Christmas Morning Moments

 Ready and Waiting in Christmas jammies

 The line up

 Josh with his "monster" webkins

 Jake asked for a black ipod from Santa apparently he's on the 'nice list'

 Hanna got a wall mount jewelry box and black cat webkins

 Cole got this carrying case for his most treasured possesions his "Disney Cars collection"

 Joshy with his presents

 Carter recently discovered this movie and was glad to unwrap his own copy

 Jake got a Mario and Luigi partners in time DS game

 Carter opened up a big surprise gift from mom and dad.  A PHONE!! Since he claims he is the only 6th grader to not own one.  We wrapped it in a nondescript box so he wouldn't know what it was.  Then as he was opening it, Jared called the phone.  Carter picked it up and said "What is this?  Is it a phone"?  Almost in disbelief.  He later told us he thought it might be an ipod touch.  He got a really cute grin and just kept saying "this is the best Christmas ever and Wow, I love this day!!"

 Christmas hugs

A wonderful Christmas for all!! Jared was surprised with a new TV, tickets for Penn , Teller, and RC helicopters (the one aboave is the indoor one flying through the house) and I got a much needed jewelry armoire, a fixed lens for my camera, and an ipod nano!

Christmas Eve in Las Vegas

Its always a little weird to be in a swimsuit on Christmas Eve isn't it?

Later that night the White's joined us and all their cute kids

After an amazing ham dinner complete with pretzel jello (a new family favorite), we of course performed the Nativity. 

Liam played the part of a lowly shephard very well

The whole crew of cutie kids

We Three Kings

                                      

The Whites have a tradition that they picked up in England where they light a cake (on fire!) on Christmas Eve with the help of sugar cubes and lemon juice

Sweet Aynsley

Jake left this Pokemon coloring picture for Santa it says: "Cookies for Mr. C, carets for reindeer, and Picture for Mr. C"!  Jake is such a sweetie! 

Pre-Christmas Activities

It was really nice this year that the kids had a week off from school before Christmas came. We were able to do a few fun Christmas activites. We went to the Children's museum, downtown to see the BELLAGIO decorations , and made gingerbread houses together.

A lot of the Bellagio Christas display is composed of fresh flowers.  Its amazing and they change it up a bit every year. 

Swasey and Chugg kids

Hanna collected these milk cartons at school with the help of her friends so we could do this as a family.  She's always thinking ahead that girl!  It was a lot simpler and quite fun.  And this way everyone had their own.  Josh and I shared. 

Mine and Josh's house.  I'm quite proud of my roof scallops!

A baby playing with scissors??

The finished products.  They were so festive and cute sitting on the counter 

Christmas Best

Some of the kids were into getting pictures taken and some definitely were not.  Can you guess who wasn't?

I often lament that there are lego pieces all over my house.  In the carpet on the counter, by computers..... this however was a first!  But I realize that one day I will not have this problem and it makes me a little sad.  So I took a picture of it.

A Day in Paris Birthday Party

The cute invitations

Hanna did the cupcake decorating all herself

The girls came in and started with a French Lesson from Rachel my friend who served a mission in Montreal Canada, French Speaking.  They learned all of Hanna's favorite things to eat, colors, and hobbies.  They also learned to sing Happy Birthday in French to her! 

After their French Lessons, it was off to the kitchen for crepes with the famous Jen Allred as head Chef!  They were so yummy.... the girls could choose nutella, strawberry jam, or apples with cinnamon and sugar.  Most of them chose....all of them combined!! Crazy girls. 

They headed up to the French outdoor cafe to eat their crepes and found this dessert chocolate bar to choose goodies from because the crepes weren't sugar enough, right?!

We had fun decorating with toulle, lights,  purple ribbon, white and silver and black.  It was beautiful up there.  Also I had borrowed these cute black iron tables from friends to make it look authentic. 

Kenley, Hanna, Dalia, Savannah, Bria, and Aspen

Mia, Katelyn, and Alaina

Next they headed to the painting area where they got to paint on canvases. These girls were so meticulous and made some beautiful works of ART. 

Hanna chose to paint a really cute ballerina in a pink dress

This is one of the games Hanna played where you sing a song about a frog (Down by the banks of the hankity, pank where the bull frogs jump from bank to bank) and if your hand gets slapped at the end of the song you are out and the circle gets smaller until the very last two girls who battle it out.
   

Cole had a lot of fun helping Hanna open her gifts.  She just wasn't going fast enough for him!

Ther girls all got berets to take home and sang Happy Birthday in French one last time for their parents.  It was a fun party.  Hanna came up with the idea from her American Girl Magazine.  It was way fun!!

One tired Mama

Hanna's real Birthday....and all of her family gifts.  She got Justice and Gap clothes, perfume, a charm necklace with a little girl that looks like her, Disneyland pins for her lanyard, and the Elyon Series books. 

She made this cake on her real birthday with Daddy