Christmas Eve

For Christmas Eve we went out to my parents' house for hors d'oeuvres and Christmas Eve activities.

The kids colored pictures of the nativity. Some didn't last very long.

 

 

They opened their Christmas jammies from Grandma and Grandpa

 

 

These guys know the routine now, they would say things like, "I wonder what our pajamas will be like this year." or "I can't wait to open our pajamas from Grandma."  Little stinkers. ;)

 

Back at home we had to get our yearly pics in front of the tree.

Ready for Santa to come:

Catmull Christmas Party

This year the theme for the Catmull Christmas party was The Polar Express! We came in our pajamas and had breakfast for dinner. Now that's my kind of party!!! Nate's cousin did an amazing job, there was every kind of cereal imaginable on the cereal bar, as well as all the traditional breakfast foods.  I really do need to take better pictures of her work. We got our tickets punched and boarded the "train" headed for the North Pole, and guess what? Santa was there!!

Braiden:

 

Santa should have brought one of these for all the kids so they don't fight over it during church. ;)

 

Hudson:

All things Ninja Turtle for this kid!

 

Brody:

 

Brody got a Boise State football.

 

No tears this year!!

 

 

Joslyn is saying, "I wanted this!"

 

Such a fun evening, and a fun tradition!

Thanksgiving Weekend Fun

 

 

Every year I say, "lets just go buy a fake tree." That way we don't have to drive up the mountain, get stuck, hassle with other drivers on the one way roads, walk around the mountain trying to find the perfect tree that has been growing beautifully for 35 years (no kidding) just to cut down and put in our house for a month then throw out!! But then mid November rolls around and all I can remember is the fun of it all, I long for the fresh cut tree smell and the chill of the mountain air. Then we get up there and I say, "why didn't we just go get a fake tree." :)

 

No, it is a fun tradition. Although I do feel bad cutting down a tree that has been growing for longer than I have been alive!

So here's our Christmas tree!

 

 

 

This one was a bugger.  It had a little bit of a crooked trunk so it tipped over TWICE. (eiyiyi!)

 

After our fun day on the mountain we made our way to the Rupert Square to enjoy some hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls and to watch Santa Clause turn on the lights and then watch the fireworks. This just might be the favorite Thanksgiving weekend tradition!! I love it, some years it is freezing cold but this year the temperatures were pretty mild!

 

Here's the kids watching the fireworks:

 

My mom is amazing! She made and put together gingerbread houses for the kids to decorate.  They had so much fun. 

Look at that mess, she's is so brave!

 

 

Here's our little gingerbread village!

 

We saw this idea in the Better Homes and Gardens magazine, so the big girls got to make a snow globe city! Cute!

 

Thanksgiving 2013

 We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with the Mickelsen family!!  Lots of good food and fun playing with cousins!

After dinner per tradition, the guys go out and shoot clay pigeons. Get out the ear plugs!

It was a beautiful day...LOOK at that sky!! Hudson just hung out on the 4-wheeler watching the action.

 

 

 Here's Nate throwing a clay pigeon for Braiden.  He hit some! I was impressed! I wouldn't be able to hit a stationary target, and a moving one, not in a long shot! (OOooohahaha! :D)

Here is my brother and my nephew. (father and son)   Last time we measured I was only taller than Ethan by about an inch, I'm sure he's passed me up by now! Freaky!!

 

I love this picture of my dad, my nephew and my brother. (father, son, father, son) I wonder who got the target??

 

While the guys are out shooting the girls stay in an do paper crafts...my fav!

 



Red Fish

 

If you follow me on Instagram this is all old news, sorry

 

We are now at the tail end of July and time for our annual Red Fish Lake camping trip. The kids look forward to this all year. We had to stop at the Shoshone snack bar for lunch and an ice cream yummo!

 

Playing at the lake one day the clouds chased us away, and it was rainy the rest of the day and evening.  That stinks when camping.

But the last two days were sunny and beautiful!

 

I have to get a picture of the kids in this spot every year!

 

And we need a silly picture with the cousins too!

Grandma Camp 2013

 

Here we are at grandma camp. We got to go up to Challis this year, double the fun! My mom had so many fun things for the kids to do, there was no time to be bored.

 

Here's the crew:



 

 

Stick People, the kids hunted for sticks first of all then came in and dressed them up with fabric scraps.  I love Kailey's ballerina (3rd one in from the left.)

 

The awesome thing about the cabin is that has great lighting for taking pictures...not. ;) Here are all the kids holding their stick people.

She even had water bottles with "grandma camp" labels!!!

We panted fingers and toes

 

 

While the boys did a little archery

 

 

 

 

They loved this! Every spare minute they had they were shooting arrows.


Swimming at the hot springs. The first day we went in the afternoon. and it was too hot! The water is about 98 degrees and it was about 85 outside.  Lets just say we were a little sluggish when we got out.
The next day we went first thing in the morning and it was much better.

Bella:

 

Decorating plates

 

 

 Summer snowballs, the kids had fun with this, Brody said, "this is so fun, I wish I could do this every day!"

There were prizes frozen in these ice blocks, the kids had to chisel and work to get them out.  This kept them busy for a long time!

 We had to make a dollar store flip flop run because Bella and Joslyn forget to bring some.  They  picked some cute ones.

 Clothes pin airplanes:

Cherry blossom tree paintings

I love these kids they get along so well together. Thanks Grandma for all the great memories