Christmas 2013

Our friends the Rabner's invited us over on Christmas Eve for dinner and fun.  We played this super fun game where you had to rip newspaper strips down the middle all the way to the end.  If you you didn't get to the bottom you lost.  It was a race - and it was quite intense!

 After the silliness, we acted out the nativity story - Paul wanted to be the start.

Joseph and Mary weren't acutally allowed to touch the baby according the the baby's owner - little Miss Lily. 

 When we got home, we put out reindeer food just to make sure they stopped by.

 Had our traditional fire, and made a bed by the tree.

 I realized much, much later that I had gotten some great pictures of him opening things - but not actually of the gifts.  This year he got a Wii gaming system, several games, a new baseball mitt,  the movie Turbo, a plethora of Hot Wheels cars, and a whole bin of tracks.  Also - I realized ON Christmas Eve around 10 pm that I had pink and birthday wrapping paper.  Hence the Christmas bags and printer paper wrapping.

 In the afternoon, we snuggled up on the bed by the fire and watched Turbo. 

Feliz Navidad

 Jared thought it would be fun to see what would happen if a Semi ran into the little Miata

Here are the results of his inquiry.

 My lunch date

 Christmas craft at the library

 Laser eyed gingerbread man

 Christmas tree project at school

 Gingerbread house time!

 Fun, fun for everyone!

 Primary children sang at the ward Christmas party

 Paul x'ed me.  He does that regularly now.

 Santa and Paul

 Holiday party at school

 Paul's friends and table mates

 Paul was the Bingo winner!

 Thanks William!

 What vacation means to this boy

 We got to play with this cute little fella

 Handsome boy!

 Cool dad

Cool boy 

 Cool dog

 Cool cat

 Christmas Eve bath

Cheesy

Once again, I have no pictures of Christmas Day...

Other December fun

Disclaimer: All phone pictures - sorry!

Paul's preschool had a Christmas party on Dec. 15 before they were out for Winter Break.

They made ice cream come Christmas Trees

and decorated and ate cookies. 

 Then later that day we went to Bass Pro Shop with his BFF Ben.

When the ride operator told them to hold on, they couldn't find anything

so they grabbed on to the back of the sleigh.

 They did invite this other little guy to join them, and help them drive the one reindeer.

After the sleigh ride, Laura (Ben's mom) and I spent about half an hour

watching them play on the ATV's. 

 That Saturday, the 17th, we visited Santa at the Highland Village fire station.

Ben's school was also out for winter break, and his parents both work

so he spent two weeks at our house during the day. On the 20th, Crystal (Lucy's daughter)

called and invited us to go to the Aquarium with their family.  

Uncle Hugh bankrolled anyone who wanted to the Super Bouncy trampoline after the aqaurium, 

so these two lucky boys got to have a turn.

 Lucy dropped off this gingerbread house the day after Christmas

so we put it together, beautiful, isn't it?

 New Year's Eve we spent the day working on the floor and other projects around the house, then went to IHOP to eat dinner with the senior citizens and pot smoking teenagers. (Okay, they only smelled like pot smoking teenagers.)

 New Year's Day was a great day for Paul as he be came a CTR!

He uses his CTRness for a lot of things now.  "I need to get a new CTR bike mom, my bike is too small."  "If they say I am a baby, I will tell them I am a CTR."  

(Side note: As far as I know, no one actual calls him a baby, but he is aware of the threat.)

2011 isn't over yet...

At least on my blog, I'll attempt to catch up what did not get blogged in the midst of moving.

Batman continues to make regular appearances,

and is always sure to keep up on local news...just in case.

 Since we were mostly packed at our apartment, but not unpacked at our house, 

we had Thanksgiving dinner at Cracker Barrell

 thanks for the scarf Shayla!

 with our friends the Desrosiers.

 Fast forward, we had Paul act out the nativity for FHE on Dec. 12

 Angel coming to the shepherds

 Finally able to decorate the tree a few days before Christmas

Christmas Eve, Paul got to open one gift and he opened a cozy blanket from Grandma Jan 

And dad opened a flashlight and Home Depot gift card from Jon and Ana. 

 Oh the kitten....

 Christmas Eve, we Skyped for about an hour and took a picture of matching boys in their jammies.

Yep, he's pretending 

 Because we almost forgot to put out the traditional Baklava for Santa, 

and carrots for his reindeer.

We pulled out our futon mattress and snuggled in by the fire trying to catch Santa.

But, he came and left presents without us catching a glimpse. 

 We were so busy Skyping and opening presents, that I didn't take many pictures....

okay, any pictures.

Paul is ready to go to church

 Then we spent the evening at Hugh and Lucy's house

 More Batman things! 

Grandma Nae and Papa gave Paul a Batman Leapster game, Batman shirt, and a Batman washcloth.

 The next day we spent afternoon visiting with Packard cousins.

(This gave me flashbacks to Grandma and Grandpa Brown's basement, 

where someone always ended up crying after playing pool.)

Eating with his cousins 

 Jared and Talmadge Packard (His great-aunt)

 President Packard, Jared, and Paul (He is the Dallas Temple President, and Jared's great-uncle.)

 We were lucky to get $5 tickets to the BYU bowl game here in Dallas, 

but unluckily Jared had to work.  So Ben, Paul, and I went with our friends

from our old ward.  We only stayed a quarter, but they won!