Christmas 2010 Highlights

We had the most wonderful holiday! It has been a painful re-entry into normal life again. I absolutely loved every minute with my kids and hubby home. I tried to fill their days with as much fun and magic as I could. My time with them seems to be flying by. It was such a time of fun, happiness and peace(not the usual rush and stress) for our family. I just loved it.

Our annual Pie and Pajamas night. It is one of our favorite traditions!




Gwen's first Pie and Pajamas. As you can she, she is a banana cream gal.




The whole crew minus dad who was taking the picture.




Gingerbread houses. Usually we make houses out for graham crackers and little milk cartons, but this year I bought a kit that had five small houses, candy and frosting in it. It worked out great for each of the kids to get their own, different house.




Courtney slaving away on her "out house".




Bailee (Court's friend) working on her house.





Bowen's masterpiece.





The whole village.





Making cookie press cookies. This was so much fun.





Al the kids except Bowen (he was caroling with the scouts).






These were such a fun cookie to make. You fill the tube with dough and change out the little discs depending on the shape you like. Then decorate with sprinkles.






The twelve days of Christmas. We were so luck this year. Grandma Bowen did the 24 days of Christmas and Grandma Cluff did the 12 days of Christmas. The kids absolutely loved it and it gave them something fun to look forward to everyday in December.





One of the days grandma and grandpa Bowen sent "Service Bucks". The kids each had to decide how to use their money to serve someone else. Our kids decided to put theirs together and give it to the Bishop for a family in the ward.






Christmas piano Recital
















Christmas Eve. We spent Christmas eve with our good friends the Mogenson's. It was so much fun. We ate, played fun games, read the Christmas story and enjoyed each others company. for the game above everyone had to lift and lower a baseball holding their string tight. It took a lot of cooperation.





In this game each person had a pipe. They had to roll a golf ball from one as far as they could holding their pipes together, and then running to the end and doing it again.






Carter read the Christmas story (with Gwennie's help) while the kids put together Nativity stickers.






Someone is getting very familiar with the camera.






After the Mogensen's left the kids opened their Christmas PJ's from grandma ad grandpa Bowen and their gifts that they made for each other (more on that in a late post). It was such a fun evening.






Christmas Morning. Gwen on her first Christmas morning. She loved every minute of it.






Of course Gwen loved the wrapping the best. After five kids, I was prepared for this and only bought her a couple of little gifts.






Jackson got exactly what he was hoping for.






Bowen just unwrapped a surprise!






Cooper's love. Legos. A rip off in a box.







After all the presents were unwrapped, the kids move on to their stockings. In the toe each of them found a note to Santa with a clue to where he hid their "big" gift. Courtney found something that smelled good.






Jackson found something ringing in the tree.






Bowen found something he could ride.







Cooper found something for lounging.






Our annual Christmas morning brunch. This is one of the best things we do all year. Sadlythis is my only picture. Christmas tree cinnamon rolls before icing, were just one of the things on the menu. We had over 60 friends over for food and fun.






Christmas weekend church. All dressed up for church in their Christmas duds.




The girls.






The boys.


We hope you had a wonderful Christmas season full of tradition, love and service. We are so grateful for our Savior, his life and example. We are blessed to have the best friends and family in the world. We wish you all a wonderful new year!

Santa Baby

We headed up north last weekend for grandma and grandpa Bowen's annual "Santa Party." Always the highlight of the Christmas season! This year did not disappoint. We started the afternoon off with my mom's amazing quiche, sourdough pancakes and hot chocolate bar. Followed by the traditional Christmas crackers. My mom read the kids Jolly Old Santa Clause. THE. BEST. CHRISTMAS. BOOK. EVER. It is from my mom's childhood and is no longer in print (don't be fooled by the modernized version). The pictures are the most amazing paintings. It is how I define how Christmas should be. I found me a copy on eBay a few years back and consider it my best Christmas decoration. After the story our old friend Santa payed us a visit passing out gifts and Christmas cheer. The kids were adorable. We ended the afternoon making gingerbread houses (foam ones from Oriental Trading). Take it from me...these were the way to go! My parents gave us our annual gift of cash in another amazingly creative way, but I am sworn to secrecy until my brother Nate opens his in Alaska. Oh how we MISSED our Alaska family. Move home!!! It was fun and amazing, take my word for it. It was such a lovely day, it was totally worth the trip up. Thank you mom and dad for such a wonderful day!

Coops and Santa

Court and Santa

Jack and Santa

Bo and Santa

Gwennie and Santa(She was not one bit afraid!)

This is where you will ALWAYS find Jane and Gwen. Grandpa is THE favorite. If he picks one up, the other cries, if he puts one of them down, they cry. They adore their papa.

Grandma reading the kids Jolly Old Santa Clause. They were spellbound.

The Christmas cracker loot! The gold crowns are always found in every cracker....added bonus.

The grandkids and their gingerbread houses.

Cooper was very proud of his creation!

Grandpa telling Santa all he wants for Christmas is to retire...oh wait that already happened. :)

Thanks to the most wonderful parents a girl could ask for. You are my strength and my pillars. I am dumbfounded at my luck in the parent department. Love you!

Don't Mock...Halloween Happenings

I know, I know, it's December. It's fine, don't worry about it. I have to catch up so I can post about the fun Christmas stuff going on around here. I love Halloween, but I am always glad to see it go.



Coop and Bowen both dressed up as old men this year. They both fit the part so naturally. They are both old souls. The walkers with tennis balls on the bottom were a crack up (the DI has loads of these for the small asking price of $8.00). Carter dropped Coop of at school in his costume. Cooper refused to get out of Carter's truck unless Carter came around and opened the door and helped him out since he was so old and infirm . Carter helped him out and said it took him seriously ten minutes to shuffle to the playground. When he stopped he would just sit there and shake. His teacher said he never left character the whole entire day. What a ham this kid is.

Court thinks she is too big to dress up (sad), Jackson threw together this pathetic outfit in hopes I would let him trick-or-treat. My family is growing up, I hate it.



We did the annual 400 homemade doughnuts in the garage this year.



They were very tasty.



We ran out in and hour and a half this year. I think word may have gotten out.


Gwennie was our little Alice in Wonderland.



Oh how I have been waiting for another girl to dress up for Halloween.



Cooper at his classroom party.



I helped out in Cooper's classroom this year. I wanted to do a treat that was not so sugary since they get so much junk. I saw this idea somewhere on the Internet and it was a hit.



I was not so health conscious for Bowen's class. We made owls out of doughnuts, another idea from the WWW.


The ritual apple juice with dry ice witches cauldron. The kids seriously never tire of this even though I do it every year.

I may or may not have dressed up as Dora this year. The pictures were WAY to ridiculous to post. I am slightly emabarassed that I wore the costume to our ward's Trunk Or Treat. Sometimes my better judgement fails me. Oh well. Goodby for another year Halloween!