Christmas, revised

For some reason my last post that was exactly the same as this didn't display the pictures, so here's to one more shot:

Left: "A Cowboy Christmas" My bff Jacquelynn and her husband Jeff throw a themed Christmas party every year, and it is something I always look forward to! We had cowboy stew and cookies and a white elephant gift exchange, which is always super eventful and hilarious with Jeff's friends around. This year the item in the "most stolen" catogeory had to be the red women's panties that we brought from another white elephant we won them at, and I am pretty sure they went home with Jeff's dad! Tyler is originally the one who bought them, and I am sure he had no idea how far that underwear would go! I am thinking that will not be the last time I will see those underwear make their appearance at a Christmas party...just sayin'.

Right: Since this year Christmas was with Ryan's family, we went to my mom and John's the weekend before to exchange gifts. As usual with my mom, there were plenty of treats and we had tons of fun! Will loves going to Grandma Bobi and grandpa's house. He asks me on a weekly basis if we can go.

"Temple Square on Christmas Eve: a 'B' Family Tradition"

Matching Jammies: This was the last year we would be in Kathy's house for Christmas since she was marrying Mark in January, so we decided to sleep over on Christmas Eve, and Jon, Jen, & Addy did too. I have always wanted to do the matching pj's thing and never have, so I decided this was a perfect chance to start the tradition! But the wrench in the plan is that Ryan's family are all giants, so no store bought pants ever fit long enough. On to plan B and me making 8 pairs of pj's (including Mark's, not pictured). It was really fun to have one last night all together in the home that represents so many fond memories for Ryan and all his siblings.

Clockwise from top left: coming up the stairs to see what Santa brought; cute Addy and Will in their boy/girl versions of matching jammies; Sadie the dog teaching Will a few tricks; Will getting super excited about this whole idea that a stocking holds all sorts of treats imaginable; he got the concept this year that you open one gift after another and don't stop to play in between; cheeser with daddy; struggling with Uncle Joey's wrapping, yet still determined; and excited about the box that was as tall as he was, so we had to take a pic to show the measurement. He did so good at smiling for the camera this year!

Will's life sized present was a tool bench from grandma, daddy got his iPad from work, and I got my gift wrapped personally by Ryan, complete with breast cancer ribbon and all. What more could we all ask for? We had such a wonderful Christmas this year because of the wonderful times spent with both families and the joy that we felt from the love of our Savior. I really felt the Christmas spirit this year as I reflected on the love I have for my family, and I am grateful to be able to celebrate the Savior's birth each year and remember what means the most to me in life.

Holidays

Cornbelly's, the witches at Gardner Village, and Grandpa's birthday party, where grandma brought chocolate eyeballs in honor of Halloween and Will thought those were pretty awesome

Halloween Eve festivities: visiting Jess & Ang at work with Jen and the cutest little Addy-bug ever, then off to grandma's work to see her and Michelle as witches, and finally to Richard (my bro) and Nikki's (SIL) to see Robin Hood, Bumblebee, dalmatian, and Elmo.

On to Halloween and trick or treating as the whole, happy Toy Story crew! I was happy to have bought Will's costume this year (and on ebay for a steal of a deal, no less), so I really had minimal sewing to do with mine and Ry's costumes...what a relief after the elves and gingerbread man of last year which I sewed every inch of!

Left: the cuteness that is my three boys (if you are wondering who the third is, Rusty is a boy) and Right: the S family Thanksgiving was at our house this year for the first time ever! Will and I drove around to gather the supplies at parks and made pinecone turkeys for the occasion. Mom, John, Stan and Joey all came and stayed at our house. It was so great to have them all there, and I am really excited for the new tradition of having the children host Thanksgiving. What may have been the best part was the Black Friday shopping at 4 am with mom, Stan, and Joey, which I have wanted to do with my mom for years now and I finally could since she was staying at our house!

Left: My tree elf and Right: the annual bonfire & food drive in the culdesac, the visit from Santa at the clubhouse, and Will and Mark just hangin', reading the ORIGINAL version of Huck Finn. You know, the one that's not edited.

Minute to Win It gift exchange with Tuttles and Capsons. Highlights: hot chocolate toppings bar courtesy of the genius that is Chris and Sarah, whip cream toss where Saffron smacked the snot out of her arm, Ryan holding the mustard yellow tights that could only belong to Sarah, the air hockey table that was Chris's "$10 or under" gift which brought on a tournament to decide who it would be going home with, and Ryan trashing us all in the end and ending as final victor of Minute to Win It. What a fun night it was thanks to great games and even greater friends!

Fall

Goodbye Toby, The Raspberry Patch (thanks Jen for letting us in on this little gem!), & popsicles with grandma and sweet Addy

Camping at Spruces up Cottonwood Canyon with our besties

The circus parade at Gateway with Anna

Ramping up for the holiday with the annual pumpkin painting with the Wintles, and Will's costume comes in the mail, much to the detriment of poor Rusty!

Will and dad find a slithering friend in the grass, Will does gymnastics off his bedrail (encouraging me to sign him up for the gymnastics he is currently attending and not doing so hot with), chillin' on the couch (can't remember what this pic was about...imagine that since it was like 6 months ago!), and Will's secret stash I found while looking for all his blankets and books

New clothes and forced modeling for the camera, ward vball (we are by far the worst in the stake which also makes for the most fun team in the stake!), making paint pictures with the paints Aunt Angie bought for us, and Will taking a pic of me brushing, which was an effort to get him to brush but instead I just got this lovely picture!

Hope you enjoyed! Sorry these posts are so laborious, but I promise I will be caught up soon and posting about current events. I just need all my pics posted for my album's sake.