Christmas

Christmas morning... I love having little boys old enough to enjoy the magic of it all. Here's the entry. Sorry the videos are kind of dark. And ignore Ben and I... he didn't know I was recording.

And the first present openings...

We received a play kitchen from a friend who had two and only needed one. So all we had to do was add the supplies. It was great! And the boys love it. They are always making dinner.

A little Gavin...

A little Xander...

The other bigger gift we got the boys was a wooden train set. Gavin plays with Grandma Ann's set all the time when we are there, so now he has one at home too to play with.

And Grandma Crystal and Grandpa Joel sent the boys tractors. Let's just say that I think Gavin has taken his to bed with him every night since Christmas.

Sunday Christmas Clothes

I love little boys in new Sunday clothes! It's so fun to take them all dressed-up and looking so grown-up to church. Another reason I love Christmas and Easter.
The wagon Grandma Ann and Grandpa Kevin got for the boys was a great way to keep them still enough to get some pictures of them all dressed up. Can't wait to use it outside.

Family Pictures 2010

This year for family pictures Ben and I decided we would try out a local photographer instead of heading to JCPenny's like we normally do. We were hoping with our two monkey boys, who often have ended up in tears during picture sessions, this would be a better, more flexible option for our family. 

AND I must say, IT WAS! 

It was much happier, cheaper, and we came away with more picture options. We had our pictures taken by Natalie. If you're in the area, look her up. 

 First up:

Family pictures that were not too bad, but not the faves.

 

Second:

The boys - together and seperate

They are both getting to be so grown up, and the top together shot is one of my absolute favorites of the whole shoot.

 

 

 

 

Third:

The couple (which we haven't taken any professional ones since our wedding) and Pregnant Mommy

We were trying to get them to kiss my tummy, but I love how it looks like they're talking to the baby and trying to figure out where he is.

 

 Fourth:

Our two favorite family pictures.

Ben's favorite it is first and mine is second. Mine is my favorite for vain reasons... I think it's a good one of all of us, but it's the best one of me ;)

So winter begins...

Basically it started snowing and didn't stop all day long. This is what resulted in the end. And until about yesterday it hadn't all melted.

Not bad for a first snow fall huh?

This year is the first my boys actually like the snow. They don't last very long in the cold, but they will actually play in the snow... where before even walking in snow hand in hand with them freaked them out. While we waited for the bus, the day it was snowing, Gavin and Xander promptly asked where the snowman was. They just assumed one would appear with the falling snow... little do they know! They both also thought it was hilarious and so much fun to catch snowflakes on their tongues.

The next day when Gavin got home from preschool, he and I played outside and made a little snowman while Xander finished his nap. We had to go play out in the snow the day after that as well. It was a lot of fun. And I really enjoyed doing something with just Gavin. It's nice to have a little one on one time now and again.

Just to prove I was really out there playing in the snow too.
Aren't we so cute?!

UNDER

UNDERWEAR sticking out from UNDER the bed....
this is what I found when I walked into the boys' room to get something out of their closet.

Xander wanted to have underwear on, so even though he cares nothing about going on the potty, we let him wear underwear for a little while. Might as well encourage the concept. So this funny boy ends up under the bed playing around in underwear and sandals. It was too funny not to document. Silly kid.

Halloween... a little late

We've been sick this whole past week with the stomach flu... very very yucky. SO that kept me from accomplishing much of anything last week, and hence the late post about Halloween. We never did quite make it to carving pumpkins this year, but earlier in the week the boys and made pumpkins. Gavin even cut out his pumpkin almost entirely on his own! Though he needed some reminders to follow the line and not just cut the pumpkin in half ;).

They were so proud of their pumpkins and wouldn't let me hang them up. They had to be able to carry them around with them everywhere they went.

Here's the boys just being my boys! Xander was fixing his mouth with his screwdriver... though I never knew it was broken!

For costumes this year I decided to go with pirates because the boys say "Aarr, matie!" And it is hilarious and absolutely adorable. I meant to get a video of them saying it. I never did manage that. I may still have to... even if they're not in their costumes.

I also dressed up as a pirate and Ben dyed his contacts yellow this year. Not as creepy as the red he did last year. If you click on this last collage and look close at the picture of the Ben with boys were he's looking right at the camera you can see the eye color change. We celebrated Halloween on Saturday at our ward Halloween carnival. (I made the cute haunted house sign - 3 of them actually- for the church foyers.) The boys loved playing the games and getting prizes. They are throwing darts in the picture. We were also able to get a little family Halloween picture taken thanks to the talented Stevie. We eventually got the boys to hold mostly still... now if only Xander was smiling... silly boy :). Then we went trick or treating around the halls of the church building, and the boys loved it. And I loved it too because we weren't outside freezing! We all had a lot of fun. It was great way to spend Halloween!