Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was spent with the usual last minute running around. Taylor and I went out and got the last few things needed while Dave was home smoking a brisket for Christmas Eve dinner. The weather was just as crazy as the stores we went into. The 23rd it had gotten up in the low 70's and then dropped drastically thru the early evening and night. We woke up Christmas Eve to some CHILLY weather with the chance of snow...YES SNOW! As the day went on we did indeed get some snow. It was looking like we might have a white Christmas!


Dave took some pictures of it snowing...this is the view from our backyard.


From our front yard.


The yummy brisket that Dave braved the weather to smoke!


AHHH! Funeral potatoes....NOT just for funerals! EVERYONE loves them!


Since Amber does NOT eat any red meat BUT hamburger, Dave bbq'd her some chicken.


Ready to eat.


After dinner and clean up it was time to make Santa some cookies.






Hunter thinks it's funny to do action shots. He didn't really lick the dough.


They looked so cute in their Christmas jammies and aprons!


Some of the cookies they cut out for Santa.


Taylor and Hunter putting out Reindeer feed to make sure Rudolph sees our house and stops! See the snow on the ground?!
Note Hunters lack of coat...it was bout 25 degree's out!! CRAZY KID!!

School parties...

The kids each had a school Christmas party. I love how they it do here. Taylor's was on Thursday and Hunter's was on Friday so I could be at both parties the whole time. Taylor's class decided they wanted to make gingerbread houses....WHAT a mess!! The kids had a lot of fun trying to make them stay together and actually I think they were eating more of the icing and candy than putting it on their houses.


Working hard on making hers a mansion.


Actually turned out looking more like something out of a trailer park!!

At Hunter's party they did a book exchange and decorated cookies. He decorated and ate his cookie before I could even get a picture of it. The book exchange was WAY fun due to Mr. Gradt reading and improvising the story. The kids had a GREAT time with it and us parents got a good laugh out of how confused the kids got trying to figure out if they needed to pass right or left!


Hunter and I enjoying the party.


Decorating his gingerbread man.


Mr. Gradt reading a funny story to the kids and having them pass their gifts left and right. He was CRAZY and had the kids ALL confused, but the kids had a BLAST!!


Hunter waiting to see which way to pass the gift.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree....

Keeping with tradition we went and tried to cut down our Christmas tree. Each year so far we have tried out a new tree farm. This year we went out to the Canton tree farm. It boasted lots of trees and fun, exciting rides! I keep hoping to find a tree farm here in Texas that grows the kind of trees that we are use to. The ones they grow here are Virgina Pine,Leyland Cypress,Loblolly Pine and Eastern Red Cedar Trees. Basically they look like bushes that they grew really big and then shape them into a Christmas tree. Each year I go looking for the Douglas Firs, the Noble Firs, the Fraser Firs. You know the ones that actually hold the ornaments!! And no such luck. We take the hay ride out into the trees and we laugh at the funny looking trees and end up at the pre-cut trees that they have shipped in and I find the perfect Noble Fir. Maybe next year I'll find a tree farm that actually grows normal Christmas trees.


Everywhere you go here in Texas there are cows of some sort!


Quick shot of Dave and I.


This pose has also become a Christmas tree hunting tradition!


Taylor spotted this little sapling and wanted to cut it down and put it in her room.


Amber and Cameron posing by this little Charlie Brown tree. Can you believe Cameron has NEVER seen a Charlie Brown Christmas?! Blasphemy!!


Hahahaa!!! LOVE this picture! Look at Jake's face...CLASSIC! Of course it was BUTT cold out and we had wondered around in the mud looking for a tree to cut down for about 30/45 minutes before I decided to head to the pre-cut trees. Jake was NOT happy if you haven't guessed by his expression. Hahahahaaa!! LOVE family outings!



Hunter wanted to ride Santa's runaway sleigh. He was the ONLY one on the ride!


This sign should have scared Taylor away from the ride, but she was determined to ride it....


...good thing she wasn't pregnant and hasn't had any head or neck injuries because this ride was WILD!!!

Oh blog PLEASE forgive me. I promise once things slow down I'll update you!!

Forney Hometown Christmas

Once again it was time for the annual Forney Hometown Christmas. It started off with a parade, which we didn't go to because the kids went to the temple with the Primary. AND not to mention that it was something like 27 degrees out.....YIKES!!
Taylor's choir from school performed in the afternoon and so we were hoping that it would warm up. Oh it did to a balmy....35!! Thank goodness the sun was SO bright that standing in it ALMOST warmed you up. The kids did good standing there singing, but the sound system had MUCH to be desired! It wasn't until I went around to the back to TRY and get a decent picture of Taylor that I could actually hear them. There was alot of fun things for the kids to do. The bounce houses kept Hunter warm, they went down the BIGGEST slide EVER despite all the mud they had to trek thru to get to it and tried the climbing wall again. We had a great time and can't wait to do it all again next year!


Taylor was in the second row by the red antlers. We were bummed because we couldn't see her AT all.


Totally FREEZING!


I managed to get her to peek thru so I could get a picture.


I finally decided to go around the back and try and get a picture. That seemed to work AND I could hear them.


Hunter going down the HUGE slide. This slide is a Hometown Christmas tradition. Notice NO shoes, NO socks and it was BUTT cold out!


Taylor attempting the climbing wall again this year. She was doing really good, but her hands were so cold that they were hurting. She finally let go.


Hunter was climbing really good, but had the same problem as Taylor. His hands were hurting from it being so cold.


So he let go and swing out like he was repelling.

Rock climbing

Jake and Dave went camping and rock climbing the day after Thanksgiving with the older scouts. The place they went was about 2 hours west of us and Dave said it reminded him of Big Bear in California. He did a GREAT job taking pictures.



What a beautiful view!


The cool shelter that Dave made for him, Jake and Zack.


The boys trying to get the fire going.


Jake cooking his delicious dinner of Spam.


Jake fashioned himself a comfy hammock and the other boys all bundled up like in little cocoons. So much for the shelter Dave made!


The next morning they did some repelling and rock climbing.


Jake was a little nervous about taking that first initial step over.


Once he got going he really enjoyed it.


Dave was holding the end of the rope and left Jake hanging there.


Their fearless leader, Bro. White showing them how to do it.


I think this is a cool shot of Jake.


Almost to the top.


Scotty


Zack