Christmas Eve 2011

Grandpa Gary's and Grandma Sally's

 Grandpa Gary, Lynden, Kabree and Paisley 

 Kira, Sean and Lynden

 Meagan and Paisley

 Paisley, Megan and Skylar

 Kabree passing out everyone's stockings

 Kabree, Meagan, Paisley and Lynden

 Kabree, Meagan and Paisley

 Lynden was excited to open gifts

Kabree showing Grandpa Gary how her mermaid swims 

    We got to spend Christmas Eve day with Zach's family.  We started out with a yummy breakfast and then we got to open our stockings and gifts from Gary and Sally.  Kabree was pretty excited to pass out everyone's stockings to them.  She was really excited to see that in her stocking she got bubbles and chap stick.  She was pretty excited about her mermaid and dolphins, she had to show Grandpa Gary how she swims.  We got very spoiled by Grandpa and Grandma.  After gifts the adults played games while the girls watched Nemo.  We ended the afternoon with Pizza Hut pizza.  We had a great time and a lot of laughs as always when playing games with Zach's family.  

Christmas Eve Dinner

 The place cards

 Wyatt showing off all of their presents

 Larin and Jessica our hosts

 Shawn, Shay and Kab 

 Kabree, Mattie, Makenna & Morgan

 Jessi and Zach

(Kooper took the pic and accidentally cut Kab out lol)

 Jessi, Zach & Kabree

The adult table

Larin, JoAnn, Vance, Shawn, Zach, Jessi, Clyde, Jodean, & Jessica

    After Zach's parents house we headed out to Arbon to Larin and Jessica's for a beautiful Christmas Eve dinner.  Jessica served us on her china (I was a little nervous) and made a very taste ham dinner.  We all really enjoyed it and Kabree loved feeling very grown up eating at the kids table with her fancy drink.  Shawn his kids, Dad and Mom and Jessica's Mom and Clyde were all able to enjoy the night together.  I just have to say that Mattie and Makenna made the place settings for everyone and I thought they did a great job.

Christmas Eve Night

 Opening our one gift for the night

 Grandpa and Grandma dancing

    Cookies and milk left out for Santa

    After our yummy dinner at Larin's we headed over to Dad and Mom's to open one present our Christmas pj's, Kabree kept pushing Grandma's reindeer that sang Christmas songs so Kabree stated shouting "Grandpa, Grandma dance", so after a little dancing we said our prayers that we were grateful to celebrate Jesus's birthday the next day and for our families, then of coarse we had to set out our cookies and milk for Santa before going to bed!  

    Kabree was pretty excited for Christmas morning and going to bed was a bit hard especially because we heard Santa's bells right before going to bed.  Kabree got a little upset because after hearing the bells she thought Grandpa, Grandma and Mommy were talking to Santa without her.  But after we explained Santa couldn't come until she fell asleep and that we promised we would not talk to him without her she was able to close her eyes and go to sleep : ).  

Cookie Party 2011

 Car #1

Sally, Gary, Shay, Libby and Katie

 Car #2

BACK Kooper & Ethan FRONT Justice & Chase

 J.T. & Heather

 Car #3

Back Makenna, Hanna Mattie & Middle Jessica, Wyatt & Morgan

Front Larin

Car #4

Vance, JoAnn & Kabree

(Zach and I couldn't get in the pic)

 Kabree and Zach

 Makenna, Hanna and Mattie

 Vance with Kabree and Morgan

 Kabree and Zach

Mr Wyatt went to town on the cookies!

    We got to have our annual cookie party last Friday.  As always we started out with potato soup and rolls then headed out caravan style to see the lights.  This year we lucked out because one of the house on our light seeing route was passing out hot chocolate and another house was passing out candy canes.  I think the kids loved it!  Kabree was pretty excited seeing the lights and singing "jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way..." (that's all she knows of the song so she just sings it over and over).    Kabree stated chanting "Santa, Santa, Santa..." in the car and Dad tells Kabree 'let's cheer Grandpa, Grandpa, Grandpa!" Kabree very irritated yells "No, Grandpa, it's Santa, not Grandpa, Santa, Santa...", can you say attitude.  After the lights we headed back to the house for cookies and milk.  Ok so I was lazy this year and only made 4 kinds of cookies and I did not make the waffle or raspberry shortbread cookies I always make.  I thought no one would care but what was the first thing the kids said when they saw the cookies, "where's the raspberry cookies", so I guess now I know for next year they are not the cookie to pass on.  Then we ended the night as always watching the Jim Carrey version of the "Grinch".  It was so fun to have our families come and share our favorite holiday tradition with us!

2011 Christmas Dress

 

    Kabree loves her Christmas dress this year.  When she put it on with her sparkly shoes she kept saying "I'm a princess....I'm a princess".  She told me she needed a picture sitting down, after she sat down she started laying her dress all out so it fanned out pretty; too cute!  I got a stinking killer deal from our awesome friends who own a christening dress store so we were pretty excited about the dress anyways but then when she loved it, it made it even better!

