Things that happened...post 5!

Christmas Day!

The kids had fun opening their presents this year.

AND, this year I decided to simplify.

We did only 3 Santa gifts.

And that's the way it's going to stay.

Mom and Dad got them some clothes and stocking stuffers.

It was a really nice morning.

Brison and his stocking stuffer motorcycle.

Brooklyn and her new dresses....she had this look after EVERY present she opened!

AND she would exclaim...."It's just what I ALWAYS wanted!!!"

Brian BEYOND excited for the new Wii fit!

Then it was off to Mom and Dad's for breakfast.

Then it was home to get dressed and ready for the day...

and play with some toys.

Then it was back to mom and dad's for the Travis family gathering.

Then it was quickly to Brian's parents for Christmas evening.

Brison got a new BYU hat...

He was a little ornery, to say the least.

He was a little sleep deprived.

And NOT as excited to get his stuff as the givers thought he would be!

So SAD!

Brooklyn and her princess toys.

Her Aunt Shannon spoils her, and her cousin Mariah!

Showing off new gifts!

It was a really hectic, really fun day.

Every Christmas is....

I wonder when we can simplify that?

Things that happened....post 4!

Christmas Eve.

We always spend Christmas Eve and my mom and dad's.

When I was growing up...I remember Christmas Eve and my Grandma Steiner's house.

ALL the cousins would be there....

and when I say ALL the cousins, I mean it...there was probably 70 of them.

There would be no room to sit on the floor...and my Uncle Randy would usually be in the bedroom

asleep on the bed with all the coats.

anywhooo...back to NOW.

We have Prime Rib dinner

and then do a short...but hopefully getting longer as the kids get older

Nativity reading.

It usually consists of dad reading from the scriptures and the parents

taking a TON of pictures and the kids giggling at their outfits...

but hey, whatever works..right?

This year Gretchen thought it would be fun if the kids "surprised" grandma and grandpa

with a song...so they learned "Picture a Christmas"

and it was REALLY cute!

Brison even got up there and sang...usually the last word of the sentence..

but hey, he knew some of it so that's good...right?

Even on this very, VERY busy night...we had a special visitor.

It was really fun this year because it happened to be somebody who

knew the family REALLY well.

He even got a little smack on the cheek from Brian.

(no pictures folks, I was behind the video camera!)

Brooklyn and Brison were not scared at all....

All the kids were singing...well, at least those without the candy canes in their mouth!

Aunt Alli decided it would be fun for the kids to decorate sugar cookies for santa to eat that night.

I think she has decided to do this every year.

Let's just hope she can relax a little and realize that the kids are

GOING TO EAT THE FROSTING.

There's no getting around that with kids!

The honorary Christmas Eve p.j.'s!

It wouldn't be Christmas Eve without them!

Things that happened....post 3!

We made a trip to Arizona this month for our good friends...a.k.a. my sister

Tanya and her new husband G.

On our way down, we made a stop at the Hoover Dam.

Here are our dam pictures.

The dam family

The kids doing some dam running.

The new dam parking garage....overlook I guess you could say.

The Hoover Dam dam building.

The dam security guard.

The dam Nevada time.

The dam Arizona time.

The dam sign.

The dam boat.

The dam water.

The dam toilet...

The dam

The new dam bridge....it really is AWESOME.
You have to see it to believe me!
I can't imagine how much that weighs...and how it is being held up!

The dam overlook.
I had so much fun taking these dam pictures.
I was giddy thinking of the post I was going to make about my dam pictures.
I am 5 years old!
I realize that...but I had too!
Unfortunately, I my camera battery was low when I started and I forgot to pack my charger.
So...I don't have any pictures from the wedding.
But, if you are friends with me on facebook, I've been tagged in some..so I have proof I was there!

Things that happened...post 2

Sad to say, but we got this gingerbread house kit last year from our

"secret santa"

The kids were too little I thought to do it last year, but I held on to it!

****I'm a packrat...have I mentioned that?

Anyway, I'm glad that we did, because they had a TON of fun putting it together.

Well, at least Brooklyn had fun..

I think.

She would decorate it, and as fast as the candy went on, Brison took it off.

Until Brooklyn realized that she could eat it too.

And me and my weirdness about my kids eating too much candy...

I called it good after a half decorated house and a half decorated tree.

I am good at photography...so I hid the half NOT decorated!

They enjoyed it...so I just need to remember to relax and breathe and let

the kids be kids!