The Christmas Season in iPhone Pics

 1. Each year my mom gives us keepsake ornaments on Thanksgiving...here's this year's haul.
2. We decorated the house for Christmas.
3. Each year we get together with Jeff's family (the ones here in Utah) and make gingerbread houses.

 4. Made sugar cookies with my handsome guys.
5. Each year the city has Santa drive through the subdivisions on the firetruck and throw out candy.  The kids LOVE it.
6. Ward Christmas breakfast and seeing Santa (again).
7. Porter couldn't keep his hands off the Christmas tree.  That's why it was shoved into the corner this year.

 8. One of our "must-do" Christmas traditions is to see the Elves at Gardner Village.
9. Christmas shopping with my handsome men.
10. Making sugar cookies (again!).
11. Carson and Jonas made a snowman in the front yard.

12. We went to Carson's "Christmas Sing" at his school.  His grade sang "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" and "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas."

13. We went to City Creek to look around.  Its always fun to go with Jeff because he tells us about all of the fun things he got to do on this project.  He laid out the main fireplace.

14. While Grandma was here, we braved the crazy crowds the weekend before Christmas and went to Temple Square.  We even ran into Krysta and her family!

 15. We went to see Santa's Reindeer at Thanksgiving Point.
16. I spent a few late nights working on these robots for Jonas and Mason.
17. Our house on Christmas Eve.
18. Matching Christmas jammies on my sweet little boys.

And finally Santa came! He brought Jonas a basketball hoop, Carson a BB gun, Porter a push along buggy, and Mason a trailer (for the Cozy Coupe he got for his birthday a few weeks ago). It was a modest Christmas for our family (most of these presents were from other people, not Jeff and I) but my boys had a blast and we were able to spend time together as a family.

Elf on the Shelf

This year was our first year to have an Elf on the Shelf.  I'd been wanting to get an elf for the past few years, and decided that I HAD to when Carson came home from school last year asking why we didn't have an elf because "everyone else in my class does".  About mid-October we received a box from Grandma Larsen and it had an Elf on the Shelf in it!  The boys were so excited and we immediately pulled out the book that came with him and read it.  I noticed the copyright on the book was 2005, so I guess that we were super slow in jumping on the Elf bandwagon! I hadn't even heard of them until about three years ago.

When our Elf arrived, he made a mess of our tree decorations! We soon named him Ernest, and he had some fun adventures while in our home. He played with the boys' toys, brought back letters from Santa, got into Christmas treats, wished Mason a happy birthday, and when it was time to leave he left a sappy letter for the boys telling them to be good all year long.  I was surprised at how attached the boys got to him and Carson had a hard time when he left. We can't wait for him to come again next year!

11 Months

I figured it was about time I posted Porter's 11 month facts since he will be having his 1st Birthday next week.  I can't believe how time flies, especially the first year.

Snowy Day

Last Saturday was the perfect snowy day.  Our boys were dressed and out the door by 8:00 (yes, in the AM!) to play in the snow. Sometimes I'm thankful for the hill in our yard, namely when the kids want to use the slip 'n' slide or go sledding.

In spite of only being four days out from hernia repairs, Mason insisted on going out and testing out the sled he got for his birthday.

Even Porter ventured out to see what all the fuss was about.

The boys love getting Jeff's old snowboard out.  Carson keeps begging for lessons, but he'll have to be content with the backyard for now. I'm so thankful for snowy, cozy days!  And for these handsome guys to share them with.

Christmas Tree

Its quiet in my house.  That doesn't happen very often. I'm sitting here in my living room enjoying my Christmas tree and winding down after a hard workout on the elliptical. Even as an adult, I still love the glow of the Christmas tree at night.  I have a million things on my to do list right now, yet all I want to do is relax and feel Christmasy (is that a word?).  I got on the computer to finish up another tutorial for my other blog and to try to figure out some things with networking and advertising.  Yet my heart isn't into it tonight.  I'd much rather sit here and soak in my Christmas tree.

We watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional for FHE tonight.  We weren't able to catch it last night as we were at my sister-in-law's making gingerbread houses.  I am so very glad we decided to watch it tonight.  For the first time this year I'm actually feeling the Christmas spirit. I think this time of year is so stressful for me because I try to do everything.  In fact, today I had a mini panic attack when I realized it was the 3rd and I hadn't even pulled out our advent calendar.  Then I realized that it was just another thing that I felt I had to do because someone else was doing it. In some ways I think the Internet can be a curse because I get on Pinterest, Facebook, blogs, or Instagram and see all of the wonderful things others are doing and I feel that I have to do those things too.  Sometimes I have to take a step back and remind myself that some of those people are in different stages of life, and don't have three kids under four to chase around all day (although I know some of you do have kids those ages and you are super moms! Seriously.  I admire you.). I realized tonight that I don't have to participate in every tradition or trend that comes along.  I just need to focus my family on Christ.

I also realized that I need to show more love to those around me.  We are coming off a quite challenging year, and I find myself getting so wrapped up in my own problems that I'm not looking outward at other's needs. I recently found out that a dear friend of mine has been having some serious challenges and I kick myself for not staying in closer contact with her.  I am very much an introvert, and as such, I struggle with staying in contact with people who aren't in my immediate surroundings. I've been realizing more and more how I need to reach out to others. I feel renewed, and determined to have a more Christlike heart.  So thank you, Christmas Tree, for letting me bask in your glow and realign my priorities this Christmas Season. And thank you, First Presidency, for the beautiful devotional.