Happy Holidays 2013

We had a great Christmas this year.  It felt like December was a very busy month and it came quickly.  A few weeks before Christmas, my Grandma Melville and I took the boys to the Christmas windows at the Grand America Hotel.  They were really fun to see.  This one with the ball maze was their favorite and we stood and watched it for a good 15 minutes. 

Afterwards, we drove over to City Creek and had lunch at Kneaders then played in the dinosaur play area.  It is so much fun, both Brady and Tanner love it.

We had several opportunities to meet Santa Claus.  Tanner was pretty indifferent towards him, but Brady was TERRIFIED!  Every time he saw Santa, he would say "I want to go home!"  We had a chocolate advent for Brady, which he loved.  However, he knew when he ate #24, Santa Claus was going to come, so he did not want to eat it!  It was pretty funny.

Christmas Eve was just spent at our house.  I made Manicotti and flat bread for dinner, then we tried to watch a movie with Brady.  "Mattress Land" was fun for Brady until the movie started.  Then all he wanted to do was jump around all over the place.  

Of course, while I was doing dinner dishes, Brady's numbers ended up in my spot!

Both kids were in bed by 8:00, so Dave and I just hung out and put the presents out.  Christmas morning was fun.  We woke up about 7:30 and opened presents at our house.  Santa got the boys a tunnel (using his Huggies Rewards!), a ball toy, an abacus, spelling puzzles, matching shirts, socks, and a few more things I can't remember!

 

My parents came down around 9:00 and ate breakfast with us, gave us a few more presents, and played with the kids for a bit.  My mom had made all the grandkids super soft pillowcases.  She even found some minky ABC fabric for Brady's!  We got a child-carrying backpack that we are excited to use once it warms up a bit.

We were able to stop by the cemetery and found Heidi and Amelia's headstones even though it was pretty snowy.  Wish we could have had these girls here to celebrate with us.

Christmas night was spent at the Cates's home.  We had a yummy turkey, stuffing, and mashed potato dinner.  I forgot my camera, but Dave got a bike rack that fits into a hitch, I got a pretty pink necklace, Brady got a latches board and number maze, and Tanner got a Ballcano.  

Later in the week, my family took our annual post-Christmas ski trip and I got to go this year. Dave had to stay back, since he recently hurt his knee.  It was fun to be out skiing since it had been a while since I had gone.

Dave and I got to eat dinner on New Years Eve at The Roof with Dave's family.  It is an awesome buffet and they create a fun atmosphere by giving out hats, necklaces, and horns.  We ate lots and sampled most of the delicious desserts.  I think the bread pudding won as everyone's favorites.  Yum!

After dinner, we went back to Layton to hang out for a bit and to pick up the kids.  They were having a dance party and Brady was rocking out right in the middle with his "100." It was some glowsticks, a straight one (1), a circle made of 2 glowsticks (0), and another circle made of 3 glowsticks (another 0).  He still carries them around and says "this is my 100." Brady was having so much fun and did not want us there.  We stayed for a little while, then went home and the kids were both down by 8:30, and we were in bed by 10:30.  Lame, I know, but staying up until midnight has no appeal when you still have kids waking you up in the middle of every night!

I love comparing all these pictures of Brady in his stocking that he got from the hospital when he was born.  He's getting so big!  What age do you think he is the cutest???

5 days old

12 months

24 months

36 months