Life Lately

...according to my phone

New walpaper that I've been wanting forever.



A crafty Daddy.

A family day. Movies and dinner.

 A visit to the new temple construction site. So excited for this temple! It is so close.

 Park days with friends.

Our anni.

 Libby's gingerbread house that she made at school.

 Libby and her best friend, Kayle, going on a choo choo train ride.

 A Christmas package.

 A gingerbread party with my friend Erin and her family.

 Christmas Sunday with my boisterous, but handsome/ beautiful CTR 7 class.

Life has been super hectic lately! This week I had two preschool parties, scouts (i am a wolf den leader), shopping, wrapping, gift giving, parties, package mailing, park play dates, cookie making play dates, temple lights visiting, preparing for my Sunday school class, and making their gifts! I think December needs to be two months long just to comfortably squeeze all the merriment in! I cant believe Christmas Eve is TOMORROW. Oh my! I need to get on wrapping, grocery shopping, cooking and baking. We have Shawn's family spending Christmas day with us. Then my Mom will spend the rest of the week with us until the new year.

 

I am not sure who is more excited for Christmas morning. Shawn keeps asking if we can open presents! Libby talks non stop about Santa, and "when is Lovey visiting?" I always worry about all the presents that I've picked out. Did I buy enough? Did I get the right thing? Will they love it? Will they know how much i want them to have the best Christmas ever? Oh my, it so much pressure to have everything just right. There are breakfast requests, dinner requests. Did I get enough batteries to go with the presents? But somehow everything always works out. And everyone always has a great day. So I am crossing my fingers for another successful year.

 

And I'm looking forward to the day after Christmas when my Christmas woes will be over. And the kids can just happily play with all their loot, and I can just listen to squeals of delight and laughter. (HOPEFULLY!) And my favorite part shopping the day after sales and start planning for....next year.



MeRry CHristMaS

Brunch at Dad and Nancy's

 The Nativity

Hayden would only be Joseph if Maddie was Mary. Smart boy, she is a looker!

 Hayden opening his present. An xbox.

Amb and I waited in line for over two hours for that baby on black Friday.

 Libby loves her dolly.

 Do you think Ethan likes his present? A 3ds. Hmmm maybe a little. I'll have to try harder next year.

 Christmas morning pull apart, a must for Shawn.

 A Christmas dinner.

 Cousins. Ethan, Maddie, Becca.

This was the best Christmas. I might say that every year, but its true, it just keeps getting better. We usually stay home for Christmas, and have family visit us. But my Mom invited us to spend Christmas with her. My Mom and Darryl have been renovating their house for the last year. Their goal was to have the ultimate grand kids house that is both beautiful and worry free for the kids. Their house turned out more gorgeous then imagined, it is warm, inviting, and comfortable. And childproof! It was such a treat to be able to spend Christmas with my family, and have all the cousins together! It was so festive.

We had brunch at my Dad and Nancy's home on Christmas Eve. And the kids got to open their first (of many) presents. Shawn and Aaron loved their gifts, a headlight, and immediately put them. The boys each got a paper guitar, and rocked out for us, it was quite the show. Christmas Eve we spent at my Mom's and Taryn's family came over for dessert and to reenact the Nativity. The costumes were fabulous.

Christmas day the boys woke up at 5:30 and started to open up presents in their stockings, until I put the kibosh on that and sent them back to bed! At a a more reasonable hour we opened our presents. Libby loved opening her presents, and even opened a few that were not for her, oppse! It was lovely having Christmas on Sunday. How appropriate that we go to church to hear a special message and sing Christmas songs on this special day to remind us of the real reason we are celebrating Christmas. I loved it. After church my Mom and I spent the afternoon in the kitchen preparing dinner. Both of my sisters and my Grandpa Wilson came over for dinner and to open gifts from Lovey and Grandpa, and cousins. It was such a wonderful day. I loved being with everyone. It was a perfect weekend.

The best Christmas present was that my Mom kept my kids! Shawn and I have the rest of the week to ourselves, oh what to do! I miss them, but a little break has been blissful!

teachers gifts

We still have a whole week more of school. So what does this mean? I have a few more days to figure out what to buy the kids school teachers! I am sure they get a lot of really cheesy and lame gifts, and I don't want to be grouped into that category! So I usually stick with gift cards for the movies, or Barnes and Noble. But I am loving these pictures/ ideas!

The first image and idea is from hostessblog.com I love this idea, where can you find the cardboard drink holder? The second image and idea from thecreativemama.com the website also has the tutorial! So clever, but does the recipient have to actually break the jar to get the gift out? That doesn't sound fun. sounds messy, but it is so cute.