Christmas Eve

This year we were able to go to Texas for Christmas vacation and spend about 2 weeks there. It was wonderful(as always!), we got to do so much and had a blast the whole time. This year we were with my family for the Christmas festivities. Christmas eve it is tradition in my family to read and act out the Christmas story. This year we added (for the first time) some scenes from the Book of Mormon. It was so fun! The kids had a blast and even the husbands got involved (they were forced :) ). Our camera died a few days before Christmas so the pictures we took were on our video recorder, so they aren't great, but you get the idea.
This is Dad reading and everyone "listening" (my parents house is always BUSY!)




There were some marshmallows for a part later on, I think that is all my girls knew, that there were MARSHMALLOWS!!!




Samuel the Lamenite was played by Kurtis. We had FUN throwing arrows (marshmallows) at him. It's a good thing we weren't supposed to hit him because mine weren't even CLOSE! I think this scene lasted the longest, everyone enjoyed throwing food at Kurtis! Lol







The cutest nephite there ever was


On to more serious scenes
Mary and Joseph


Kaitlyn helping Grandpa read



Julia makes the cutest donkey




Baby Jesus




Listening a little better



Angel Tiara



3 Cool wise men



Cody gave baby Jesus a gift of his credit card for gold, Jace tried to take off with it. It was pretty funny.



After the story was over Dad bore his testimony. It was a little silly (the acting-not the actually story) at times but that's ok. The kids had fun and I think each year they will realize more and more what we are talking about. And I KNOW they will remember, because I always did.

Afterwards they were able to open one present each before bed. Then bedtime!! After the kids were in bed Santa was hard at work getting everything set up for the next day!

Cute Pictures!

Just before we left for Texas a good friend of mine (and my boss!) took the kids pictures for us! They look so cute. It was way nice of her and the kids look adorable. Unfortunatly Em fell a day or so before so she has a bruise. Em sat great but would only allow 1-2 shots and she was done and then Kaitlyn would have sat there forever, but every other shot is a super cheesey smile! Here are my adorable children!

All 3




Kaitlyn







Emily





Logan

Kaitlyn's 3rd Birthday!

As I previously posted Kaitlyn had her birthday in Texas, but before we left we had a party for her here. She was WAY spoiled this year! Two birthday parties, 3 days of singing to her, and too many presents to count! I was very nervous about this birthday party. This was my first not family birthday party. It went over very well. Unfortunately the camera was out of batteries, so there are no pictures. We did get some of it on tape though. Kaitlyn wanted a PINK birthday, and had been talking about it FOREVER! I did everything I could think of pink, so I think it was pink enough for her. She had a great time. We started off by painting everyone’s toe and fingernails. In my head I envisioned a little nail parlor type set up with the girls sitting nicely and giggling back and forth while getting their nails done. Lol. I’m not sure what age I was envisioning but it DEFINATLEY wasn’t 3 yr olds! Lol. Luckily the parents that were there helped out a TON and all the girls got their nails done really quickly and they did enjoy it. After that we read a book and danced to music while dressing up (again it didn’t go how I planed but the kids had fun!), we had cake, opened presents, and went on a fairy princess hunt! It was a little hectic and nothing went to plan, but the cake was delicious (and no drama there!), the girls had fun playing, and Kaitlyn wanted to do it again the next day. I think that counts as a success.

Am I still on Thanksgiving?

