December 2013: Christmas Eve & Christmas

This year Amy made reindeer pancakes. The kids really eat this stuff up.

This is our second year of going to Temple Square to see the lights and eat out on Christmas Eve. It's a great way to spend Christmas Eve and Kathie's birthday.

We had a really brilliant idea to give the kids "new rooms" for Christmas.  we got them new beds, bedding and bedroom furniture. We had an excuse to have them not sleeping in their rooms because we had just re-carpeted the upstairs a couple of days before hand. This gave us the chance to set everything up while they were asleep. Great plan. Amy and I went to bed around 5:00 a.m. The good news is the kids loved it. 

We put wrapping paper over the door-less entrances to the rooms.

They all were very happy. For anyone who doesn't know, Katelyn LOVES kitties.

... and Brandon is a big fan of Star Wars

Here are some shots unwrapping presents.

December 2013: NICU and 2013 Tour of Rest Homes

Every year we make blocks to give away at the NICU just before Christmas. 

This year Amy organized Retirement Home Tour 2013! Both our family and another family went to a couple of retirement homes and performed a short concert. We really needed security to keep the crowds calm. Luckily, we kept Blake and Derek from doing any stage dives.

The little kids played the bells.

Here are some videos:

December 2013: Blake Choir and Ballroom and new carpet

For those of you who don't know, our kids like to do a lot of stuff. Blake in particular would do everything if we let him. This year he had a Ballroom performance and a Choir performance.

Blake picked Katelyn to dance with for the final dance of the performance.

The Northridge Choir, like the Northridge Orchestra, is very good. Blake has been excited to be a part of it this year. He also convinced the bishop to let him sing with the youth choir even though he's not old enough. 

This is what I scored playing with the white elephant gift exchange at the Moor Lane Christmas party this year. The rest of the package is even more funny.

After living on really old carpet waiting to get kids our of diapers and everyone to be old enough to not ruin new carpet, we finally replaced our carpet this year just before Christmas. we had to move everything and pull up the carpet in preparation for the installers. It was sooo much work. I was not excited about the task but we did it. 

When we finally got to actually ripping up the carpet the kids had fun.

December 2013: Museum, Soccer, Parties & the Polar Express

when kids are int he fifth grade they get to purchase a pass that allows them to go to every ski resort in Utah 3 times. That's right 3 times. In Early December Amy took the boys skiing and I took the "littles" to the dinosaur museum. 

Even though it's winter, we play a lot of Futsal (indoor soccer). Blake has been working on his keeper skills.

For my company party we went to the soldier hallow tubing and got all the runs to our self.

We also got a chance to attend the annual Now I Can Christmas party. Brandon announced to his kindergarten class that Santa wasn't real this year. I'm not sure where it came from because we hadn't talked about ti at home. However, he was pretty excited when Santa showed up to the party.

Blake and Derek think they are a little cool for Santa.

This the view from the top of the Zion's Bank building where they hold the party.

Every year we ride the "Polar Express" train close by in Lindon. The same family that does the Nightmare Express at Halloween runs this in December. We take a ride to the "North Pole" where we get to talk with Santa. It's always great!