A very Merry Christmas

We started out our Christmas celebrating on December 14th with a Christmas family home evening that my mom put together. This is the first home evening we have done as a complete family in five years! It was so much fun! Dan, Angie, and their girls arrived from Texas for the hollidays! We were all so excited that they were able to come!!

Dan, Angie, and the girls built this cute little snowman. They were so nice to let Keagan and Kaiden help out. Oh the fun snow can be.
On the 17th we all went to the "library school" Christmas party. It was hilarious to watch how excited Avery was getting. (Jumping up and down when it was time for announcements- oh yea!) Miss Sally did an awesome job as usual. Santa came, there was a puppet show, lots of fun centers to make reindeer food and candycanes, treats, etc.
Camden LOVES Miss Sally. If I ever can't find him at library time, he is usually sitting on Miss Sally's lap or following her around. Camden was so un happy with the idea of sitting on Santa's lap, but he was passing out fruit snacks so, he toughtened up and at least talked to Mrs. Clause.
We all went over to Lori's house Thursday for some Christmas cookie decorating. There were 14 kids running WILD around Lori's house. It was party time! The kids had lots of fun of course and got very creative with their cookie dough!

This is Kaitie's snowman cookie that she made all by herself. So cute!
Oh the joy of traditions!! It was time for our annual friend party and I was so happy that all the origional party goers were there! It started out as the Knights, Garners, Angie, and I about 9 years ago. It's amazing how our families have grown and we are so lucky to have some awesome friends who have joined! Heather did a great job organizing this year and even included a visit from Santa and a cookie exchange. Thank you Heather and everyone for such a great time! The Hollidays are so much better with friends, family, and fun traditions!!

Tobey and cute little Evann
Angie, Mary, Heather, Lisa, Summer, Stacie, and Janet
Mary, Casen, Hayleigh, and Heather
Lisa was so nice to let my kids jump in on her gingerbread house since ours came with nasty slime frosting. Janet and Jeff were so nice to contribute some candy and icing so that we could finish ours later. Thank you friends!!
Kelly's family Christmas party was Saturday. When I told Camden that Santa was there, he grabbed some older cousins and exclaimed that Santa brings fruit snacks! Wa Hoo!! All the Santa fear was gone!
Casen's first visit with Santa


Santa brought all of my kids new webkinz. Kaiden was so happy to join the webkinz world. Even Casen got a new webkinz friend. My kids are webkinz crazy lately!



Sunday was my family Christmas Party. I LOVE the annual soup dinner! Here are some of the Great Grandchildren. My Grandma has over 21 Great Grandchlidren with five on the way this year. It's amazing how fast a family can grow!! They were so cute singing Christmas carols for us. Notice that my kid isn't wearing a shirt. Nice
My grandma is amazing and buys everyone a gift every year. I don't know how she does it with such a huge family! She is amazing!! My uncle Dennis was calling out everyone's name as he passed out each gift. Every time he picked up a gift to call out Camden would yell out "that one is mine!!" He wasn't excited or anything! When he finally got to Camden's gift everyone clapped and cheered for him! It was hilarious!! I am so grateful for such a wonderful family and for wonderful family traditions!!
Megan (Adam's woman), Kaitie, and Casen
Casen and my beautiful cousin Lauren who lives in Cali.
Tuesday night we all headed over to This is the Place for a little Christmas fun Pioneer style. It was really cool and we had lots of fun. Casen slept inside my coat most of the night. This is Kellie and I riding on the train.
Angie's beautiful daughter Avery who was being a "big old two year old!!" according to Angie. She is so delicious and I wish she was mine!
At one of the homes we learned how to do some pioneer dances. Keagan was totally excited about this and I got to be his partner.
Camden became a reindeer in one of the craft homes. This kid loves stickers on his face, I just don't get it.
At one house they got to put together pioneer toys. This was Keagan's dream come true! He and Auntie Mandolyn did a great job.
When we got home and were getting ready for bed, Camden decided that he needed some Carmex. Yum!!

Here are the kiddos in their Christmas Jammies
Oh happy day!! Christmas eve at last!! We had a huge feast of yummy food and then watched the Reflections of Christ video by Mark Mabry (a guy who is only a year older than me and was in our old ward in Mesa... Awesome!!!) It was so nice to have some quiet time dedicated to our Savior as we celebrated Christmas Eve this year.

We had quite the nativity this year with Kaiden as Joseph, Kaitie as Mary, Casen as Baby Jesus, Adam as their mule, Ethan and Keagan were wise men, and Jaeden, Addie, and Avery were all Angels. It was so cute to watch them all surround baby Jesus and kind of smother him. Adam the baby snatching mule tried to help relieve the smothering a bit. It was so much fun to watch and the kids did a great job. Kaiden took a lot of pride in his role as Joseph and stayed in character for a while. So cute!

A very scary christmas picture!!
This year my kids all got to open superhero christmas jamms.
Santa called out "HO HO HO Merry Christmas" at 7 am this year. Yikes!! My kids were all fast asleep and Uncle Adam and Auntie Kellie had to come down and wake them up. They shot upstairs faster than we could even get up. The excitement of Christmas morning is the best!!
Santa brought Kaiden this cool R2D2 robot. It is a really cool and LOUD toy.

Jaeden got a real pink Kodak digital camera She and Kaitie were sure to capture the entire day!
Camden got a new gun and some gummies in his stocking. Life was good!
Casen got a new jitter bug toy. I dont think he is so sure what to think of it yet.


Me and my dad
Kaiden is a total animal lover. He was so sweet to his dalmation puppy from Grandma.
Auntie Kellie gave the boys a huge box full of toys and books for Christmas.. so great!
all tuckered out from all the excitement!
Guns were the gift of the year. Grandpa, Tyler, Adam, and Jacob all got 22s. Little Elmer Fudd was totally interested!
Friday we all went swimming and had a blast!
Kaiden and Keagan jumped off the diving board for the first time. Kaitie and I had fun jumping together too.

Ethan and Keagan

Saturday morning we got to go to grandma Sandra's house for Christmas brunch. It was delicious! The boys got super cute pj's and matching pillow cases, cute clothes and some planet heros! Grandma and grandpa out did themselves!!
Tuesday night we went to Temple square to see the beautiful lights. Camden was so excited to ride Trax for the first time.
Uncle Adam and Auntie Megan
It was so nice to remember why we celebrate this wonderful season!! After the lights we got to go to Uncle Ty and Auntie Mandolyn's house for some pizza and more fun. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful family.

Tuesday we had a baby shower for Angie's upcoming little man at Cafe Rio. Thank you to all the great friends that made it!

Mandolyn, Mary, Angie, and Mom. (i just deleated a friend picture... sorry friends!!)

If you made it to the end of this marathon post, congrats!! It is over. I just wanted to say that I am so grateful to my friends and family who made this Christmas season a great one. I am eternally grateful to my Savior who is the reason for this special season that brings us all together. Merry Christmas everyone!!