Christmas and so forth...

Decorating our KSL Christmas tree find. Yup we finally got a fake tree, this way I don't have to wait until March to take the tree out of the garage- yea that's what happened last year and no more!
Just Bella doing her cheese face.
So this year I decided to do advent calendar, doing little activities each day. So I was really good at first and had half the month planned then thought I would put more activities later. Well later came sooner rather than later so lets just say I got creative so days -like lets color a picture of Santa. Here are some of the things I can remember we actually did- write Santa a letter, watch Christmas movies, Drink hot chocolate, make gingerbread house, make a snowman, go a a slide ride, read a Christmas story, make a gingerbread man, Go see Santa, decorate the Christmas tree, make a nativity scene. That is all I can remember but I know that we repeated quite a few of these!
I had a cookie swap party for a girls night with some of my friends. It was lots of fun but I forgot to take pictures so here is the cute invitation I made for it.
Making gingerbread men...


Dog-pile on mommy- always a fun game for them!
Trip to Grandpa Wayne's sometime in between Thanksgiving and Christmas.


Bella's favorite part was licking the icing off the gingerbread- can't blame her!

Emma eating the roof off of her gingerbread house- it didn't even last an hour, poor gingerbread house.
We opted for a little Christmas village this year that was a little bit harder to decorate because they were so small.

Parker being his happy self as we made our customary gingerbread houses.
One of the many nights of watching Christmas movies and I catch Emma and Parker snuggling on the couch.
Oh- she caught me taking a picture!
For Parker's preschool he had to do an activity with the ginger bread man he made and sledding was his activity of choice.


Snowman attempt #1- we did this one close to sun down so there wasn't much light. The kids had fun too bad the snowman didn't make it through the night. In the morning Emma looked outside and said "the snowman fell over!". His head was missing, poor snowman.

This was our First Santa experience at Thanksgiving Point. Notice Santa's face+ Bella's face= Hilarious. Notice that there is also not of picture of Parker in these. He wanted nothing to do with Santa and his big red suit.

This is our new tradition- to make the nativity scene out of paper every year. So when we were making this Parker asked " What are we going to use for straw?" I had no idea so minutes later Parker comes back from the pantry with spaghetti noodles- Brilliant!
Parker was not wanting to go talk to Santa but after Daryl told him that he wouldn't get the remote control robot if he didn't tell Santa what he wanted. So he decided he would do it just as long as I wasn't with him. Notice how blurry this picture that would be because I had no time from him telling me that to him being up with Santa. Somehow Bella missed this Santa experience she was somewhere with Daddy.
Emma talking to Santa at the Church breakfast. No fear with her, got on his lap no big deal or tears!
Just being silly with the girls. They are starting to play so much more with each other. It's fun to see that sisterly bond.


Just a random picture I took of Bella in December- she is just growing up way too fast!
Christmas Eve night we let the kids open up their new PJ's and fleece blankets I made for each of them.
My Birthday card- yup that's all you get picture wise. I wasn't looking so cute in the early morning and Daryl was so excited to give me my gifts. I turned the big 29! Daryl got me an awesome photography book, new filter for my camera and boots. Yup he spoiled me. We went to lunch in Salt Lake at the Sugar House BBQ with Dad and Pat. It was so yummy. Corina then invited us over for dinner. It was fun to hang out and have yummy food. Dad and Pat also surprised us with our wedding video that they had shoot at our wedding and transfered to DVD. We had never seen it so it was a treat to watch on Christmas Eve!
Grandma Rita and Emma- Slowly sledding down the hill, they could have walked faster but hey to each one's own!
On Christmas Day we also went over to Grandma Rita's and Grandpa Keith's for Dinner and a little Sledding. Here is Angie, Emma and Chloe.
Here's Emma Showing off Fluffy!
Techno savy Daryl got the skype going on the Computer with Grandpa Wayne and Grandma Colleen so they could get in on all the Christmas magic. The kids loved showing Grandpa and Grandma what they got for Christmas.
Princess Emma and all things girly was so excited to get more dress up clothes that she wears almost daily for her many dance parties she has we Bella and me. But I think her favorite present this her was her puppy that she named Fluffy.
Little Bella boo was all about Christmas this year and got her favorite thing in the world- babies!

Here is the swimming baby that Parker picked out for her. Of course we had to try it out Christmas morning!
Parker on Christmas Day with his loot- Pirate ship and skeleton gloves. Although all he asked Santa for was a remote control robot. Funny thing about that is he barely plays with it and has become obsessed with a wrist watch he got in the Wendy's happy meal the day after Christmas. Go figure!

Playing with Grandpa Jim and Grandma Pat after Christmas. The kids loved going to Smith and Edwards with them but I think Grandpa Jim liked it more. It was fun to just eat yummy food and hang out with them and the kids.