Christmas through their eyes

This is what happens when your kids take off with your phone...  

 In reality it made me smile to see what Christmas is all about in their eyes.  (I love the stuffed animal pictures.)  I tried really hard to stop and enjoy the spirit of the season this year. And also to try to be present with my kids through all the busyness that defines so much our day to day life.  It was refreshing.

This is Jacob's Christmas list.  He started out with mostly normal things, then got the idea that if he asked for large amounts of money, he could buy whatever he wanted with it.  Smart boy...but even smarter Santa who ended up bringing him play money =)

 Once again we cut down a tree from on the Mesa.  We had a panic moment when we realized they had changed the permit area's, but in the end, it was fine, and we found a beautiful tree, and the kids built a fun snow cave while we cut it down.

 They all got to visit with Santa, well almost all.  Amanda was too tired after a busy night with her friends the night before.  She stayed home and slept.

I love this picture.  The baby is a relative of her friends.  Amanda is so lucky to have these girls!

The season was full of fun acitivies, concerts, parties.  We got our fill, I tell ya!

We headed to Utah for a baby shower for Madison, and a party with some of the Marchants.  Amanda and Maren both performed for the guests at the party.  They were excited to get to do this and had practiced a lot in anticipation. 

Dave headed back the next day so the kids wouldn't miss school, but I stuck around for an extra day to attend the funeral of Sherry Niederhauser.  The mother of the family that I grew up next door to.  It was a heart wrenching weekend, as we also had come across a fatal accident on the drive getting to Salt Lake a few days prior.  The kids and I sat in the car as we watched Dave do everything he could to try and save the poor lady who had been ejected from her car. It made me want to hug my kids and remind them that I love them.  Life is too short.

With my extra time at Doug and Heathers house we made peanut brittle, yeah!

 And I got to play in the foot of snow that fell overnight with my niece and nephew.  It as a blast!

Driving to the train station was a bit nerve racking the following morning, but the train ride was so beautiful, through red rock country with fresh snow everywhere.  And I finally got to see Ruby Canyon!

With Christmas around the corner I had lots to catch up on once returning home.  I had tried really hard to get the bulk of the shopping and run around done early this year, but the list just kept on going.  Dave and I managed a day trip, before school got out for the Holidays, up to x-country ski together.  Fresh snow had just fallen, it was the perfect day. 

Before we knew it, Christmas was here.  We spent Christmas Eve skiing up at Powder horn as a family.  

It was beautiful in the morning, but once a cold front came in that afternoon, the kids were done.  It was frigid!  Amanda stuck out the cold a little longer than rest and got in a few extra runs with Dave.

But on the flip side that cold front brought us a white Christmas, so we couldn't complain too much.  There is something magical about waking up to fresh snow on Christmas Day.  

Spencer built this nativity out of Lego's on Christmas Eve and we had our traditional family Nativity.  We added a new tradition this year and lit illuminaries along with many of our neighbors in a spirit of love and unity for those displaced and less fortunate.  It was beautiful.

 I think they were all happy with their stash this year. 

Dave and the boys spent the morning putting together their Lego's, while we girls played on our new electronics.

Later that week and Aumen's joined us for a few days of fun.  We braved a really cold x-country ski excursion.  And were really glad to get back to the cars with no one loosing any digits.

These boys lasted a whole mile or so, I kept telling them, just keep moving!

We love cousin time!

And for New Years we added a few more cousins to the mix, and it was blast!  I love that cousins on both sides of our families can all be such good friends.  It was a really fun full house for a day.

Doug and Heather and their crew stuck around for a few days and we played hard.  We spent a really fun day sledding with the kids, and Doug won the best crash pose award.  Heather was a gem and helped me put together primary binders and organize our primary closet.  Always such a big job!  I was so glad for the extra set of hands.