The Christmas break partying continues...

My kids were not going to let a week off of school go to waste.  We partied and partied and partied.
1. It snowed for about 3 minutes one day and about 5 minutes the next.  It looks like rain...I know.

It  whet their whistles and they wanted to go to Pine Valley and play in the snow with the cousins, but 2.  We went swimming at Washington Rec. Center (Kyle hates playing in the snow).

They love posing for underwater pictures!

George was there too but I gave him the underwater camera, so he took the pictures and he recorded himself going down the hydrotube.

3.  We went to Anti-gravity.  We took Drew and left Matty.  Evan is probably the one we should have left home. First he lost his sock, under the trampoline floor, somehow; then he lost his tooth!

It was buy an hour, get an hour free, and they were exhausted by the end. (at least Em was)

4.  New Year's Eve parties.  We always stop by the rockin' party at TempleView RV.  They dance and play bingo and we ALWAYS win Dixie Direct books. The best part is that they count down the New Year at 9 pm, so there is still time to have our own party.  No, I did not have two dates.  Penny was there too but she wasn't covered with streamers.  Ira took a bunch of pics of us dancing, but I don't have access to them.  Maybe we are on TempleView's web page. :)

Mason volunteered to have the family party at his house this year since he got a ping pong table for Christmas.  I am glad he and Mandy consider Beckstrands part of the Wells family!

We had lots of great food, and I made mini pudding pies so the kids could have a pie eating contest.

 Mason also announced we would be having a polar bear challenge.  

He would heat the hot tub but the only way in would be through the icy pool.

The kids loved it and some of them dunked themselves several times.  

The dads.....were not so brave as to dunk more than once,  and yet a little TOO brave. 

Spencer had it all planned out and had his speedo on under his clothes,

but Mason, not to be outdone.....well....wasn't.  His impromptu bravery had us crying tears of laughter.  He even decided to check the water temperature before he finally took the plunge.  

I'm glad Kyle was not as "brave".

5.  Fiesta Fun
Before Fiesta Fun we had our annual lunch at Golden Corral to celebrate Grandpa Sullivan's birthday.
Then, we cashed in all our free miniature golf gift certificates at Fiesta Fun and took all the cousins.  They golfed about 38 holes, because they ran through so fast we made them go back and do each hole again. 

Another beautiful winter afternoon in St. George.

THE BIG DAY!!

I love Christmas morning with my sweet little family. They are good good kids, and are grateful every year whether they get a little or a lot.  I hope this doesn't go away as they get older.  I get to go downstairs first and turn on Bing Crosby (not literally- just the CD) :) and just enough lights so I can get good footage for posterity.  Then after this picture at the top of the stairs....they get to run down and see the spoils.

Matty is puffing out her chest to show her new Tinkerbell jammies- the look on her face.....

 Recently Santa has been leaving their favorite treat in the kitchen. Someone always gets cheese.  This year Matty got a whole bag of baby cheeses. :) tis the season, for baby cheeses.

Santa loves Costco

The kids got spoiled this year, since they didn't get to go to Disneyland, and since Uncle Brad got us such screamin' deals on Disney gear.

At noon we went to the homerun derby.  The fields where we usually play are under the foundation of the new Dixie Middle School, so we moved to Bloomington, it was a change for the better.  It was a little too cold for shorts, by the way, but we were hopeful....and cold.

 Mason won again - no contest, he was lucky too because apparently this year's winner 

got a backrub from Matty for the prize! (It wasn't short either)

We had the Beckstrand family over to our house that night for dinner.  The only picture I have to remember the night by, is this one of my gingerbread trifle.  It was as tasty as it was pretty!

I felt a little lacking in the true meaning of Christmas that day, so after dinner, I made everyone listen to me read "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever".  It was just what I needed and I am grateful for everyone's patience and that Penny didn't post the picture she took of me, crying with a headlamp on.

 Merry Christmas

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY part 2

Here come the traditions....In St. George it wouldn't be Christmas without the following things:

1. Satan's bumcrack. (I wish I knew the actual name for this hike, I think we should call it Santa's bumcrack, since we only come at Christmas).  This was the first year I have attempted to conquer the crack, and it was scary, but I did it.  Matty did it too for her first time. :)

 

It was a good day for hiking, and although tradition dictates this happen on Christmas eve, the weather was better the day before, but we ended up going twice. (some of us).

