The Magic of the Season

All month long we are preparing for this morning. The children's excitement grows and grows. I must admit that my excitement grows as well. I love to see the faces of my loved ones when they have received a gift, and when they are giving the gift. The magical morning is so much fun, and I am so bummed when it is over.

Christmas Morning

After all the unwrapping and candy, candy, candy...we got a group photo with some of our gifts.

Nativity

Each year we do the Nativity at Grandma Anderson's house. She has a huge bag of clothes and props for shepards, wise men, angel, Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, sheep, cows.... As you can see from the pictures it is quite the production. Crew and Cade were sheep, Avery was a wise man, and Afton was baby Jesus.Each grandchild can participate, and we all sing the songs that go along with the story. I love this part of Christmas because it allows us to keep the focus on the Savior and not just what we will get under the tree.

Christmas Time 2008

Each Christmas Eve we take a picture in front of Scott's mom's Christmas tree. It started with just Scott and I, and each year it has been fun to see the changes and the new additions that have come along. So here is to 2008!

Thanks Mom!

My Mom sent the kids a package for Christmas, and they were so excited to open it. They asked if they could open it everyday, ALL DAY LONG for about two days. I finally called my Mom and asked if they could open it early. They had so much fun getting their gifts from Grandma. She had made them each their own winter pillow case, and given them a really cool reusable coloring book that wipes of with cold water. They each ran to different parts of the house and got started.. It was such a great preview of what was to come on Christmas morning. Thanks again Mom, we all loved our Christmas gifts.

Jingle Bells

This is a short clip of Avery singing one of her many Christmas songs at their Kindergarten performance. She had so much fun learning all the songs and I loved watching her. It is amazing how fast they grow. (I had kids on my lap so sorry about the shaky video! )

Sugar Cookies

We love to make sugar cookies over the holidays. The kids are getting better each year, and need less and less help from us. They are always so good to remember traditions, and don't let us forget them.

Home Alone

Last night was the first time I let my kids watch Home Alone. I thought they would get a kick out of it and hopefully not be too scared. Well they loved it! This will take you back in the day...try to remember the movie. Here is what they did the next morning. My Macaulay Culkin wannabes

The Ice and Snow and toys on the

back steps to make them "slippery"



They had their cap guns loaded. Notice the item
hanging on the door knob to make it HOT!



Their "map" and toys under the window where he
comes in the window and steps on the glass ornaments




More traps

The trip wire in the hall

Cars at the bottom of the stairs


After they set up the house, with even more traps then what I showed, they had Scott and I be the Burglars. We had to start outside and fall, scream, and act out each trap they made for us. They even had the tarantula spider part for when we grabbed them by the leg. It was hilarious, and a great time.

The Zoo

While Avery was at school Cade and Crew brought out all their stuffed animals, and alligators, sharks..etc, and made the front room their Zoo. They were so excited to show Avery when she got home. Well, she loved it, and quickly asked if Afton could come visit the Zoo. I said yes, and then they asked for the camera to take pictures. I gave it to them and I left the room to go and clean the kitchen. I later looked on the camera and this is only SOME of what I found. The pictures cracked me up. Afton is such a sport. They wrapped her up in a boys blanket, took tons of pictures of her with various animals, and she loved it all.

Aftons Blessing Day

Our baby girl was blessed on Sunday. Everything went really smooth and she was adorable. She was given a beautiful blessing by her Daddy and looked around with her big blue eyes the whole time. We didn't get a picture of the whole family (bummer) but got a couple with grandparents and Mom and Dad. We had everyone over after for a quick breakfast brunch before we headed up to her cousin Cambri's blessing later on that afternoon.

Monster

Scott loved when his Dad would play monster with him. He would get some crazy clothes on to distort his body, wet his face and put flour on it. The lights went off and Scott and his siblings would hide. His Dad would snort and make monster noises as he swept the room for his prisoners. He specifically remembers the fear he had. He knew it was his Dad, but he did not want to be found. With this memory on his mind, he decided our kids should experience this too. As you can see from the pictures he was a great monster! The kids had a blast, and yes, I think that they felt the same fear that there Dad did when he was younger. Mission accomplished!

Playing House

Avery came out of her room with Afton in her "baby stroller". It was really cute, but I told her that we should really just keep her baby dolls in that stroller, and not her baby sister. Especially because she wasn't buckled in!

Avery's Help

Avery is my right hand helper, and has been since she was born. It is truly innate in her to be a mother. So since she is the oldest and has been around for Crew's and Cade's baby years, she is now an Expert on babies (didn't you know)! Afton was asleep in her car seat upstairs, so I was getting some things done. I walked passed the boys room to find Avery and Crew talking on Cade's bed. I thought that Avery was holding one of her many dolls, but as I looked a bit closer, it was Afton. She was acting as casual as could be. I had to take a picture of my June bug holding her sister with ease. I do appreciate her help, although I really try and let her know how little Afton is, and that she is not one of her dolls. All in all, she does pretty good. She has loved having her little sis to take care of. I love my girls!!

Crew's Photo Directions

After I had taken pictures of Afton and Avery, Crew wanted me to take pictures of him and Afton. He was so hilarious I felt it needed his own post recognition. I took a picture of him holding Afton, and he says, "No Mom, I want you to have her lay down, and me lay next to her." So we did that... Then he says" Now this will be so cute." and he puts his hand on his chin, and leans over her... Then " Now you go behind me and show her cute little face." So I do that. And then he says "I want you to lay her on my baseball pillow cause it's so soft." And then after that Avery and Cade were jealous and wanted in on the pictures. It cracked me up how specific he was. Here are yhe results.

Happy Anniversary

Scott and I celebrated our 7th Anniversary on the 8th of this month. He is always so sweet to bring me flowers, especially on special days like today. I have always said that I don't need flowers, that they are a waist of money; but I must admit that when I get them I do love them. They are so amazingly beautiful, and smell so good. I am so lucky to be married to such a wonderful husband. He truly is my beloved one.