Merry Christmas

Bailey has always wanted to make gingerbread houses. So, I came home with a little kit. We had to put them together ourselves, and that was hard. I was frustrated because they wouldn't stay together. By the time we actually got to the decorating part, everyone (except Bailey) was sick of the houses. Me and Sawyer made ours as funny as we could, and Bailey was getting so mad. Apparently we were supposed to be taking this project VERY seriously. Sawyer's looked like an outhouse, and mine was just a big blob of something. The more funny ours looked, the more mad Bailey got, so the harder we laughed! Family nights aren't always peaceful at our house :)!

Mark's, Sawyer's, Tricia's, and Bailey's

We had a really fun ward party this year. They did a brunch, instead of a dinner. I thought it was a fun idea. Santa came, and Bailey waited in line with all of her friends. They were all going to get a group picture with Santa. Santa was REALLY talkative, and took FOREVER with each kid. By the time the girls made it to the front of the line, the whole group had left, except Vanessa and Bailey. So much for the group picture. Way to go chatty Santa :)!

Falls Valley had their annual Christmas program. The 5th graders were hip hop reindeer. Bailey was quite the dancer!

Christmas Eve

We did all of our usual traditions on Christmas Eve. We ate a big, yummy dinner. Once it got dark, we went outside to throw reindeer dust. Sawyer has to be a huge goof every year when we do this. I always love his face in the pictures! Then we made our cookies for Santa. We had our traditional Christmas story, and the kids each got to open 1 gift before they went to bed. It's the one night a year they actually like going to bed!

Throwing the magic reindeer dust.

This year our book was Christmas Prayer. Sawyer was our reader.

Decorating Santa's cookies.

They opened the present from Grandma and Grandpa in Washington. They each got a Visa card. Bailey was sooooo excited. She has a fake credit card in her wallet, so she was so excited to have a real one. She felt so grown up.

Christmas

Christmas came early at our house. The kids came in our room at 4:00 in the morning! We sent them away until after 5:30!

Yay...Santa came!

Ready for the stockings!

Bahahaha! Sawyer got coal! I love that Santa is so funny!

Santa brought Sawyer the cell phone he's been wanting!

Santa brought Bailey a pedicure jet spa set!

This was our first Christmas without Splat. The dogs were really excited about Christmas, so that took some of the sadness away. They were spoiled with lots of fun presents!

Bailey got a massage chair. She has started her own 'business' in the basement. She has her own spa called The Relaxation Sensation. She wanted the chair for that. She was pretty excited. Bring on the business!

Sawyer got all set up for snowboarding. He got a board and bindings, the boots, helmet, and goggles. I told him to wear nice pj's to bed, cause I would be taking pictures on Christmas. He's a goober, so he came down in the pig pants he made in sewing class. They are HUGE! He even has other pj's under them, just so they will stay up.

Bailey LOVES wacky, crazy socks. The only time she wears normal, white socks is when she's running. I was really excited when I found these little piggies. They even have tails :)!

Bailey with all her loot!

Sawyer with all his loot!

Sawyer got to be the practice person for the pedicures.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Sawyer's New Room

Sawyer needed a new mattress, which led to wanting a bigger bed, which led to a whole room makeover. All it needs to be finished is some lettering on the wall. It was finished just in time for Christmas. We all love it!

Christmas Photo Shoot

We always take the kids out in early December to do a photo shoot for our Christmas cards. This year we went down by the river. We got some great shots. I guess it helped that we had two cute subjects. Looking at these pictures makes me realize how fast my kiddos are growing up!

This was our Christmas card winner!

Guitar Testimonial

Bailey was asked by her guitar teacher, Seth Callister, to do a testimonial for his website. We took some guitar pictures of her, and wrote up her testimonial for him. You can go to his website to see her:

www.theguitarguy.org

Just click on testimonials, and you'll see her!

This was the picture we picked :)!

