Merry Christmas 2011

Christmas this year seemed to come and go in a flash. It didn't even seem like Christmas this year to us because it has been sunny, nice temperatures and NO snow. Nevertheless, it was Christmas and Santa did deliver.

Miss Molly was hoping and hoping for red Tom shoes.

She was completely delighted to get them!

She was also hap hap happy to get a new American Girl doll.

And the Lalaloopsy Tree House she wanted.

Four years ago I bought some Hot Wheels cars for one of Jens' birthday party's. One of them looked like a shark car. Cade wanted that car sooo bad but I had only bought just enough cars for Jensy's friends. Cade has never forgotten that "shark" car and we have looked and looked and looked in every store every time we went shopping. We have never been able to find one. Finally Caden just decided to have Santa make one so he FINALLY got a shark car. He was so happy!!!

He saved one of his best presents for last, a Red Rider BB Gun. He is so happy and feels like a big kid with his new gun.

Like Molly, Sidney also wanted red Tom's so desperately. But sadly Santa couldn't find red ones in her size anywhere. So she ended up with turquoise ones instead. She liked them just as much.

She got her own Ed Hardy perfume.

(Now hopefully she will leave MY Ed Hardy perfume alone)

Toward the end of the kids opening their presents everyone heard some weird ringing sound coming from Sidney's stocking.........

It was a new cell phone!

She was so happy that she started to cry.

Which made me cry too.

Jens got the XBox that he wanted.

And the Skull Candy Skull Crusher headphones that he wanted.

After everyone had finished opening their presents I had them all sit down while Jeff went upstairs for one last present.

This cute little cocker spaniel came to live with my two boys who have asked for a puppy for several years. I am NOT a dog lover, but I finally gave in and let them have one. They were so happy to finally get a dog!!!! Jens gets up in the night with him to let him out to potty and the boys take care of all the feedings and walking. Even though they are the ones taking care of him I am still not completely on board with the whole dog thing. Hopefully I will warm up to the idea soon!

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!