Pre-Christmas Playtime!

We had a lot of fun playing during the week before Christmas! We had a girl's pedicure day with Emily (me), Lesa, Marianela & Jenna! It was super fun!!

We took the kids with Emily's family to see the lights at Temple Square! So beautiful! It was cold & crowded, but we loved seeing all the lights, the nativity, and watching "Mr. Kreugars Christmas" at the visitors center! 

The kids had fun making gingerbread houses with Grandma McDougal and their McDougal cousins!

And they also had fun playing Christmas games (Bingo, Don't Eat Pete, etc) with Grandma Lesa and their Reid cousins!

Shawn had fun holding/playing with his newest little cousins - Conrad (Joshua & Michelle's)...

And Sara (Steven & Marianela's)...

I love seeing how much he loves the little ones - goes to show he'll be a big helper when our baby comes along in just a few short months!!

Snow!!!

At Granma & Grandpa's house the boys were so excited to see the snow!!

And when it started snowing they couldn't wait to go out and play in it!!!

I love the snow too - especially a fresh snowfall! It is so beautiful with the fresh white powder covering everything from all the trees & rooftops to the ground. Absolutely breathtaking at times!

(Just super cold so I'm glad we don't live in it all winter, but fun to have it when we visit at Christmastime!!)

Christmas Vacation!

We're on our way!! We went to UT for Christmas....it's getting harder to do so - difficult to fit all of us and all our gifts in the van! Here's the kids loaded in the car with everything else! (Honestly looks worse in the picture than what it was!)

First stop..... Las Vegas!!!

We stopped half way and spent the night in Vegas. Spent a little touristy time at the M&M factory...

And the Coca-Cola factory...

Next stop.... Grandma & Grandpa's house in Utah!!

Shawn the Indian

Shawn had to do a report in school about a group of American Indians. Part of that report was dressing up like the person/people you were doing your report on and give an oral report about them. So here he is dressed up in his Indian costume....

And yes, he is wearing pantyhose! hahaha!!!

(with gym shorts on underneath of course for modesty! lol)

Loops of Lights

Last year we found this awesome neighborhood close to us has does a loop of lights each December. It's so fun to walk around and see all these houses decked out! I think it is becoming a new tradition that we walk around it each year! There is one house at the very end of the loop that is CrAzY decked out with lights. House and yard completely covered! And it lights up and flashes and goes to music playing! It's super cool!

The boys sure love sitting and watching it

Very fun night as a family! Beautiful AZ winter weather and beautiful Christmas lights and music! Doesn't get better than that!

Christmas Band Concert

Shawn's 6th grade band had a Christmas band concert - on Brady's birthday! 

We went and listened to it, then headed out to dinner for the birthday boy right after!

They really are sounding better each time we hear them! And Shawn is loving playing the trumpet! I love that he has something musical that he is loving to do! 

Brady's 9th Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to the craziest and funnest 9 year old around!

Brady is so funny, with his birthday in December I figured he was sick of sharing with the month of Christmas! BUT, he told me he loved it because we could put his presents under the tree! I wasn't planning on it, but after he said that, guess what I did? Put his presents under the tree!!!

Taking cookies to his school for a treat for his special day!!

Opening presents....He was so excited for art stuff, a pogo stick, wireless headphones (to watch movies in the car on long trips!), some legos and a mix of other things, but most of all he was excited for...

A new case for his now FIXED iPod! (It had been broken and we were making him save up money to fix it, but we sneakily did it for him for his birthday!)

We went out to dinner for his very favorite food....Carne Asada street tacos at Morenos!! (I know, not a normal kid's "favorite meal"!)

Then home again later for some yummy birthday cupckaes!!!

The birthday boy with his brothers...

Make a Wish!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRADY!!!!

We sure do love you!!!!!