Christmas

Christmas Eve Curt found mom's copy of the classic claymation Rudolph and introduced the kids to it.

We woke up to a white Christmas, with several inches of new snow on the ground.

{Evie in her new dress from grandma, which she had to don immediately}

We went to church for an abbreviated hour service (Dad, Jann, Melynda, Zan, their kids, David, and Kelsi joined).

Curt accompanied Shane and three of his friends in singing 'we three kings' during the meeting.

{new snow!!}

Everyone came to mom's afterwards for cinnamon rolls and visiting.

Lane and Kinsey met us there, Lane had woken up with pink eye so they didn't join us at church.

 

{Lane with his swollen eye and Zan with his healing cheek (skin cancer removal)}

I got a few pictures of the whole group with the camera timer: 

Then the kids all wanted to play in the snow. 

{it wasn't sticky snowman building snow}

{Lane and Kinsey found out they're having a GIRL in May, so excited for them}

 

{love, love the cousin time that gets to happen}

We had a big holiday dinner that night with Melynda and her family (with Ellie, Mia, and Jex since they were back from their other parents').

And then we flew back to Atlanta on an early flight the next morning.

Such a good trip and I miss everyone already. 

 We did a second Christmas at home.

(we hadn't wanted to drag everything across the country and back)

And spent lots of time playing with new toys.

 

{'a plate of fruit', by Des. Done with new art supplies from Grandma Hoss}

When our mail hold expired we got a pile of Christmas cards (my favorite!), and a package from uncle Andrew containing many things, including these noise makers. Thanks Andrew ;)

We wrapped up our Christmas season with a visit from good friends who live in North Carolina.

{McKay wanted to hold 'the baby', hilarious}

 {Evie and Bella had a blast}

And that concludes a wonderful, family and friend filled, Christmas season.

I hope yours was equally as wonderful.

 

 

Christmastime

After we got back from the Thanksgiving Florida trip we came home and decorated for Christmas. 

Between church and schools we had a couple holiday parties.

 {Des participating in a Polar Express train parade}

This year we went out to Utah for Christmas.

It's the first time I've been home for Christmas in eight years.

Flying standby during the holidays is sometimes dicey.

We spent a Friday evening at the airport and struck out.

{we did get to see a beautiful sunset though}

So we were back at the airport Saturday morning. 

Curt ended up on a direct flight with McKay and Evie, and Des and I flew to Phoenix.

Mom and Melynda dropped off a vehicle with Curt and took the littles home to nap, and Curt hung out downtown and at the airport waiting for Des and I to arrive (the Phoenix to SLC leg had been delayed). 

But we arrived all in one piece and all was wonderful.

{church with grandma and Londynn}

 

{early mornings with kids still kind of on Georgia time}

{views of the frigid sunrises from mom's kitchen}

We got to stop in and see the home Lane and Kinsey are having built.

They should be able to move in relatively soon. Exciting stuff.

 

Attended Shane's choral concert.

{just a beautiful sight on one of our drives somewhere}

Tuesday evening we went to Temple Square to see the lights.

We (mom and our family) got there early and checked things out, then Melynda and her family joined later.

It ended up being the warmest night we were in Utah so we lucked out, kids can get miserable once extremities freeze. 

 

{local high school choral groups were presenting in the assembly hall}

{the tabernacle decked out in holiday finery}

We were walking around and Curt randomly saw some of our best friends who live in Michigan.

Love small world moments.

{Hello Quinns, fancy seeing you here}

We stopped in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to let the kids thaw out while waiting for Melynda and her crew. 

We got some dinner then headed out for round two with the bigger group.

 

 {Heading out past the Macy's holiday window displays made of candy}

 {City Creek Mall during the holidays}

We did traditions from my childhood.

Decorating mom's homemade sugar cookies, complete with the same cookie cutters. 

{the baby 'helping' with decorating}

While in town, I got to go meet up with some friends for dinner (no photographic evidence), and Curt met up with a friend for lunch. 

Visited with a couple of my cousins and a favorite aunt and uncle.

{the kids loved playing with their kids, and Evie was in love with all of the costumes my cousin has collected for her girls}

Christmas Eve day we went out to breakfast with Dad and Jann.

Probably much earlier on a Saturday morning than they wanted, but they were good sports with our kids' early rising. 

{mmmm, bacon}

 And then we went and visited at their home for a bit.

                    

{checking out the kitty, who wanted nothing more than to run away from them}

Then we visited with Lane and Kinsey at mom's.

 {this train is a highlight of the Christmas season for all of the grandkids}

{Nixon and McKay, born 20 days apart}

And that's quite enough pictures for now, we'll leave Christmas Eve and Christmas for another post.