Ugly Sweater Party

We had a GREAT time with GREAT friends at an Ugly Sweater Party!  The theme of the party was "ELF" the movie.  The decorations were great as well as the food and company!  There were many "ELF" games and a lot of fun!  We started the night with appetizers and visiting.  Then came the fun of the games!  We had a "ELF" style spaghetti eating contest, a belching contest, a white elephant exchange and of course the Ugly sweater contest.  We laughed so hard during all the events!  Here is a sampling of photos from the night! 

 The spaghetti was topped with maple syrup, mint m&ms, and crushed up frosted animal crackers.  YUM!

The winners of the Ugly sweater contest.  I wouldn't say it was the ugliest sweater, but it was the most creative sweater!  And for winning the contest, they got the perfect gift for "Someone Special!"  If you have seen "ELF" you know exactly what they got!  Upon opening it, John said they were going to put it in their newly 16 year old daughters stocking!  I am sure it will show up next year in the white elephant gift exchange!

 We were lucky enough to get the belly dancing kit!  I was for sure someone would still it!  I even told them I already had one!  Thanks to TJ's aunt who gave me one while I was dating TJ!  I guess you can never have too many belly dancing kits!  The hot ticket item was a shake weight and a Justin Bieber stocking and Tshirt! 

Thanks to our amazing hosts!  We had a great time! 

Christmas cookies and Christmas visitors

TJ worked A LOT!!!!! this month.  Once he was officially off for Christmas we celebrated by having Noodles and Company for dinner, driving around to look at Christmas lights, and then we came home and decorated Christmas cookies!  The kids had a great time decorating cookies!  I guess I should say, Lily had a great time decorating cookies and Logan had a great time eating candy while he watched Dad decorate!  We had such a great time playing with our Dad!  It was a late night but a fun one!  That night we also got some Christmas visitors!  TJ's sister Marci and her little family dropped by on their way through to Utah.  They stayed the night and left after a little play time in the morning.  We were sure glad they stopped if even for just a night! 

 Lily and Logan both love their little cousin Thomas!  Lily was so excited to hold him!

Lily's Preschool Christmas Program

Lily spent a lot of time at Preschool preparing for her Christmas Program.  She would come home and sing some of the songs for us.  She was so excited about her part and that she got to say it in a MICROPHONE!  I think that was the most exciting part of the program for her.  The program was held at our local library and was about the toys in Santa's workshop.  Lily was an elf and helped make the toys come to life.  She was also a ballerina!  At the end of the program, Santa made a grand entrance.  It was for sure one of the cutest things I have seen! 

Waiting for Santa!
Lily really wants an Ipad.  She has for well over a year.  Ever since she played with Grandpa's Ipad at Logan's blessing she has wanted an Ipad.  When we first asked her what she wanted for Christmas she said she wanted an Ipad.  We told her that Santa had so many kids to bring presents to that she needed to pick something that cost less money.  She was okay with that and came up with other things that she wanted.  The morning of the program she asked if she could ask Santa for an Ipad.  I told her she could but that she wouldn't get one because it was too much money.  She then asked me if Santa would laugh if she asked for an Ipad.  I said he might.  So when she sat on Santa's lap she asked him for an Ipad.  I don't know exactly what he said to her request, but she was a little disappointed that he didn't laugh at her request.

Lily with Teacher Lori.  We love Teacher Lori!  She is a great teacher and she sure went all out on the Christmas program!

Ward Christmas Party

This past Saturday was our Ward Christmas party!  Last year we didn't make it because Lily got sick that morning.  So we were very excited that we got to go and have a great time with friends and sit on Santa's lap!  We did a brunch and Lily LOVED it!  She filled her own plate.  I didn't realize she was filling her own plate until we got to the end of the table!  She was so excited about all the "sweet" things on the table.  I think she picked one of each of them!  Her plate was so full I had to take a picture of before and after to see how much she would actually eat!  The Primary President actually came over towards the end of the meal to see how much she ate!  She had seen her take her plate back to the table and was shocked at how much she had!  She actually ate more than I thought she would!  After the brunch we did some caroling and watched a Christmas message and then visited Santa.  It was such a fun morning with the kids! 

 Lily's plate BEFORE...

 and AFTER!!!!

 This year Lily couldn't wait for her turn to visit Santa and tell him what she wanted for Christmas.  She told him she would like a pretty pink bike, a scooter, boy barbies for her girl barbies to marry, and a doll house.  Santa smiled as did the Bishop when she told Santa she wanted boy barbies for her girl barbies to marry! 

Logan ran for Santa!  He could hardly wait for his turn to sit on Santa's lap!  Lily told Santa that Logan would like Cars and Woody. 
I love the magic of Christmas and the pure joy and innocence of children!  Having Children makes Christmas mean so much more!  My children remind me of the amazing blessings we have because of the first Christmas night!  I get to spend Eternity with my beautiful family because my Savior!

Children's Museum Fun!

We met a friend at the Children's Museum the other day.  It is so fun to watch Lily and Logan grow in their friendship!  Logan adores his sister and she loves him too!  (Side note, Saturday night Logan got sick and threw up.  I picked him up out of his crib and put him in the tub.  As soon as he was awake enough to know he was taking a bath he started calling for Lily!  He wanted her to come and play with him even when he wasn't feeling well!  Whenever he is about to do something, he calls for Lily to join him.  I hope this always continues!) 

 Logan picked out a fire hat for Lily and helped her put it on!

 Our Children's Museum got a new room!  It is by far my favorite room and I think the kids loved it just as much!  It is a ball room full of all kinds of crazy stuff to do with the balls.  Logan liked the one you could do pinball with.

 Pulling the lever to make the ball fly!

 Lily enjoyed it too!

 We built ramps for the balls.  When it reached the bottom of the ramp it would be sucked up a tube and come down another tube to go down the ramp again!

 Lily loved making the ramps!  She is so smart and it is so fun to watch her be creative!

 We also played in the animal hospital.  Lily took good care of her animals!

 Logan loved our friend's shoes!  They had Lightning McQueen and lights!  Logan would follow him around to watch Lightning and the lights!  Our little man LOVES Cars and Toy Story so any time he finds any of the characters he is a little crazy!

 He caught a bubble in the face!  He thought it was pretty cool!