Higginson Family Christmas Party

Every year Jeff's parents have a big Christmas party. This year after dinner, the kids sang songs.

And then they heard someone upstairs jingling bells!

It was Santa!

Everyone got a chance to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.

Jeff's face was cracking me up. He was making the funniest facials in the pictures!

Just watch Jeff's facials. Too funny!

I wonder what Sid was saying to make Jeff look like this.....

Grandma and Grandpa always give the kids pajamas.

And then the kids exchange gifts.

Great Grandma Gustin and Great Grandma Higginson

And last but certainly not least, Duane read us the story of Christ's birth from Luke.

Once again it was a great party. I love my in laws!!!! They are all such wonderful people. I feel so lucky to have ended up with such a great family!

Gingerbread House Making Time

Every year my aunt and her family make gingerbread houses. They invited us to come over and make them too.

Everyone had fun. Next year I need to bring a gingerbread house for me to make!

They all turned out cute!

Elf on the Shelf

We have had so much fun with our elf Bernard this year! We have had him for 5 years but this year has been the most fun by far!

One morning we caught him in the hutch getting into the candy dish. He had already eaten several pieces of candy and had left the wrappers all over.

On another morning he was found downstairs in Molly's Barbie house having a treat with Barbie.

We haven't had any snow yet and so he got creative and made himself a sugar angel.

He even wrote us messages with lipstick!

Thanks for the fun memories Bernard! You have kept my kids excited each morning as they would try to find you. And you have saved me from much tattling by letting the kids tattle to you instead. We can't wait to see what you will be up to next year!

Izzy & Ivy Designs

Last night I was talking to my neighbor Shasta who is an owner of Izzy & Ivy Designs. I was telling her how I needed to get a cute Christmas outfit for Molly. I told her how I was just about out of time to get one because our parties were all but over now and how I just really wanted one still. I told her the specific colors I was looking for and how I couldn't find something like that.

She shows up this morning with this. She had a bunch of material at her house with the perfect colors that I wanted! She just cut this out and sewed it up really quick and Wah Lah! I now have the perfect Christmas outfit!!! Thank you, Thank you Shasta!!!! We love it!

If you are a quilter or a sewer, you need to look at her website. izzyandivydesigns.com They have the cutest patterns for clothes, purses, quilts, etc.

A Cabin in the Woods

Jeff's parents rented a cabin for an early Christmas present for us all. We went on Friday afternoon and came home on Monday.

I went off again and left my camera at home. I was so mad! But thankfully my sister in law Suzanna is always fully equipped with her camera. So thanks to Suzi for the pictures of this weekend. Our memories would be lost without you!

We had such a great weekend! Everyone hung out in the hot tub as much as they possibly could. The kids LOVED the it!

The boys played on the gaming system and totally hibernated in the basement the whole time. It was Heavenly!

The kids had a lot of air hockey games and they played a ton of pool.

Uncle Jeffy told the little kids stories.

Lia and Peyton got themselves milk and cookies. They went to town eating them. They were so cute.

Cade built a ton of "forts" out of Jenga blocks and lots of huts over the pool table.

Miss Molly got her self dressed to go out sledding. She headed out in the snow and was ready to sled! I had to make her come back in and get dressed the right way.

Little Miss Gracie

Gracie again...

Jens and Molly

Alivia

Jaxon

Averi

Joel and Julie

Sidney was flying down the hill and she put her feet out to slow herself down a bit and ended up first doing the splits and then flipping herself into a backward flip.

The kids having a snowball fight.

Averi - Chase - Gunner - Sidney

It was a great weekend! Thanks Duane and Julie for the great memories!