Crazy December is Done!!!

December started with soccer games and swim meets.  It was followed closely by Christmas parties, concerts, and school activities.  We ended the month with a wonderful Christmas and a little bit of vacation thrown in.  2017 has been a crazy but the best part is being a family.  Found additional pictures to wind down the month and year.

Sister Selfies

Waiting patiently all day
for his game to download.
Finishes just in time for bed.
Mom!!! fix our internet it's so slow.
We have way to many devices.  What to get rid of?

Cole, sharing his Christmas Spirit
with this awesome suit he found
at JC Pennys.

Ryder's primary class building
gingerbread houses.  The doing service by
delivering food to Switchpoint.
They also visited a teacher that was
suffering from Cancer.  Hoping to make her holiday'
a little brighter.
She passed away 2 weeks later.  So thankful for teachers who let these
kids have a great memory of her.

Due to Amazon shipping delays.
Christmas kept on giving.
Ryder received a cool camera from a new cousin.
He can't wait to go somewhere fun and try it out.

Winter Purging
or
Spring Cleaning
Dave decided to clean his closet. 

The new year is banging on the door whether we are ready or not. 

Time to Party

Better late than never for our family Christmas Party.  It is always fun to get together and catch up with what everyone has been doing since the last time we got together.  

Amber, Kayla, and McKade

Grandpa Chris
Giving his annual Christmas speech.

More visiting
and even a little teasing.

The room from a different
angle.  Catching up with
more family. 

Love watching these
kids play with really old toys.
They were new for me way back when.

Rylee found a new little friend.

Andrew found his way
to Rylee and didn't leave her side
until it was time to leave.

Grandpa & Reganne
Bonding time

It was a fun to spend time together as a family.  We missed the ones that couldn't be there and look forward to the time that everyone can get together again.

Ryan took the kids to the mall so spend their money from Grandma & Grandpa.  He always amazes me with his patience and willingness to spend the time with them.  Ryder talked about the crazy things he and Jaxson & Josh did.  They spent some of their money but more important was the memories they made.

It's almost time for New Years.  What can we do to bring in the New Year and to start it right?

More Christmas...

We weren't done celebrating the Christmas it was time for another road trip North to celebrate with family.  The weather was great it was hard to believe it was actually the end of December.  

This boy is excited to see
his grandma.
Please hurry Dad.

Would Grandma like
her present??
Of course!!! it's a piece for her village.

Inspecting the new addition.

Official snow picture
Maybe we can try again with the snow
finally arrives.

What are you looking at?

Whatever it was
was soon forgotten with
the wrestling that followed.

We had a couple of hours to relax before the family party was to begin.  Time to help Grandma & Grandpa get ready.

Merry Christmas

To bad we didn't follow through with our threats of duct tape, benadryl, or locking his door.  Ryder was up much earlier than any of us wanted.  He tried to wait patiently but nobody was willing to move until 7.

Moving??
Not quite they preferred to snuggle down
in their blankets.

Ryder convinced them to check out
their stockings.

The paper started to fly.
Smiles soon followed.

Reganne loved her gift
from a new cousin. 

Dave loved this coat of arms
from Rori.

Only 8:00
All the gifts are opened
Everyone went back to bed except for Ryder.

Explaining to Spencer why
he should like BTS.

Exchanging presents with
the Wheelers.
It is fun trying to surprise each other
with things they really wanted.

Look who is playing
with Ryder's Drone?

Thank goodness Ryder loves his gadgets so Dave can play along with him.  It was a great day once again spent with family.  We enjoy a lot of yummy food, watched movies, and relaxed.

My only regret is the day is way to short and the magic of the season runs out before midnight.

The good news we have 365 days to work towards having another Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve

The presents are wrapped and under the tree just in time to enjoy the day.  The whole day to enjoy together and enjoy our family traditions.  The first tradition that had to wait until Tuesday was Chinese Food.  The kids were happy that they didn't have to suffer through this tradition.  

We made a few yummy treats to enjoy and share  Then headed off to the temple to enjoy the lights, sounds, and people.  Each year the crowds get bigger as more discover the true Christmas Spirit that can be felt there.

Ryder was found down front & center
at the Nativity.

Pausing to please Mom.
To get a Christmas Picture.

Another tradition
but only one willing to hike to the top.

We made it home and with the whole night ahead.  What should we do?  Puzzle Time!!!

500 Piece Puzzle
Ryder wanted the challenge
and the girls humored him.

 The puzzle was a bomb and everyone left it to watch a movie.  Everyone reminded Ryder that he had to sleep or at least stay in his room until 7.  We aren't sure that will be possible for him.  We are considering duct tape, benadryl, or even a lock on his door.

Maybe we will be able to catch a nap later?

Christmas Shopping Trip

It was time to finish our Christmas shopping.  Rylee wanted to take M to Build A Bear for his present.  One minor problem was the closest store was in Las Vegas.  Everyone was eager for a road trip and spend family time.

We found the mall and found the store.  Could we find the right animal to build?  The kids were all busy checking everything out and as I looked around I saw the lines beginning to form.

What do we pick?

Stuffing 

Putting the heart in.

Stuffing

Add a smell...yummy cotton candy

Time for a bath 

Scrub those ears

Squishy enough?

Time to get dressed

It is hard work getting them dressed.

My new friend

We are finished!!!

All that was left was to name these cute creations and of course pay for them.  We got in another line to finish and get their birth certificates.  They were excited to ring the bell signalling their first creation.  Walking out of the store I noticed the lines now went out the store and down into the mall.  I was exhausted and hungry but everyone wanted to do more shopping.

It was finally lunch time and we must find something that isn't back home.  Famous Dave's was just across the parking lot.  YUMMY!!!

Fed & Happy

We promised Dad that we would stop at Brass Pro Shop.  We didn't realize that it would mean a drive across town.  Everyone was still wanting to have fun and shop.

Crazy Kids

Santa in the fish tank
No mermaids this trip.

American Chopper Motorcycle
Sorry Dave
The answer is NO!!!

Shooting Gallery

It was time to head home.  We were exhausted but happy that the trip was so much fun.  The road trip was a great way to start the holiday weekend.  Now all we need to do is get everything wrapped and under the tree.

Doing Service

Ryder wanted to serve this Christmas Season by shopping for other kids.  We have the perfect opportunity with a local charity.  We headed to the local Walmart and found a long line of others wanting to serve. 

We were once at the end
of this line.

Waiting patiently for our turn.
Oops!!! we left our jackets in the van.

We made it inside and received a clipboard with names, sizes, and needs.  It was crazy trying to maneuver the aisles.  The crowds were worse than on Black Friday.  The only difference was instead of people grabbing things for themselves.  They were trying to find items the kids had requested.  For every clipboard there was a cart and 3 or 4 people helping out.

We survived!!!

It was crazy and I had a headache by the time we finished.  However, we will be back next year to do it once again.  Ryder was all smiles and was so excited that someone was going to hopefully enjoy the stuff he picked out.  I had serious concerns about finding the things they wanted.  Each time we went down the aisle looking for a specific thing.  There it was sitting on the shelf just waiting for us to load it into our car

It was a crazy night but is sure felt good to do service during this season of giving.  I hope that we can continue to find ways to serve.