Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve is always tradition for us, as I am sure it is for most of you. We spend the day together as a family, mainly at home recouping from the stressful work week prior to Christmas. We start our evening out with a full course meal at my Moms....



Her table is always perfect, and beautiful. The food is always great, perfectly cooked prime rib and lobster. Good soup and salad to start us off and more food that we can ever eat. Thanks mom for always making Christmas Eve such a wonderful event.


It was late when we got home from my moms so we sent Weston to bed fast, I didn't get a chance to get any pictures with him. We did get a few minutes in to open new PJ's and slippers, the boys were so excited about blanket sleepers - they'd been asking for them each time they saw them in the stores. We then read Was the night before Christmas as a family, talked about Christmas again to the boys and how it really is about the birth of Christ and not presents. Then we set out cookies and milk, wrote thank you letters to Santa, and off to bed the boys went.

This is what Santa left the boys! I think they will be so excited in the morning... off to bed.

Zoo Lights

Took the boys up to the Zoo for their light display. We have an annual pass and thought that it would be a free event... it wasn't. But we couldn't tell them no when we were at the gate all bundled up. We hadn't ever been, none of the animals were out... but still fun to see all the lights and animation.

Weston was not really happy about being in the cold. We made it quick!

Me and the boys at the Asian Highlands

Preston and I at the carousel.

Bryson on the carousel, he is in the red coat

Preston by the spider

Bryson and Preston by the train!

Christmas Sunday

I went very formal this year for their Sunday outfits. Darren up and bought a suit for the first time in our marriage - I am loving that... I think he looks sooo good in a suit! So I thought I would match up our wonderful boys to look better than dad. I thought that finding burgundy would be easy for an outfit for me, it was not. My wonderful husband went from store to store with me trying to find anything. We finally found this sweater and I think it was just right. I loved the way it turned out.

Our family, Bryson (6-1/2) Preston (4) Weston (10 mon)

Our handsome Bryson!

Our handsome Preston

The boys - Weston would not sit still!

My boys, I love them sooo much!

Me and the boys.

Ward Party

We went to the ward Christmas party tonight. They had a great turn out this year, and did a Luoa theme which turned out much better than I thought it would be. The food was great. Here are a few pics from the evening.

Daddy and Bryson - boy they are handsome!

Mommy and Preston - it is hard to get Preston to look at the camera

The kids got to make candy leah's, here is Preston's....

Here is Bryson!

Weston decided to crash on the floor shortly after dinner...

Thanksgiving Point

We took the boys to see the lights at Thanksgiving Point ... they loved them! The display is always put on so well. We also went down to meet up with someone about our Christmas surprise for the boys... you'll have to wait to see!


Daddy and Weston!

Bryson and Preston by the reindeer

Decorating for Christmas

Bryson has been wanting to put our tree up for several weeks now. Finally it is time. I am one of those that has to wait until Thanksgiving is over before we take out an ounce of Christmas decorations. Bryson helped decorate the tree, it is nice to have him old enough to help. Preston will still just throw the ornaments at the tree.

As you can see from the bottom of this picture, Weston has already made a break for the tree and it starting to take it apart. This will be a fun adventure.

The stockings hung over the stairs with care...

Our finished tree!

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, it was so nice to be off work and a family for 4 days straight~ Darren's parents did a breakfast this year instead of dinner, which made it nice to not have to choose between parents. I went back home to finsh my 12 layer Jell-O... yes that's right I take 4 hours to make Jell-O each Thanksgiving, I guess it's a tradition. Darren loves it, my boys won't touch it, and it usually gets a few takers at dinner. My mother put on the usual wonderful, movie worthy dinner. She has this amazing way to present dinner on a fancy table, with all the courses of dinner. It was amazing as usual, Thanks Mom! We don't go out for Black Friday, I find that crazy! But we did do a bit of shopping later in the day. Bryson was so excited to put up the Christmas decor so we did that Friday morning. Saturday, Bryson came down with a fever and chest cold. So we spent most of the day in... he did feel up to going to see Bolt. It was a cute movie, the boys liked it. I am so grateful for my family, my husband and my 3 healthy boys. I feel so lucky to have all that I do in my life. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!