Out of Commission

We've been a little under the weather lately....but I think we are going to make it. Gotta love this time of year. Mckenna informed me that she wants to move somewhere warm so we won't get sick. I informed her that her cousins in AZ and TX still get sick in the winter! I don't blame her though! I have tried to recapture our last few weeks......

HAPPRY BIRTHDAY MCKENNA

Our sweet little Mckenna turned 7 this weekend. She is such a joy to have in our family. Mckenna at 7 - loves playing card games, playing her DS, gymnastics, soccer, friends, jump roping, playing on the computer, staying up late, drinking hot chocolate, making crafts (and messes), reading, playing spy and going out to eat! It is hard to believe 7 years have gone by since she joined our family.


Mckenna had a fun filled birthday. She started off the day with going out to Breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa Mimi, went to the movie Bedtime Stories, enjoyed the company of her friend Carter, made homemade suckers, went to dinner and then ended the day ice skating with her Grandma and Grandpa. She's looking forward to a "Rock Climbing" birthday party with her friends in 2 weeks. (They wouldn't schedule birthday parties during the holidays.) So her birthday is ..... to be continued.

The Holdiay Season

We have had 2 full weeks of family fun. Life will probably seem a little boring now. We enjoyed spending time with Matt's family before Christmas, Christa's family after Christmas and all the parties in-between.

Matt's Family

Matt's Mom and Dad have lots of fun traditions around Christmas. Here are a few we enjoyed this holiday season.

CHRISTMAS ATTIRE


COOKIE TRAINS
Each year we make cookie trains at Matt's parents. The kids really look forward to this occasion.


FAMILY COMING HOME
We look forward to Matt's brothers coming home over the holidays. They both live out of state and we don't get to spend much time with them. Matt's brother Travis and his family came this year. The kids particularly love when they come. Travis is a fun uncle. He took the girls to the movie, played with them in the snow, went sledding, 4-wheeling, teased them, etc. We look forward to next year when all of Matt's family will be home for Christmas. We missed Brian and Katy this year.

Travis , Mckenna and Frosty (with oreo eyes and buttons)

Travis, Sienna and Mckenna (on top)

Mckenna catching some air (sledding) in Grandma Mimi's backyard


CHRISTMAS EVE
READING THE STORY OF CHRIST'S BIRTH
We have always gone to Matt's parents on Christmas Eve. Matt's dad reads the Christmas story. While he is reading, Matt's mom helps the grandkids put the images from the story on a Cloth Christmas Tree (ie Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, the Star, Camel, Wise Men, etc.). It is a fun way to get the kids involved in the story.


CHRISTMAS EVE PJ's
Matt's parents give the grandkids Christmas PJ's on Christmas Eve. My kids love this tradition. They always know they will be getting them....and wonder what they will look like.

The Grandkids (minus the 3 from Texas)


CHRISTA'S FAMILY
Christa's two brothers and their families came in after Christmas. Never a dull moment around here. We enjoyed entertaining ourselves and eating mom's good food. I think we played in the snow 90% of the time - we were either sledding, 4-wheeling in it, skiing or just playing in it. Rich and Heather don't see much snow in AZ so they have to get their year supply while they are here.

Matt and Mia pull the sledders behind the four wheeler

Mckenna, Mia, Grandma and Richard

The Audience (watch out for that snowball coming right at you - thanks Chris!!)

SKIING AT ALTA

Mia - Loves to Pose!

Mckenna

Sierrah, Mia and Christa

Sierrah and Mckenna on top of the World!

Sierrah and Mckenna riding on the lift

Mia and Sierrah on top of the World!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR
My brother Rich made a quick trip to Wyoming......his purchases provided our New Year's Eve Fun!!

Grandma helping the kids come up with New Year's Resolutions!!

MAKING FRESH LEMONADE
Rich and Heather brought up fresh lemons from their tree in AZ - the kids had fun squeezing the juice out of them. The rest of us enjoyed the end product - fresh lemonade. YUM!


That wraps up our holiday fun. We miss having everyone around.

Ward Party - Girls Singing Christmas Songs

This clip is of the girls singing Santa Claus is Comin' to town at our ward party. Technically it should just be Mckenna but Mia decided she wanted to go up there to. She doesn't really know the words to the songs but you would never know it - she is so animated. Mia loves to perform and be the center of attention. She has no inhibition. Her and Mckenna are so different. We had a "special visitor" at the end of the party - Santa Claus. Mckenna and her friends followed Mr. Claus outside to see if he was the real Santa.....she came running back in the church excited to share her findings. "He's not the real Santa Claus. He got in a car." Oh the magic of Christmas. I cherish these days.



Another Visit With Santa

The kids enjoyed the "special visitor" (aka Santa) and telling him what they wanted for Christmas...again. Mckenna asked for ice skates and Mia asked for a computer. Mia was so funny. She came down from sitting on his lap and told us that Santa said girls could have two candy canes. So she quickly got back in line. I'm not sure if that was true or if it was just a tactic Mia used to get another candy cane. We didn't see any other girls getting back in line. Kaden was mesmerized with Santa. He just kept looking up at him. He is such an easy going baby. We love having him around.

Visit with Santa

We visited Santa a few weeks ago.....I wish I would have had a video camera. Santa visits this photographer's house for picture taking. When we walked up to the house Santa was walking by the front door (taking a little break from his photo shoot). Mia started bawling and wouldn't even go in the house. Santa was so sweet. He stopped and tried to tell her how nice he was. She didn't buy it. I finally convinced her to go inside. Santa came up and told her how much he loved her and she was all smiles after that. He picked her up and rubbed his nose against hers. It was a moment I wish I could recapture. I take my kids to get their pictures with this particular Santa on their first Christmas. This is a tradition Brittney started for me. On Mckenna's first Christmas she surprised me with a picture of her with Santa. I loved it... and so I have continued it with each of the kids. Mckenna convinced me this year that she already had enough pictures with Santa and didn't need anymore so I didn't force her to have another one. Looking back now I wish I would have. I know the magic of Christmas will soon be gone for her.

Kaden's First Christmas 2008


Mia's Third Christmas 2008


Mia's First Christmas 2005


Mckenna and Mia Christmas 2005


Mckenna's Third Christmas 2005


Mckenna's First Christmas 2002

Let it Snow!

It's finally "beginning to look a lot like Christmas" around here. We have had such warm weather lately that we were starting to wonder if it would ever snow.....obviously it did. We got a great snow storm on Monday. The girls enjoyed playing in it. Mckenna built this snowman all by herself (Thanks Grandma J. for the kit). As you can see the pictures get darker and darker as the sun was setting. It was cold but they were determined to complete the snowman. Mia keeps asking if he will come to life (maybe we've watched Frosty a few too many times). It is fun to have snow on the ground. It feels like the holidays now!

Happy Thanksgiving - One Little Indian Girl

One Little Indian Girl! Mckenna came home from school yesterday and said she wanted to dress up like an Indian for their Thanksgiving feast. The Feast was today....Short Notice.....but we pulled it off. I started working on it and the rescue party (a.k.a. my mom) came to help. Good thing. We found all the supplies in her basement - material, beads, headband ribbon. Mckenna was so excited about it.

Exciting Moment

We had an exciting moment in the Willey Home this week. Mckenna read the scriptures (the scripture reader) for us during family scriptures. She is getting to be such a good little reader. It is so fun. Everywhere we go she is reading the signs, t-shirts, Christmas lists....dang!! It is always fun to see your children progress.

A Whole New World