Christmas Eve

For Christmas Eve the kids made cookies for Santa.

It is a fun little tradition that we always do. Every year we make something different. Sugar cookies, cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies or Chocolate cookies.

It is always fun and exciting.

Picture of the kids in their Christmas jammies at Grandma Oldroyd's.

This is how it looked after Mommy and Daddy put out all our gifts.

Now we wait for the morning to see what Santa brings!

Christmas With Dad and Gladys

All the grandkids at my Dads house.

(Cameron, Luke, Caleb, Brooklynn, McKenna and Zack)

Cameron and Brooklynn opening a gift from Great Grandpa Dennis. It was so sweet, he picked it out himself for all the kids.

Caleb and Zack opening their gift.

McKenna sitting with Josh, opening her gift.

My Dad and Gladys opening the gift we got them.

McKenna loves the animals that my dad got the kids for Christmas. He also got us a family Zoo pass. So fun!

Christmas at the Hotel (Dennis Family)

With my family we decided to do something different this year. We went a week before Christmas and stayed at a hotel. It was fun and different and the kids loved it. We went swimming.

Poor Cameron does not like to be in the water or go swimming, but he tries to be brave.

McKenna didn't get in the hot tub or pool with us, but had fun watching.

Luckily the hot tub wasn't that hot and the kids stayed in for a minute.

The Nativity was fun, but Cameron and Caleb had a lot of fun sword fighting.

Brooklynn was Mary, Zack was Joseph, Caleb and Cameron were shepards and McKenna was an Angel.

Ryan read a story to all the kids.

Then everyone watched a Christmas video.

Loved this one with Cameron and Caleb being so cute.

Time for Gifts!

Thanks Terra for your nice gifts for the kids.

Terra had our name this year and she gave us a gift card to Zupas, some candy and a night out while she babysits.

Brooklynn liked her polly car and gift from Josh, Johana, Caleb, Zack, Luke and baby in Johana's tummy.

It was a really fun Christmas celebration and made it much easier and less stressful for Christmas Even and morning. We decided we will do something like this every year not always a hotel, but do something fun as a family. Thanks Mom!

Ryan's Birthday

 Ryan turned 32 and we first celebrated both Ryan's and Brooklynn's at my mom's house. They had a smurf birthday!

All six grandkids somewhat sitting down. The flash made them all look kinda creepy.

On Ryan's real birthday there were some gifts waiting for him after church.

He loved the head scratcher I got him way back when we were dating so the kids got him one for his birthday.

He also got cash to go get his windows in his car tinted. He was surprised! (He was probably thinking where in the world did my wife get all that money? She doesn't have a job. hehehe!)


Happy Birthday to my Ryan. He's getting old!

Marley

We named our elf Marley. He was a sneaky little thing. 

He loved to hang from things.

And sit on the shelves. Look at those sneaky little eyes. They move!

Always watching!

He can see YOU!

"Don't mind me."

"Wasn't me."

How did Marley get way up there?

Just hanging out with the wise men.

Snow Angels are fun!

We stayed at a hotel with my family and he showed up with my brother's elf Ickabod.

He got really good at climbing.

Marley liked to play games.

The morning after Christmas Marley was back in his package and had left a gift for the kids. What a nice little elf we have.

Thanksgiving

 For Thanksgiving every year we always write down what we are thankful for. Every year we do it in a different way. A few years we would write it down and put it in a pumpkin basket. This year we decided to write it on a tree. I had some blue poster board and so we drew it and then painted it. Then we cut out some leaves and wrote a few of the things we were thankful for. The next 2 1/2 weeks we added some more of what we were thankful for.

 Brooklynn was thankful for lots of things like school, books, animals, family, vacations and lots more.

I am thankful for my awesome husband and kids, books, doctors, my camera, the Gospel, my house and of course lots more.

Cameron is thankful for his pants, movies, Grandpa Oldroyd and Grandpa Budd, Daddy's helicopter and socks. Ryan is thankful for his job, family, Xbox, sleep, running and more.

 McKenna is thankful for sleep, food, brother and sister, blankets and dancing.

 This is only part of what it looked like. It was a lot of fun.

We made apple pie one day and baked them in a muffin tin. We each got to each our own individual pie.

The kids loved it!

 They were yummy!

 This year we had Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Brooklynn brought her pilgrim had from school and Cam had a little indian hat. I am very thankful for Thanksgiving. All of our ancesters immigrated over from Europe, Some from Holland and Ireland and much more. I have a 10th great grandmother who's parents wanted so badly to come on the Mayflower, but never had enough money to make it. Her husband was able to make the dream come true for her, but tragedy struck. Her husband was killed, but she survived. I owe a lot to her.

The kids loved it and ate a great meal.

McKenna didn't eat much more than crackers and yams! No wonder she is such a skinny little thing.

My mom had a fun little treat for the kids to make.

They loved it!

We read some stories that I brought over.

My mom had a surprise for us.

 It was the Elf on the Shelf. The first night scared Brooklynn to death, but after that she was fine and loved it.