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....

December 27: Part Two

Typically we have a Christmas Eve party with the Murray family on well…Christmas Eve.  This year because were didn't come down until the 26th and Derek and Cyndi can't come on the 24th we moved our Christmas Eve party to December 27th.

This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. In my mind it is not Christmas until we see Irene's Christmas tree and eat Aunt Lorna's delicious pies.

This year was no exception.  Lorna made a wonderful potato soup.  We had other yummy salads and food too.  More importantly we had a great visit with Ross, Lorna, Rachel, Derek, Cyndi, and Irene.  We definitely don't get to see these guys often enough.

We missed having Lee at the party, but here is a picture of Irene with all of the grandkids and great grandkids.

Angry Bird Advent Calendar

My mom gave Grant this Angry Bird advent calendar.  He loved it!  Grant normal wakes up around 8:30 or 9.  There were a number of mornings in December when Grant would wake up at 7:30, open his surprise and go back to bed.  Grant was most excited about the Christmas tree he got on the 24th.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve couldn't come fast enough for Grant.  He was so excited all day.  I ended up going to the hospital for a few hours in the afternoon, but I got home by about 3 PM.  I had to run get a stupid tDap shot for work and then we started to our party!  I realized we didn't have any pictures of the kids with Santa and so we went to the mall to get pictures with Santa.  Of course they wouldn't let me take my own pictures, but because they were ready to close up shop we got a good deal on our pictures.  I will have to scan the picture.

We wanted to go out for dinner and ended up eating at Famous Dave's.  It was delicious!

When we got home we got ready for bed.  Grant and Celeste got new pajamas.  Grant was so excited to open a present he could hardly stand it.  

We had donuts with eggnog and chocolate milk.   Grant put out a donut for Santa.  We read some Christmas stories and went to bed.  Grant had a hard time getting settled down.  He wanted to stay up because we were up.  I finally had to go to bed in order for him to go to bed.  Kyle stayed up and arranged all of our Christmas presents for the kids under the tree. 

Gingerbread Houses

I have a love/hate relationship with gingerbread houses.  I think they are fun to make, but man they are messy! This year we took our houses to a whole new level.  Maybe not in originality, but in ease of construction.  We borrowed our neighbor's wooden gingerbread houses.  The wood is very light weight and all precut so assembly was a piece of cake.  My neighbor also gave me a recipe for Royal Frosting. Wow! That stuff sticks like rubber cement.  Our house are completely earthquake proof.  Normally our houses fall apart and collapse constantly.  The candies fall off and it is just a sticky gooey mess.  This year it was just a sticky mess.  I helped Grant with his house then I was having so much fun I made Celeste and I each a gingerbread house.  

Next year I might not use the wooden gingerbread houses, but the Royal Frosting is a definite must.

Picking Out The Tree

The past two Christmases we had a fake tree because we were in an apartment and didn't have access to our tree stand or any of our decorations.  We were excited to pick out a real tree.  We wanted to get our tree on Black Friday.  Kyle and I went to some of the spots where we saw trees last year, but no one was set up yet.  We were worried we wouldn't be able to get a tree, but then we heard an ad on the radio for fresh trees at a nursery.  Hurray!  

Grant was so excited to get our tree.  He was being silly and put his hat clear over his face.  Then he asked me to take his picture.  

Grant helped us pick out a tree.  He liked this one the best.

Celeste could have cared less and slept through the whole tree picking process.

We had a blast tying the tree to our car.  It was another moment Kyle really missed his truck.  The tree made it home just fine.  It is now decorated and beautiful!  More pictures coming!

Maybury Halloween Family Party

In the past we have carved pumpkins with our immediate and extended families. Since we have moved away we get to have our own family party.  It is bittersweet! 

We started out with a delicious cheese potato soup in honor of my grandma and called it "witches brew."  I made my mom's famous rolls and Grant called them "skeleton pillows."  I made homemade jam the day before and we called it "vampire blood."  I made candy corn cookies for dessert.  Yes, I was cooking all day and was completely exhausted that night. 

We carved our pumpkins.  We had spent the night before picking out our designs.  I got my pumpkin and Grant's pumpkin gutted.  I got half of mine carved, but then I went visiting teaching and Kyle had to carve all the pumpkins including finishing mine.   

I will post pictures of our finished pumpkins.  Kyle's pumpkin was amazing!  He was up until 1 AM finishing his pumpkin.  

We had lots of fun getting ready for Halloween!

A New Conference Tradition

We loved General Conference this year! We always love it, but this session seemed to be extra special. I am edified by the messages to stay firm to the faith.  I didn't find one particular talk stand out more than another.  I thought they were all wonderful.  

I was able to go to the Women's Session and really enjoyed the Spirit I felt.  It was so nice to be uplifted.  I felt like I could take on the world.  

I love traditions and now that we are in a home again and I am not 8 months pregnant we decided to start a new General Conference tradition.  The new tradition is...

SUGAR COOKIES!

I don't love to make sugar cookies because they take FOREVER!  I make my dough the night before and let it chill over night.  Then you have to roll out the dough, cut the cookies, bake them, and finally frost them.  We decided to pick sugar cookies because we are pretty much home for two straight days listening to conference.  We frosted the cookies during the last session.  It was so fun and yummy!  

These are Grant's cookies he frosted.  I thought he did a really good job. 

  Now I don't feel guilty if I don't make sugar cookies for all the holidays.  We will be making Easter/spring ones during spring session.