Christmas 2011

Christmas. Twin Falls. Ideeho. 2011.  

Many many good memories from Christmas this year. The month of December just flew by with shopping, baking, decorating, and Christ-thinking. It was a good month. 

Here's a little picture story for ya'll. {My lady-friend Steph is from Texas, and she is rubbing off on me ;)}

AND Don't forget to watch the video at the end of the post! 

First off we visited my wonderful Grandpa Harding whose struggling with Guillain-Barre Sydnrome. So sad to see him sick. Speaking of which, Brandon's Grandpa Simon just passed a way this last week. I had only the oportunity to meet him a few times, but he was the nicest sweetest little cute old man there ever was. We are sad to see him go, but know he lived a beautiful long life and has a legacy of family. 

Spent some quality girl time with my lovely aunt and cousins!

Christmas eve was spent with Brandon's side. We did the fancy Christmas eve dinner and Santa presents in the morning. Everyone all sleepy eyed. 

This is one of the best toys Santa brought. Entertains the kids forever.  

Addison all grown up with a camera.

Crew happy with a hanger, but did get this adorable little friend from grandma!

The rest of the presents were opened a few nights later at a family party, which I lamely left my camera at the other house. urgh. I was disappointed in myself this trip. I didn't take hardly any pictures of the fun stuff we did or with Brandon's family! Sometimes, I just want to relax and be there and not be snapping pictures. Later I regret it though. 

Christmas day was at my families. 

 Who we really are..

{Love those family pics}

The kids Christmas outfits. Desi's kids matched.. they were all so adorable. 

Addison did get her puppy. 

Bryce in love with his airplanes.

 He's just an enthusiastic kinda kid.

 Don't you just love it, when other people love your kids? And they love them back? Crew and Papa have a little bond. Papa's good at making those with the little folk.

A sewing machine?! For a 5 year old?! Addi is now officially invited to craft night ;)

 Crew very intrigued.

We did kinda a kid free-for-all then did the adult presents. 

 SO here is something my family did that I am entirely sad that we missed.. We tried to play again on New Years eve, but we ended up in the ER instead. Sick sick babies don't care much for minute-to-win-it. Nate put this little montage together. I laugh so hard. 

I love my family. Family meaning in-laws and extendeds and everything. So glad to have the Christmas season to remember what is most important in life and what it is all about. 

Trying to get festive

Christmas is over!?! December went by soo fast. I think I was too busy this year. It was all fun but I just feel like it flew by too fast to thoroughly soak it in and enjoy. But I still loved every crazy minute of it. As sooon as Thanksgiving is over and no earlier, the Christmas music comes on and the decorations work their way out of the dust. I always look forward to the holiday parties and yummy neighbor treats. Speaking of yummy treats... my sister add some REALLY good recipes to our cooking blog.. Click HERE.

I also finished my stockings!! Last year I started some.. they were quilted and very detailed. I got through one and quit. Way to detailed to make a whole Brady bunch of stockings. This year, thanks to pinterest, I saw some adorable, simple and chic stockings I decided to copy. After a few nights of pattern making and sewing they were done!

And I love them!

I really wanted a hooked toe which was a little tricky to make with out it looking weird. I don't love the bow at the top..that was kinda an  I'mburntoutofcraftingsohere'sabowtoaddalittlecolor. Next year I'm thinking of adding a little berries and some little fun green thing?

 One of the Christmas festivities was the SSA party at Brandon's optometry school. My girlfriend planned the party and it was a blast. She did a great job. Gingerbread houses and all.

Bryce's house cracked me up. He had to have a red car on the side of it.

Addison asked for a puppy..(She did get a pink toy puppy)

Bryce asked for a rocket. (He did get blue rocket pj's)

Some of our dear friends we borrow sugar from and all that good stuff. 

Top: The Tucker's and Kent's

Bottom: The Anderson's and Egbert's

A few new couples I just met and can't remember there names.. The Partridges in white

Below: The Pfau's and Waites. 

And I feel so bad.. Kim Mower the lady in charge I didn't get a picture of! 

On another weekend a group of our friends took an evening trip up to LA to enjoy the temple lights and visitors center. If you are ever in the LA area, the temple is a great stop. Free and beautiful. Doesn't get much better then that in the city.

 These last photos were taken by Paul Brewer. He has the lens I would LoVe to own.

It was nice to visit the temple. All the light seeing and festivities were so fun, but there is just something special about being on the temple grounds. Christ really becomes the center of Christmas. We had a wonderful Christmas, we are very blessed.. and of course I'll have more pictures on that soon. Can you tell I'm on a little blogging marathon to catch up before the year end!?!

Holiday Recap

We had a great Christmas vacation in Idaho with our families. Addison and Bryce loved spending time with their cousin's. Well Addison did! She tells me every other day that she wants to live in Idaho. Bryce on the other hand is such a funny little man. He is very shy and takes a day and a half to warm up to most people. The few hugs and kiss that our families received were very special ones indeed! And I don;t know why but I hardly busted out my camera the entire time we were there! I am totally regretting it now, but thankfully I saved some of the pictures from my sisters camera to our laptop! All is not lost!

I did however take alot of video! My dear sweet hubby got my a Flip camera for Christmas, so I played with my new toy alot!

Addison's number one request for Christmas was a Rapunzel Barbie! Bryce didn't ask for anything because he doesn't really get Christmas yet, but he got lots of Choo-Choos and trucks and Cars. All his very favorite. Santa's big gift to the kids was a wagon!! AND I am thrilled silly about having a wagon. I know I am crazy.

This gift from Santa wasn't a request from the kids, but a desire of mom's :) So after Addison stole a peek at the presents Christmas morn, she came back saying:

"Guess what?! There was a present too big for Santa to wrap! And it is a Wagon!! But... I didn't ask for a wagon." 

Then she turns to Brandon and asks, "Did you ask for a wagon?"

It was soo adorable! I can't remember how he responded but all day long she was puzzled why Santa would just bring them a wagon.

This is the one that we got. the ATW... All-terrain Wagon.  We have taken it on a few walks already and the kids pull each other instead of me pushing them, it holds both of them and more, it's incredibly tough and huge wheels go over everything.. and much more that I won't bore you with. But we love it.

Here's a picture of the kids on Christmas eve in their Jammies! rapunzel and choo-choo's of course! (may I mention it was past Bryce's bedtime?! little stinker) Here is a picture of how he really felt about his Jammers. 

Absolutely stunned and speechless. 

To be honest.. this is apart of Bryce's latest shy phase. He doesn't like to show his emotions. If he feels inclined to smile and the corners of his mouth start to turn up, he either opens up his mouth really wide or grabs his cheeks as above to avoid the exposure. If happiness is really going to over come him he just runs off and buries his face. However he will defiantly let you know if he doesn't like something. He kind of has an old man soul. Grumpy on the outside but soft as marshmallows on the in. Love him. 

The kids had fun opening gifts at both grandparents home and were thrilled silly over the littlest things! Don't you love how easy these little tykes are to please!? And to entertain. Grandma Nielsen is a pro at coming up with goofy fun entertainment. 

I hope your Christmas was very merry! We are looking forward to this new year of adventures!