The Last Straw

Day #8-The Last Straw

I love this family tradition! I have been doing it as long as I can remember, it is such a fun tradition. It is a story about a little family who's mom thinks their home does not have the Christmas spirit. So they do a little activity to hopefully get the Christmas spirit in their home. They each draw names and the name that they draw they are to do something nice for that person all week long. Every time they do something nice they put a piece of straw in the baby manger that will be full and soft for baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. Each week they draw new names. It focuses mostly on a little boy that continues to get the same name and he really struggles with it. It is a great story.

This year I am kind of excited because Cooper is old enough to really get it and participate, it won't be me doing everyone's secret elf. In fact I came into my room this morning with my bed all made (at least made to the capability of a 8 year old) it made me so happy. Love that kid.

Neighborhood Christmas gathering

Day #7-Annual Neighborhood Christmas Gathering

Well I am sure this was great too, but then again I didn't make it. My kids were driving me crazy and I wasn't about to take my kids by myself to our sweet neighbors hosting the party and have them scream and run away. Visiting and eating yummy cookies sounded fun, but chasing my kids did not. So we chose to stay in and enjoy our warm house and the company of each other...:)

Temple Square

Day #5- Temple Square lights

Isn't this picture beautiful? And I am sure the lights were too, but I would not know because we did not make it to Temple Square. There was no way I was taking my kids out in 15 degree weather...TOO COLD! So one year without Temple Square lights, kind of sad.

Richards Christmas Outing

Day #5- Richards Christmas Outing

Well I am a dork and didn't take any pictures of this night, I fully intended too I just never got my camera out of my bag to take the pics. Anyway, we did have a GREAT time.

We went to dinner to Epic, a very yummy restaurant and then we went and saw The Blindside. Loved it! What a great, feel good show. I loved Sandra Bullock in it, she did an amazing job.

Thanks for the fun night Richards!

Letters to Santa

Day 4- Letters to Santa

Dear Santa,

This Christmas I want,

A Lego Star Wars Walker ATE ??

Or a Lego Harlequin (isn' t a harlequin a lady that isn't very nice? I don't think that is what it is, Santa better get it straight).

Or a Lego Indiana Jones something escape.

And a Monsters vs. Aliens movie,

Night at the Museum movie

and a $20 gift card to Walmart.

From Cooper

Dear Santa (written by Cooper) this year I want a Wal-e movie and a Wal-e Leapster game. And some plastic golf clubs and the gift to talk and the gift to be potty trained.

And a cars race track.

From Bode

Dear Santa (again, written by Coop)

this year I want a dog.

And a doll and some clothes.

And a Barbie movie and a Barbie toy.

Coop makes some great Santa lists. My favorite is the gift of talking and potty training..love the little guy!

Live Nativity

Day #3- Live Nativity

We love the live nativity, or at least I love it. My sisters stake does this every other year and it is AMAZING! So much work goes into this and the finished product is great. This year was a little tricky, I didn't have Collin with me so I had to rely on my sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and friends to help me make it. We made it, barely.

This is before we got in line. The line is HUGE. We were lucky and got there early, Shawn and Stacy got there earlier and got us a good spot in line. I couldn't really imagine waiting 1 1/2 hours in line with my kids. We only had it about 45 minutes.

Stacy was smart and got a close parking spot and left all the kids in her car so they could stay warm. I didn't see it, but I heard that Bode wrestled them all to the ground. He was loving it.

I had Peiton with me and she was great at first and then she just started saying "go, go" she was freezing...it was freezing.

When the line got closer and the kids had enough of Bode wrestling him, we got them out of the car and brought them to the line. That is when it kind of started falling apart.

Peiton started crying (notice her beautiful makeup on her face) and Bode didn't want to stay in line, so low and behold I gave him my camera, again (yes he broke it last time, but then I gave it to Peiton and she dropped it and it fixed itself. Amazing.) So the camera kept Bode busy for a while and I just focused on Pei.

Here are a few of the good shots Bode got, he didn't get many. Most of them where of shoes, the ground, rears, and who knows what.

We got closer to the nativity and Bode started loosing it and Pei continued to loose it. Thank goodness I now had help from my good friends Rach and TJ...thank you, thank you. TJ took Bode for a while and again I worked on Pei. It was our turn to go in and Bode wanted nothing to do with it, neither did Peiton. We got in and Bode screamed bloody murder, he was scared to death. So to save everybody from a awful experience with a dreadful scream from two little children, I exited as fast as I good leaving Coop with Rach and TJ.

We made it to the car and waited for them to come out. So we waited in a 45 minute line for nothing...wrong. TJ and Rach came back and watched the kids while I was able to run through with my sister Hollie. I said I was okay and didn't need to, but I am sure glad I did. I have been through this nativity a couple times and every time I tear up. I just leave filling the Christmas spirit and reassuring me why we celebrate Christmas. It is overwhelming to see this little newborn laying in a manger and in your mind you are picturing that it is Jesus on the day that he was born. I am grateful for this stake on putting this together, so me and many others can feel the Christmas spirit. I am also grateful for those that help me so that I can do things like this without my hubby. Thanks!

the Elf on the Shelf

Day #2-the Elf on the Shelf

This is our 3rd year of doing the Elf on the Shelf, and Cooper still loves it and still believes, which I am very happy for. It has a cute little story with it that explains everything that happens with this little elf that is going to spend the holidays at your house looking over you and seeing if you are good or bad. At night time, the elf or "Flippy" (that is the name of ours) goes back to the North Pole and reports to Santa on how good you have been. He then comes back before morning and he is in a new spot. Each morning the kids have to go find him, they love it.

It has been a great tradition in our home, the only problem is...mommy or daddy forgets to hide Flippy (sorry to those adults that still believe) and then we have to come up with some excuse on why Flippy is still in the same spot...:(

The festivites begin!

Day#1-Make Christmas chain

December is here and the chain has been made. Let the Christmas festivities begin!

It doesn't seem like Christmas to me, so hopefully this will bring a little of the Christmas spirit. I never wish for snow unless it is Christmas time, so bring on the snow! I think the snow will help make it feel a little more like Christmas too.

Hopefully I will post all the things we do everyday, if not everyday every other day...we will see, I have been kind of a slacker with making posts lately.