Christmas outfits!

After playing with gifts and eating breakfast we got ready for church.  The kids all got new outfits and looked so cute!

This picture cracks me up!  I told her open your eyes and she sure did!

So handsome!

Violet just hamming it up!

All ready for church!

Christmas!

I loved that Christmas was on Sunday this year it really made me think more about the reason for the season and helped shift the focus in the right direction.  The kids woke up EARLY (as in 4:30) and were told to go back to bed!  We finally let them get up at 7 and made them shower and get ready (I know I am mean but we had church and I knew it would be hard to pull them away!)  They loved the entire day and it brought back all the childhood happiness seeing the kids open presents!

Violet was soooo excited I could not get her to look at the camera!  This year her list was

1. Dora Guitar

2.  Baby Snow White doll

3.  Dress-ups!

Preston wanted

1.  Angry birds knockdown wood game

2.  The real Lightning McQueen

3.  Cars 2 ship set

Dorothy wanted:

1.  A Karaoke machine

2.  Fijit friend

3.  Sewing machine

Violet who immediately dressed up in an outfit and started strumming her guitar!

Daddy teaching Preston how to drive Lightning!

This thing has been on since she got it!  She is in LOVE!

Ummm I thought we were not getting each other big gifts this year!  I love my new iPad and poor James got some new church clothes and candy!  

Christmas Eve!

I love Christmas Eve it is such a spiritual night, we met as a family and had our testimony meeting.  We then read the Christmas story with actors!  And then ate the best meal and opened gifts, it was such a special night!

Violet was Mary this year and Preston was Joseph.

The wise men came with gifts!

The cast!

Opening cousin gifts!

A whole decade!

Today marks our 10 year anniversary!  It still seems like just a few years but the wrinkles and grey hair tell another story!  We are off for a little getaway staying at The Grand America hotel for the night.  James ask me what I wanted to do and I said stay in SLC and eat at The Melting Pot!  I feel so lucky to be married to my best friend!  In 10 years we have been through...
1 new home!
2 iPad's
3 Kids
4 sets of stitches  
5 new TV's
6 different moves
7 extra pounds;)
8 years of school
9 trips to Disneyland/ Disneyworld
10 amazing years of fun together!

Happy Anniversary I love you!

Our elf on the shelf!

Krinkle (our elf's name) came again the day after Thanksgiving, he brought breakfast for the kids and dyed the milk green!  He hid in LOTS of places and thanks to pinterest he did more than just hide in stockings and shelves!  The kids LOVE getting up each morning and racing off to find where he has hidden.  I slightly dreaded thinking up something new and can't lie there were a few mornings when I had to distract the kids while I quickly went and hid him somewhere new.  It's a fun tradition I hope my kids will pass on someday!

A snowball fight with Buzz!

He also made a snow angel!

Decorating the tree and Christmas jammies!

We got a tree REALLY late this year since we were off to Disney, the nice thing is that it still smells wonderful after Christmas!  James also thinks we got half off (we are not doing it again even if it does save!)  The kids LOVED decorating it, and then they put on their Christmas jammies and danced around!

Dancing to Christmas music!

Who wants to see Jesus?

I have a nativity I got in Jerusalem it is hand carved and made of olive wood, and since I have collected nativities for the past 15 years or so I have quite a few!  I can also say that this one is by far my favorite, and the kids are told to NOT TOUCH it!  I set it out and kept finding it all wonky everyday... finally one day I saw Preston and Violet re-arranging the nativity.  I ask them why and Violet said "Mommy everyone wants to see Jesus."  I thought that was such a sweet thing to say and to think, that I left it for the rest of the season.  From the mouth of a 2 year old came a very profound thought!

Off to see the Christmas lights!

To keep with tradition we took the kids to see the lights!  We had dessert with cousins and then drove through the lights with the kids yelling things about each one!  It is always so fun to see their excitement over seeing Christmas lights!

Pressy of course has to drive!

The girls and Violet saying *cheese!!*

The girls favorite!

Preston's favorite (he thinks the wizard's live there and you can get *magical* powder from them...  don't ask he really has an imagination!)

Mo-Tab Christmas concert!

Even though my MIL is officially retired from the choir she still has *connections* and snagged us some tickets to the annual concert!  The prophet attended the night we went and it was so neat to see him come in and wave to everyone!  It was such a wonderful concert and Dorothy was thrilled that she is finally old enough to go!

Beautiful Temple Square!

Being silly with cousins!

Disney Day 3!!

Our last day the weather was perfect!  Right as we entered the park Alice came over and grabbed Dorothy and Sareya and had them join her in a little dance!

In front of the HUGE tree!

Walking into the park!

Some of the cute park decorations!

Toon town!

In front of the castle!

Mid-day churro break!  We had to get one everyday, which was a small fortune but sooo worth it!

The darling Christmas parade!

Santa was there!

Teacup's again?  Heck yeah!

Wheee!

Right outside the Alice in Wonderland ride (my other favorite!)

We ate dinner in *New Orleans* and for dessert we had to try the Mickey bengiets!

While leaving the park it was *snowing* and they played White Christmas!  It was so magical and beautiful!  I can't wait to go back again next year (or the year after as the case may be!)

After our walk back to the hotel the kids were beat!  I snapped this picture in the hotel lobby!