Christmas Favorites

Coming Soon. :)

Christmas Geodome

A great way to spend the Christmas break!
Actually, the YM began this project a couple of weeks ago, and Justin and Geoff finished building it today. We'll be putting the covers on soon.

Christmas Eve River Walk

Christmas Eve we joined the Andrew Family, DeMordaunt's, Butler's and Walton's for our now traditional River walk.
Noah settled in with Reed for most of the evening! Too cute!
Amazingly enough, we found Santa Clause on our trail, looking for one of his reindeer. I can't believe what a difficult time he has with those deer, but how fun for us to run into him yet again this year!

We all went back the the Andrew's home for some hot chocolate and conversation.Well, Max returned for hot chocolate and didn't say much while he devoured his egg nog, hot chocolate and cookie. What a great evening!

Lights with the young & the young at heart

Justin and Max drove with the elderly folks in the bus to sing Chritmas carols and enjoy all the Christmas lights. Reed DeMordaunt drove the bus, and picked the boys up in the front of our house. They were so excited about riding on a bus!

Max wasn't sure about sitting with all these people he didn't know. So initially, he refused to take a chair. Then, Raymond (the gentleman in the picture below) picked him up and set Max on his lap, and they were cozy, happy buddies for the rest of the night.

Trains with Brother Larsen

For the last two years we have gone to Brother Larry Larsen's home to play with his train set up. He invited several families last year. When he called this year he told me that he had only called a few people to come over this year, and remembered how much the boys loved the trains, and how careful they were with them.

The boys love taking the controls! This year, even Max got to run the train...and thank goodness, an angel possessed him during the event and we had no major catastrophes. He actually did very well.

These boys sure love trains. Brother Larsen gave them each another model car. Justin has put it with the car he got last year in a box he made for his special car collection.

Preexistence

Basden's Christmas gift to us this year was a packet of Devotionals expanding on the Christmas story--an AWESOME gift (thanks guys!). We began the Christmas story tonight by talking about the Savior in the Preexistence.

I spent a good part of the day trying to make our bedroom look like heaven. White sheets covering everything, with white lights and candles, pictures of the Savior and Family all around. So it was a neat feeling when everyone came in wearing white and listening to the Tabernacle Choir in the back ground.

DeMordaunts came over and joined us for the Devotional. It really made it extra special! I loved singing "I am a Child of God", the testimonies shared, and talking about the great experiences we had bringing our children to earth. It was a great way to begin the celebration of the Savior's birth.


It was especially peaceful and heaven-like because Max was asleep in his crib!

Live Nativity

Chess

Justin loves playing Chess. He taught Maddy (a girl a couple houses down who also home schools) how to play, and has created some great competition for himself. Maddy is a good friend.

Basketball...Max Style

Lost boys

I came into Max's bedroom wondering what my boys had been up to so quietly and I found them playing "LOST BOYS" (from Peter Pan). I DIED to see what they had randomly created, and the amazing props they built completely independently. (As if I could take credit for something so COOL!)

Notice their 'lost boys' friends against the wall, Max's 'bucket of fun' being heated over the tinker toy fire pit, and the AMAZING fire! Oh goodness...did I ever create stuff like this????

Winter Wonderland!

This has been one of my FAVORITE Christmas activities. Justin has made most of these snowflakes, and ALL of them are AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL... each one so UNIQUE and BEAUTIFUL! I love looking out the windows and seeing art at it's finest. These snowflakes make me so happy!

Let it SNOW!

Does it take everyone else at least 1/2 hour just to suit up for snow play? My boys (like most) LOVE playing in the snow! It really feels like Christmas now.
It's a hoot to take turns pulling each other on our little snow sled. The funniest is watching Justin pull Max. It's a riot! Half the time Max looks like he's a dead man being dragged on the sled.

Santa comes to town

During our ward Christmas breakfast, Max was VERY surprised to see Santa come inside. He is our FIRST child that has WANTED to go talk to Santa. He waited very patiently in line for almost 30 minutes, all the while saying, "I want to get THIS CLOSE to Santa" (showing about a cm between his fingers.

Baby is REALLY Getting BIG!

Romero's passing through town

Jo, Alex, and Baby Bella

Setting up the tree-- Thanks guys!

Decorating Delights!

A Princess and her six Knights

Pasta Con Chicas

Geoff and I have loved Geoff's semi-new calling as YM president. Tonight, the YM learned how to make homemade pasta and then served it to the young women.


We love having these youth in our home. They really are amazing!