Getting Ready for Santa

When we got home from the Christmas Eve party we watched a show about the Nativity, read the Christmas Story from Luke 2 and spent a little time remembering why we are really celebrating this time of year.

Then the boys opened their traditional Christmas Eve present ...

 

Christmas Cozies!

 

And the boys left out a treat for Santa and food for the Reindeer.

And hurried off to bed so that Santa would come!

Christmas Eve Party at Darren & Cindy's

This year Darren & Cindy hosted the big family Christmas Eve party.  It was a wonderful party.  Don & Jinx were in town and so it was the first time in many years that he was able to spend the holidays with all his parents.  Cindy did a wonderful job on the party.  Unfortuntely, Amy was sick and Randy & Melissa had plans with her family and weren't able to attend.  We missed having them there.  Other then that, it was perfect!

 

Grandma Chris delivered with LEGO sets /games for the boys!

 

And I gave Liz her stocking which I made specially for her.  I made one for Amy also but we took it over to her earlier today since she wasn't going to make it to the party.

 

Brian got our White Elephant gift ... his very own Sauna Suit!!  He even did a little dance in it for our entertainment!

It was a wonderful Christmas Eve party!

Snow just in time for Christmas

We got a nice big snowstorm on Christmas Eve this year making for a nice White Christmas.  The boys are getting really good at shoveling the driveway.  Dave says that's one big plus to having 3 boys!  (The cool hats are courtesy of Aunt Melissa.)

 

Then after the shoveling was done, Dave got out the 4-wheeler and the sleds and took the kids around for some fun sledding which they love!!

 

 

Gingerbread Dog Houses

In honor of Chunky, we made Gingerbread Dog Houses this year ...

Hawthorn Academy Christmas Concerts

We attended two school Christmas concerts this year.  Eric's was on Wednesday night and Brandon's was on Thursday night. 

 

 

Along with Brandon's 4th grade concert he also performed with the Beginning Band.  He is getting quite good on his trumpet.

 

Santa

Eric & Kyle were very excited to visit with Santa this year and to tell him that they have been good boys are ask him for a set of boxing gloves this year.  Brandon still wrote his Santa letter this year and is fine to put out cookies and milk but felt that he was just too old to go and sit on Santa's lap.

 

 

The Lights at Temple Square

On the first day of December, to ring in the Christmas season, we went up to Temple Square to see the lights.  It was wonderful!