New Years in California

We drove into California late into the night as we usually do.  The kids do so well when we leave about 12-1, because then they go to sleep around 8-9, and we have a few hours to talk.  I love those times.  It's so fun to talk about anything and everything with Scott with no interruption!  

On Saturday we woke up and had Christmas morning all over again!  I gave this quilt to Jaclyn that I had been working on.  I love how it turned out!  

This is my sister Jaclyn after she got her quilt... she doesn't look too excited about it but I know on the inside she is bursting with happiness!  After presents and stuff, we went to the church to play some volleyball!  It was fun!

That night we got together with some of my high school friends that were in town!  I love these people so much!  They made my high school experience awesome!  It always feels like we never left.

On Sunday funday we went for a little walk around the neighborhood.  I wish we could go on walks in December in Albuquerque!  Cute Kara joined us.

On Monday we went to the beach!  It was a beautiful day...  This is my favorite thing to do on the beach... I know I'm boring.  There is just nothing better than laying on the beach, especially with my sister!

Mom chasing the birdies with Cami!

This girl looked so gorgeous I just had to take a picture of her

 Dad is the fun one...

That night we had a little party for the kids!  They wanted to stay up till midnight so bad!!  So I may have changed the clocks...  haha  They never figured it out :)

Then my parents and Scott and I stayed up and played games and ate yummy food.

The next morning we got up early and headed up to the Rose Parade route!  This is what we did every year when I was a kid.  A lot of my Sheffield extended family ended up being in Cali so we decided to do it again!  So many mems!!!

I'm obsessed with the houses there and their big green lawns and huge trees lining the street.  Get out of the grass kid!!!  oh, that's mine

 So as a kid we used to sleep on the grass right behind where we're sitting to save spots.  Maybe someday my kids will get to be part of that... but no thank you anytime soon!

Band members up close and personal

My favorite float... so beautiful

After the parade we went to my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Brian's beautiful house in LA.  It was fun to see a few of my cousins and have our kids play together!

Makenna and Shelby

Cami and her little second cousin... They were so cute together :)

The next day we got some YUMMY burritos!  We also went to the beach, of course.

On Thursday we went to Balboa park!  First we took the kids to the Reuben H. Fleet Science center.  It's really cool, kind of like explora here, but a little different.

you didn't build that.  I did!

DORKS!

Jace was chosen by the magician as his helper.  Jace we very cute- he's my confident little guy.

Makenna the model, and Jace trying to hold on :)

"The fountain" at Balboa

On Friday Kara and I had a girl's day out!  We went and got pedicures, ate yummy schwarma burritos, and went shopping.  I love every second I get to spend with this girl!

We found Stacy's lipstick!!

Great trip to Cali as always!!

Post Christmas and the Harts

The day after Christmas was weird for me!  I don't think I've ever just gone back to normal the next day and it was a little strange!  We decided to meet up with some friends at Chuck E. Cheese.  I have to say this place has really grown on me!  It's pretty dang cheap and the kids love it.  I usually just get about $10 worth of tokens and it takes us just the right amount of time and the kids usually end up with some sort of prize at the end.  

 That night the Harts came to visit!  We love the Harts so much!  They were so good to us when we lived in Idaho Falls by them.  It's always fun to see them again.  Our kids had a great time playing together!

Here's all the cousins together, including the Burns!

Yes I fit 12 kids around our table!  As you can see it was a tight fit!  Hopefully someday that table will be in a place that fits it a little better!  It was a fun and quick visit.

Christmas

The kids woke up around 7:30.  I went to get Cami and then we let the kids go!  I am a better video taper than picture taker on Christmas morning so there aren't a lot of pictures.

This is all Makenna wanted for Christmas!  She also got a scooter and a few other small things.

This was all Jace wanted!  Silly kid...  He also got a couple Imaginext sets.

Cami's new baby and Scott's new tv for our room in the background

Her new doggy and chair

tired baby!

Ninjago pens

Makenna's matching pj's... a labor of love from mom

I had envisioned the kids opening all their presents and waiting a while after they had played with them a while to share one more surprise!  We told the kids there was one more present and they needed to try to find it!  I opened the back door and they ran out and saw their new trampoline!  They were so excited!  Jace yelled "This is the best Christmas ever!"  Thanks mom!  They still love it!

It was such a fun and chill day.  We just chilled at home and spent the day together.  It was fun to have Christmas at home this time.  We did it a couple years back so it was only our 2nd time but it is nice to start our own family traditions.  

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!