We had the most special Christmas this year! Not only
was it little miss Tessa's first Christmas but also
the newest brother-in-law's too! We all
traveled up to Woodscross Utah to my sisters!
All of us were able to make it this
year but my brother and his family.

Lukey, his cousin Bryn and Grandma.

Caleb opening a Bakugan!

Aubrey opening the cutest tea set ever!

Lukey playing on the stairs, loving his new toy!

Tessa and one of her new babies!

Caleb sporting one of his new shirts. A few things
didn't make it all the way up to Utah so here's a few
pictures of the kiddos today playing!

Aubrey & Luke cooking up something yummy!

Luke was so cute on his trike! He was just circling
the kitchen island! So fun!

Parking his trike in the "garage"!

And this is what we came home to last night!
A courtyard full of boxes! Mike gets deliveries
from work a couple times a week - this is what
is welcoming us home just about every time
we leave for a couple of days! Hehe!
We had such a blast over this past week, celebrating
birthdays over going out to dinner and seeing
Sherlock Holmes (such a great movie!), a soccer game,
lots of yummy food, shopping, and lots of Wii!
We also got a tour of The Church History
Library where my parents are serving their mission.
We got to go through some of the secret
tunnels to the JSB! {Shh!};)

This picture just explains Lukey's personality to a "T"!
They were all so good to pose for me!

Tessa was just not happy with her toys on her playmat
the other day, so I brought her in to where
the boys were playing
with their cars - that did the trick! She was
so interested in the cars!! Funny girl!

When my sister Ali & I were little girls we would
always write our Christmas wish lists - there
were no limits on these lists. So here's mine.
Dear Santa, please bring me this darling playhouse
for my kiddos.

And, I'll take this Steinway too, please.
If this is too much then just a PPB touring tote!
I've dropped all the hints I can think of. All
but told him the directions of the store that carries
this bag, so if Mike doesn't "pick up" on the
fact that I really want one for Christmas, then
the only hope I have left is Santa!;)

You can't see it, but it was snowing! The kiddos thought
it was the most fun! There's always 1 kid who's
making a face! (Caleb) :)

Aubrey & I making silly faces!

Day 1 of our sweet bread making!! Isn't she a
good braider?

Those little ones are Aubrey's.

This one's Caleb's. Growing up we always had sweet
bread Christmas morning and always delivered
it to family friend's when we would go caroling. They make
such great Home Teaching/Visiting Teaching & school
teacher gifts!! Plus, my house has smelled
so good for the last couple of days!

I Got It!!

I finally got a picture of Miss Tessa smiling!! She
scooted herself right off the rug & under the couch!

Now I just need to film her scooting! Crazy, but
true. She gets her knees under herself and
pushes forward with her feet! Caleb was our earliest
to do this at 5 months, she has him beat by just a
few weeks! It balances out their verbal skills - they
all haven't talked until they're around 2 1/2!;)

Miss Aubrey was helping me wrap gifts this afternoon.

She wanted to wrap up Tessa too!

Aubrey & Luke playing they were babies the
other morning. Good grief!
They were having a great time!

These two put on a "show" before Church yesterday!

This was their audience!
The lion right to the right of Lukey scares the
dickens out of him. The orange tiger 4 steps up
was won by their Daddy for me when we
were at an Amusement Park in Missouri,
before we were married!

Love it!! (I don't think they ever put on
the show - I guess it was jut fun enough to
set the whole thing up!)

Yup - I'm a big fat loser! I had a house
full of people I love and no pictures! I didn't
take out the camera once! Shame on me! In my
defense there were 14 kids in my house. A 13-year-old,
11, 9,8,7, two 6 year-olds, 5, two 4-year-olds, 3,
two 2-year-olds and 4 month old Tessa. It
was a total blast! We had a yummy Thanksgiving
dinner, successful shopping on Black Friday, a yummy
dinner out, playing at the park, visiting Santa and the aquarium,
going to hear the "Messiah" concert at UNLV -
fun stuff! My house is back in order, my
Christmas tree is up & I am so ready to do it all over again
up at my sister's house for Christmas!!
**I vow not to ignore the camera this time around!!**