Christmas 2012

 Christmas Eve

 

On Christmas Eve, Lisa & Steve came over with their kids Diana, Clayton, & Ethan to spend the evening.  We enjoyed a yummy dinner, then had the traditional program with music and the reading and acting out of the nativity, followed by dessert.

 

 

I was excited to try out the nativity costumes I made at our Relief Society Thrifty Thursday (our equivalent of Super Saturday).  They were great!

 

Mary (Rachel) riding on the Matthew donkey 

 

Check out this awesome manger Brent made for our ward Christmas dinner.  He used 2x4's and made it strong and large enough to fit a 70 lb. baby!

Elizabeth bringing tidings of joy

Rachel & Ethan

 

The peace of Christmas morning...right before the kids come in the room!

 

Elizabeth got an Our Generation doll and a sticker-making machine.  Joshua got an RC monster truck and a John Deere tractor and trailer.

 

Emma's big present was two guinea pigs.  She had been begging for them for months, but was still so shocked to see them on Christmas morning!

 

Matthew's main present was not the bike helmet and Swedish fish...it just came later.

 

Rachel was so cute when we asked her what she wanted for Christmas: a light-up ball, a nutcracker, and a gumball machine.  Santa also got her a new scooter.

 

The tree

 

 

Emma, thrilled to meet her new guinea pigs, who are a mother and daughter.  She named them Stacy and Gumdrop.

 

Feeding Stacy a carrot

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew and Elizabeth's BIG present (really, the whole family's) was two halves of a picture announcing a new trampoline in the spring!  Matthew, especially, has been asking for one forever.

 

Brent with his new folding work table

(so he can make lots more mangers and honey-do projects, right?)

The aftermath 

 

Rachel trying out her new scooter

 

 

Christmas day was so wonderful.  We spent the entire day with just our family.  Since we had the Wilson Family Christmas breakfast on Christmas Eve, we didn't have any commitments, company, or places to go.  We enjoyed opening presents, had Christmas pancakes for a late breakfast, and spent the afternoon sledding at the bowl by the fire station since the weather was perfect for it.  We had a really nice candlelight dinner on china.  It was the perfect day.

 

By the way, since I was the one behind the camera, you don't get to see me, but I did get a new waffle iron, skillets, and slippers for Christmas. :0)

December 2012

Alpine Living Nativity

 

This is one of our family's very favorite Christmas traditions.  I love that my kids get so excited to see the baby Jesus, rather than Santa.  We ride a trailer from a church parking lot to the property where it's held, and are first met by a Roman centurion on a horse, which is pretty epic.  There's a large barn that's set up like Jerusalem, with lots of animals and things for the kids to try.  Then we head outside and over to the stable, with a choir singing in the loft, and Mary, Joseph, and a real baby Jesus inside.  It is totally quiet and has a very reverent atmosphere there.  They even have hot cocoa at the end before waiting for the trailer ride back.

 

 

Feeding the sheep

 

Joshua checking out a camel

 

Meeting the wise men

 

Rachel trying out a saw

Church History & Art Museum-- Children's Exhibit

Whenever we go visit Temple Square, our kids beg to go to the Museum of Church History and Art.  Upstairs, kind of tucked away, there's this awesome Primary exhibit that changes every couple of years.  It's very interactive and fun, and makes a nice break from the cold outside.

 

Liz built a temple out of giant soft blocks

 

Joshua checking out the kitchen & garden

 

Rachel & Emma fishing from Nephi's ship

 

Matthew found something electronic, so he was happy

 

One of the cutest areas was where the kids could dress up and follow a video showing Mexican dances.

 

Winter Recitals

 

Rachel-- ballet/combo class

 

Elizabeth-- ballet/combo class

 

She and her cousin Ashlyn got to take this class together-- so fun!

 

Her entire class consisted of only 6 girls, which was great.

 

 

During her 4th grade year, Elizabeth was also on her elementary school's Level 1 ballroom dance team.  She was a little unsure about it at first and had to get past the awkwardness of dancing with boys, but quickly got over it and had a great time.  This was from their Christmas performance.

 

Matthew, Emma, and Elizabeth following their Christmas piano recital.  They all did great.

 

Elizabeth's county parade sandwich board.  The fourth graders all get assigned a county to do a big project on, and she had fun learning about Cache since she has ancestors on both sides from there.

Matthew made a cute snowman resembling something from Mario or a video game like that.

Joshua's 3rd Birthday

 

With Joshua's birthday falling on December 21, I have to make a major effort to set aside time to celebrate.  We took the whole family to Chuck E. Cheese as a surprise, and Joshua was absolutely in heaven.  Since he is obsessed with cars and any other vehicle, he had a blast riding on the various rides.

 

 

Joshua checking out his cake, with matchbox cars on a frosting road

 

And of course, almost every present had something to do with wheels :0).  It was a great day.