hair cut, Star Wars and Christmas...

My mom had asked how much snow was in the yard. I am pretty sure there is more than this now. 

A friend from our old Ward does hair and offered to do Oak's hair. This was supposed to be her birthday gift, and I just now got around to giving it to her. 

She was even nice enough to do her nails. 

You can't really tell but she cut off about two inches. It is so much easier to brush through now. 

We last minute went to our friends house to visit for a bit. I told her we were going to go home and make sugar cookies and she offered for us to make them there instead. It was awesome since I had to go home and clean house and pack for our trip the next day. Plus she had fun stuff to decorate with. 

We usually do our own little Christmas before we go to my in-laws. It was very simple and I just sat these new back packs under the tree with a few things in them. I didn't even tell the kids. 

This by far was one of my favorite moments. Hubs surprised Mac with going to see the new Star Wars movie. He actually didn't even tell him he was going to get to go until he handed him the ticket inside the theater. Mac was shocked and said, "My heart has lifted!" It was awesome!

I went and did a little Christmas shopping by myself and ended up by a Yumm Bowl. I had to stop and get one. My dad loved Yumm bowls and always asked for them after his surgeries and getting out of the hospital. 

The kids coloring. 

Oak's older girl cousins pretty much rock. They are sixteen but always include Oak when they can. They are the sweetest girls ever. Oak wouldn't let me do her hair, so the girls asked if they could do her hair. 

They are the cutest. 

This was the scene alot while at my in-laws. I really loved it. 

And the tradition of bowling on Christmas Eve.

Apparently everyone else decided to start this tradition too. It was them most packed I had ever seen it in all the years we have gone. 

And the traditional grandkid pic. Little EB was so stinking cute holding the girls hands and smiling a big cheesy smile. 

Wisemen and a donkey. 

Mac got his Civil/Revolutionary War arm guys like he wanted. 

And Oak got her skateboard. Unfortunately she hasn't been able to do much with it since it poured down rain the whole time at my in-laws and Oak has had a cold and there is too much snow where we live. 

And our drive over the mountain back home. THIS is one of the only reasons I do not like living where we live. Every way to our town in the middle of nowhere is dangerous in the winter. No way around it. This wasn't even the worst of it. The burm was taller than our expedition at one point. 

Sunday gratitude fifty-two...

I am grateful...

...for the up coming new year. I have some goals in mind that I am excited about and scared about. 

...for all the moisture we are getting. I am actually not hating the snow. 

...to have spent Christmas with my husbands family. I really love every opportunity we get to spend time with them.

...for the quiet and relaxing week we had. It was much needed. 

...to have a Sunday where Daddy is home with us all day. 

snow, tantrums and Santa...

Oak lost her second tooth. 

She does not really like bowling and spent most of the time bowling for Mac's birthday throwing a fit. 

Mac playing with his new Star Wars Chess. 

Lots of snow. I love the little animal tracks all over.

The kids came in and attacked daddy when he got home from work. 

We were listening to Christmas music and they spent the whole evening dancing and conducting the music. 

Bryce's grandpa was put in the hospital with pneumonia and antibiotics just wasn't helping. And he just wasnt getting better. He passed away. The kids have been so worried about their daddy. 

It snowed and snowed and snowed some more. 

And snowed some more. 

I was teaching Mac about personal narratives and gave him a writing prompt and this is what he wrote. 

Thursday I watch another girl who is homeschooled. My kids love Thursdays. Her mom brought all her snow gear and the kids played outside for the longest time. And it was the perfect weather to do so. 

Building a snow fort. 

Sledding down our fabricated snow hill. 

Working on the snow fort. 

The view from our yard. Beautiful. 

Cute boys.

My hair is getting so long. I kinda like it but I also miss my short hair. I just don't have the money or time to keep up on short hair. 

This girl came in to my room moaning and groaning and mad for no reason. 

Her melt downs are so fun. just kidding. 

Our ward & spanish branch had their Christmas fiesta. Santa was by the front door. And Mac wanted to sit on his lap but Oak refused because she knew who it was and that it wasn't the real Santa. If he isn't real than it's not worth it. 

Chips and salsa at all the tables. Thats pretty much all Mac ate. Tamales and Spanish rice for dinner. Yum!

And of course there were TWO pinatas. 

Saturday we went to a small train show at the county museum. 

Mac literally did not leave this spot for 30 minutes. He walked away bound and determined to start his own model train table. 

Santa was also there. She walked in not sure if he was the real Santa or santa's helper but she did some investigating and left knowing he was the real Santa. It was really cute. When he asked what she wanted, she told him, "I already sent you a letter."...and..."I wrote down three things but you can only get me one."

Beautiful view from our driveway. 

So we sat down with the kids and we had a question and answer about the story of Christ's birth. The kids had great questions and we answered them all with the scriptures. Then all on their own got the idea to act out the nativity and got all the stuff they needed. It was a sweet night. 

Mac thought we needed hats so he put blankets on our heads. 

We finally let them open the only gifts sitting under our tree, that were from Mac's birth mother. 

They loved their new towels with their names monogrammed on them.

Then Oak and I made a nativity with her Legos.

And Oak made a Christmas tree with gifts and Christmas dinner.