Christmas Night

Another tradition we have is to wait until Christmas night to do stockings. It just kills the kids to have to wait all day, but it sure keeps the excitement going all day. We start out with our dinner which usually consists of a bunch of munchie/appetizer type foods.

Then we move on to our gift exchange. The siblings do a family gift for a different sibling each year, and Grandma & Grandpa always have a gift for each of the kids and grandkids. Once the gift exchanging is done, we all dig into our stockings. It's so much fun to be with family on Christmas day!

Bob was having fun holding Evalynne

Miracle was dressed up in a cute Christmas dress.

And when things got chaotic, this is where Pixie would end up. One of these times I am going to make her a pair of antlers. She looks just like a little fawn curled up under these trees!

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning is always a special time. Before the kids can come down the stairs Bob turns on all the Christmas lights and lights the fireplace and makes sure everything is just right. This is a tradition that my dad did when I was a kid. It used to drive all of us nuts because he would "tinker" around and take his sweet time just to highten the suspense. We just had to carry on with that one. Bob really surprised me this Christmas with a most unusual gift. He gave me chickens! Yes, that's right,8 baby chicks. He definitely got points for being creative. We had been talking about getting chickens for a couple of years. He said that he and Tanner will build a chicken coupe on the side of the house. They really are cute. But I think Mugs thinks they were for her. She sat guard over them all day long. She wouldn't let Pixie or the cats anywhere near them. She is such a "Mama".The kids were pretty excited about getting tickets to "The Lion King" and "Wicked" musicals. Bob & I have seen both of them and the kids have always wanted to see them. Lion King is in January, but they will have to wait 'til July for Wicked.

Even Pixie got her Christmas presents. Hey, what can I say...

Family Christmas Party

Every year we have a big family Christmas party the Monday night before Christmas for Family Home Evening. All the kids participate in playing our the nativity while Grandpa reads it out of Luke.

Miracle was a cute little angel and Evalynne was Baby Jesus. Mckenzi played Mary and Tanner was one of the wise men (or as the kids put it...one of the "Wise Guys").Summer lead the music...when she wasn't goofing around with Hannah. We all sing a bunch of Christmas carols then all the cousins have an ornament exchange. It's fun for them to get a different ornament each year to add to their collection.

Then we get a visit from a very special visitor that has been a big part of our family for many, many years clear back when McKenzi was a baby...Santa. McKenzi has had such a bond with him her whole life. She thought it was the most sonderful thing in the whole world because Santa was in her ward and she got to see him every week at church! Even now that she realizes he is one of Santa's special helpers, their bond remains strong. We sure love Santa Don!

Everyone waits their turn and Santa takes the time to visit with each child.
McKenzi & one of her best friends in the whole world!

Christmas Formal

Summer & Brett went with their friends Linda & Brad to Christmas Formal. The gun thing?... Well, were not quite sure what that was...just a funny pose, I guess?!

We had to get pictures of the shoes. Summer felt out of place because she was the only one NOT in Van's

They had a spaghetti dinner here at our house, then they were off to the dance. Afterwards they went to another friends house with about 15 couples for dessert.

Grandma's Cookie Party!

Every year my mother has a cookie party at her

house for all of the girl cousins older than 5. They all learn how to make about 6 different kinds of cookies. More power to my mother for doing this. She transforms her whole kitchen into a cookie shop for the day.

There is sugar, dough, colorful sprinkles, and

candy everywhere! All that aside, the girls all

love it! My mom loves having them over.

Each of the girls got to take home a whole tray full of cookies that they had made.

Then they get to move on to the gingerbread houses. They all love to decorate them in their own way.

Cali's was, of course, quite fancy...being a chef and all.

McKenzi was very proud of her creation. Hannah...you look so thrilled!

Although Summer couldn't make it to the party due to work, she still got to put together a gingerbread house. Grandma put together a kit for her.

Miracle is just getting cuter by the moment! She is at that fun stage (4 months old) where she smiles and squeals all the time now. Grandbabies are so much fun!

Family Picture Time

We had some fun family pictures taken a few days ago. We sure had fun taking them!




We have some good lookin' kids!

This was my kids favorite pose, for obvious reasons! How fun is this?!

Of couse they were all caught off guard with this one.

This was my favorite pose of the kids!

My sisters, Heidi and Autumn, were both in town for Thanksgiving. My mom had the idea for all of us to go and get pedicures the day after Thanksgiving. We had a lot of fun. It was nice since I braved the early morning shopping and I was ready for the pedi. It was nice to have my sisters both here for the holiday.

Thanksgiving

We celebrate with the Peterson side of the family

with dinner one year and dessert on the other. It gives everyone a chance to alternate years with the in-laws. This year happened to be the dessert year. I guess we have always been spoiled with homemade pies every year. Sorry, those who have to put up with store bought...you have no idea what you are missing! We had a spread of about 12 pies plus a plate of brownies with fudge sauce and vanilla ice cream. we had pumpkin, cherry, sweetpotato with a cranberry/pecan topping, a 3 berry rubarb, pecan, traditional apple, cream cheese lemon, lemon/blueberry cheesecake pie, mile high caramel apple pecan (yes, of course, Cali made these last 2) and a couple others that I cant remember off hand. They were all to Die for! Don't they look scrumptious!

Spooky Pooches!

Ok, we had to get the pets in on the whole costume thing too. Pixie wasn't sure what to think about her pumpkin suit. She couldn't really move in it at all!

I made bat wings for Mugs last year. She is such a good dog!

Here is Pixie after the long night, all worn out. Such a pampered princess!

Halloween Night

Halloween night I made my traditional dinner in a pumpkin. It was really yummy! Bob really enjoyed it! Cali came over to pass out candy since no one trick-or-treat's in their apartment complex.

Carter and Dian came over too. Bob set up a TV outside, hooked up a cable so we could watch Poltergeist, eat dinner, and pass out candy.We did not even carve a pumpkin this year, so Carter brought over his that he did. It was quite intricate. The pictures do not do it justice! It looked really cool with the candle lit in it


Here is Evelynne...less than 2 weeks old.

This all just wore Miracle out!