Sugar Delights!

We had our annual tradition of Christmas baking and downtown for the gingerbread display.  I look forward to this day because it feels like Christmas has officially started!!

This is the most popular cookie that we make.  Caleb got to help put the kisses on

Grandmas little helpers

After cookie baking we all take a trip downtown to see the trains at the Center House, have dinner and then check out the Gingerbread Displays.

The boys got to run the train for a bit

Waiting for the monarail to take us to Westlake Center

Silly boys!

This years theme for the gingerbread displays was Holidays on the Silver Screen. 

The first up was Muppets Christmas Carol

The mosaic of jelly beans was pretty cool

Then we have Charlie Brown Christmas

This was the least impressive one....It's a Wonderful Life

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

A Christmas Story.  My personal favorite

Nightmare Before Christmas

And last but not least...Polar Express

Silly boys again!

Day wouldn't be complete without a carousel ride

Macy's Star. 

Here's a little known fact...Kyler has a buddy down the street and his grandfather is the one who actually designed that star.  Small world!

Another great year for our downtown traditions with the family!

Which display was your favorite??

Strange Happenings!

Todd got in a fight with an octopus!!

You think that looks bad...

You should see the other guy!

Because it's Christmas time....

We thought we would let you in on a little secret around here.....

Take a good look at Kadens ears

This one looks normal enough

But look at his right ear

Kaden is part elf!!

Now you know our little secret....Shhh don't tell anyone!

Jolly Ole Saint Nick

When Kyler had his first Christmas (many many years ago) I told Todd we needed to get Kylers picture taken with Santa.  Somehow the subject of santa had never come up so when he replied "We're going to do the whole santa thing?", I was almost speechless!  "Of course we are doing the santa thing and we WILL be doing pictures!" 

12 years later I have 12 pictures of santa and my kids through out the years.  I love looking back and seeing transformation in the boys.  I don't have all the santa pictures scanned into the computer yet (which I really need to do)  But I'll tell you that every picture we have of Kyler....no tears!  He always did so good.  A bit wary at times but still really good.  Kaden on the other hand....not a fan of santa.  I can not begin to describe the tears and the sobbing that would take place every year.  I always felt really bad for the kid (not enough to not get the picture though) 

But this year.....

I really talked it up to Kaden!  I showed him his past pictures and we talked about how we don't want any tears this year.... only smiles.  I also went to Portable North Pole and made this video for Kaden (Check it out!)  http://portablenorthpole.tv/watch/1cceb91ca1a1c03573e03b08730b0415

Kaden was so amazed!  He watches it almost everyday.  If you have kids that still believe in santa then I would encourage you to make one for your kids.  It's really easy and it's a way for them to try and get over the fear of santa.

How well did it work for us????

All smiles!!

(Santa may look like he's had a few to many but...you can't win them all I guess!)  Kyler did inform me this year that he might be a bit to old for the pictures but I made him to do it anyways.  Just give me a few more years please!!!

Oh Christmas Tree..Oh Christmas Tree

After our disaster of a christmas tree last year (Don't go to Lowes!!) We made sure we made the time to go back to the tree farm this year!  There are a gazzilion tree lots to choose from around here and its hard to know how to pick which one to go to.  Luckily we picked the right one this year!  As we were parking the car we saw our tree not 5 yards in front of us

This year I decided I wanted to take advantage of the fact that we have tall vaulted ceilings and get the tallest tree we could get!  So we ended up getting an 11 ft tree this year for $36...Sweet!

Kaden wanted to get the "orange" tree

Fact...did you know that if you give a 4 yr old a candy cane that he will get more on his face then in his mouth??  Didn't know if you knew that or not

The tree barely fit! And this is the first year we actually had to use a ladder.

Kaden enjoyed helping with the decorations

I love how kids put all the ornaments on 1 branch

What's Kyler doing while we are doing all the work??

Where else but on the computer

I love our tree this year.  I think it's perfect!!

Thanksging 2009...Better Late Then Never!

 As I was going through my camera this morning, I realized that Thanksgiving 2009 has not been documented yet.  So here ya go.....

This Thanksgiving was a little different this year.  Usually we spend Thanksgiving day with my family and then Todd's family on Saturday.  But this year with my parents off on their traveling adventure we changed things up a bit and had the read deal with the Reynolds side on actual Thanksgiving day.  We decided to spend the night the night before so we could be there to help early the next morning.  So this means Kaden and Caleb had there first slumber party together!

Jeff did his usual carving of the turkey

So pretty...and yummy!

The grub!

But we can't eat before we have a little lesson on being Thankful

And we need to pray and thank God for everything he has blessed us with

Kaden and Caleb are especially thankful for granny helping them decorate cookies

I am forever thankful for this guy!

Matt and Christie again could not be with us. But we are grateful for modern technology and the chance to visit with them 

Something is funny but I don't know what

Matt and Christie...we always miss you guys even more during the holidays.....please move baaaaaaack!

Why Go To Church???

 If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this! If you're spiritually dead, you  won't want to read it. If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope! Why Go To Church? A Church  goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.. "I've gone for 30 years now, and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all." This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column........much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this  clincher:  "I've been  married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals.  But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of  those meals.. ....But I do know this; They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me those meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"

 When you are DOWN nothing.......GOD is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank GOD for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment! 

"When Satan is knocking at your door,simply say, "Jesus, could you get that for me?"