Santa made it!

Christmas morning was so much fun with everyone. Kim and her family and Tim and his came to grandma's at 7:30 and we all opened presents together. My kids woke up about 20 minutes before that, but we hung out downstairs for a couple minutes, then let them go up and check everything out and open something from their stocking to hold them over!

Koby and his new snow pants

Spencer with his new slippers from his best buddy Hudson (Tim's 7 month old baby) and riding his new board from Santa!

Clay with his loot

The damage a little later that morning!

Christmas Eve brought to you by the grandkids...

This year we sort of let the kids run their own Christmas Eve Program for us. It was really cute. It was just casual and fun for all of us. All my brothers and sisters were at my mom and dad's house for it...

Koby, Spencer and Grandma JuJu started the program with Jolly Old St. Nicholas (with Papa on guitar and singing the beginning). The boys made up their own very silly words for people in the family!

Addie showed off her hula dancing. For some reason she really wanted bright orange vampire teeth in while she danced?

Koby and Austin did a little TaeKwon-Do that Brandon taught them

Papa got crazy with the guitar and singing "Feliz Navidad" while Tim and Shelbie led the grandkids in a fun dance around the snowman!

Todd played a song on the piano while the kids watched...then they each had their turn on the piano.

Finally, JuJu finished it up by telling a short version of the Christmas story using one of her nativities...

Koby and Spencer join a family tradition!

Koby and Spencer in front of Scrooge's bed For as long as I can remember, my whole family (Aunt, Uncles, Cousins) on my mom's side go see "Scrooge" (aka "A Christmas Carol") during the holidays. Thanks to Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa Jerry for starting and keeping this wonderful tradition going. We LOVE it and this is the first year that my boys have been able to go. They had so much fun. It was nice to look at all the character nutcrackers that Grandpa Jerry made and teach my boys the story before we went to the play at the Hale Center Theater in Orem, Utah. The tradition started in Southern California, where Grma and Grpa and all the other Cali fam goes. Sorry about the picture quality...

Waiting for the play to start with Uncle John, Aunt Kim and Austin

A lamppost on the stage with Grandma JuJu and Austin

Joseph and a Christmas Cow

Koby and Spencer had a Nativity program at their preschool just before we left for vacation. Koby was asked to be Joseph, but decided he wanted to be a cow instead. So, they asked Spencer to be Joseph. They were so cute and both of them actually sang all the songs. I was proud of them for singing and not just being silly. Make sure to notice the awesome stable that Brandon built for the school. He did a great job on it! Oh, by the way, Mary is a little girl named Sara who has a huge crush on Spencer! They are good buddies at school.

Growing up before my eyes...

It's a little to early to crawl Clay! But he really wants to...just can't quite get it.

Clay LOVES his tongue. For a long time, whenever you saw him he was sticking his tongue out. He would just like the air and pant like a little puppy!

Clay found a box full of fun... He was entertained for a long time with these legos.

I LOVE this boy!

Tag, I'm it...again!

So last time I was tagged I cheated and tagged my kids! I guess this time I will play along, although I am really not very interesting. I think I am supposed to share some things about me.

1. I have a mild case of OCD or as my mom likes to call it, "the disease". Examples: If there are two light switches that control one light they both should be down when that light is off. It drives me nuts when I walk downstairs and flip the light switch down to turn the light on, that is not right! I can also tell if someone has moved a picture or the angle is wrong with my decorations on tables, dressers, etc. It used to drive me nuts and I would HAVE to fix it right now. I like to end stairs on my right foot. I'll stop there. The disease gets less the more kids I have, but it does live on (Koby)!

2. I LOVE the smell of my baby's breath. Did I say love? Poor Clay probably gets sick of me in his face smelling his breath - it's the best.

3. I am very impatient. I like to know what is going to happen and when. In movies, life, etc. It is part of the OCD/Controlling thing. It makes Brandon nuts! It makes me nuts!

4. I like to pop zits - you know you do too!

5. This is my FAVORITE time of year (even though it is cold) I get so so so sad when Christmas is all over. I want to tear all the decorations down right away because it is just a reminder to me that it's not here anymore. I must get this from my mom who used to hide and cry in her room after Christmas!

Okay, that's enough telling of my secrets!

Birthday Boys!!

Brandon absolutely loves sharing a birthday with Spencer. We celebrated Spencer's 4th day, I can't even believe it and Brandon's 32nd! Spencer has been soooo excited and is so happy that he is finally 4! I feel like he really has been older than 3 for a while now. He is such a cute, fun kid and an awesome brother. We love him so much. And I am so thankful for Brandon and all he does for our family. I feel bad that we didn't do much since it was Sunday. Spencer wanted chicken quesidillas and guacamole and I made fajitas for Brandon. Then, what else but a basketball cake for Spence and chocolate cheesecake for B! We had the Gollhofers over for cake and ice cream and had a great time. I love all my boys and am having so much fun watching them grow up (even though it makes me a little sad!)

Spencer shooting hoops with his new basketball pj's...

Surprise!

My wonderful mom had a birthday last week and Kim and I planned a surprise party for her. It was just a nice dinner with the kids, their spouses and mom's parents (my grandma and grandpa from California). Brandon, Clay and I flew to Utah on Wednesday while Koby and Spencer stayed with Brandon's mom Jennis. We took Thursday to get things set up and ready for the big surprise that night. It was so much fun, mom didn't expect anything and even when it happened she thought it was a joke. My brother, Tim held Clay instead of his baby Hudson while Brandon, G and G and I hid around the corner. Of course mom immediately went to get the baby and realized that it was Clay. A few seconds later Brandon and I came around the corner and mom just stood there. I went to give her a hug and she didn't even move. It took her a minute or two and by then we had G and G come out. Then the crying and laughing started and we got going on a nice evening. We had a great dinner and watched a video that we had put together for mom. It was all of us (and a few of her good friends) talking about why we love her, etc. We had yummy dessert and gave her a scrapbook that Kim and I worked long and hard on. We stayed until Saturday morning and had a great time. Thanks to all for making this trip work! We love you, mom!