Forgotten Christmas?

Good thing I use my brain...in my excitement of posting the pictures I was emailed of our New Years party I completely skipped over our Christmas. Isn't that terrible? It's not like it was a disaster Christmas that I just wanted to forget about, it was actually really nice I just got super lax on my blogging. So without further ado, here is a little Christmas action.

A couple days before Christmas Kurts family came over to exchange gifts with us since they were going out of town.

Here we all are sporting our gifts, I got this cute apron and cookbook, Kurt got a new pair of kicks, Alaina got a tutu, and Emmitt got a movie to share with Maddox. Pay no mind to my unkempt children...who knows what Maddox is doing?? LOL.

After the family left Maddox had a field day in the kitchen, he loves to pull out all my pots and pans.

Christmas Eve the kids got to open one present each which is always new pajamas. Emmitt & Maddox matched this year, and Alaina got this really pretty Rapunzel nightgown. Although it's so fancy I'm not sure it counts as a nightgown, looks more like a princess dress to me, she also got matching slippers.

They each took a bath or shower then put on their new jammies and got into bed, excited for Santa to visit.

My three babies Christmas morning, poor Maddox woke up with a rash all over his body from his pj's but he was still in high spirits.

They tore into their stockings so excited to see what Santa brought them.

Maddox really liked his new bath toys, I love this picture because he is mid cough, looks so funny.

Santa scored big brownie points with Maddox when he brought him this Elmo airplane toy, we couldn't get him off of it.

Emmitt with his remote controlled quad from Alaina- this year was the first year the kids bought for eachother, except Maddox of course. I didn't get pictures to cover it all but it was a fantastic Christmas!We finished things up with a yummy breakfast of Caramel Apple Sticky Buns (yes I made them, don't they look delicious?), eggs, and sausage.

Christmas Eve and things

Christmas Eve is finally here and I am so excited. Mainly the excitement for me comes in anticipation for my kids. I love Christmas morning and watching their cute little faces light up. This year was sort of stressful, it was hard finding the Christmas cheer when Kurt & I are stressed over the tight budget, but eventually it melted away and we could focus on what realy mattered. I wanted to share a few of my favorite things about this time of year, my friend Rasha over at and this is what she said has been doing just that and I thought it was a great way to spread the Christmas cheer. It seems the Christmas spirit is few and far between now a days.

I love that most people are a little more giving, caring, and plain happy around Christmas time.

Christmas movies, a few of my favorites are: White Christmas, A Wonderful Life, Frosty the Snowman, Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Charlie Brown Christmas

Classic Christmas Music like Burl Ives, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, and all the classic kids christmas songs.

I'm hooked on two Christmas drinks: Hot cocoa with flavored coffee creamer in it...mmm and eggnog.

Christmas is the ONLY day of the year I ever willing want snow on my doorstep, nothing like a white christmas!

The time spent with family and friends and great food.

Making Christmas cookies and all the baking that comes with the holidays. I made an egg color glaze this year that was really fun then frosted them, pretty neat!

These cute little ornaments/decorations at Target, I love them!

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Prep

We have been doing a whole lot of Christmas preapration around here. From decorating our home:

(I love these wood letters I snagged them from Shays craft boutique.) To picking and setting up our christmas tree:

To building a gingerbread house complete with Santa and his sleigh:

This years was such a disaster we pretty much destroyed and ate it immediately, poor thing wouldn't stay together...I blame walmart.

We attended our ward Christmas party, where the kids got to see Santa and tell him what was on their list. Maddox wasn't too thrilled, he was fighting a cold.

Alaina loved Santa and it took some coaxing to get her to let the other kids have their turn.

We've done our shopping and wrapped our gifts, sent our christmas cards, and now we're checking our lists, cause Santa Claus will soon be coming to town!

Our Family Christmas Pictures

(This is one of my favorites because it's just a random whatever shot, it's a lil dark but I think it's cute- Maddoxs face is what makes it so cute)

I have been dying to put these on here but wanted to wait unitl the majority of my christmas cards had gone out. Kurts cousin Shay took our Christmas pictures this year and I was so excited when I ordered the cards! I love them!! Every year we usually just set up the camera on the timer and rush to get in the picture and pray for a good one...lol. It was such a welcome change to have someone actually take them for us and take us to such a pretty spot.

My kids solo shots blew me away, they look so big!! I don't know how they got so old.

I love this picture of Maddox in the leaves

There was this huge berry bush that was so beautiful so we had to get some pictures in front of it.

Playing in the leaves this one is another favorite

Best all together shot.

Our 3 babies

Merry Christmas to you and yours!