Christmas Highlights

Hearing Maya say, "I think Grandpa Tony is Santa Claus" after he made his annual appearance (I think this will have to be his last :)

Kiddos all decked out in their PJs from Santa

Reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas with Grandpa Gary
Spending time with Grandma and Grandpa Mitchell in town

Seeing this:


Turn into this Christmas miracle from Santa:

And watching their faces when they discovered it Christmas morning

Maya doesn't think it is from Santa because it couldn't fit into his sleigh. Is she really going to stop believing at THREE?! :)

It was so fun to see them completely enjoying it all!

Such a good Christmas! Now Nana, Grandpa and Aunt Tiffany (who came into town on Christmas Eve) are here for another week - off to have some fun!

P.S. Jeremy gave me money to get my blog published into a book, but now I have to find the best company to do it. Any suggestions or advice for me????

More Holiday Fun

Yesterday was Maya's preschool Polar Express party and then last night was her cheer/gymnastics recital.

Miss Leslie had this amazing Santa come to the party. He did a little magic show. As he wrapped Maya in tissue paper, he sang, "Oh Christmas Tree" while all of the kids laughed. It was so cute!

Then he asked them each what they wanted for Christmas and gave them a candy cane.

They couldn't get enough of him and watched him until he drove out of sight.


They sang songs, ate pizza, made gingerbread houses, read a story and Miss Leslie gave them each a book. She is the best!!!

Then last night as we were waiting and waiting for her turn to perform (she was #18!), she was extra cranky and kept saying how cold she was.

I didn't figure it out until later on when we went to dinner that she had a fever. Poor girl! She still got up on stage and performed her heart out. (The lighting is poor - She is the farthest on the right, front row).

Look how sick she looked right before she was about to perform.

And afterwards with her cute friend Sammi.

Thanks grandma and grandpa, Kellen, Camille, Olivia, Niki, Greg, Alexa and Gavin for coming to support her!! She had quite the entourage!

Holly Jolly Christmas

Last night we went to the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater. There is no other way to explain it than to steal my sister-in-law Camille's post from her blog:

Top 10 Reasons You Should Go To The Broadway Palm Dinner Theater...

10. You will never be in the company of so many people that have gray hair.
9. You will experience one of the tastiest buffets ever!
8. You will hear conversations like "Aren't you going to put any sauce on your ham?" "No" ..."Why not?" or, "Would you like more iced tea?" "No thanks, I'm getting a little floaty"
7. You will see Santa in a white Elvis suit.
6. Jokes like "Why don't you iron your four leaf clover?"... "because you don't want to press your luck!" and "Why does Santa have 3 gardens?"..."so he can HO HO HO!"
5. Plenty of BYU co-eds singing their hearts out for your entertainment.
4. Tap dancing reindeer
3. Sugar free butter pecan ice cream
2. Holiday sweaters and vests (some of which are certain to light up!) as far as the eye can see...
1. If you are anything like me, you'll laugh so hard that you'll cry!

The only thing I can add is that at one point they welcomed the Canasta Club from Leisure World and I about fell off my chair laughing so hard!

It was truly a night I won't forget for quite a while. My abs are sore today from so much laughing. Thanks mom and dad! I will be shopping the day after Christmas for my Christmas sweater to wear there next year!

Different and the Same

Maya: "Mom, we are different."

Mom: "How?"

Maya: "I have black skin, black nose, black eyes, black hair, beads in my hair." pause

Mom: "How are we the same?"

Maya: "We have toes, eyes to see each other, lips to kiss."



I love our talks about different and the same!

Let it Rain, Let it Rain, Let It Rain!

We have been having some major Arizona winter weather - it has rained for the last couple of days. We didn't let the rain stop us from venturing to Scottsdale train park and the temple lights again. Thankfully it stopped the rest of AZ so we had the places to ourselves - no lines even to ride the train and see Santa.

Waiting for the train

On the train

They wouldn't let you use a flash for pictures so you would buy theirs, but we didn't :)


The kids didn't care much about the lights at the temple - just the puddles! At one point (before I took out my camera), Kenyon laid down in the water and started drinking it. Yuck! Our friends Danny and Shantel met us there along with Kellen and Camille. I am pretty sure my kids introduced Olivia and Isabelle to the puddles - sorry guys! :)

Holiday Happenings

Last weekend (I am slacking on my blogging!) we went to see the lights at the Mesa Temple. It was so much fun to sip on hot cocoa while strolling through lights and watching the holiday concert that was going on.

Saturday morning we went to a cookie/cupcake decorating party with our local adoption group. The kids had a blast decorating cookies and cupcakes and playing with friends.

Saturday night we took the kids to Tempe marketplace to experience fake snow. They loved it!!! The only problem was it tastes like soap so Maya didn't love that after letting a flake land on her tongue. I think we need to go to some real snow sometime soon...

There was a concert afterwards that Kenyon drummed with

and Maya danced to.

This tree is huge!!! (Jer and the kids are at the bottom of the tree)