Christmas

Our funniest moment this Christmas was when we tried to wake Jack up to open presents. First Sean sat downstairs and rang our sleigh bell for about ten minutes, nothing. Then he went upstairs where Jack promptly told him to stop talking about presents and turned over and went back to sleep. So I went and Jack said he would come as long as I would carry him. As soon as he saw the presents he was gone...

Before

Ten minutes later!

Christmas morning at the Godfrey's

Christmas at the Martin's - Unfortunately we didn't take many pictures, mostly just did video here, but we don't love you guys any less!!

Our little Christmas Elf

It was a great Christmas and I was completely exhausted at the end of the day! Kids really do make Christmas so much more fun!!

Christmas Eve

For us Christmas Eve starts with a lunch of Fettuccine Alfredo, this year we headed to Olive Garden so they could prepare it for us!

Then normally we would go sledding or build a snowman. Due to the lack of white stuff we settled on sending Sean shopping with my dad while I took a nap with Lyla and Jack played game after game with Megan and Justin!!

Thanks guys!

Sean and my dad got a new TV for their basement!! Such shoppers!!

That evening we had a yummy ham dinner and a especially fun nativity family home evening.

Lyla in her cute Christmas dress, she is learning to walk!

Candy canes are so much more interesting than getting your picture taken

Jon squeezing mom

Hahahaha

Lyla, Grandma and Ava

This was Lyla about ten minutes after I put the dress on her and forty pictures later. She has a shoe obsession!

Joseph

Ava our Angel

Mary

Amy, Christian and Mom enjoying the show

I think this was the longest Jack held still all night, and it latest all of a minute!

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Lights at Temple Square

Their are just somethings at Christmas that are musts like, sugar cookies and slush and going to see the lights at Temple Square. So the Monday before Christmas we bundled up ourselves and the kids and headed over to Temple Square with the thousands of others who had the same idea!! Luckily we talked the Hales into coming with us. Jack and Emma had the time of their lives running around. My favorite part was when Jack would run up to Lucy and say LUCY and she would laugh hysterically!! Such fun, although it was very cold!!!

The Martin's

The Hale's

You wouldn't know it from the face he is pulling here but this is his favorite part, green Christmas lights!!!

My favorite part were all of the nativities. This one has to be the coolest!!

To warm up after our outing we stopped by the Lion House Pantry for some dinner, my mouth still waters just thinking about the Cream of Mushroom soup. It was a perfect night!!

Jack turns 4

I can't believe that my little man has turned four!! When planning his party he had his own ideas, so I just went along with him. He required LOTS of balloons and party hats, not to mention the party favors that he choose for his friends! He also requested a green Mickey Mouse cake. I absolutely suck at cake making (I hope to get better over time) so no giggles allowed!!

While we were waiting for his candles to be lit he told me that he got to eat his WHOLE cake!! Luckily he got bored after one ear!

He was so excited for presents! Its kind of sad that he only gets presents one month a year. But he LOVED everything he got and to this day tells me who gave it to him. Thanks to everyone who helped celebrate his special day!!!

He is such a good big brother, he loves his sister and wants her to do everything with him. He is really starting to be a curious little boy. He asks questions about absolutely EVERYTHING!! He is a good helper and will run for a binky or a diaper whenever I ask. He is also very good at negotiating treats and balloons!!! I am a total sucker and cave the majority of the time. But best of all are his stories. Every night he practically pounces on Sean when he comes home from work, full of stories about everything we did that day! He is getting SOOO big!!!

Gingerbread Houses

Every year we get together with the Hales to make Gingerbread Houses. It is so much fun!! Not to mention really yummy, fresh homemade gingerbread and LOTS of treats!!

Matt and Sean constructing the houses

Lucy, Emma and Sarah getting ready to decorate

Jack decorated our whole gingerbread house by himself, I had a hard time giving him complete control, but he did a great job!!

Lyla and I were watching from a distance. So that I wouldn't bug Jack and so she wouldn't jump for the treats that were scattered everywhere!

The finished products!! Jack's is on the left and Emma's is on the right!! They did such a good job!!

Lyla's Birthday

With Jack's birthday approaching fast (this Sunday) I thought I had better post some pictures from Lyla's Birthday!! I still have a hard time believing that my baby is one!! Thanks to all of you who came to help celebrate her first birthday!!

She was so not understanding the whole concept of blowing out a candle....maybe next year!

I have been to parties where babies make the biggest mess when they are handed their very first birthday cake. Well not my kids. I don't think they enjoy getting messy. She just gracefully licked some of the frosting.

Presents and more presents!!! Thanks to Jack, Emma, Rylee and Ava my little princess didn't have to lift a finger when it came to opening presents. They were just thrown at her so they could unwrap the next one!

Now on to the next milestone...walking...

Lyla's Quirks

Lyla is such a fun little girl. These last couple months we have seen her own little personality coming out, and a few little quirks as well. Here are two:

When she is crawling around she loves to put peoples shoes on her hands. It doesn't matter how big or small the shoe, she almost always has one on.

She also has this habit of folding herself up. Whenever she is crying or about to cry. I know I should be trying to soothe her instead of grabbing the camera, but it is pretty funny.

Just a fun little shot of Lyla, then I remembered one of me sitting at the same piano long ago...