Christmas Day 2015

Merry Christmas Day!

Their grandparents always spoil them :)

 Ben was on call in the afternoon and got several calls.

We went to the Ritz Carlton to see their edible Star Wars display and all the Christmas festivities. They had some fabulous carolers. 

 

 We got back just in time to spend more time with Ben.

 One of my favorite gifts I gave the kids was each a book of photos. I got the idea from Mackayla who, whenever she prays, says "thank you for the pictures" because she loves seeing them.

I have all the pictures on the computer and rarely if ever print them out.

This way they can see them whenever they want to, in hard copy.

It was fun looking through all of them together.

I also love practical gifts including Cody's new bed spread.

I tried to make him a quilt earlier this year, and failed miserably,

and this is so much better.

His old quilt was from when he was two and he said it was super embarrassing.

While I can't say I'm stressed about coolness for my kids...it was high time.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Sunday

was the last of our "performance" things.

I played the piano for the choir

(and the songs were so hard-I don't practice every day like I used to, but I sure had to for these!)

Cody sang a solo.

He wasn't even nervous and he has such amazing pitch.

It was so sweet.

Christmas Eve

We went on a hike up a random mountain during the day. "Hiking" is a lose term since it's hard to get away from houses around here and actually find a "mountain" but I have to remind myself to be realistic with kids anyway.

Dinner went well: ham, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, corn and sparkling cider.

Cookies for santa, eaten by santa: check.

We tried to have a Christmas Devotional and read the Christmas Story.

I had planned to give a sweet message about how tomorrow would be a day of presents from Santa, but tonight we were focusing on gifts from Christ.

Except the kids kept on asking when they would open presents!! ha! I finally got mad and told them tonight was about Jesus and they all felt bad and that ruined the sweetness. haha! You can only try!

Next year I'll do better.

(and over the month Macey cut out a million snowflakes and put them all over our kitchen.)

 

Merry Christmas Eve

Tar Pits

LA isn't too far away so I'm always tempted to go do things up there thinking "It's not that far"

and it's not, just traffic is insane!! (so, it is far.  Remind me of this.)

I snapped this pic of the city and lest you think I was speeding by...nope, just sitting and moseying along. shh.

We were in Hollywood for the day so I figured we would stop at the Walk of Fame.

Except, it's in a gross part of town, and not that cool to the kids who don't know who anyone on the stars are...

Then there was that awkward moment when we first got there and Minnie motioned for us to get a picture and I snapped one and then she motioned to give her a tip and I had no cash...

 We did it just the same. And then ran back to our car.

Then we went a couple of blocks down to the La Brea Tar Pits.

La Brea means "tar" and the pits are on La Brea street right in the middle of Hollywood.

They are actual pits of asphalt (not tar, the name is wrong:))

We sat and watched them bubble and ooze.

This is an active dig site: 

 LA is over a huge oil field. During the Ice Age, or after maybe...these pits were covering this area. Animals would get stuck in them and eventually die because the tar is so sticky.

They have uncovered thousands and thousands of fossils out of it and are still getting more.

 We watched a pretty impressive 3D movie about it all.

This is Macey's sophisticated cool face

Mackayla was complaining about the sun and cute Cody pulled his hat off and put it on her head right before I snapped this pic. 

Then just because we were there we drove through Rodeo Drive, then inched our way home to see Ben. 

Crystal Cove

We had a little treat at the Shake Shack

and then walked down to the beach and Crystal Cove Cottages.

These cottages are from the 20s and have almost all been renovated by the city. 

It's kind of like glamping camping, since they are still pretty rustic, 

but are pretty cheap to rent for the night - and all but impossible as well.

I would love to stay at one, just can't swing it!

 It was a chilly day for the beach, but I'm pretty sure kids don't care about that! 

Inn Crowd or Stable Few?

Are you one of the Inn Crowd or one of the Stable Few?

 Nothing like a little morning sugar rush to start the day!

Our elf made us gingerbread to make gingerbread houses-

which is awesome, because I would hate to stay up late doing something like that!

 Let's be honest, by the time the houses were put together it was almost lunch time anyway:)

It was kind of hilarious trying to explain that little saying -inn crowd/stable few- to the kids, but I think they got it?   Either way it was fun creating them - cotton candy sheep.

Next year I kind of want to buy two gingerbread houses - one for the kids and one for myself, so I can decorate it how I want!! But then I wouldn't have anyone to blame if it looked horrible...

 Our cute missionaries came over for dinner one night and we all filled out one of these signs I was supposed to post on social media. I'm pretty bad at that...at least I blog sometimes :)

I was going to get a new tree this year (this is the one we got when we were first married for $15 at Walmart) and I decided I kind of love this tree. At least this year. The kids decorated it themselves!!

More on the elf...

we didn't get an Elf on the Shelf book so I just made up the rules for our elf.

He does things, which is so nice of our elf,

I just wish he would have thought that through all those years ago when it was fun and not tiring at all...

We have the cutest little friend who comes to play with Mackayla who is pure shocked at our elf who does things and how we can touch him and move him around. It freaks her out. She grills me every time she is over on all the rules and regulations of our elf. It is hilarious!

Velveteen Rabbit

The last singer's company performance:

The girls adore Mrs. Nina

and Mackayla really couldn't have done it without Kristen.

 Here's Mackayla and her most favorite friend Claire. They are the cutest girls! 

 Each of the girls got a rose from Mrs. Nina but by the time we went back to get them there were only two left. Macey and Mackayla picked them out, but then one more girl came over to get one and was really upset when there were none left. Macey didn't even hesitate to give her the last rose she had gotten moments before. I have to admit I didn't even think of asking her to do that.  She makes me happy.

 The girls' dance recital was the next night.

They did The Velveteen Rabbit 

Mackayla was, clearly, a bunny

 Macey was a tin soldier in tap

 They actually read the Velveteen Rabbit story to the kids and had the dance numbers during the story

 It was such a sweet performance.

Their dance class was small and the teacher was very good at teaching fundamentals and basics and getting them down well.

I loved it and the girls did too, although, Macey claims she is done with dance and wants to do soccer again! We'll see what spring brings!