Salt Lake City

 Little Miss Kabree

 Grandpa Vance showing Kabree the animals

 

 Grandpa helping Kabree feed the fish

 Grandma kept getting Kab more fish food

 Kabree loved watching the fish

 Kabree, Zach, JoAnn and Vance

 Kabree wanted to try shooting

 JoAnn showing off her score

(Ok the highest possible score is 200 so how the heck did that happen??)

 Grandpa helping Kabree

 Jessi taking a turn

 Kabree, Grandpa Vance and Grandma JoAnn

 Jessi and Zach

Kabree pretending Grandpa is her horse 

 Grandpa Vance, Grandma JoAnn and Kabree

 Vance and JoAnn

 Jessi, Kabree and Zach

 Kabree had a huge grin the whole time

 I think Grandma JoAnn liked it just as much

 Jessi and Zach

 The temple from our carriage 

    We got to make a trip down to Utah and invited my parents and Jeff and Whitney to come along.  We had so much fun and can't wait to do it again next year.  We left our house bright and early to meet up with my parents in Arbon and switch cars.  My awesome brother Shawn let us borrow his suburban for the trip since none of us had a big enough car to fit everyone.  It was so nice to all ride together and have plenty of room.  Anyways, we headed out from Arbon and made a pit stop in Malad to wish my Grandpa Harrison a happy birthday, I think he was a bit overwhelmed with all of us and Kabree jumping around.  Then we headed back on our way.  We stopped in Layton for an early lunch and a chance for Little Miss to run around. 

    Then we headed to Cabela's.  Ok so I was thinking 1 maybe 1 1/2 hours there and then on to the next stop, ok so 3 1/2 hours later we left.  My Dad and Zach wanted to make sure they saw everything!  Good thing my parents joined in taking turns with Kab.  She loved seeing all the animals and feeding the fish.  My Dad is the one that first took her to see the fish in the pond but then after he stood there with her for 15 minutes he asked us if he could look around.  When he first took her to the fish she told him "I need my fishing pole!", lol good thing her Grandpa Gary got her one for her birthday.  Well my Mom decided to get some fish food for Kab to feed the fish, and she was there with Kab for 15 more minutes.  She still cried when we left the pond.  Then we headed over to the little hall way that has the huge tanks luckily they had a bench so I could just sit there for the next 20 minutes while Kab ran back and forth pointing out all the fish.  We took her up top to the little shooting game, she thought that was pretty neat too.  Who ever knew Cabela's could be so fun to a 2 year old : ).

    After our adventures at Cabela's we headed to temple square.  Kabree was so excited when she saw the horses and carriages.  We decided to go for a ride before checking out the lights.  Kabree was so excited!!  She couldn't decide what horse she wanted to pull us, she kept saying "that one...no....ummmm....ummmmm....that one..."  She finally decided on one named Jet because....wait for it.... surprise, surprise....it was a palomino, sigh my daughter is obsessed.  She was all grins the whole time and she loved the sound the horses feet made on the pavement; inside joke for my Dad and I.  I wore these super cute amazing boots that I got last year for Christmas that I wanted oh so bad, well after our 3 1/2 hour Cabel's adventure and walking from the hotel to temple square I thought I was going to be crippled for the rest of my life.  My Dad asked me why I loved my boots so much that I would be dumb enough to wear them in Salt Lake, I proudly told him because I love the sound they make on pavement; click, click.  Anyways on to the true story Kabree asked the driver if she could sit up front and he told her he was sorry but she couldn't, so she looked at Grandpa and said "Grandpa you get one please...please buy one Grandpa", we couldn't stop laughing.  

    When we finished our carriage ride, which fyi I have always wanted to do that.  We headed on to  temple square to see the lights.  We didn't stay very long because Kab got pretty cold even being all bundled up.  Then we headed to full fill one of Zach's wishes of eating at this super expensive but super amazing Brazilian restaurant.  It is something we could never afford to do all the time but it was so fun and the food was sooo good that it was worth it and we will defiantly do it again. How cheesy is it that I felt so much like a little kid that night getting to ride in the carriage I always wanted to and eating at the restaurant I always wanted to try, I was oh so happy.

    The second day we headed home and stopped for some shopping and Smith and Edwards on the way.  Kabree loved the toys and all of the "cowboy stuff...look cowboy rope....look boots...I need that cowboy hat....".  Just outside of Malad we saw a herd of deer and when I pointed them out to Kabree she made shooting sounds, while squinting her eyes and pointing at the deer (huh I wonder where she learned that).  We of coarse had to stop in Malad for a late lunch at the Drive Inn.  By the time we got home we were all pretty tired but I think we all had a great time!

Decorating The Christmas Tree

 Kab helping Daddy put the lights on

 Zach helping Kabree get the tall spots

    After church we decorated our Christmas tree Sunday.  Kabree was very excited and wanted to help lots!  After decorating our tree we snuggled in on the coach with hot chocolate and watched "A Christmas Carol", followed by reading a couple Christmas stories.  This Christmas is going to be great with Little Miss Kabree!