Christmas 2011

Christmas Eve was spent with Heidi's family for dinner. Growing up in California we had no family nearby to spend Christmas with, so we invited people to our house for Christmas Eve each year. Some were elderly couples from the ward, the missionaries, some of our friends and their families. We usually had 20-30 people over and it was a lot of work to prepare for, but the next day we had lots of left overs and would relax and play with our Christmas gifts.

We had a fun time at Heidi's and there was a ton of great food. I so appreciate that she invited us over because I want Jacob to spend time with his cousins and spend Christmas Eve like I did as a child. I have great memories of it--which is hard to recreate for him with just 3 of us at home. :)
We had a short visit because Jason's brother, who is on a mission in the Philippines, was calling the family that night. Turned out he had to call earlier than expected and so we headed to Jason's parent's house a little earlier. It was so fun to spend time with Heidi's family.
The next day was Christmas and Sunday. Our ward meets at 9 a.m. and Jacob knew it was Christmas, but this was the first year he really "got it" that Santa came and left gifts. Because he had not past experiences (that he could remember) that you wake up to presents, we were able to get him up, dressed, fed and off to church. Then we came home and opened gifts. It was so fun this year!








We then went in the afternoon to Jason's parent's house where his whole family gathers on Christmas day.Playing outside with his cousin Daniel--we didn't bring his coat so we were trying to cover him with a t-shirt he had gotten from him Hawaiian cousins, dad's shirt and the hat Aunt Jenny gave him.


Jacob's Aunt Jenny gave all of the kids these cute animal hats. They were so funny!
It was a good Christmas!

Christmas Festivities

We decorated our tree just after Thanksgiving. Jacob saw a picture of himself as a baby by the tree

and wanted to reenact that scene. He found a red shirt and sat by the tree again--just a little bit bigger 3 years later!.

Jason's work has a children's Christmas party every year at the Clark Planetarium. Jacob sitting on Santa's lap.

We also made gingerbread houses with the cousins. I was so busy helping with the houses that I forgot to pull out my camera until after they had gone home.

Dad's 80th Birthday

I have been so behind on blogging. December 9th was my dad's 80th birthday. My brother Chris flew in from Maryland and we had a lunch that day at Heidi's house and on Sunday we had a family dinner. These pictures are from the family dinner. My parent's friends, the Hellewells came over too.
I can't believe he is 80!! He is such a great dad!!

Pirating Music in my Younger Years, but not thinking about it

My bag of pirated music.

Jason and Jacob pulling apart the old tapes.
In the 80's my friends and brothers would give me cassette tapes and I thought nothing of the fact that I had not purchased them. I wasn't accepting the tapes to be dishonest, I just did not think of it that way. Did you, in your younger years, copy music and just didn't think about it?

Cleaning the Carpets

Amazing how large your rooms feel with no furniture in them!

And how small your rooms feel with ALL your furniture in them!

Siamese Twins (But not attached)

I love this picture!

Jacob wants to do whatever Jason is doing. He loves his dad, to the point that he has said that when he grows up he is going to change his name to Jason.
He helped shovel snow (the only inch of snow we've had so far)
They shave together
Like father like son!