Brad and Kyle struggled....and Brad powered through.:)

The rest of the kids ran over under around and through the crack several times.

2. Christmas Eve at Grandma Sullivans

 Santa usually finds a minute to come by and check on our kids and bring them a little something.  He was asking Evan what happened to all his teeth, and Matty wasn't quite sure she liked him at first, but then warmed up to him, when the candy appeared.  Santa knows the way to Matty's heart!

We always have lots of food to snack on, and lots of fun games to play.  I had lots of dishes to do, which suits me just fine.  Christmas really wears grandma out, but we are happy she lets us come.

She always gets us all Count Chocula and some $, a tradition of countless years. The great-grands got matching snow hats and scarves, which was a break from the traditional sweatshirt, but Grandma's elf sure liked it a lot better, and the kids liked them too.

There are sure a lot of us these days, but as long as grandma will have us, we'll happily squeeze in!

Look at sweet Cannon and hilarious Miller! 42-ish pictured and about 20 more absentees.

3. One Grandma's

After Grandma Sullivan's we head to Jillyn's to kill a little more time before Santa comes.  Some years we play candybar bingo, and we did do this, but not until the next night or so.  It was hilarious as any game is, when Mason is playing.  This year grandma gave the kids their presents and we sat around and visited, which was great.

 

Jillyn revived an old Grandma Rose tradition of  the dollar bill check books- which were a huge hit, just as they were in the past. (thanks Jillyn) It made Shana and I reflect back on the years we got those, and those early years of being Wells'.  They were good years.  It has pretty much gone downhill since then.....I'm just kidding ;), life as a Wells is good and I am so happy to have such fun and supportive in-laws close by. I am glad we get to make a lot more memories together.

We miss Scott, and think of him a lot, during the holidays especially.  He would have endured Grandma's, but he would have loved to be in the dog pile of grandkids, and teasing us parents about the night ahead. 

4. 12th day of Christmas

Every year my mom has a giant stocking full of presents for the kids for us to take home at Thanksgiving.  It has a family gift for 11 days and the 12th day they get to open on Christmas eve just before they go to bed.  Most years it is pajamas, but pillows and pillowcases made it into the rotation again, and not a moment too soon!  New pillows were a much needed gift, and covered with a homemade pillowcase with love from Grandma was a real treat.

NOW GO TO SLEEP ALREADY!

Christmas Interlude

Ever since we got back from Disneyland in September Kyle has been saying that he wished that his Christmas present could be just one day in Disneyland with me (without kids).  SO, I made it happen.  Shayne was done with school and agreed whole-heartedly to watch our kids (she is awesome).  I called Brad and got us a floor to sleep on the first night (and free tickets- he is awesome) and I reserved a hotel for the second night. Mason let us take his awesome car, so we could leave the van for Shayne, and on December 17th we took off.  The day started off rainy and we were afraid we would spend the whole day avoiding outdoor activities (not impossible, but not as fun) but when the elevator doors opened at the top of Tower of Terror the sun was shining and the rain was gone!

We went straight to the line to get our passes to ride Radiator Springs Racers and then wandered around Carsland.  They had the best Christmas trees ever- Ash and I went on a photo scavenger hunt.

Brad gets a bunch of discounts at the park as his Christmas bonus, kind of like a coupon booklet, but for some reason this year they gave him enough for 4 people instead of just he and Ashley.  We were the lucky recipients of that Christmas bonus and we got the bonus of getting to spend the day with Brashley as well. AWESOME!!!!!! 

yeah for Ashley's long long arms!

The best part for Kyle was that he got to eat his way through California Adventure and Disneyland!
Brad made us reservations at the Carthay Circle Restaurant for lunch and it was amazingly awesome.

Yes folks, this beautiful food was made and eaten at Disney's California Adventure- no turkey legs and corn dogs on this trip! The restaurant was beautiful and it had a balcony that looked out over mainstreet.  They weren't seating people out there due to the off and on rain, but as we finished eating the parade started and they let us go stand out there to watch the parade. We felt pretty special...not Club 33 special, but still....

