Happy New Year!!!

New Years Eve...

Happy New Year!

* Happy Sumo take out

* Family Movie Party

* Play Games

* Dance around like crazy maniacs

* Sparkling cider

* 5 4 3 2 1 Count Down!

Tubing at Soldier Hollow

Seth and Camie planned this very fun day for all of us in honor of Cole's birthday. We had a blast! It does not matter how old you are, when you sit in a tube and fly down a snowy mountain you definitely feel like a kid. We had a ball.

Francesca loved going down the slope solo. She thought she went faster that way.

Isabella, Charley, and Olivia laughed for two hours straight. I actually never saw them again until our time was up. They were having to much fun to stop.

Noni and Finnegan

Wade, Dad, Clint, Julia, Francesca, Cecily, Finnegan, Carmen, and Mack

Pap loved being with Cecily and Francesca.

Mack and Clint

Joseph, Emma, and Lauren

"The Saddle"

Santa Claus brought Finnegan a saddle for Christmas! It is just the right size and his feet fit the stir ups perfectly! So today at 5:00am Finnegan woke me up and asked me if he could go horseback riding and use his new saddle. I tried to stall him for a bit but by 7:00 it was no use. We were on the road shortly after and heading to Midway in zero degree weather. Pap was happily awaiting Finn's arrival and together they braved the freezing weather and Finnegan got to ride Big Red using his very own saddle.

The Nativity

I always love being at the cabin and doing the Nativity. Somehow all of the kids quiet down and there's a certain feeling that fills the room. I think Mimi has a lot to do with it... she has a gift.

Christmas Day and Grandpa Santa

On Christmas Day we head up to the Cabin and it is so much fun. Mimi makes the day wonderful and makes all of us feel so special.

This year we even did Grandpa Santa on Christmas Day. It has become such a fun tradition. My kids are so excited and look forward to it every year. We usually do it on December 23rd but Mimi and Grandpa work in the Temple on Wednesdays (and the 23rd was a Wednesday) so we changed it this year.

Grandpa and baby Myles

Uncle Matt helped Finnegan build Legos for hours.

Finnegan was so happy! Thanks Matt!

The kids made the nice list!

We love Christmas morning!!!

It is so exciting and full of wonder.

All of our kids were up by six o'clock but they tried very hard to let Tyler and I sleep for a little bit longer. I heard Finnegan say, "Oh my gosh, there's a saddle down there. He was thrilled, to say the least. It was so much fun to see our sleepy-eyed kids so surprised and excited.

Cecily carefully opened each package and savored every minute of the morning. Cecily asked Santa for the American Girl, Chrissa, and she got it! She was so excited.

Francesca loved her furry hat from her Daddy. She wore it the entire morning. I think Tyler loved it too. Santa brought Francesca "Molly. She was so excited about the tiny pair of eyeglasses that Molly wears.

Isabella also asked Santa Claus for an American Girl Doll. She was so so excited that she actually got one and it was sitting in a wheel chair, which was just awesome to Isabella.

Finnegan got a saddle!

He could hardly believe his eyes! It is the perfect saddle... made just right for Finnegan. The stirrups are the perfect length and Finn couldn't be happier.

After the kids were all finished opening their presents and showing them to each other, they saw a red tin box addressed to all of them. They quickly gathered in a circle and opened it together. Inside there was a golden bell from Santa's sleigh. They had each wished for the same thing and there it was... a "sleigh bell". They were so excited. I think they loved the bell almost more than anything else.

Christmas Eve 2009

Christmas Eve day is eventful and wonderful. The boys are in charge of entertaining all of the kids and keeping them away from the kitchen. So, this year they went snowmobiling, tubing, and even were invited to go on a horse drawn sleigh. How fun is that?

Tyler, Isabella, Finnegan, Cecily, and Francesca

Mack

If you know me, you know that Christmas Eve is my favorite night of the year... it's hard to explain why. I just love it. I love all of the love and work that goes into it, the heat of the kitchen, the variety of delicious aromas, the Christmas china, the delicious food, and of course family. Everyone's relaxed and enjoys it all... even the "grandkid show". This year we even had a special performance of "All The Single Ladies" by Clint, Seth, and Wade.

*The Nativity*

All the grandkids except Lincoln and Eva Marie (they're still a little young to travel to Utah).