Merry Christmas Everyone!

My cute friend Becky Kimball took these pictures of us. I thought she did such an awesome job. I've been waiting to post them until we sent out our the christmas cards. She was so great to meet us outside of her work at the Wells Fargo building in downtown Provo and take our pictures. From start to finish it was only 1/2 hour. I felt we were a total mess (well, me mostly) with my skirt being completely pinned in the back, only half of my hair was done (the back wasn't dried or curled), and everyone was freezing. Thank-you Becky for such beautiful work! We hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and Santa comes to their house. I can't wait to start a new year. I'm hopeful that 2010 will be so much better!

Christmas Dance Performances

Sailor had her dance performance in the day, then we rushed to a family Christmas party, and then went to Paige's performance that night. It was so cute, a lot of effort, but so fun. Sailor and Paige did such a great job. Sailor and Paige look for any reason to put on make-up and yesterday was heaven for them. It is so fun to keep watching them look at themselves in the mirror. After every picture I would take of Sailor she would want to look at it. Sailor goes to dance with her friend Alexis and Paige goes with her friend Grace. They both had Santa at the end of their performances. We tried to get Cash to see Santa, but he was scared like every other kid is. I thought he would be fine because he kept walking up to him and then would run back to us. Every time he would get a little closer, but nope, scared! PS I love that my girls expect flowers after every performance. That was the first thing Paige asked me yesterday was if she was getting flowers.

Christmas School Programs...

Paige had her 1st grade performance and Sailor had her preschool performance. Notice Paige with the big flower on the side of her head in the first picture. Sailor is with her best friend Madison Garrett. They both did such a good job. Sailor really got into the actions of her songs. It is so fun to watch your little kids grow up.

Santa Lucia Day

So the tradition goes that the oldest girl dresses up and serves cookies/food to the rest of the family. I grew up dressing up at my grandma house because I was the oldest grandchild. So Paige was able to dress up and serve us swedish chocolate, cheese and crakers, and spritz cookies. Summer (my sis) and I went up to my grandmas house and she taught us how to make spritz cookies. Paige wore my wreath my mom had bought me along time ago. She felt so special being able to do that. It will be a fun tradition to carry on with my family since my kids are more swedish than I am.

Santa Lucia Festival

On December 12, we took the kids to the annual Santa Lucia Festival. They have a program in swedish and then a dinner. Since Bryce and I both have swedish in our blood I have decided to carry on some of the traditions I have done with my grandmother. It is so fun to do some of these extra things around the holidays. It really was a magical moment in the program when the santa lucia girls followed by star boys came down the aisle singing the santa lucia song. The song is really pretty to hear and the lights were off in the auditorium with only the candles lit. I loved that part, the rest was a little boring because I do not understand swedish. Sailor came dressed in an outfit Bryce and I bought when we were in Sweden a few years ago. Sailor thought she was so beautiful in it. Take notice of the last picture of their version of Santa Claus. So ugly huh? I think he is called Tom Tom, maybe? And I think he is supposed to be dwarf size.

Once there was a snowman...

The first snow made it this winter, and Bryce braved building the snowman with the kids again. I, of course, sat my warm bottom inside and watched. Cashy went outside for a little bit, but he kept taking off his gloves and I could tell he was cold so I brought him in. He wasn't too happy watching his big sister have all the fun. I love how mad he is watching at the window!

My birthday again!

What a great birthday! I wish I could freeze myself at this age with my kids. It is such a great stage in life to be. I woke up to a new shirt and new shoes. I has so much fun with high school friends the night before and my sister-in-laws for lunch. Bryce and I caught a movie and dinner. And it was great. I am so lucky to have so many friends and family who I love so much. Thanks for all the birthday wishes! And the shopping mom!

A Witchy Hallloween

Halloween was so much fun this year. It was the warmest Halloween in a long time. It always makes it so much more fun when you are not freezing too death. This year my sis and I went to Gardner Village to the witches extravaganza. We met up with sister friends Melissa and Tiffany and all of our cute kiddos. It was so much fun. We went on the hay ride to a witches house and the witches told us all about their magic and potions. We buried a cockroach in their cemetery and learned about what they use in their bath. We then caught the beginning of all the witches coming in for the witches night out, and let me tell you, their were so many witches you could barely walk around. My kids were fascinated with all of them and their elaborate costumes. We also did a friends Halloween party at a park and the kids got to trick-or-treat and decorate pumpkins. And then out Halloween tradition is to meet up at aunt Kristin's for soup and doughnuts and trick-or-treating. The cousins all love to see each other dressed up. We decided to be Wizard Of Oz this year except Bryce never did dress up with us. We wanted him to be the tin man or the scarecrow. Somehow at last minute Bryce grabbed the Nacho Libra costume and put it on again for the family to scream at. It's quite a sight....I couldn't make myself post the picture again. :)