December Pre-Christmas

We had such a fun and jam-packed December!  There were so many fun little things that I'm going to make them into one big post!

Here's another pic of our tree

playing around with an app on my phone :)

I came up with a 12 days of christmas for the kids.  It was really simple, but made the Christmas season a little more exciting for the kids!  Every day they chose a new activity that we would do, and they each got a little treat.  The activities included: River of lights, Christmas caroling, gingerbread houses, watching a christmas movie together, christmas craft, making neighbor gifts, visiting the temple nativity, and a few others I can't think of right now :)  We also read a book for as many days as I had books before Christmas.  I have been collecting them, and hope to some day have a book for every day in December.  I love Christmas books!

At the River of Lights

Her yearly picture in front of the unicorn!

Sistas!  So fun to have this gal come with us!

cold baby!  We had to keep this little one bundled up!  It was cold!!

Kenna and I went on a mother daughter date!  We got Krispy Kreme donuts, then went shopping together and Kenna picked out a present for all of her family members.  I am loving how grown up she is now, although it is sad.  It's fun to be able to do things like this with her.

My sweet baby after church one sunday

Reading one of our Christmas books under the tree

Makenna's Who hair for Dr. Seuss week

I volunteer every Wednesday in Makenna's class, and this week, they were doing gingerbread houses.

I love how Makenna's has to be symmetrical!  Takes after me for sure!!

Went to an ugly sweater party

We had a jolly good time!

The best picture I got of their church outfits!  Sad!

Watching a Christmas movie together

The temple nativity.  It's simple, but I love the spirit there and the beautiful music playing.  We read two very special books on the way there and on the way back.

We went to the park on Christmas Eve and had a blast!!

that hair!

That afternoon we went to the Burn's house to decorate gingerbread houses.  

Disgusting.  I love how he stuck a half-eaten sucker on top

After gingerbread houses we let the kids play for a little while, at yummy dinner together, and then acted out the nativity together.  I never have any decent pictures of the nativity.  :(

We left milk and Peppermint Joe Joes for Santa, then the kids went to bed in our room.  

I decided to move the tree over to the other side of the room... haha.  Santa must have already come by  then...  I'm not sure who was more excited that night, the kids, or me!

Cutting down the tree

On December 1, we made the trip up to the Jemez to cut down our tree- my favorite christmas tradition!  We went with some friends, the Yorgasons.  It was so warm out- for sure the warmest it has ever been when we cut down a tree.  Last year there was snow everywhere!  We walked around for quite a while before finding this beaut...  

someone was hoarding the candy canes...

Posing with the tree

so pretty up there

This is how you know you're getting close to Albuquerque... see Abe Lincoln in the mountains?!  It's his profile, and you can see his forehead, eyelash, nose, and chin!

I did not skimp on the lights this year.  I wrapped every branch meticulously to see if it made a real difference... it looked awesome!  (but took about 1-2 hours!!)

This was not the tree's good side... :)   You can't be too picky when it comes to these trees!

Idaho/Utah trip: Grandma's house/ Salt Lake City

Next we stayed at Grandma and Grandpa Hollands house with her hundreds, maybe thousands, of barbies!  Not joking :)

The next day, Saturday, we went to temple square for my cousin's wedding and to hang out up there.

  

We took some family pictures since we were all there

I love my family!

This is in the Joseph Smith Building- so pretty!

we went to the new mall!  It was amazing!!!

my gorgeous girl on the bridge

We met up with my Aunt Linda who showed us around the Relief Society building.  It was such a neat experience to see all of the beautiful things they have kept there over the years.  It was like a museum.  We also were able to peak into the offices of the Presidencies. It was fun to see the things they keep in their offices that inspire them.  The spirit was very strong there!  There was this amazing quilt hanging in the stairwell that inspired me so much!  I would love to be able to make something amazing like it one day!  Wish I had a pic...

This is the display that is in front of the entrance to the RS building in the underground parking lot!  We thought it was very "Relief Society like!"  Especially since none of the other entrances have any sort of display :)

Next we took the kids over to the Children's museum.  

Kenna on the climbing wall

Jace the fireman

Kenna the news anchor

Then we went the temple Square to see the lights!  So pretty!  I hadn't been there since college.  This is my sister Kara and me!

Stacy and me!

 my love and me

Then we went to my cousin, Danny's, wedding reception!  We had the best time dancing!  I love that my siblings/spouses know how to have a good time!  We had soooooo much fun!  What a long day!!  It was so fun and I love my fam so much!s