More Christmas Fun. . .& New Years Resolutions

My family got together the Saturday before Christmas. We always eat a yummy dinner, play some pictionary, exchange presents & then stuff our faces with dessert. My new favorite dessert is cheesecake pops. Go ahead - google it. They are W O N D E R F U L. They are time consuming to make - but well worth it. Valentine's day is coming...maybe I'll have to use that as an excuse to make some more.

Pictures usually tell the best stories - so here they are!

Ben, Blake, Dad, Angela & Jordon getting ready to play pictionary. It's always a great time. Santa Jesus & Feliz Navidad were the 2 picture highlights of my night. I'm a terrible artist. The boys won this year because my mom was drawing 'O Come All Ye Faithful' & we freaking blew it. It's on for next year.

My gift from Angela - cute makeup bags & shimmer lotion.
Casey's gift from Ashley. He also got a book on good ol' Jedediah Smith.

Helping Caleb open his slippers from Griffen. Doesn't he look thrilled? I can't get him to wear them yet - but we practice getting them on every few days.

He loved the phone more than the box.

This dog is so cute. It's from my mom & dad to Caleb. You can plug it into your computer & change the songs it sings & it's favorite color & animal sounds & it even says his name. The past few days he has really LOVED it.Blake, my Dad & Dylan....this is a blanket that Angela, Ashley, Dylan & myself worked on with my Grandma Cloe. We call them Grandma Cloe blankets of course. Jordon wrapped it beautifully & I hope it keeps my dad warm!

I took some pictures of my mom with her present from us - some bracelets & some blush - but she won't smile with her teeth showing! If I posted one of the 3 attempted pictures I took, she'd probably murder me. I can't seem to convince here that "YOU CAN'T TELL YOU HAVE BRACES IN PICTURES IF YOU SMILE!!" I think she gets them off soon - so hopefully she can start to smile like a normal human once again. KISS KISS MOMMY

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS:

** Lose 30 elbees (shocker)

** Be more positive. I've even started asking my sister (whom I speak with daily) to tell me 3 positive things about her day & then I say mine. I've missed the last few days - but I kind of like it :)

** Become more involved in church things. I signed up to help a gal who just had a baby & he had several heart surgeries & he isn't supposed to cry so he gets held 24-7. She has other children & household stuff - so I'm supposed to go hold the baby in a couple of weeks for a couple of hours so that she can get some things done. Pretty simple volunteer job - but it took a lot out of me to sign up. Why am I such a weirdo about that kind of stuff? I know I'd love the help if I needed it.

** Eat more fruits & veggies. I've done really good on this one! I was doing good to get one or the other maybe once a day - but now I try to get at least 3/day. So far so good!

(yes...3 TOTAL/day combined fruits & veggies...I know you're supposed to have like 7 or something all together....baby steps...stop judging me)

Christmas Eve!

Oh Christmas Eve, Oh Christmas Eve! We don't really have a set tradition for Christmas Eve yet. I imagine that when Caleb is older & has a sibling or 2 that we will want to stay home & create our own traditions - but for now, we pretty much wing it. It's sad how as everyone gets older that traditions have to change - but I guess EVERYONE has to do it sometime.

This year we had dinner & games at Colby (Casey's brother) & Tamara's house in Tremonton. We had yummy french dip sandwiches, tuna salad, & pineapple slush. 3 out of the 4 desserts that I made got to attend the party as well. I totally forgot to take a picture though. I make chocolate swirl cheesecake, creamy lemon squares, & a candied apple cheesecake. I think I used 7 or 8 squares of cream cheese total - YUM

Our first game was 'pin the star on the tree'

We all waited patiently for our turn - can you tell?

Tamara got a little confused...

Mona got WAY confused...

Casey HATES to be dizzy. I thought he was going to vomit. Caleb was so concerned! He hated when Colby was spinning Casey & started to get quite upset. Just protecting his daddy.

Singing Christmas carols...

Playing with Ginger...

Kaetlyn played us a Christmas song - & Caleb also had some talent.

Nathanael, Logan & Kaetlyn all in their cute new pajamas that their mom made.

I hope I have that type of ambition if I ever have 3 kids!

We also played pass the parcel. It's similar to 'hot potato' & a brown paper bag is passed until the music stops & then whoever has the bag gets to keep it. Mona also told a very nice Christmas story that had music along with it about the true meaning of Christmas. 
Tamara let me open a gift from them that night - it was a BEAUTIFUL Velveteen Rabbit book. I love reading & I can't wait for Caleb to have more patience so that I can read a whole book to him someday.

Christmas Day!

....I'm posting things out of order. I'm posting Christmas Day today...pre parties sometime later & my birthday sometime after that :)...It's just how I roll.

Santa found us! Caleb was obviously a very good boy this year. Casey woke up around 6:30...I woke up around 8:00 & around 9:00 we had to go wake Caleb up!!!

