It's the Holiday season

Christmas time this year was crazy busy!  I felt like I was always on the go with no time to blog.  So here's a recap.

We started it all off with a trip to the Draper Park's annual tree lighting ceremony where the kids met Santa (see previous post), took a hay ride and saw the "Tree of Life"!!!

 

We also took part in the Draper's candy cane hunt.  I don't think we'll do that again.  I hate mobs of people.  My phone also died after this picture. 

Emily performed in her Orchestra Christmas program.

 My mom put together a neat 12 days of Christmas for the kids.  The 1st day was making my Grandma Morrell's sugar cookies in remembrance of the most giving lady we know.  Other days including Christmas stories, books, treats and little presents.  My kids looked forward to opening another sack each day! 

 My cute kids on the Sunday before Christmas

 Jane got into stealing my phone and taking pictures of our Christmas decorations.  Here's one of them.

 

Christmas eve day my kids and I spent the day with Raquel at her house while Bart was at work.  Then we met up at his parents house and went to the traditional sing along at their stake center, came back for some homemade pizza and then watched the kids open the yearly Pajama extravaganza.  After all the kids changed into their new p.j.'s reality of having  9 kids under the age of 9 became apparent.  Here's a picture of a bunch of grown up's trying so hard to make a nice magical moment.  Instead Emily started crying past the point of settling down because she couldn't be seen in "Sofia the First" P.J.'s since princesses are for little girls and she is not one of them. She flat out refused to be in the picture.   The little ones wanted their mom's.  Andrew wanted a baby to hold and picked Aaron.  Aaron didn't want anything to do with being held like a baby and of course obedient Max keeps smiling while Benny poses like spiderman.  In time this picture will bring back such fond memories of all the little's at Christmas time. 

Christmas morning was so magical for me.  We woke up around 7:30 to the glistening morning light of the first fresh fallen snow of the season.  My kids are at the perfect age for a joyous Christmas morning. My favorite was when they pulled the blanket off the Santa presents and got just what they expected!  

 

Emily's favorite present was the much anticipated calico critter house

Here's Jane getting Aaron excited for his new train table.  More to come about Jane's favorite present.  

 

Aaron's favorite present was this toy tool kit and tool box.  He's been measuring, hammering, and screwing all sorts of things around the house since.  

 

 The day after Christmas Bart got to work at home which meant as soon as he was finished he took the kids sledding on a hill next to the school. 

For New Years Eve we decided to spend the night along with Sarah's family at Brooke's house.  I got too caught up in the moment to take pictures of all of us playing minute to win it games but believe me it was hilarious to see grown men and kids try to move a cookie from their forehead to their mouths without using their hands.  The kids also really enjoyed building pyramids and taking them down.  Aaron was right in the action loving it each time the pyramid collapsed.  Here's a picture of the huge pyramid the girls build the next morning with all the cups.   

 The last couple days of the holidays were spent relaxing in Teasdale.  The day before we arrived Teasdale received 13 inches of new snow.  It was perfect timing to allow Bart to pull the kids on a sled in the field behind the four wheeler.    They also spent some time just playing in the snow.

To end all the family fun we attended Baby Bergun's baby blessing!!  It was a special day.  If ever there was an angel sent to Earth it would be this precious one.  She has the sweetest spirit that can be easily felt. 

Now if only the holidays could stay a little longer!!!