Christmas....

We had a wonderful Christmas. My parents and Kellie and Clint and their kids came down to our house for Christmas Eve dinner. We had our usual, Mexican food and it was yummy. Our kids were wiped out, we were reading out of the Bible and looked over and Max was out....it was only 6:30 so we put them to bed. I had a few more things to wrap so while I wrapped I watched The Christmas Story probably a total of 2 times.(TBS was showing it 24 hours). I don't think I can ever get sick of that show. Anyways Santa came and left a bike for Max, a doll house for Mia and all 4 seasons of the office for Mom and Dad(can life get any better?)....here are alot of pictures.

Christmas Jammies

Max looking awesome on his new ride

Mia playing w/ her new tea set from Grammie

Max playing w/ his awesome new train he got from Grandma and Grandpa C.

Mia cheesin out. She was so excited on Christmas morning

The Sunday before Christmas

Max "proud" of papa's buck

Polar Express

On Dec. 23rd we went up to Durango to the Polar Express. We did it last year, and this year was just as fun, or more because there was a TON of snow. The kids loved it, and there is just something magical about seeing that huge steam engine rounding the corner blowing it's whistle. We videoed it and Max was so excited he was screaming, "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas." I love that we are only 30 minutes away, it's definitely going to be our little "tradition" we do every year.

Mommy and Max FREEZING...well I was anyways maybe I should have worn a coat.

Waiting for the train

Finally on, and one of the cooks was nice enough to take a family pic.

Hot Chocolate!!

Mia, enjoying the chocolate covered graham crackers!

Waiting for Santa......

Max, and Santa.....

Mia and Santa, she didn't know what to think. By this point she was pretty tired and ready for bed!

Making cookies.....

The Friday before Christmas Kellie came over to help me make carmel's for all my neighbors and friends. She has an AMAZING recipe, so while she was making the carmel's I made sugar cookie dough and gingerbread dough for the kiddos. Here are a few pictures:

Max and Jack hard at work

Jackers loving the frosting

and Mia too.....

Christmas is coming

We have gotten quite a bit of snow the last couple of days. Max LOVES it! He was out there all afternoon yesterday(like 5 hours), and has been out there now for over an hour. Yesterday Jay was shoveling our walkway and he helped Max build a little snowman. Max named him Frank. We cannot wait for Christmas to be here. Almost every morning Max wakes up and says, "Mom, I think it's Christmas today." We are going on the Polar Express next Tuesday, and are hoping it will be snowing!

Max and "Frank"

Mia, oh Mia. What can I say she is a BUSY little girl. She is starting to climb!!! Oh my, Max never even attempted to climb up on stuff, and she just pushes all the little chairs around to where she wants them and climbs right up. Then she cries because she is stuck! It's a never ending cycle. She also has this obsession with her clothes. She loves to carry them around and shake them in the air, then try to put them on. It is really funny to watch. She is saying more words, and it getting another tooth. I got all my blurry Christmas cards sent, yes you heard me BLURRY! So if you are one of the lucky people that got one, yes I know their blurry and I am too cheap to get new ones, so that's how they are. That just about all that is going on here, oh ya, and the never ending present wrapping!

Happy Birthday Papa

Today is my Dad's bday. I just wanted to tell him how much I love him. He is an great Dad, and an even greater grandpa. He has been such a huge influence in my life and I am truly greatful for him. Happy Birthday Pops we love you!

Mia and Papa, she loves him because he ALWAYS gives her snacks, he holds her whenever she wants no matter how busy he is, and he even taught her how to say deer this weekend.

Max, Tanner, Jack, and Papa. Max loves him because he takes him fishing, he shoots bucks, and elks and turkeys down, he likes fires and he eats hamburgers.....(all his words!)

A good weekend

This weekend we went to Eagar for my Dad's 60th bday. We had alot of fun. For my mom's bday all of us kids and my Dad went in on a playhouse for her yard. It finally got done so this weekend it made it's BIG debut and it was a HIT! I cannot explain how cute it is, and it is truly a "babysitter". On Sat. we all went out to get a Christmas tree and had fun. My parents took all the grand kids to the electric light parade, my mom got all the little boys blinking reindeer noses, and the girls blinking necklaces, the kids were in heaven. When they got home from that we got a few babysitters for all of the kids and all the adults went up to Molly's for dinner. The food was awesome, and all being together was great. We really missed Shane and Shannon. Here are a few pics from the weekend.....

The playhouse

The light parade

reindeer noses that blinked

Mom and Dad

All Girl

I love having a little girl. When we were building this house, we would come and see how it looked, and right when we would walk into Mia's PINK room she would get so excited(and so would I...I told Jay that I might need a pink room). She loves necklaces, skirts, putting on some lips(lip gloss),twirling,babies(she might be a better "mommy" than me), hair spray(thanks aunt kellie),and shoes. She is at such a fun age right now, she copies everything I do. She said "thank you" for the first time today, I love you Mia.

Thanksgiving, Buzz, and a buck

Our Thanksgiving was good. Jay had to work(but was able to come in for the day)so we decided to stay home. My parents came up, I made my first turkey(which turned out pretty dang good), and my mom, dad, and Jay pretty much made everything else. On Friday my Mom, Mia and I all went shopping....all day long. We found some pretty good deals and I have to say that Mia was a CHAMP(it had to have been because Grammie was there because she is NEVER that good for me while I'm shopping). We are so Thankful for our families and for this holiday season. Here are a few pics.....

Max, Mia and Pops enjoying some veggies and ranch.....Mia was LOVING dipping like a big girl

Jay, looking surprised, and Mia still busy dipping

The day my parents left Max wanted to put on his Buzz costume, and just kept it on all day. It would make me laugh so hard because I would look at him and he would be playing cars or something in full attire....funny kid.

All tuckered out. I was busy folding laundry or something and walked out into the living room to this.

We have about 5 nice size bucks in our yard right now....Max is pretty sure he "needs to shoot them with his gun."