always giving me and ask for help...not an easy thing for me. I called my mom, and of course she came up and helped save the day. She first made the most awesome train cake for Sam and then before leaving took a big project I was working on home to her house to work on for me! Then my great neighbor, and sweet friend, Aymee, called and of course rescued me too. She is my crafting mentor and she came and spent hours with me during the day to finish another huge project (and then she even came back after the party until the wee hours of the night, just to make sure I was taken care of!). With such great people around me Sam's birthday and everything else I was being over come by somehow seemed to easy and manageable. I was able to make a cute train banner for Sam and the best birthday shirt to-date...two things I love to do for each birthday. Presents got wrapped, and the house got cleaned. I actually had a bout 20 minutes before everyone was coming over for his party! We had the grandparents over and Tressa. It was fun to have just a few people over and watch Sam entertain. We opened presents first. Sam got the coveted "Woody Train" (Toy Story 3 Lego Train) he has been drooling over for months at the store. We didn't see him much later that night, except for when it was cake time. We had a great nacho party, a build your own kind of deal, and boy was it easy and yummy. It was cute to me that Sam wanted a nacho party since that consists of about 80% of what he eats right now! :) Over all it was a great day and I am proud to be a parent of a 4 year old!

Giggles

What else can I say, except for, what a little cutie! :)

Tressa and Christmas Traditions

Tressa came up to help us out this weekend so that we could go to Seth's work party. I didn't want to leave Chloe with just anyone, so she volunteered for the job. I found an awesome gingerbread train while I was out shopping and I thought that would be a perfect thing for the boys to do with Tressa, and I was right. They loved it and she made an awesome train for them. It was fun for them to do. I always try to do something sgngerbready each year and I am glad the boys got to do it with Tressa, whom they LOVE!
They had a great time and Seth and I were able to go and have a worry free night out.

Arizona

Live Nativity

We went with my brother and his family to a live nativity done by a stake in Draper. It was AMAZING! (and very cold) It is a walk through nativity with fire pits along the way to help with the cold. As you walk through you pass the shepherds in the snowy field with their sheep, the wise men, the camel, and other animals, and then you enter the city of Bethlehem.
It was an amazing atmoshpere. You feel like you are there. With merchants, bakers, families, chickens, etc. it was beautiful. Then you enter the area where Jesus was born. It was beautiful and peaceful.
I was so glad we went and that we could take our boys. It will definitely be a Christmas tradition now and one I hope my boys will remember forever, I know I will.

Happy Thanksgiving

We went to my parents house for Thanksgiving this year. It was a lot of fun and very crowded. It was fun to have a Thanksgiving with my family. They food was great and so was the company.
I of course had to make my kids cute shirts for the holiday. I was pretty proud of them and we had fun making them. The boys used their hands and foot to make turkeys, and I made Chloe's. She had to have a Tu-Tu to go with it, so I attempted my first Tu-Tu and loved it! :) Having a little girl is so much fun! :)


We ended up taking off pretty quick after dinner. We had planned on staying the night but the boys were worn out and overwhelmed. So we headed home to get them down and get ready for Black Friday, a family tradition.
Dave's family came up to our place to stay the night. It was fun to have them and have them help us run around all through the night looking for the good deals and things we wanted.
I really struck out with them, but Seth went back out early Friday morning and got just about everything. We was awesome!

I'm Dreaming of a White Thanksgiving...

Last Sunday we had SOOO much snow. It was fun to wake up to the first big snow. It's always me favorite. I have to always take pictures of it.
The boys were up at 6, as usual, and we had to run straight out and play in it. We of course were the only ones out and about, and that made it even better. I love "quite snow", you know, when you don't hear anything else but the soft breeze, the snow falling, and the creaking of it under your feet.
Sam is all about the snow. James, after about 20 minutes, got into it too. He make a snow pile we called a snow man! I think he was still very cute, even though the snow wasn't good enough to pack.
I love that my boys are old enough to go out and play in the snow. They look forward to Dad coming home from work so he will take them out.

Look Mom, I'm Pretty

James decided to make himself pretty on Sunday. He did a pretty good job too! It was cute. He has always been into helping me get my make-up and watches me closely. I just didn't know how into it he really was.
He came into me complaining about how dirty his hands were. He DID NOT like how "sticky" it was. I think he cured himself of all curiosity of make-up because he did not like how we had to clean his eye. It was hard to get it off of him and he still even had one pretty eye at church!
So cute! :)

Grandma and Grandpa T's

I absolutely LOVE that I can say to my kids, "Hey, you want to go to Grandma and Grandpa T's house?" and all we have to do is hop in the car and go a short way!
I love having my parents close. It has been fun to hang out with them and have my kids get to know them better!
Already they love the marbles and blocks that they get to play with at their house. (They love their yard and chicken, but that has phased out a bit with the change of seasons!)
Here's some cute shots to their fun at their house.

Here is cute Chloe in my mom's cradle. I love it!

But my absolute favorite thing about them being here is how my kids say their last name. It is so cute. I never want them to change it!

I Have a Secret...

...I love you!
Our boys LOVE secrets. So Seth started a family secret that the boys just love. He tells them he has a secret. They run up to him giggling and he whispers to them, "I love you."
They love it so much that now they tell us they have secrets. They run up to us giggling and whisper, "I luff you."
It is so sweet. I love when they just do it randomly. It makes me smile. I also love it when they tell each other "the secret." I have the sweetest little boys! :)

Chloe's Special Day

Today was Chloe's Blessing Day. It was a beautiful fall day. We had our families, and a few close friends, at church with us and then over for a little celebration for her. We got all spiffed up for it. We even had little tuxes for the boys!

We of course had to do "guns". What's a tux with out a little James Bond action?! :)


The blessing was so beautiful and spiritual. Seth did a great job. I am so thankful to be married to a man who is worthy of the priesthood who uses that power to bless his family. The testimony meeting was especially great as well. Many testimonies of the plan of salvation, eternal families, and the atonement. I guess that's what you get when there are 5 baby blessings on one Sunday, and another at someones home!
I had a great time decorating for Chloe's party. I LOVE hosting things and decorating for them. Especially since this is the first "girly" thing I've decorated for.





Our families and friends were so great. They were so generous is helping to make this day special. From great food, decor, company, to a beautiful dress....This day wouldn't have been so wonderful without each one of them.

My mom, if able, makes each blessing outfit of her grandchildren. She made the cutest little suits for Sam and James when they were blessed, and now she has really out done herself with Chloe's dress. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. She worked so hard on it and kept at it when it was giving her so much trouble. I love her for her service and talents and for the fact that she chooses to spend them on her family.

Early Morning Smiles

What can I say. This little girl wakes up so happy in the mornings and is able to show us just how happy she is. I love these little smiles! It almost makes it worth having to get up so early after being up so much at night! :)