A Sweet Christmas Story

Jana Hamberlin is Bailey's primary teacher, and she is great! They had finished all of their lessons from the manual early, so on one Sunday she told the girls she had an idea. She wanted them to pick someone they could all do something nice for, for Christmas. Bailey, Marlee, Madi and Emily raised their hands, and they all had the same girl in mind. They have a girl in their class that hasn't had an easy life. I really believe the girls were inspired. Everyone agreed that Destinie was the one. That's when their planning got underway. These 13 girls and their leader went ABOVE and BEYOND! They planned for a couple of weeks. They found out all the stuff Destiny likes down to her favorite color and type of books. They bought and made all kinds of stuff for Destinie. All the girls met at Jana's house one night and wrapped the presents and tied the cutest blanket for her. Even the principal and their 5th grade teacher were in on the planning. They were just gonna drop the stuff off at her door, ring the doorbell and run. Mr. Gauchay said he'd rather have them do it at the school, once all the other kids had left, so Destinie would be surrounded by 13 girls, and know they were her friends. It turned out PERFECT!

Bailey was so excited on Wednesday. She could hardly wait until school was out. I was working at the school that day, and I could hardly wait either! All the girls met in the big room outside of the classroom. Even the older girls got out of school early, and came from the middle school. Mrs. Balginy told Destinie not to leave yet, because the principal needed to talk to her. While she was waiting in the classroom, the girls had gone out to the car to get all the stuff. Jana told her that the girls had picked one friend they wanted to surprise this Christmas, and they picked her. Then 13 girls came in carrying LOADS of presents. The smile on these girl's faces brought the teacher, and most of the other adults to tears. They filed in and set all the stuff at Destinie's feet. Then they all gathered around her and watched as she opened her presents. She was so excited and so cute. She would say things like, "These are GORGEOUS!" The girls got her clothes, shoes, makeup, toys, books, lotions, a blanket, a scooter, jewelry, and tons more stuff. The more excited Destinie got, the happier the girls got. It was such a great experience for all of us.

Here's Destinie with the blanket the girls made.

She was super excited about her new hat and gloves.

Bailey and Marlee watching her open her stuff.

Vanessa, Maddie, Jonicha, McKenzie, Taylor, Makenna, Bailey, Emily, Destinie, Marlee, Madi, and Bailey.

Destinie and Bailey

David Archuleta/Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert

Bailey's Big Surprise

Mark put us in the lottery drawing this year for the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concert featuring David Archuleta. We were so excited when we found out we got tickets to the Saturday night show. I was even more excited when I found out that David Archuleta was going to be doing a signing at the Deseret Book in Salt Lake City on Friday night. We left right when the kids got home from school, and drove straight to the store. They dropped me off with Bailey thinking I just had to buy something I couldn't find in Idaho Falls. Mark took the kids to check into the hotel, and get dinner while I stood in line in the freezing cold to save us a spot to meet Archie. Once I realized that I had a really good spot in line, I called and told Bailey what I was really doing. There was all kinds of giggling and squealing into the phone :)! They met me at the store about a half hour before he was supposed to be there. We bought her David Archuleta's new book to have signed. We also let her open one of her Christmas presents while she stood in line, which was his newest CD. So, with Mark and Sawyer's help, she was able to have 3 things autographed. She was one happy girl :)!

Here she is getting her book signed! It was really hard to get pictures, because they were pushing people through the line so fast. I did manage to get this one, and you can tell by her face that she's a little star struck!

He's such a cute, friendly guy.

Here's her with her signed book.

Here are her signed Cd's.


Temple Square
After the signing, we walked around Temple Square and looked at the lights. It's a beautiful place during Christmas time.

Salt Lake Temple


Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert featuring David Archuleta
Saturday night was the concert. It was AMAZING! We got seated in the Conference Center early, and had fun watching some general authorities walk in. We saw President Eyring and Uchtdorf. We heard that Elder Bednar and a few more were there, but we only spotted the two. The show was so good. I know that David Archuleta is famous for his pop music, but his voice was meant for the kind of singing he did last night. He was absolutely incredible.

Waiting for the show to start.

Still waiting.

You couldn't use cameras during the show. I took this picture with my phone. If you look right below the Choir and right above the orchestra, that person standing there is David Archuleta.

After the concert, we went out on one of the roofs of the Conference Center and took pictures of the Temple.

I love this picture of Sawyer.

We met the Larsons in the Visitor's Center and hung out at their hotel until about 1:00 in the morning. It was a great weekend!