Christmas 2011

Ever since we have moved to Riverton we have had the same Christmas routine. We head to Logan the day a few days before so that we can enjoy the Smith family Christmas Eve party but then we make the 1 1/2 hour trek home late that night so that we can have Christmas morning at our own house. This year however, the Christmas eve party was going to be about an hour drive up Logan Canyon which would make our drive home in the middle of the night even longer. My my mom suggested the idea of having both my sister and I with our families do Christmas at her house this year. At first all I could think of is the amount of work it would take to pull that off but the more I thought about it the more I liked it. Adree has not done Christmas in Logan for the past six or seven years so it sounded kind of fun to be all together for once. Troy was a bit reluctant (as was I) simply because we have come to cherish our quiet Christmas mornings with our kids and the thought of all the chaos and hauling everything to Logan was less than appealing. But, it didn't take long for us to climb on board with the plan and began loading our car floor to ceiling with our Christmas paraphernalia.

It turned out to be a wonderful Christmas and all of our fears or apprehensions were for nothing. It couldn't have gone smoother. In fact when I asked Hope what her favorite gift was for Christmas she said, "My I-touch! No, wait. My favorite gift was getting to spend Christmas with all my cousins and family." How cute is that!

Since Christmas was on a Sunday we started our morning by attending a wonderful Sacrament meeting at my parents ward. We thought the kids would be going crazy about having to wait to open their presents but they didn't even make a peep about it.

Grandpa Tom and Grandma Diane joined us after church for the unveiling of the presents. I had to take this picture because I ended up having to wrap all our presents once we got there so I recruited my sister and dad's help. I had three coordinating papers and tried to give each girl a few of each pattern. You can imagine their reactions. My dad could not understand why he couldn't add whatever paper he wanted and kept trying to be "helpful" by adding new patterns to the mix. I know it's crazy but back me up here - look how fun and festive it looks!



A few of Hope's favorite gifts this year: Pogo-Stick, I-touch 4th gen, Orbeez


Caymbree's favorites: This "American Girl Doll" (which it is so NOT but no matter how many times I tell her that she still insists that it is.), an I-touch, and an chalk/white board easel.


Hallee's favorites: A ripstick, I-touch 4th gen, and donut maker







After opening our gifts the rest of the clan came over for our traditional Christmas breakfast of egg casserole, breakfast cake and crepes. So so yummy!

We then spent the rest of the day hanging out, playing on my dad's new ping pong table (our gift to him), watching movies, dancing with the Just Dance Wii game, and eating ourselves sick.
The kids were in heaven getting to hang out with their cousins all day.

(My parents gave all the grandkids bathrobes instead of pj's this year. The kids loved them!)

It was such a fun Christmas and we felt truly blessed!

Twas the night before Christmas 2011

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the lodge crazy things started happening it was quite a hodge podge...

The girls in their jammies became such a sight, with noses like piggies it gave all a good fright. When the boys started dancing all started to gleam but by the end of the dance the poor boys wanted to scream.

But the best part of all was having Grandpa Smith with us there, for this week in the hospital he gave us all quite the scare!

And that my friends in the end of my rhyming attempt. I am sure you are grateful! Christmas Eve was spent up Logan Canyon at the Beaver Creek Lodge. It was so much fun and the Crosbie Clan did such a great job with the festivities. However, plans almost took a drastic turn when about a week prior my Grandpa ended up in the Intensive Care unit at the hospital. It got scary enough that at one point they were not sure he would make it through it. Thankfully he made a miraculous recovery and exceeded even the doctors expectations and by Christmas was well enough to spend the day with us.

(Grandpa and Grandma Smith with their great grandchildren}

For one of the evenings activities each family was given a bag full of candy. You were to build Santa's sleigh using only the things found in the bag. Then each family came up to race their sleigh. So creative!

The daytime was spent playing in the snow. (What little there was of it anyway). It was an absolutely gorgeous day and was actually quite warm. We all had to start shedding our layers!

Caymbree informed us the entire drive up the canyon that she was NOT going to go sledding. According to her the ONLY place she will do it is in G&G back yard. Ok. Whatever. Imagine my shock when she jumped on the tube and squealed with delight the entire way down. Little stinker.

The original plan was to do a little snowmobiling. However, with the little amounts of snow around we decided it was best to just stick close to the lodge and pull the kiddos around on sleds.

TIs the season

Tis the season... for drill competitions, classroom parties, holiday festivities, buying presents, wrapping presents, making food, eating food, family time, friends, holiday cards, candy canes and oh so much more. In the middle of it all we managed to add in a few more holiday activities.

When we lived in Logan it seemed like we made it down to see the lights at temple square pretty often. In the five years we have lived in Riverton we have yet to do it. How is that possible? I was determined that we would do it this year!

Of course the camera battery lasted for a whole TWO pictures! Go figure. After visiting the lights we jumped on Trax and headed to the Grand America Hotel. They have a fun little picture scavenger hunt through the main floor where once you complete it you can redeem your card for a cookie at the cookie shop. It was warm, beautiful, and best of all NO CROWDS! I think my kids enjoyed it even more than seeing the lights.

Also on the December calendar was Hope and Hallee's school choir Christmas concert. They have been waking up early once a week since September for the practices. I was so proud of their determination and desire to do it and so grateful for the teachers who made it all possible by volunteering their services.

The girls with some of their best supporters!

Hope and Hallee did choir with their friends Marley and Ivy Telford