The magic of Christmas

Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa Larsen's. Braxton found the remote to the lights on the tree and one little girl thought she was magic. It was the best part of the evening and a great reminder that the magic is in the simple things!!

Tis the Season 2011

Christmas this year was amazing. We did a lot of fun things that I'm hoping will become traditions. The kiddos were really good and loved talking about the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Christmas Eve was spent with Grandma Betty followed by going to Build-a-Bear with Jasons family. His parents let the grandkids make a bear for their gift this year. I loved it & they were so excited to do it. Brax already knew he was making a monkey (which he takes everywhere) and Nati loves her Hello Kitty. We had dinner and spent the evening with the Carter's. It was great! I always get my kids new pj's for an early Christmas gift that they open on Christmas Eve. Well....I mentioned last year that I really wanted to find footed pj's for them and Dylan said and I quote "If you find them I will wear them". I found them and, in true sassy teenager form, Dylan put them on for a picture and won't wear them again. Little turd. I was so excited to find them. Chrismas day was great as well. We got up and opened gifts, went to 9 am sacrament meeting and came home to chill out for most of the day. I have to say it was great to not have to hurry everywhere. We visited the grandparents later in the afternoon and watched movies after. It was a wonderful Christmas for us and we hope this coming year will be the same.

Programs & Parties

I love school programs! And it was a day for the record books - Braxton actually sang and participated in his class program. He was having a blast & even started singing a few notes ahead. It was so fantastic! He did great. Then we had a family party at my parents house. Yet another one for the record books. Mom always does Christmas Bingo and has funny little prizes. One of the prizes that she got (with my help)was little bottles of goo that makes noises when played around with. It was a huge hit. She was mortified that it made such noises but we all loved it. Hysterical. Then to top it all off.... while taking a picture with mom and grandma, grandma grabbed a hold of me.... in the upper frontal region of me. Not sure what she was doing but WOW! It was a 16 Candles moment. Anyway - loads of laughs and fun!

Traditions of the Season

I love family traditions. I especially love our Christmas family traditions. They are things that we all look forward to and love to do together. Making gingerbread houses is one of them. Jason was in the midst of finishing up insurance season so the kiddos and I put ours together this year. Braxton picked to decorate the gingerbread man and Nati picked the tree. They took their projects pretty serious and made them so very cute. Brax, in true Brax form, was particular about his man. He had to have one eye bigger than the other and HAD to have a mowhawk on him. Don't know that I've seen another big eyed, mowhawked gingerbread man before. Nati loved putting candies on the tree. Dylan was content to watch. I think it turned out great!! We also went to see the lights in Salem. I'd heard about how neat it is, so we ventured on over. It really was neat - the trees out in the middle of the pond all lit up and the reflection in the water. We snapped a few pictures before hypothermia set in and ironically went to get oreo shakes after. It was a fun couple of nights together. Love this season!!

The Dream Wedding

We have a Jesse. He's been our Jesse, well.... forever. He's the sweetest, kindest, most sincere person. He is so loved by all, especially by the nieces and nephews. He and Dylan are buddies and we love that. We have been praying and wishing and hoping for that perfect partner for him - someone that is as wonderful as he is. About a year ago he found her. We are a bit protective of "our Jesse", so not just anyone would do for him. We met Melinda and knew she was it. He proposed over the summer and they started planning their wedding. There were some glitches along the way but thankfully everything has turned out just as it should. They were married last weekend on a beach in Santa Barbara. Jason & I flew there for the weekend. On a side note - Jason and I haven't ever taken a vacation away from the kiddos (aside from a few overnight work trips but I don't count work as vacation). It was a great weekend. We rented a car that we will never own which was super fun to drive. The weather was amazing, the beach wedding was just that - a beach wedding with an incredible ocean for background, sunshine, flip flops, and lots of love floating everywhere. We are so happy for Jesse and Melinda!!

Beware!! The Scroll!

What your about to see is TOP SECRET!! Consider yourself warned that you are messing with big time spy-gang-8 year old serious stuff. Braxton has been working on this for weeks. He and his buddies at school take this very serious. It's "THE SCROLL". We are not allowed to touch the scroll, look at it, or even think about unrolling it. The consequences are fearsome to say the least. He has had it rubber banded in a secret way and through much undoing, writing new codes, rolling back up and securing with the rubber band again and again, it ripped down the middle. Whoa!! The world stopped for a bit. I was sworn to secrecy in order to repair "THE SCROLL". I was ordered to tape it back together without reading it. I'm not sure how it happened but..... my camera was on and just randomly took pictures of "THE SCROLL". Oh, the mind of a cute 8 year old.

Ornaments

Awww - family moment in front of the tree.

All of the Carter kids.

My 3 munchkins with Santa. Dylan said he would stand for a picture but that's it!

"I think I'll just sit here while the LITTLE kids ride the train. Yup, I'll just sit here."

2 boys separated at birth. So funny!

Cutie girls and Preston :)

The kids with their sweet Grandma Carter.

Dylan's find - a car. He might be dreaming about driving a bit too much.

"Decisions, decisions"

It was time for the Annual Carter Family Ornament Day! We look forward to this every year. Jason's mom takes all of the grandkids to Hallmark and lets them pick out an ornament. After much deliberation (sometimes a bit too much deliberation) the purchase is made and we move on to the train ride. The little ones love deciding where they will sit. You will notice in the picture above that Dylan chose to sit out this year. Last year was pushing it for him and this year he just said "No way." I don't really blame him. There are 5 years between him and the next kiddo. Then we had lunch together, along with playing some "Fat & Old" apps on Jason's phone. Kinda wierd seeing my 5 year old as an old lady and fat. The kids giggled forever. Then onto the hilight - SANTA!! Nati was super excited & Brax couldn't quite decide if he would have a chat with Santa. He, a bit apprehensively, sat and told Santa his greatest Christmas wish - a remote control helicopter. Nati followed with a dancing doll. Dylan, well...... 13 and too old for it. It was a super fun day and we love that it starts off the holiday season every year. Bring on the holidays!!

Another visit....

Oh the joys of $1.

Yeah!!

Yeah, I remembered to post in a timely manner. Miracles never cease! Nati lost another tooth and, truth be told, she pulled it out by herself. She came sulking into my bedroom in the morning all sad & thinking that the Tooth Fairy forgot her. But (proud of myself moment) she just didn't lift her pillow up all the way. Super happy little girl. When I told Jason that we needed to remember to be the Tooth Fairy he said, "Yah, we don't want to drop the ball on the last kid."

As if we've never forgotten before. My poor children :)