Christmas Break 2011

We had a fantastic Christmas season. 

 A few times we ate dinner at our candlelit table under the "stars" 

as Christmas music filled the air.  Very pleasant indeed.

 The Beary Merry Christmas calendar I grew up with
was a big hit at our house again this year.

The boys loved falling asleep with this colorful strand of Christmas lights around their bedroom window.  

Brian made this "gingerbread boy house" in school.  

 He loved the fact that the "snow" was made out of "rotten eggs."

 My little sister, Laura was here with us over the break.  We had so much fun.  Here's a quick list of some of the fun things that we did:
turned on our infamous Mitch Miller and the Gang Christmas CD
and loaded everyone in the van for our annual Christmas light tour of the valley,
went shopping at the mall and nearby stores,
painted our nails,
put Katie's hair in curlers for the first time,
baked,
watched tv (Home Alone, The Devil Wears Prada, Lost, etc.),
stayed up late talking,
loaded more music on to our iPods,
did a fun photo shoot a couple minutes from home,
played in Katie's room, had dance parties downstairs,
and visited with Grandma Hallstrom

Christmas Eve was our baking day (aka. making a royal mess in the kitchen day.) 

First, we made peanut butter sugar cookies that we frosted and decorated. 

Next, boys and I made two more "gingerbread boy houses" with Aunt Laura.  

The boys LOVED the whole thing and I think we have a new tradition at our house now.

 Tyler got really creative and taught Brian how to make roof top guns out of pretzel sticks.  

Tyler decapitated the poor gingerbread boy after being "shot" by the roof top guns on Tyler's masterpiece.

Santa enjoyed powdered doughnuts and the neighbor gift from Jenny Smith's family on Christmas Eve.

Santa came to our house!

Our tree looked gorgeous after Santa came.  

On Christmas morning, had Netflix's Fireplace with music going as we opened gifts.  Mix music, a "roaring fire," and the giggles and excitement of a young family, and you get pure happiness! I didn't pick up my camera once as we opened gifts.  I just enjoyed myself and soaked up all the excitement.  (I promise that I will post pictures of the kids playing with their favorite gifts soon.)  Anyway, Sam volunteered to be on kitchen duty that day.  He fed us so well.  We had Sam's famous egg casserole for breakfast and an amazing turkey dinner.  It's so nice to be married to a man that can cook!

A couple days after Christmas, we went to Sam's parents for another Christmas celebration.
We felt lucky to have 5 of the 6 Ward kids there with their families.
\It was nice to see everyone.
Sam's parents had a few gifts under the tree for our family. 

 Katie with her favorite gift from Grandma & Grandpa Ward 
- a shape puzzle picnic basket that teaches her through song

We had an evening of fun when some of Sam's aunts and uncles came for some yummy food and a White Elephant gift exchange game.  I was #7 in the game and I was the first person to steal a gift.  I stole Aunt Susie's candle and boy did she get "mad."  I ended up having the candle stolen from me and then chose a fancy small box with two ugly his and her watches inside.  I whined enough about the watches and out of pity, my sweet sister-in-law, Sarah traded me a bag of M&Ms for the watches.  Sam ended up with a 750 piece puzzle of Bryce Canyon.  He's been working on it for awhile and is now more than half way done.  I sure hope he doesn't lose any of the pieces!

We sure hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas too!