Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday this year. After attending church, which was only sacrament meeting, it was just a musical program with a couple speakers. Emmy got to wear the jacket that I wore to church as a little girl. Its so cute to see all our girls in something that I wore so long ago.

After church we changed our clothes and headed to Tremonton to have dinner with Matt's parents and Nick & Brit's family. We had ham dinner with all the fixins.  

After dinner Matt and I built gingerbread houses and cookies for the kids to decorate while we visited.

Brit kept Emy busy taking selfies

Shortly after the Bennett's headed home and Matt and I decided to stay so we could get some one on one time with Matt's parents. We opened the gifts they had for us and visited for awhile

The girls loved reading the books they had gotten them

Here are their finished products

It snowed on us all the way home. It was beautiful but it made our trip home a little slower so by the time we got home the girls were ready for bath and bed time. They got to open their christmas pjs before calling it a night.

It was a fun night hanging out with Matt's family. I love not having to travel for the holidays but at times it can be lonely so it was nice to have plans with family. Merry Christmas Eve

LIPSTICK!!!

This girl is going to give us a run for our money. The other day we were all watching a movie and Em left for what I thought was to get her blanket but when she didn't come back immediately I sent Hallie to check on her and she came running back and said I needed to come and this is what I found. She has gotten into the dance makeup bag and decorated her face, hands, and mirror. I think I have grown a lot as a mom when my first reaction was to grab my camera. Then we got her cleaned up and talked about why we don't do that. The makeup has also now been moved up to where she can't reach it. It was a good for a laugh though

Tired! Tired! Tired!

We have been so busy getting ready for Christmas and fun things the girls and us have been exhausted. One night while going to check on the girls I found Hallie like this. I know she is growing up and like to act big sometimes but she is and will always be my 1st baby. The one that made me a mom. She is such a a great kids. She is my right hand when Matt is gone and is the first one to get on with a new plan I have. As the first kids you are often are the guinea pig. I hope she always knows Im doing my best and I am trying to be the best version of myself for her, her sisters, and her dad. I love her with my whole heart and can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for her but until then Im going to cuddle and kiss her until she doesn't think its cool and then probably for eternity beyond that

Santa's Workshop & Visiting Reindeer

With the lack of snow we have had a bunch of deer in the yard. It has been fun watching them eat our grass...life in the mountains I guess

One night after dance the girls and I headed to Brigham to pick up some Christmas presents for Matt and on the way back we decided to stop and drive thru the Willard Christmas lights. They had some fun ones. Of coarse the light tunnel was the favorite. We then took the wagon ride around the lights. It was not so worth it and it was freezing. Once we got bck we went to see Santa

Unfortunately he hadn't made it yet and after 15 minutes we decided to head home and helped ourselves to a candy cane....hopefully were still on the nice list  

Norr Family Pictures

Hallie Christmas Choir Concert

The morning we left for the cabin Hallie had a choir concert so we packed up and headed there before heading out of town. Hallie and the choir did a great job. They sang some great songs including all the sings from Polar Express

Norr Cabin Trip

We had been looking forward to the cabin trip since last year it was such a fun time. Unfortunately this year was a big downer and we need to do some revamping if we are going again next year. Matt and I reserved the cabin and although the individual bedrooms were better than last year the house was to small for everyone. Matt and I shared the basement with Nate and Maddi. We were all in bunk beds which the kids thought was pretty cool. We got there on Thursday night and made dinner since everyone else was several hours behind us. We got the kids all bathed and to bed before anyone else arrived. Emy slept on the bottom bunk and Hallie and Gracie on the top. Matt and I slept on the bed next to Emy it was a full and to little for 2 adults to sleep in for sure. The Norr's and the Grahams arrived later that night.

The next morning Nic started some crafts with the kids to keep them busy. This year each of the married kids brought a dinner and my parents did breakfast and lunch. It ended up kinda being a mess. There wasn't enough food, people were hungry, and we spent just as much as last year when we had a ton of food. Doesn't make a lot of sense but it was a sore subject for sure. The kitchen was so nice and large enough for all of us for seating but the living space to hang out in was to little.

Another huge downer was the lack of snow. Last year we got dumped on and this year we were searching for snow for the kids to play in. It did allow for some walks but the kids weren't really into that. They wanted to go sleigh riding

The sleigh riding was short lived as we were sledding on man made snow that had melted and turned into ice. It ended up being dangerous and Maddi ran into one of the snow making machines  they had on site while she was sledding with the kids. Luckily she was ok but we were definitely done sledding

As you can see Em was not a fan

Kyle grabbed the truck and brought it so we could load the kids and the sleds in so they didn't have to ride back

Some of the guys went shooting while we were there and of coarse while they were gone we had a visitor. Kyle was very sad he missed him

The kids found some linkin logs in the closet and had a great time with them

Em was obsessed with Griff and Ady. Luckily they are both really patient babies

The kids were dying to open the gifts so Saturday morning once Kim & Ez arrived we let the kids open their gifts.

We had some treats for the kids and Em was a fan of the dip sticks...look at that face

I had a hard time at the cabin I felt trapped and my mom had said she would have plenty of food for me which there was not. But there wasn't enough food for anyone so they ordered pizza only problem they had no gluten free options so I had a nap with Em while everyone else ate pizza. It was a rough trip in that aspect for sure

Em was in heaven

I think we all got some snuggles in since this was the first time we met Ady.

It was good to see everyone but not the trip we had hopped for. From here on out we will have to decide if we want to be involved with this trip. This year was a bust hoping for a better result if we decide to go next year, The overall feeling was that we should spend more and get more space. We all really need 2 rooms with our expanding families. Only time will tell how this plays out.