Breakfast. YUM

Crepes & breakfast casserole.

This was Caleb's favorite toy!

Check out his concentration.

What a cutie!

Notice his drink in the bottom corner of the picture? We took him over to his present pile & tried to get him excited about things & he just kept saying 'drink....drink...drink' He became more interested in the toys n' such after his pallet was moistened.

Taking videos - with his nose.

Cruising on his motorcycle.

After we had our presents opened & breakfast devoured we headed to my parents house to play games. I heart games. I don't know why. Maybe I love competition. I love card games, board games, outside games....not real big on relay games (I'm a slow runner...& a spaz) After visiting with my family we went to Casey's parents house for dinner (yep...more food!) and presents. We got so many good things! Caleb got books, snow pants, a sled, magnet letters, a LOUD truck, & Hercules on DVD. I got a wheat grinder, The Proposal on DVD, curlers for my hair, & a prelude music book for church. Casey got a stock for a gun he wants to make, a robe, an emergency flashlight/radio & 3 mortal combat games for PS2. We also got a gift card to WalMart & to Maddox (because...we will need to eat more!!)

Casey - a little fogged up. Tee hee.

Mona opening her gift from us (a food dehydrator)

...note the cute wrapping paper....

Caleb LOVES his tractor book that Grandpa Brad picked out.

Opening my curlers

...note the wrapping paper!!!!

Shayden, Caleb & Nathanael playing with their trucks.

I'm very grateful for my friends & my family. They make me smile! - - -speaking of friends. My BF MaLynda & I got each other the same thing for Christmas!!

BUMP ITS! I still can't make mine work - I need to get some aerosol hairspray. I will not give up hope!

MaLynda also got Caleb the cutest little vet kit. He loves it!

Ho ho ho

On Saturday, December 12 my Grandma decided to cancel her Christmas party :( We were hit with a HUGE snow storm all day! So - good call Grandma! In Brigham we got at least a foot of the nice powdery stuff. I don't think Casey was enjoying the snow as much as Caleb & I were. I have a problem. I can't STAND sitting at home for a whole day. I feel like I have to go do something or I'll go insane. So - we ventured out into the storm to see if we could get lucky & see if Santa was at the Chamber of Commerce...HE WAS! There wasn't another soul in sight either - so we got to walk right in & walk right out. Caleb didn't cry - but I think he may have wanted to. After Santa, we walked around the mini village & then went to the new Beijing Buffet. Chinese food is scary PERIOD - but a Chinese buffet is super scary! BUT - it was actually quite good & no one threw up! Hooray!

Caleb had a rough time with the deep snow in his new snow boots. We put him down & he took 2 steps and looked at Casey & Casey said "Come on!" Caleb just stood there & said "NO!" Once he figured it out - he had fun running around in it.

Here is Caleb playing with his new dump truck that Casey & I gave him for his birthday. What a funny boy. He did tip over & had a mini freak out which was more comical than anything because he didn't even hit the ground - he was propped up against that black cabinet behind him, so he was really just popping a wheelie.

Caleb is 2!

Caleb turned 2 on Friday. He is such a cutie! His personality is getting more & more fun every single day. He jabbers almost constantly & is talking so much more. He can even count to 6 & recognize the numbers. He loves to make piles of things on the couch. He'll gather toys, clothes, blankets, diapers, shoes & whatever he can get his hands on and stack them up & sit behind them. He loves to swing & be outside & he thinks he's hiding from you when he closes his eyes. Some of his favorite foods are macaroni & cheese, peas, chicken nuggets, spaghetti, hamburgers, pizza, raisins & waffles. We sure love our little goober.

We had Papa Murphy's pizza for dinner.

We had a house FULL of people on Friday for cake & ice cream & presents. Caleb was spoiled rotten! Everyone was so generous with their gifts & I am so grateful to have such nice people as a part of my family. Caleb LOVES anything with wheels, so naturally I made him a Cars cake & some party cupcakes that I saw on ourbestbites.com When we were done singing Happy Birthday to Caleb he started to sing the song. Cute kid! Caleb didn't even eat any cake or ice cream - he was much to overwhelmed with all of the people & new fun toys.

Caleb got so many trucks!!!

Caleb reading his numbers for Jordon & Gpa Carlos.

Yep - Jordon is back from the MTC.

He messed his knee up playing basketball & has to have surgery on Tuesday!

Caleb sportin his new coat from Gma & Gpa Freeze & trying to call Angela to thank her for the sweet cell phone!

My mom got Caleb a cute magnet toy that you can put in all different types of vehicles & it makes a LOT of noise. Once everyone had left & he could soak in what had just happened - he LOVED that toy. It was the first thing he played with when he woke up Saturday morning & he had to have it on his tray for breakfast.