Neighborhood Christmas Activity

We have a local shopping center just behind our house.  Every year they shops in the center have a big Christmas celebration.  Every business has a different activity for the kids, free goodies, and treats.

Since we live away from family and we don't get to participate in family Christmas parties.  It sometimes doesn't feel like Christmas with out all of the traditional parties and celebrations.  We have tried to make our own special traditions.

A Papa Murphey's just opened in the shopping center and were giving out all kinds of goodies and coupons.  Yum!

A hair salon was putting chalk in kids hair.  Grant didn't want any color in his hair, but Celeste was cool with some fun pink in her hair.

One store had a real reindeer available to pet.  Celeste loves animals and thought the reindeer was really neat.

Another store had cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus.  Grant liked this idea except for the decorating part.  That kid!

The spa and pool business had ice fishing for the kids. Celeste just wanted the ducks and to play in the water.  Grant thought it was really fun.

We had our picture taken with a miniature horse.  I think I have an animal lover!

We waited in line to see Santa.  It was a really long line, but worth it.  Santa was really neat and actually talked to the kids about what they wanted.  He was a cute Santa.  Grant was a great sport and sat on his lap and told him everything he wanted.

Celeste on the other hand....

For the Birds

We stayed home for Thanksgiving this year.  We knew we would be traveling to Utah for Cindy and Mark's wedding the next weekend.  We had a delicious and quiet dinner with just our small family.  It was amazing!

Later in the weekend we went out my friend and colleague, Michelle and husband Peter's, house to see some pigeons and chickens.  Celeste is OBSESSED with birds and thought she had died on gone to heaven when she could sit on the ground with the chickens.  Celeste had fun feeding the chickens.  She couldn't get enough of it.

Then Peter let out the roller pigeons.  Grant thought it was so cool.  The pigeons started flying and after a few minutes they started "rolling" by doing back flip in the air.  It was really pretty awesome.  Even Kyle thought it was neat and he can be a tough crowd to please.  

Celeste was nervous to pet the bird, but she was all smiles and giggles. 

Grant was honored to get to hold one of the pigeons.  When he was done holding the bird he just let it fly away.

Mr. and Mrs. Maybury

I got these pictures a few months after the wedding any way,  and then I have just been super busy.  I finally would like to share them.

It was fun to be part of the brides maids.  I got to be in the bride room with Karlee before the wedding.  It was fun just watching her get ready. She looked so beautiful!

Celeste was a flower girl.  She threw some petals on the ground until she rounded the corner of the building.  When she saw everyone looking at her she gave up the flower petal throwing and just smiled and waved. 

Grant did a really good job pulling the wagon.  He was a little nervous, but still did a great job.  No one was really watching him anyway.  Everyone was busy waving at Celeste!

After the ceremony we all danced down the aisle.  We felt a little goofy!

Chris was married on Irene's birthday!

The entire wedding party!

Mr. and Mrs. Dawson

On December 5, 2014 Cindy and Mark were married.  They have dated for a while and almost were married in March of this year.  

I don't know Mark very well because we live so far away, but he makes Cindy happy and that is all that matters.  We were happy to get a chance to see her and celebrate this happy occasion.

Lee came up from Arizona and it was so much fun to visit with him.  We don't get to see him very often. 

I love Cindy's eyes in this one. Grant was chanting the whole time for Mark to stuff her face with cake.  He did a pretty good job.

The wedding was pretty small and very simple.  The ceremony and small reception afterwards lasted only about an hour and a half.  When I was taking the kids home I asked Grant if that was a short wedding.  Grant said, "no, mom.  It was still ridiculous long."  I then asked him how he would have liked the wedding to go.  (In my mind I am thinking it couldn't have been any faster.  I thought an hour and a half for a wedding was pretty darn good.)  Grant answered, "Just have them kiss.  Boda-boom-boda-bang.  Be done." I started laughing and asked him if this is how he wants his wedding to go.  He responded, "no.  At my wedding we are having a huge party!"  I'm still laughing about it!

Halloween 2014

I am catching up on all my pictures!  Halloween.  Halloween was a blast!  I took the Celeste and two neighbor girls to Kyle's work in the afternoon for some office trick-or-treating.  I love office trick-or-treating for little ones because it is warm and the kids get a lot of candy for little effort.  

After Grant got home from school we ate dinner and got on our costumes.  Grant went with the neighbors to some "far away" ward members.  These ward members decorate the houses all out and some give out full size candy bars!  

I stayed home with Celeste and she was not happy about getting left behind.  She really wanted to be with the other kids.

She was so excited when she finally got to go outside.  She wouldn't stay put for a picture and this was the best I did.

Grant was going to be a super hero this year, but as you can see that didn't happen.  Last year, we found a Hulk and Captain America costume for pretty cheap.  The costumes still fit and so I told Grant that he could dress up in one of the hero costumes.  However, all the neighbor boys were going as ninjas.  (One boy is not pictured below)  Grant really wanted to be a ninja like them.  He was so sad we wouldn't buy him a ninja costume.  So we caved in and bought him a ninja costume.  We surprised him the night before Halloween and he was so excited!

Grant with all his candy!  By the way it is the middle of December and his bucket is still more than half full!  Celeste on the other hand polished her candy off weeks ago.