Progressive Dinner, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day 2012

We have had such a fun past 3 days.  Sunday after a wonderful 3 hours of church which I enjoyed every minute of celebrating the birth and life of our Savior we had our 4th progressive dinner with the family.  We started  at Alyse and Jarom's apartment.  It was decorated so cute and festive.  A big thank you for hosting all of us! Below is a picture of me with my daughters.

The kitchen is tiny but the food was yummy.

Then it was on to the main course and a brownie, peppermint ice cream with hot fudge desert.  

After dinner we played a fun candy bar game where you can steal some one else' s if they have what you want.

Then some of the little ones provided us with some fun entertainment and songs.

On Christmas Eve those of the family who could came for our traditional lunch of pizza benders and some games and visiting.

Christmas morning the 3 little girls below couldn't wait to open presents!

This big girl was pretty excited to open presents too!

Late morning the rest of the family arrived and we took our picture on the stairs with all the kids.

Then there was more gift opening, hugging, and thank yous going on.

There was some playing in the snow (yes we had a white Christmas)

...and some little snow man building going on.

Me and Annie

Kim and I

My oldest daughters family

My sons family.  They are ready for the Super Bowl if the Broncos are in it.

Aprils family.

Alyse and Jarom

Me with my grandkids.

After a delicious Christmas dinner there was some visiting going on so when I walked in the kitchen and found everyone who was at the table on their cell phones I had to get a picture because it made me laugh.

Me with my kids.

I enjoyed Christmas so much!! It was such a happy day. Thank you to my family for thoughtful gifts and more important the gift of time! I love being with all of you!  Merry Christmas everyone.

Holiday Happenings

The Christmas season always seems to go way too fast!  Here are a few of the things we have been up to over the last few weeks.  First Alyse, Annie, and I made our annual visit to see the elves at Gardner Village.  Below are just a few of the fun pictures we took with them.  A sad note is that some Grinch kind of person stole some of their elves.  Who would do that?  We hope they will decide to return them! 

Annie and Alyse attended the Christmas party at their work.  Annie really wanted to win the Christmas sweater contest so she borrowed one of mine and dressed it up with tinsel, lights and snowmen ornaments.  She did make it into the top ten but did not win.  How could that be?  Below are Annie and Alyse in their Christmas finery. 

 

A really special, wonderful event that Kim and I attended with some dear friends was the Christmas concert at the conference center.  We had dinner at the Lion House, then wandered through City Creek Center enjoying the decorations, and fountain show.  Then we walked around Temple Sq. and enjoyed the lights.  Then it was off to the amazing concert.  What a fun evening! Above are the lights, and below is City Creek. 

Last Sat. we attended our ward party up at Camp Tracy.  It is always a beautiful setting! Below are three of my grandchildren and Alyse enjoying the yummy breakfast.

 Below are two granddaughters decorating their gingerbread men. 

Seeing Santa.  April had to be in the picture so Kaitlyn wouldn't scream.

Me with two of my older grandchildren. So glad they could come.

Alyse and Jarom.

Me with my granddaughers.

My sweetheart and me.

Me with my two daughters that were able to come.

It was such a fun party!  Later in the day we made it to the movie The Hobbit and that was fun too.  Happy Holidays everyone!

Finally Back!!!

I don't know why but I have not been able to upload any pictures and do my blog for a month now.  My daughter Alyse and a friend have been trying to help figure things out.  Yesterday Alyse said it worked again so I tried it out this morning and it does.  Yay!!  So I have posted a few pictures from Thanksgiving.  It was our year to have everyone and we had such a fun time together.  Everyone helped with the meal so that made it easy.  Besides stuffing ourselves with food there was some football watching, movie watching, arm wrestling contests, and some regular wrestling going on as well as just visiting with each other.  The grand-kids played, ran, and romped and had such a good time too.  Some of April's girls cried when their cousins left.  It was cute.  Below are all the kids and grandkids gathered around the food.

 

M with my granddaughters.

Me with Warren and Kaitlyn.

Andrew wrestling with his boys.

Annie and Weston.

Thanks everyone for all your help.  It was a wonderful day and I was sooo thankful for it!