Christmas in Arizona & New Years Eve

We headed to Arizona to celebrate Christmas with Amber's family. Matt & Greg and Aunt Sandy joined us too! We had an adult night out and went to an escape room. We did not escape. The "game master" came in at the end and told us the next 20 steps that we would have had to do to escape. "So really not much, you almost had it!"  No dude, we weren't even close. Then Amber says "Well this room only has a 20% success rate!" She didn't want it to be too easy for us. Mission accomplished - it wasn't too easy!

We celebrated Christmas on New Year's Eve. It is always fun to see who can stay up until midnight. Briggs was out and we couldn't wake him up for the countdown. Grant & Stella had fallen asleep but we were able to rouse them. Elizabeth made it to midnight awake. Let's be honest, the adults could have all been asleep by 11! (#wearegettingold)

On the last night we did Zoo Lights at the Phoenix Zoo and there was a beautiful full moon!

An afternoon of fun at Top Golf

Grant found the pickle!!

Tether ball - Don't hit me in the face daddy!

Sandy wrote a poem and had gifts for Amber and I on how to be the "perfect house wife"  It was very creative and we had so many laughs!

We came home and Auggie was one tired pup from her holiday stay at her doggy resort!

Christmas!!

6:30 kids - good job!! A totally acceptable time to wake up on Christmas morning!

Auggie is in the xmas spirit and loving the snow!

Santa gifts: Grant = goal post, Elizabeth = clay and sculpting tools

Brandon surprised me with a new phone - I had just asked for a new case! I surprised him with an apple watch and we surprised the kids with new iPads. This Christmas is brought to you by Apple :) 

Daddy's toe is in the picture - the only photographic evidence that we he was there!

They were just as excited to give gifts this year as they were to receive, which warms our hearts. I promise Brandon was there. Apparently we did not take a family selfie on Christmas morning. I also promise he was wearing "I'd Hit That" softball t-shirt, circa 2008. Mom and Dad came over a little later and we had lunch together and then we headed to the Schoch family Xmas that evening. All in all a very relaxing, quiet, low key day, full of joy.

Small flashback...I love the looks on their faces...every one of their faces!

Christmas Eve

We got a perfect snowfall on Christmas Eve, leaving us with a white Christmas! We had the whole day to relax, sit by the fire, play in the snow and then head to church for Christmas Eve service. After we had Ima and Pops back for steak and it was time to get ready for Santa!

A labor of love. Brandon spent 15+ hours building this. The picture does not accurately depict how little the bricks are!

 The day before we went through FOLEPI village. A family tradition. However, we skipped the hot chocolate in the car this year due to the long lines that we knew we would encounter and the lack of restroom facilities!

Cookies and milk for Santa, carrots for the reindeer!

Saying goodbye to the Elf - "Alex" the baking elf. They were very sad to see him go and wished he could have stayed.

Daddy reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. This is the Hallmark book that you can record your voice with that we have with Kenny Pop's voice. Not all of the pages work. Last year only the  first page did. This year a few more worked. Kenny Pops reads some and Daddy reads the pages that don't work. It is pretty special and very emotional at the same time. 

All that is left is to remind them that Santa doesn't come unless they are asleep and that waking up at 2 am will probably not result in opening presents at that hour (that was a one time thing!). We had already told them all day long that Santa doesn't like a messy house, so their rooms were already clean! (that was always what Mimi said!)

Sleep tight sugar plums - tonight Santa comes!!

Chocolate Covered Cherries

It is one of my favorite family traditions to make chocolate covered cherries with my family, in memory of my Grandma. We have the same roles every year and it just brings a smile to my face. The kids are in charge of the cherries. My mom reads the candy thermometer. I monitor the mixer. Dad stirs, anything that needs stirs! It truly fills my heart with such joy.

Heller Christmas

David's family came home to celebrate Christmas with us a week early - same weekend as the gingerbread houses and church program. We got some pictures while we were all still in our Sunday best ;)  From the pictures it looks like baby Andrew stole the show (well he kind of does!) but Megan was a lot of fun too - she just doesn't sit still long enough for a picture!

Babies always look big on Grandma!

Santa hats with their names...the elves are always busy this time of year!

Oh my gosh, Grant is in the background shirtless!! Auntie Alison was obviously too busy holding a baby to care (or notice!)

Babies always look tiny on Brandon!

Grant was shopping with Ima and thought that EB needed this fur coat for her baby dolls. Very sweet.

Hugh got a new robe!

The joy of Christmas and all the chaos that comes with it. The picture they are holding was taken last Christmas!