Christmas

We spent Christmas in Monticello with Tige's family. Taylor has an ear infection last month and was on an antibiotic over Thanksgiving. Apparently it did a number on his tummy, because just 2 days before we left to Monticello, he got diarrhea and a terrible diaper rash. So we had to deal with that the whole time we were there. Also JaNae & Matt spent christmas with Matt's family, so we only got to see them for about an hour of the 5 days we were there, but other than those 2 things we had a great holiday!
We made little reindeer out of mini doughnuts. The kids got to eat some, and we left some out for Santa.

Tige's mom has this little Santa thing that reads books to the kids. They loved it and wanted to listen to several stories.

When Tige's parents were here last month for Kason's baptism, his mom said "do I have to set up the train?" I said "of course you do!" And this is why. My kids love it and will just sit and watch it for hours. Even wiggly baby Taylor sat and watched it. We need to get one of our own.

On Christmas Eve, the kids got to open 2 presents from Grandpa & Grandma. Their pajamas, and their book that Janet made.

She made each of the 7 grandchildren their own hardbound scrapbook. I can't even imagine the time spent. Thousands and thousands of hours! What a treasure they are.

Kason's book was all about turning 8, being baptized. My grandma Bev wrote a poem about some of the things he's experienced in his first 8 years of life, and I gathered pictures that matched the poem, and Janet compiled it all together. It is really amazing and we love it.

Christmas morning we went over to Kirk & Shalisa's house. That's where Santa came. This is the staging room before going into the main room. We started at 6 a.m. because we had sacrament meeting @ 9:00. Janet was in charge of the program. Kason sang a solo in sacrament meeting which I accompanied called "Could I Hold the Baby?" It was so special! Calvin also did a solo, Lyon was the narrator to the program, and Janet lead the music, so it was the Hazleton production and it was great.

Abby got a chest full of dressup stuff. One of the outfits is a gold colored skirt & shirt, and at New Year's she put it on for my mom. My mom said "who are you?" And she said "gatorade!" LOL! So funny! She also got some scriptures with her name on them, some stacking cups and some magnet dress-up dolls.

Kason got a bb/pellet gun with a scope and some targets. He's been telling people "I got a sniper rifle!" Uh, no buddy, it's a BB gun. He also got a football, some video games, and a remote control helicopter.

This was the look on Tige's mom's face when she opened her surprise present that all the kids and Lyon went in together to buy her. It's a Kindle Fire.

I had a surprise look of my own when I opened Tige's present to me: a Nook Tablet! He's so sneaky. I had no idea.

Tige got a remote control helicopter like Kason's. At first he looked at me like I was insane, but they've had a great time flying them together. I knew they would! He also got an exercise mat for under his bike trainer, and exercise mat for under his treadmill, a front wheel elevator for his bike trainer, and an autographed book of President Monson's biography. All surprises! Man, I'm good.

Taylor got some sensory balls, some stacking foam blocks for the tub, another stacking toy, and a gyrobowl.

The last 3 years, Tige's mom has prepared a bingo game for the kids, and one for the adults with prizes we get to choose. It's become a fun tradition.

The boys went out to shoot Kason's new BB gun a couple of times. They had a blast and I hear that Kason is a very good shot!

Thanks to Tige's family for housing us, feeding us, and showing us a good time.