Tuesday, December 27, 2011

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!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

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!

Friday, December 16, 2011

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!

Monday, December 5, 2011

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!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Finding The Perfect Tree


Justice, Kabree & Hanna



Heather and Zach deciding if it really was the perfect tree.

    Zach and I invited Matt and Heather and their kiddos to come help us find the perfect Christmas tree.  The older kids didn't feel like coming so Matt stayed home with them and just Heather, Hanna and Justice joined us.  The kids loved it!  They were running around squealing everywhere!  They thought it was fun to try to squeeze in between trees and try to hide.  After finding the perfect tree, while Zach loaded the tree up Heather and I took the kids to check out the toy isles in Fred Meyer.  Holy cow, they touched and held every toy in the store.  It was a fun night and the kids had a blast!  I cannot wait for more holiday fun this year, Kabree's excitement is contagious!

Hooray It's Snowing!




   I was in the kitchen when I hear the blinds smacking around and hear extreme excitement, laughing, giggling, abd cheering.  I hurried in to the living room to witness Kabree and Justice over the moon excited over it snowing outside.  They were cheering and laughing "hooray, it's snowing....it's snowing....look snow', and again tons of laughing and squealing.  It was so funny I had to smile and love the fact that such simple things bring such joy to 2 year olds.