Sunday, December 25, 2016

Christmas 2016

This Christmas has been crazy already!  It isn't even over yet either!

Last week I had been wrapping presents and realized Nash didn't have a present under the tree from us yet.  It hadn't arrived yet.  So I told Nash he didn't have one and it was because his hadn't arrived in the mail yet.  One day a large box arrives.  He brings it inside and says, "Oh!  Is this my present?!"  I told him "Maybe.  Don't ask questions this time of year!"  He sits there a second and says, "Hmm...this box is 2' by 3'.  A rubix cube has a volume of this x this x this.  This box has a volume of this x this x this.  That means that you could fit.....180 regular sized rubix cubes in this box!"  And his face lights up and his eyes nearly pop out of his head!  It was hilarious!  I couldn't help but laugh right out loud at him!  Only Nash and Travis would figure that out!


December 17-18 we went to Manti.  We didn't leave until Saturday morning since I had to work Friday night until midnight.  I got pulled over on the freeway by Hill Ai Force Base for speeding.  I was going 80 in a 70.  The officer was really nice and she let me off with a warning!  We got to Manti just in time for the Bown party.  We had our party over at the Sterling town hall again this year.  Almost everyone was there.  We had dinner, the kids played a white elephant game, the adults played their white elephant game and Sue had organized a kids version of bunco.  We ended up with lots of presents.  Grandpa and Grandma Butter gave all the kids an envelope with a $2 bill in it as their gift this year.  It was -5 at nighttime!   I took Sam & Caleb to see the movie Moana with Jamie & Robbie's family on Saturday night.  On Sunday we went over to Grandma Ingrid's for the Whitlock party.  We had lunch and did a white elephant game.  We ended up with a bunch more presents!  My car decided to have the air valve die and our trip home was delayed 2 hours due to having to fix that. Other than the air valve our ride home was fairly uneventful.  Travis had Kash, Olivia & Brookelyn in his truck and I had the rest of them in my Tahoe (we don't all fit in one vehicle these days so we have to divide and conquer).  Travis was able to stop at Kash & Olivia's grandma's house in Spanish Fork and pick up gifts from her for the kids.  We were all home by about 10:30 pm that night.









 Brookelyn was not a fan of sitting on Santa's lap this year!  I think she was just tired but Travis had to haul her up there and hold her on his lap!




I had to work again on Christmas Eve.  Travis took the kids and went to my mom's house for dinner.  I didn't arrive until a little after 9 pm.  The kids had opened all but one of their presents and their stockings!  My mom saved the scrapbooks for them to open until I got there.  Mom decided she was going to make each of the kids their own scrapbook with photos from just this year in it.  She would like to be able to do pages each year and let them add to their book.  This project has been a massive undertaking!  Cassidy did all three of her kids' books.  I did Sam, Nash, Caleb and Kash's.  My mom did Brooke & Olivia's.  The kids absolutely loved them!  Sunny cried because, "It's just so beautiful!"  Mom was worried the kids wouldn't like them or think they were dumb but I think it was one of their favorite gifts.  The hats she made were a big hit too!  Of course, they all loved their new pajama's she made too.  Grandma Terri gifts are always a huge hit!

I was amazed that the kids let us sleep until 8:45 am today.  Kash & Nash were actually awake before that but were actually quiet.  Travis got up at 8:45 and asked them what they were waiting for and to go wake everyone up!  Craziness ensued shortly after!  They were really good to take turns opening gifts so that everyone could see what everyone else got.  We let the boys open one and then the girls open one so it wasn't one kid at a time.  I think they all loved everything they got.  We have an obscene amount of new movies (I only buy movies once a year).  Good thing we're getting a massive amount of snow right now!  It's the perfect weather to cuddle up and watch movies in!  We've got new sleds they are dying to try out as well.  Nash has almost solved all 7 of his new rubix cubes!  Kash and Caleb both got new rubix cubes as well and I'm sure those will be solved in short order too.  I'm most excited for Travis and Sam to build Sam's portable ballet bar together.  Sam was stoked her new dress has pockets!  That girl I tell you.  She gets excited about the little things!




 Sam & Travis's DIY portable ballet bar.  Wish I could figure out a way to paint it without it looking like crap when it is done.  I'm afraid that the spray paint will just wear off quickly and show drip marks.  Hmmm...this may require some more thought!  I've also found a cool DIY project that Travis is going to put together for her birthday.  It's basically a portable changing station for all her dance costumes, etc. so they aren't just laying all over the floor and a pain to carry all over.  Can't wait for that to get done before competition season arrives!





 Sister got a hold of my phone and my hair pinterest board again.  She wanted her hair cute so I picked something quick and easy!

 My once a year movie splurges!  I think this will keep us busy for a day or so.  Sam hasn't seen Thoroughly Modern Millie before but I figured since she loves musicals and Julie Andrews that this would be a hit!

 We got them all ready for church and 20 minutes before church was to start we got a text telling us that church had been cancelled.  Pretty sure it was due to the foot of snow and the still falling snow.  At least I got to see them in their cute new Christmas dresses!

This year's favorite gifts include:
 To Brooke from Kash

 I think she must be hungry this morning.  Out of all the gifts she got she says that this one is her favorite!

 His new watch and his new kendama

 New hat from Grandma Terri, rubix cube and a teddy bear.  The teddy bear is all he wanted this year and he ended up with two!

 A new speaker (the ones she got last year have died).  And now, we all prepare to listen to Sam's choice of music....All.  Day.  Long!

 His new robotics set and his Oskar's Treasure rubix cube.  There's a specific code you have to solve in order for the rubix cube to pop open so you can access the secret pocket to stash your stuff!

 This kid wins the prize for the most books.  I'm pretty sure he's got 18!  I'd be willing to be he's got most, if not all, of them read by the time they go back to school in a week!

Seven new rubix cubes and he's already solved four!  I think it's safe to say that I should have bought more challenging ones!

Tonight we get to go out to Stan and Debbie's for the Reeder party.  Tomorrow we will go out to Scott and Kris's house and next Sunday we will be going down to Grandpa and Marian's house for the Maughan party.  I love that we get to be home for almost the entire day today without having to rush off and do something.  I think I'll push to keep that tradition going!