A Bit of Christmas

Here is Gracie decorating the Christmas tree.
(Don't worry, we are fully aware that we need a new tree! This one has been in my family for probably 20 years! It's on its last leg!)

Here is Parker decorating the Christmas tree.

Sipping hot chocolate after working so hard to decorate the tree.

These next three are at the ward Christmas party. Phil was in Texas with our camera so a sweet friend from the ward took these pictures for me.
Here they are singing and waiting for Santa to come.

I love Santa's faces in these pictures! He gave the kids a bell from his sleigh!

Gracie asked Santa for The Littlest Pet Shop things and Parker asked him for Stars Wars stuff!

BBQ at the Lake

Some might say it's crazy to have a BBQ at a lake at the end of November, but we say it's AWESOME! It was in the 80's! Crazy! Do I dare admit that I'd like it to get a bit colder by this time of year?! We had fun grilling turkey burgers and eating our food with the bees! Okay, maybe the bees weren't so fun. There were tons of them swarming our food! The kids loved throwing rocks and being by the water. Grandma Stephenson is a great rock finder! They kept her busy getting them rocks. They were so entertained with Phil and his dad launching huge rocks into the water and getting each other wet. I'm not sure who had more fun, the kids or Phil and his dad! :)

Check out that bee flying right between Gracie's eyes!
(you can click on the picture to enlarge it)

Rainforest Cafe

While Phil's parents were here they took us out to dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. The atmosphere is so much fun there! Every so often they have a mock rainstorm in the restaurant where the lights flash off and on and you hear thunder. Parker thought it was the coolest thing ever! You could tell it scared him a bit, but he tried to tell us it didn't. :) Parker is the funniest kid when it comes to scary things because he seriously scares so easy, but he loves it! I don't get it, but it sure makes for some good laughs! I can't help but to hide around the house and jump out and scare him just to see his reaction! Back to dinner.....for dessert we ordered a Volcano. It was so delicious!

Thanksgiving!

This year we were lucky enough to have Phil's parents come to our house for Thanksgiving! We had so much fun with them! Thank you for coming! We also loved having our good friends Matt and Vanessa celebrate the holiday with us too!

Two Emotional Peas in a Pod!

Gracie and I heard the Trans-Siberian Orchestra song "Christmas Canon" in the car the other day and after it was over she told me she was trying hard not to cry. What she didn't know is that I was trying just as hard in the front seat not to cry too! It amazes me how beautiful music (even with only a few words) can touch a sweet little five year old heart. We are two emotional peas in a pod! I love that little girl!

This is the most amazing time of year! I feel so blessed to be able to experience the Christmas spirit every year! I can't express enough how meaningful family is. I am so blessed to have 2 amazing extended families! I miss you all so much! We cannot wait to come home and spend Christmas with Phil's family and my family! Yay for the gas price drop.....another blessing! :)

Last night we had our ward Christmas party. Phil was in Texas so I took Gracie and Parker. The night didn't start off great because Parker wouldn't eat his dinner at home (not even one bite!) so I told him he wouldn't be able to have cookies and hot chocolate at the ward party if he didn't eat. He told me in a peppy voice and with a smile, "That's okay mom, I don't need cookies and hot chocolate!" Sure enough the second we got there he lost his composure and cried for an hour for cookies and hot chocolate. I stood my ground and didn't give in! (Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I think it depends on who you ask....if you were to ask Grandma, she'd tell you I'm mean and cruel!) Santa came and so the kids got to sit on his lap, which I am so thankful for because it'll probably be their only chance to do so this year. We always get to see Santa at my family Christmas party every year, but this year we can't make it. :( I have to say that it was a hard night for me. Christmas parties are supposed to be shared with your husband and family. It was sad for me to be without Phil and our families. I love my little babies though and I'm thankful I got to share the night with them. The kids were disappointed though that I couldn't find Santa's sleigh for them. We drove around looking for it, but Santa hides his sleigh well! :)

We want to tell all of our family and friends that we love you and wish you the spirit of Christmas!

Time?

I have been crazy busy lately and not able to update the blog. School finals are coming up for me so I've been busy wrapping up the quarter and studying. Phil has been gone to interviews for residency so I haven't had much "me" time. But that's okay! It won't last forever! Stay tuned because I will make some new posts soon.