Christmas Parties Galore

2009 Holiday Season was filled with traditions - new and old - laughter, smiles, great memories and family fun. We have the greatest families (all 4 of them) and wouldn't trade them for the world. Love you all!
Party Highlights: Nerf Gun War (see video clip of Mason at bottom), Crazy White Elephants, Gingerbread House Competition, Cousin Nativity, Many Visits from Santa

Note: Mason in front flailing around on the floor, he wasn't having any more Santa, can you blame him??

Daddy's Lap is much better than Santa's!

Troy's baby bro Eric brought a lady home from Texas - way to go E! We know what he asked Santa for this year :)

Luminaries at Chad's gravesite, very neat to drive through, a first for me.

Cousins with our Babes - love you Stef!

The Favorite Manny Jace...Mason was feeding Jace chips and "dip dip" all night.

Happy Birthday Mother Dearest, aka Nana. We love you so much!

This is how we roll - Nerf Gun War on X-Mas Eve with extended fam - Watch out!

Crazy Aunt Faye in on the action

Battle of the Snuggies (with my Uncle Doug, I fought hard for this thing) - Wild White Elephant party with the Durbano's, my mom's great fam.

Dog the Bounty Hunter? Troy shows off his White Elephant, clipped to his famous sideburns.

I had to put on a NATIVITY at one of the MANY family parties - kid's in costumes, the works. Whew, I survived and it turned out great. Christian - back center Wise Man with gold crown, his request.

Cousin Fun (with Josh, son of Troy's bro Chad who passed away)

Gingerbread House Build-Off (Christian ate more candy than he put on the house, but that's what it's all about right?)

Get 'em Mason!

NEW BABY GIRL

Kitty, that is. We got a very spontaneous new addition at our house for Christmas. Surprisingly it was my animal-hating husband's idea...to rid our mouse problem of course. So I jumped on the chance to get a new pet. The boys are loving her (maybe a little too much). She's so sweet and so dang frisky, pouncing and attacking everything in sight (except a mouse as of yet). She curls up purring on our laps and tries to sleep with whomever will let her at night.

pow wow on the top bunk - poor kitty can't escape the wild ones
Mason and Kitty have a love/hate relationship - he grabs or swats kitty, then loves on her and kisses her on the lips. He sticks his finger in her mouth for a bite, saying "owee" then does it over and over again (like "Charlie Bit Me").

True partners in crime - Mason lifts the toilet seats for kitty to play in the water and squeals for joy when she unrolls and shreds the TP (so naughty) and tries to eat his lunch. Quite the bond. What were we thinking, adding another toddler to the chaos?!

Troy is quite fond of kitty too - I've busted him calling her over to his lap to pet her, telling funny kitty stories, and he even picks out special kitty treats at the store. He's not fooling anybody anymore, Troy really does like animals. Ha!

Name is Kaia (by previous owner), Christian voted "Buzz Lightyear," daddy likes "Simba" and mom & Mason appropriately call her "KITTY."

Ho Ho Ho

It's official, the kids have spoken with the Big Man himself. While waiting in line, Christian was doing the potty dance because he was so excited and anxious. He had a very serious look about him like he was rehearsing the moment in his mind. When it was game time, he had such an extensive list that he was still turned toward Santa talking during most of the pics. He rattled off each Tranformer in detail. Mason managed to chant a few "ho ho ho's" at Santa then wanted off. It was bedtime at that point and he was hammered, but he didn't even scream, imagine that. My temperamental child didn't mind the scary bearded man in a red suit, not one bit!

Mom and Dad even got to jump in for a cheesy group shot, Mason was done at that point. We survived the masses at Festival of Trees and got to see our friend's beautiful tree. Christian wasn't such a fan of that "grouch who stole Christmas tree" while Mason was digging into the candy jar on display while I attempted to pose him for a pic.

Day of Thanks

Good food, great company and fun memories...

Yes, Mason is diving into my glass for some bubbly...cider that is.

We opted out of our planned St. George trip to have a mini vacation at home instead (the chaos of my Cali trip was still haunting me). We headed to Nana & Jace's on Thanksgiving Day for a small family gathering and fabulous turkey feast. Christian was so fascinated with the carving of the turkey - the electric knife was exciting but there was no chance of him eating the turkey once he saw the whole bird. When we were toasting our glasses of sparkling cider, Mason wanted in on the action too...hence the green shot glass (we teach them early apparently).

Boys in their aprons carving the bird.

Mmmm, the good stuff.

Such festive pilgrim hats Christian made for him and daddy - Cheers!

It was so nice having a few days to just relax and be together. We are so grateful for healthy kids and our great family and friends who make life so good! We truly have so much.

Now onto Jingle Bells, Frosty, Lights, Ho Ho Ho and holiday parties. Hope we can all take time to really enjoy the busy holiday season!

Little Cali Escape or Insanity??