It was an awesome day.  We rode all the rides we wanted, and none that we didn't (except I rode Tower of Terror since it was Kyle's Christmas present and I love him more than I hate Tower of Terror- but man I hate that ride).  We walked passed the tea cups and giggled!  It was a great day.

more eating.....
Mickey Mouse shaped beignets and Mint Julips!
The girl at the window recognized Brad, as they had just gotten beignets there two nights before :) hee hee

We checked into our hotel across the street (Ramada this time, and we really liked it) at about 9 pm when Ashley and Brad went home, but then after a little rest, we walked back over and stayed til midnight.  One awesome thing that happened right before Brashley left was the Candlelight Processional.  The main train station as you come into Disneyland park had been transformed (literally Brad said they had to re-weld parts of it back together after it was all over) into a big stage where hundreds of choir members and orchestra members and bell ringers and soloist and a big hollywood star presented the Christmas story. The actual story of baby Jesus, and although it was taken from the New English version of the Bible it was very touching.  On our night, the big star was Molly Ringwald, and when they announced her a big gasp was heard across the crowd, and Ashley, baby Ashley, said Who is she?
We were pretty far back because we just happened upon it, you had to get tickets to sit up front and center but this picture kind of captures it.  Each little point of light was someone holding a candle, and Molly Ringwald is the shining spot at the bottom right.  At one point there were a dozen heralding trumpeters standing on top of the train station playing their hearts out.  It was awesome.

We hung out til midnight and meandered back to our hotel by 1.

Although our original plans were to sleep in and drive as far as Vegas the next day, Brad still had free passes, so he walked us in the next morning and we stayed until about 3.  Brad had another job that day, real money this time, so he took off and left us to wander.  We rode a few things- Space Mountain and I am sure the Haunted Mansion, but we just meandered and took in the sights.  It started out drizzly and was forecasted to get worse, but it didn't.  It was another beautiful day and I count it as a tender mercy of the Lord that we were able to spend that day together at Disneyland. 
We felt very blessed and very lucky and very very happy.
Kyle would say that this was the highlight of this day:

 and I would have to agree.  Eating Monte Cristo sandwiches and french onion soup  (cheese and more cheese) and listening to a pirate band serenade us at New Orleans Square.  Almost heaven. ;)

Merry Christmas Kyle

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY 2012 Part 1

We stayed in St. George for Christmas this year, but we packed that break so full of fun stuff, 

you would have thought we had never been here before!  

This is a pretty great place to live.  Always fun to be had in St. George.

This is what happened when we put George in charge so we could go Christmas shopping. (that is George)

George accompanied his show choir during one of the songs at his choir concert.  

Kyle decided last minute that we would have taco night, with the visiting Chinese professors, at our house after we found some great corn tortillas at a little hole in the wall Mexican shop.

As you can see, no one in that picture is Chinese.

He ended up inviting all his siblings and kids AND the Chinese professors and it was a great meal and great fun.  Mandy had just gotten out of the hospital from having a defibrillator implanted in her chest...after she passed out...she is doing good now.

Usually impromptu parties at my house stress me out a little-a lot.  This was fun though (they always are) and I wish I could relax a little and do it more often.

There is a man from China too, called Newman.  I didn't get a pic of him.  These other three are called: Tracy, Miranda, and  Cathy.  They are very kind, and love, LOVE my kids.  They are very Asian, and it is fun to laugh about the cultural differences.  They like to practice lifting Matty and saying "Oh, Matty you so fat!"

When they were introduced to Great Grandma Sullivan, they instantly asked her how old she was.

We are some sort of giant social experiment to them.  Cathy has probably taken 500 pictures of us.

I am afraid that we are going to be the subject of the next article she writes when she returns to China.

She is especially enchanted with Emily and her beautiful blonde hair.

After tacos we went to the Dixie basketball game. 

I thought since we were so cute in our Dixie shirts I might be able to make this our Christmas card pic- but something was much more interesting to Evan and Matty than smiling and looking at the camera (like I should be surprised).

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GINGERBREAD HOUSES<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I love this tradition that I started when we moved here, years ago.

It takes me a few weeks to prepare, but as long as I give myself plenty of time to prep, and watch plenty of Christmas movies while I do it, I enjoy the whole process. 

Next year I will take pictures of the steps.

This year I got smart and made my own, on my own, in my own sweet time and I enjoyed that too.

Masterpieces like this one make it all worth it!

Let the chaos begin!

I made 16 this year.  The kids did a fantastic job, I was really impressed with their creativity and the effort they put into them.  Uncle James had a hard time with the judging.

Mine is the one with the perfect rows of M&M's on the roof.  I didn't win a prize ;(.

Best Overall Winner -Yeah Jane!

Lucy didn't want to decorate, but loved eating everyone's houses