Saturday just after Thanksgiving was a fun but CRAZY day! That morning we celebrated Kaitlyn's 3rd birthday! She actually turned 3 on Thanksgiving, but we figured that was a little much for one day. So Logan had NOT been sleeping well (he continued not sleeping until after new years, but that's another post) and around 5 or 6 in the morning I gave up. He just wasn't going to sleep, so I decided to start preparing for Kaitlyn's party. So I threw Logan into the van and drove to the nearest grocery store. (I love Texas cause it was actually open and there was more than one option of where to go. Yay shopping!!) So we go in and get stuff for the cake I was going to make. I had made a cake for her birthday party in Wisconsin that was really good, but I wanted to do even better. She LOVES strawberries so I had made 1 cake in 2 pans and layered the middle with a strawberry glaze I made and then put a few extras on top with OFCOUARSE pink icing. For the Texas one I decided to try it but cook the cake with strawberries in it too. And I had to double it because, well even with just family there's ALOT of guests! So I bought 2 chocolate cake mixes, 4 containers of strawberries, and icing! Well we got home and I started hulling, cleaning, and cutting all the strawberries. Then I made two cakes with diced strawberries inside, and made the glaze to go in the middle. Luckily Grandma Buzz was up (she usually is, she doesn't sleep well) and she helped a ton. Even with starting at 5 am, about 15 minutes before people were supposed to show up the cakes weren't done. I was starting to get umm... lets just say hormonal. I was majorly stressing and VERRY frustrated. So everyone's arriving and I'm still working on the stupid cake, I mean Kaitlyn's beautiful birthday cake. Well when I layered it the corners fell and that made the icing mix in with little pieces of chocolate and it looked TERRIBLE! I wanted to cry, and I almost did. I didn't even want anyone to eat it I was so upset. lol. With lots of hugs and encouragement I decided it would have to do.
Kaitlyn loved it and everyone said it was delicious, which it was. One of my brother in laws even wanted me to make it again when we came down for Christmas. I hated it. I think it probably tasted really good, but I was too tired and stressed to enjoy it. lol. Oh well. Next time I'll either make it a different day or do a lot less. Sleeping the couple days before might help too.
So minus the cake (which I was the only one who had issues with) Kaitlyn's birthday party was a blast! There was cake, PRESSENTS (Kaitlyn LOVED that!), a bounce house, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents... you get the idea. It was a great time and I'm so glad everyone was able to come! And don't worry, by the end I had de-stressed and actually enjoyed the party!
Pictures from the party (there is no photogenic proof of the cake, because I wouldn't allow it!)

Hanging Out:
The Congers

Mom D and Katrina (I'm so glad you got to come)

Cooper and Cody

Jessica, Emily, and Jess's friend Kyra



Bounce House:
Kaitlyn, Tiara, Collin, and Austin

Tiara, Austin, Cameron, Kurtis

Collin, Austin, Kurtis, Tiara?

Kurtis, Tiara

Kaitlyn



Presents

The kids getting ready to watch Kaitlyn open 'em
Bottom: Tiara, Cameron, Jessica, Emily, Krya. Top: Grandma, Austin, Katrina

A couple of the opening shots, she was in heaven!





Family
Dalton sisters:
Mindy, Me, Katrina. Collin actually took this! He did pretty well!

All the Wilson's except Andrew (he's on a mission for our church in North Carolina)!

My sisters(Tiara, Jessica, Julia),and Kyra

Julia and Kurtis with 2 of the cutest babies ever, Cooper and Logan



The boys
This was just after putting up the bounce house. These guys are a ton of fun!
I asked for a picture and this is what I got!
The boty's are Jace,Ryan, and then Shawn! with Dad and Kurtis laughing at them.

Kurtis, Jace, Ryan, and Shawn


Also somehow I didn't get a picture of Mindy, Chris, my mom, and Ryan's dad, and Grandma Buzzy who were all there, sorry guys! I'm so glad that you all came!

So AFTER that WAY fun birthday party there was a fun get together with some highschool friends of mine. It was a blast to go and see everyone. Mandy and Marrisa and their mom were great hosts. I'm so glad we got together! Here's a pic. I stole off of Aria's website.
Standing: Jenny holding Sophia, Aria holding Skylar, and Mandy
Sitting: Me nursing Logan (story of my life right now!)and holding Em, Marissa holding Kaitlyn, and Julia holding Cooper


We stayed for an hour or two and caught up. Then AFTER that we met the Dalton's for dinner at El Fenix.
It was a LONG but very fun day. Sunday we spent driving home and then Ryan was back to work on Monday! It was a VERY busy week and we had so much fun.
OHH and Mom and Dad Dalton let us sleep on thier bed (we tried to argue) and we have now decided we WILL get a King size bed and a comfy mattress, all we're waiting on is our tax return! I hope it's big so we can get it!