I definitely wouldn't call it a VACATION, that's what Troy had while we were gone...but it was a fun, wild, exhausting ADVENTURE for sure! Me and the boys made yet another solo trek to Cali, this time to visit my dearest friend Jess and her girlies in Valencia (near Magic Mountain). The kids had a great time playing and then fighting like siblings after the second day. We hit up the Fashion District for some cheap finds ($20 boots) and great people watching - aka a crazy lady chasing us across the street yelling gibberish - also almost running out of gas on the jam-packed freeway and having to beg to use a bathroom. Oh the joys of downtown in a big city. I even had a random stranger in a hippie cafe give my baby a chinese astrology reading (not by choice) where he informed me that my son would have a hard time finding a mate someday because he's so confident in himself...umm okay thanks?

We did get a break from the kiddos one night for sushi (so yummy) and a mini neck/shoulder massage. I only pulled out the camera for a few sunny pics at Ventura Beach where the kids shoes got stolen by a bum. I mean who really steals kids shoes?? He was probably hoping to sell them back to us! Christian and Olivia were devasted, in tears and talking about that "mean guy" all weekend. Hey at least we got to go to the beach and yes, it was warm enough for shorts. Who could ask for more in this freezing, snowy Utah weather?! I AM GRATEFUL.

Chuck E Cheese action - Mason figured out how to beat the skee ball machine, slam dunk style! Watch out for flying balls!

Let me briefly describe my INSANE trip home (just for venting sake) - standby evening flight was full, hence a 4 am wakeup call, hour long commute through LA, return of rental car with 2 carseats, 2 suitcases, stroller, 2 boys to check-in, just to get on the very full WAIT-list. Finally we got seats reserved to find they were 10 rows apart from each other (my 3 year old and I) and there was a 2 hour fog delay. JUST GREAT! Devoured our rather large goodie bag before even boarding the flight, which led to overtired, stir-crazy, sugar-loaded kids kicking the seats (with a rather vocal lady seated within), screaming, hair pulling, spilled drinks and then baby falling asleep sitting up with 10 minutes to land and a cheeto in each hand. WHEW!! We survived...barely. I will remind myself, I chose this torture for a little fun and yes, fun was had. NOTE to self: no need to do this again anytime soon...or ever.

Thanks Jess for being such a great friend and hostess and thanks K.C. for being our Polygamist husband all weekend and letting us mess up the pad, a very nice pad indeed. Love you guys! Can't wait to see you again soon - KIDLESS girl's night is on!

2 Minutes of Silence...

never a good thing at our house.

Where did he find my mascara? How did he open it?? He was just licking it up like a popsicle. Christian yells: Mason, boys don't use that!!

Trick-or-Treat

HaPpY HaLLoWeeN NigHT!

Monkey Boy and Bumblebee the Transformer

Mom and her Boys loved trick-or-treating this year, especially with the fabulous, warm weather we had. Christian ran up to each door singing a Halloween song from his Little Einsteins cartoon: "I am here to trick-or-treat, trick-or-treat, trick-or-treat," pounding on the door to the beat. Then when they'd open the door he'd just stand there in silence. He had it all figured out. Too funny! Mason rode in the wagon chanting "nandy nandy" (candy) and bit into almost every piece through the wrapper. I don't recall my first child learning the word candy at such an early age, go figure with #2. Smart boy discovered the joys of sugar early. He was so intrigued with all the lit up pumpkins and decor on every porch, wanting to touch everything, really soaking it all in.

At the end of the night, after visiting Grandma for her traditional chili and stew and birthday wishes, it was late and the kids were hammered. Our conversation:

Mom: Did you have a fun Halloween? It's all over now until next year.

Christian: Why? Did it all melt away?? (good point, where did it go?)

Mom: Well tomorrow is a new month, it's November and Thanksgiving time...that's when we eat turkey with our family and say what we're thankful for. Then do you know what comes next??

Christian (without skipping a beat): We go poop on the potty!

I was expecting Christmas or Santa but instead, my smart boy had a very practical answer. After we eat, we poop on the potty. Stick with the Basics.

Pumpkins, Ghosts & Goblins

With such large families, we are bound to have many, many Halloween parties and traditions. Grandma & Grandpa's costume & carving party is always a favorite. Mr. Mason even got in on the carving action, or so he thought, and really enjoyed eating the pumpkin pieces and seeds as we de-gutted our pumpkins. Pumpkin bowling and the pinatas were also a hit!

The Annual Hammond Halloween party is another favorite with a group so large we rent out the Sons of the Utah Pioneers building. I had the honors of hosting the kid's costume parade, so fun. Check out some of our cute cousins in costume. Troy even let me paint his face and managed to stay in costume for a whole 20 minutes...way to go Honey!

Mickey Mouse Clan - Miles, Stacey & Baby Alec

Witch partners in crime

WATCH OUT: Bumblebee the Transformer and Wolverine in action! Christian planned this costume for a month and patiently waited for the mailman to bring it to him. What a nice mailman we have to bring us costumes :)

EWWWW GUTS - cuz Josh - Christian wanted no part in it.

mmmm...sampling the pumpkin remains. Must feel great on all those new teeth!

Grandpa's Boy!

The Bad Guy face returns...testing out other costume choices at Nana's house.

Fun Fall Festivities

Fall Leaves

October was a busy month full of fun fall festivities: Wheeler's Farm with friends, Gardner's Village with family, Tracy Aviary, Halloween parties gallore and lots of running and jumping in the colorful fall leaves! Such a great time of year.

Monkey See, Monkey Do