Christmas Eve

Last year we started some of our own Christmas Eve traditions. We found that doing activities with everyone in the family that came to town for the holidays that we, Cheeto and I, didn't spend much time with our kids. So last year we broke off a bit and did our own thing. It was really nice for our young family. The boys even voiced how much they liked us doing this. So this year we planned to do the same and even add our own time for Christmas day. We have Christmas Eve dinner with mom and dad Arellano. Then we spend the later afternoon and evening at our house making gingerbread cookies for Santa, opening Christmas pj's from G'ma and Papa Arellano, having a mini Christmas FHE lesson and watching "The Nativity Story" until bedtime. Of course it added the spirit to Christmas. It's really fun when your kids get old enough to really talk and spend time with them and feel like we got something out of it too.

Too many cooks in the kitchen. C did great instructing them all what to do. They tasted great!

My favorite part of baking anymore is bringing out the brown sugar. It reminds of me of my Grandma C. She lived next to us pretty much my entire childhood, well, until I got married actually. Whenever she baked she would give us a little bowl of brown sugar just to eat. Of course, as a mother now myself, I can't imagine that my own mother was thrilled with the idea of her children eating straight sugar. But to this day, I give my kids a "taste" with a smile just so I remember my Grandma just to warm my heart. She was an amazing woman and I miss her!
I like to think she is smiling back at me.

A2 thinks she should get multiple tastes. :)

The kids love to roll dough. It doesn't matter what kind it is. Sugar cookies, bread, pizza crust... whatever, as long as they get a chance to use my rolling pin.

Mommy... what's in here?

I'll just help myself, thanks!

This is the last time I saw my nice marble rolling pin in one piece. :(

A2 dropped it off the table splitting the handles. (long sigh)

Ok... I'll try decorating one.

One of my kid's favorite shows is "Cake Boss". You should see the 3D creations that K makes out of paper. Their imaginations amaze me! K was REALLY into decorating each cookie differently. He had a blast.

back to taste testing..... again.....

So seriously concentrating.

SO MUCH FUN!

Santa visits

Cheeto's company had a HUGE family Christmas party. The kids absolutely love going to Cheeto's office. Well, they can't go physically to his office during business hours but the building. Just about everytime the boys are out of school we take Cheeto lunch. For the Christmas party they had a spread of snacks for the kids. They told us the 4th floor was for the kids because Santa was there. We didn't know that it was completely more kid friendly!

They had made the training/seminar room a movie theatre for kids featuring Christmas cartoons, complete with fresh popcorn.

Any 2 year old is happy and content with chocolate!

C said he would only participate for the group picture but didn't need to talk to Santa again.
I thought it was neat they included Mrs. Claus.

K started rambling off all the electronic stuff he wanted for Christmas. When he finished, Santa asked K what did he do at the North Pole. K answered, "You and your elves make toys." Santa said, "What?" K said, "You make toys." Santa said," Yes! TOYS! I make fun TOYS. Not electronics. But I will bring you something great!" I thought that was amazing for him to say. That got C and K to completely quit asking for the expensive electronics that I wasn't going to allow them to have anyway. :) K's face says it all!

She is just stinking CUTE!

.......her too!

Lots of Santa visits this year!
I have never taken our kids to the mall to see Santa but we had a friend this year that wanted us to go with them. The kids had fun. We went right after school on a weekday. SMART! We had to wait for 2 kids in front of us.

Such a big girl.... see last years picture.

Sassy was a chatter-box. He was a very patient polite Santa.

C was very official and said he was too old to sit on his lap.

K remembered to bring is page long letter to Santa.




A2 last year.... i thought we caught her cry on camera... guess we didn't.
Picture for yourselves... A BIG SCREAM AFTER THIS!!!!
A1 two years ago. She wouldn't even sit on his lap. :)

First December Weekend

Decorating the tree was very enjoyable this year. Our kids, personally, own quite a few ornaments. I put on the ones I wanted and then made piles of the kids ornaments. They then went through and hung each of their own. It was fun listening to the "OH I remember this one" , "This one is my favorite!" or "where did I get this one" or the "How come I don't have that one too?" Kids make Christmas magical. I love them to pieces!

So excited for the parade!

This weekend was so crazy! Well, don't they all seem to be!?!?!? I have been working for a professional photographer for a few months now. It has been LOTS of fun! She gave me her camera to take and play around with to get more comfortable with. Can I just say... I'm in love!!! What a difference a great camera can make! And having some great photographer friends is amazing! K was being my little model. He's a handsome poser!
This particular weekend the kids had a "Nativity" play rehearsal at 9am and the bishopric was babysitting the older kids from 9-12pm. So we dropped kids off and Cheeto and I ran a Costco errand. We then picked up kids, dropped off Costco groceries and headed to the GSO Christmas Parade. I could only stay an hour and then I had a wedding to shoot with Amy. The wedding was at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. It snowed the entire day and through the evening.

A2 was very content with the snacks she found in her stroller. The

The constant head wear for the season!
And me still playing with the camera

Candy Canes were a good distraction from the freezing temperatures. I worried about the kids being cold but it was appropriate Christmas Parade weather. We have been to this parade before in jeans and a t-shirt. It just doesn't have the same feel when you're sweating. It was great even having it start to snow during the parade.

No one had any problems cuddling with this little doll to keep her warm.

While I was at the wedding, the rest of the family went to the ward party. A1 and K were in the primary production of the Nativity. They do it every year. You have to be in primary to be in it so this was Sassy's first year. She was a beautiful in the angel choir. However, Cheeto said she didn't sing much. K was an awesome shepard.

( C doesn't like being on stage for anything. So he played photographer.)

Thanksgiving

A Papa's girl.. through and through!

It was such a COLD DAY, but that didn't damper her little spirit.
Cheeto played football, just following tradition (lol), at the boy's school. The kids were in heaven playing on their playground outside of school hours. :)

Isn't this picture priceless?

Traditions, traditions. For years, I have been coming up with ideas for Christmas ornaments to make on Thanksgiving. This year we made photo blocks.
I have to admit they are my all time favorite! I will take pics of them all later and post.

No make-up and no sleep make for a tired looking Mama!

ksl.com - Provo firefighters still fighting tabernacle fire (Gallery Viewer)

ksl.com - Provo firefighters still fighting tabernacle fire (Gallery Viewer)

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Mormon or NOT... This is an amazing testimony builder. Jesus Christ lives and He continues to bless us with miracles, even in the world we live in today, to show us He LIVES!