Breakfast with Santa

Breakfast with Santa is a much anticipated event.  This year we got our breakfast and then Santa made a little stop at our table.  Much to the delight of these little girls!

After we ate we quickly got in line to visit with Santa.  Oh we had some happy kids!

After Isaac and Grace told Santa what they wanted for Christmas they got right to work on the crafts and activities.

One of the best things about Breakfast with Santa is being their with friends. 

It seems like just yesterday that Emma was so excited about Breakfast with Santa.  She isn’t so excited about it anymore, but she was patient and helpful with the little kids.

Before we headed home the kids took a spin on the fire truck. 

Happy smiles all around!

What a fun morning.

Ward Christmas Party

We had a great ward Christmas party this year with a very nice program.  It ended with a special visitor.  Six years old is so fun.  Isaac and Grace were excited to see Santa and weren’t nervous at all.

Emma was even willing to sit on his lap!

Lee and the missionaries were mopping the floor after the party.  Isaac the worker had to get in on that action.  He found himself a mop and got to work.

It was so cute to see him working alongside some good men.

He had no problems bantering with them either.

I hope that Isaac always wants to work and serve.

Grandma Dorothy’s 90th Birthday!

Grandma Dorothy turned 90 at the beginning of December.  Wow!  I love to think of all the things she has seen and all the changes she has experienced in those 90 years.  And she is so amazingly spry for 90 years!  She’s pretty impressive.  We went to the temple and out to lunch on her birthday.

A few days later Grandma took us to the Portland Ensign Choir Christmas concert.

Afterwards we celebrated her birthday again with candles and cake.

We love you Grandma Dorothy!! 

Operation Snuggle

I mentioned to Emma that the twins were old enough to help make blankets for homeless kids at Operation Snuggle, so we could all go as a family this year.  I was very surprised by her strong reaction to that suggestion.  She reminded me that going to Operation Snuggle was OUR tradition and she wanted to keep it that way.  Man.  I guess she if she wants to do something with me so badly I better go along with it!  She started to feel bad about it and a few days before the event she declared that we could all go.  I decided we could keep it our tradition for a little longer, so we went and made blankets with some of Emma’s friends. 

We really enjoy making those blankets.

It’s fun to be together, to work fast to get as many done as we can, to try and get the cutest fabrics, and best of all to help those in need.

These girls are pretty great.  It was fun to watch them help others with their blankets.

It’s a pretty good mommy-daughter tradition to keep!

December 1st

It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house on December 1st.  The kids were so excited to start the advents and countdowns that morning.  Eddie the Elf showed up with a note reminding our family what Christmas is really about. 

That night we worked on our first gift of Christmas, a gift of ourselves that we could each give to Jesus Christ throughout the coming year. 

Isaac and Grace put the first, and most important, gift under the tree for us.

Next we decorated our Jesus tree.  Hopefully doing all these activities helps us to remember our Savior Jesus Christ and places our focus for the season in the right place.

Then we decorated our Christmas tree.  I love pulling out the ornaments and talking about the memories of each one.  The kids all have their favorites that they just have to place on the tree.

Isaac and Grace got to decorate the little tree all on their own. 

Then we opened our first Christmas book, one of our favorite traditions.  There is nothing better than reading together as a family by the light of the Christmas tree.

Let the Christmas season begin!