Christmas {FP}

Christmas was so much fun this year!! All of my siblings and their families came to town. It was only slightly hampered by the fact that everybody (with the exception of about five people) got the stomach flu somewhere along the line. Luckily it was only about a 12 hour thing. We just laughed every morning to find out who had caught the bug over night.
Some of the highlights of the week...

Summer came in on Thursday night and my kids still had school on Friday, so we took Reece, got happy  meals and surprised my kids at school with lunch. They thought it was awesome to have their cousin and a happy meal at school!

We all went to see Big Hero 6. Cute show that the kids loved.

Dinner at Alli and Nic's with a movie for the kids in their newly finished bonus room.

Christmas Sunday.

The Polar Express came on Tuesday night. My parents decorated the trailer and Ranger with Christmas lights. While the kids and dads went on the ride, us ladies made homemade donuts, hot chocolate, and decorated the basement and set up the Polar Express Store. The kids thought it was just magical. It didn't hurt that they went home with a huge bag of goodies!

Painting nails, painting faces, making ornaments, playing games, staying up too late....

The nativity put on by the kids is always a favorite. I was impressed with how reverent and quiet they were during the whole thing with present opening looming over them. We sang while Summer read. It was super sweet and tender.

Cousin gift exchange is always a favorite too. The cousins were all so patient waiting their turn to open their presents. They were excited to see what everyone got. They loved and appreciated what was given them. They are some pretty amazing little people.

Gramzee and Grandpa Paul's Christmas Eve boxes. Pajamas wasn't enough, so the kids got a box full of goodies, treats, books, and of course, pajamas.

And Christmas day. Please. It's the best. Listening to the kids excitedly wait on the stairs until they get the green light to run up and jump in. Their excitement in finding Santa's note back to them. "Mom, Mom! Look what I got!" The smiles when they open that one thing I know they really, really wanted. This year it was a Nintendo 3DS XL for Carter, a china fan for Andi ($3.75 in her stocking), a puppy who walks for Taytum, Doc McStuffins walk and talk for Bentley, and plasma car for Beckett.

My kids LOVED everything they got, from us, from Santa, my parents, their cousins...they are such great kids. I just love and adore them and am so proud of what nice little people they are.

Person of the Year

My dad is kind of a big deal. He was voted "Person of the Year" for Klamath Falls. He does a lot of good things for a lot of people. From the hospital, to church, to more boards than I can count. We feel so blessed to be a part of his family and hang on to his coat tails!

 He didn't know that he had been given this honor, so we surprised him at breakfast. My mom told him she had made reservations for just the two of them at Nibbly's, but when they showed up, this is what awaited.

It was a fun surprise and we are awfully proud and lucky to have this man in our family and community!

Halloween 2014

Halloween was fun between our church Trunk or Treat (which was moved to an indoor door-to-door trick or treat due to rain) and our regular chili and scones home celebration. We went with a "Nightmare Before Christmas" theme. Which, everyone was happy about, except Beckett. He did not want to be Zero the dog. Even though I labored over that costume the most! It was all cute anyways.

 Zero, Jack, Sally, Lock & Stock

 Beckett was so uncooperative and crabby that he didn't even go trick-or-treating with us. He hung out at home with Gramzee and helped pass out candy, which he was apparently very happy with. He hopped up every time someone knocked at the door and happily handed out candy. Weirdo.

School's now in session

No! Say it isn't so! Summer is over and we're back in school. It happened way too quickly! The kids were excited and mostly ready to go back. I feel blessed that they all really enjoy school. Carter, Andi, and Taytum all got great teachers and we are excited for another great year!

Disneyland 2014

Jefferson and my ten year wedding anniversary was last year, and ever since, we've been trying to make an excape sans kids. Well, our eleven year anniversary came and went this summer, and still no trip. Well, we kind of talked about a trip to Disneyland, and then all of a sudden it happened! My amazing mom stepped in and took care of our kids, including getting them to their first soccer games of the season. We left after work on Wednesday, drove down to Fresno, stayed the night and then drove in to do a half day at Disneyland. All the Halloween decor was up and I felt a little guilty the first hour or so that our kids weren't there to enjoy it! Disneyland is still pretty amazing without kids. We held hands everywhere we went, stopped and snacked on whatever we wanted whenever we wanted, I didn't have to share my churro, line waiting (albeit brief most the time) was so easy with no kids, navigating was quick and easy, we could cross the park in two minutes if we wanted... Our really good friends from Idaho, the Swensens, moved down to Carona, which is only about twenty  minutes from Disneyland so we stayed with them. After our day at the park we went out to dinner with them and then back to their house and hot tubbed and stayed up way too late. But guess what! Going to bed and getting up and ready in the morning is so much quicker and easier without having to take care of five kiddos! We spent all of Friday and Saturday in the parks. Saturday got a bit busier, but the other two days were the shortest lines! We had a great time and even the drive, 11 hours of uninterrupted conversation, was enjoyable. It was great to reconnect with Jefferson and we felt ready to head back to real life at the end of it. Thanks everyone who made is possible for us to go!