Our giving tree

This year we started the Christmas season off by doing a FHE lesson about the importance of giving during the Christmas season. We talked about when we serve and lift others we are actually giving gifts to Jesus. We started with an empty tree and every time we did an act of service we would put an ornament of our giving tree. The kids really had fun with this and they were looking for opportunities to earn their ornament. I think this will have to be a Christmas tradition in our home it really helped us remember the reason for the season. Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas 2010

This was our first year having a Christmas Eve home together just as our little family. We had fun decorating cookies for Santa, and Derek read the "Grinch" We watched a cute movies about St. Nicolas. And then off to bed. Here are their Christmas jamies and pictures of them tucking in to bed waiting for good old St. Nick to arrive
Christmas morning waiting at the bottom of the stairs..........Let me remind you they woke up at 5:45 this year.
Opening presents...
Excited about all the new fun things Santa brought. What a great Christmas morning!!!

Off the the Grandparents

First we went to the Downey's. The kids had fun opening presents, and we had a few good laughs as they pulled out old videos of the Downey kids when they were younger. They also got a wii as a family gift with a bunch of fun games to play together. That was a blast also.
Then off to The Chalmers. Bounce made it in town for Christmas this year which it is always so nice to have us all together since it doesn't happen very often.
We had food
And of course singing and showing off our talents. Grandma also taught the kids a new song called "The Miracle" which is a beautiful primary song.
Then of course presents. I have to tell you about the picture with Lex. Little Lex has just developed a huge love for Cameron, almost to the point that she can't look at him without getting embarrassed. She talks about him often and even once told us that she was so scared of getting baptized but if Cameron would baptize her she would do it. She is just so cute about her love for Cameron. Well Cameron drew her name for Christmas this year and made her the pillowcase with his picture on it. She was so shy when she opened it, but she had loved it so much!! She was so excited to sleep on it the first night. (She gave it a few hugs and kisses when she didn't think we were looking :) )

Kali and Lexi's dance class

The girls are both in dance this year. Kali in Jazz and Lexi in ballet. Their teacher has a parents week in December where we get to come into their class and watch. It was so cute!!

Downey family Christmas party

I always look forward to the Downey family Christmas party every year. I love all the people there and love getting to catch up. Plus they have the tradition to make this amazing prime rib. It is by far the best recipe I have ever had.
Derek Cousin Tyson and his wife Steffanie
Fun Reindeer game. The first team to successfully take the reindeer poop from one bowl to the other wins. Super fun night..

This year was so much fun going to temple square to see the lights.
We decided to take the tracks up there since we knew the boys would love getting a change to ride on the train.

Great night even though it was a little exhausting keeping track of all the kids...Well worth it!!

Making our Christmas train

This year instead of a gingerbread house we decided to do a train since the boys are in love with trains right now. Super fun night!!

Lexi loves to be silly

So I come upstairs the other day after folding laundry and this is what I find. Sometime she gets so silly....And I love it!!

Lexi's 6th birthday party.

So much so be thankful for

We decided tonight for FHE to make a "thanks"giving turkey. We had the kids each write some of the things they were thankful for an some feathers and then we made our family turkey. I am always very grateful for this time of year when we take the time to remember all the things that we have to be thankful for. I have a list a mile long and it is amazing how when you stop and take the time to look at all the blessings in your life it is almost overwhelming. I had a lady who I love dearly in our ward who has been fighting cancer, and she spoke to our stake relief society on thankfulness. I remember her saying that she had a night that she couldn't sleep because she was so nauseated and in pain. So she decided to write down all the things that she has been blessed with. She said that you can literally spend an entire night counting your blessings. I appreciated so much her talk it was at a time that I needed to really stop and think about all the blessings I had in my life and realize that I had it really good. I hope that through this Thanksgiving week we will all stop and notice all that we have and give credit where it is owed.
Happy Thanksgiving!!

Super easy hooded towel

My sisters and I made these cute hooded towels for our kids. They are super easy and really cheap. But the cutest thing about them are the darling faces that go inside. :)

Halloween

Halloween costumes

Masquerade ball princess
Fancy Nancy
Buzz Light Year
"To infinity and beyond"

Halloween sugar cookies

halloween fun

Decorating pumpkins

Grandma Chalmers every year has the grandkids come to her house and she makes her yummy spiced sugar cookies with them. This year after making cookies with Grandma Chalmers the kids went and delivered some of them to Great Grandma Kocherhans.

Fun ideas for halloween

The cone witch
paper candy corn
Spider straw
Vampire suckers
cone witch hats.