Sunday, December 18, 2016

Gingerbread Christmas

Santa came early for us this year!  We had our first Christmas this morning.
Preston & Maysen
Mike got a ladder.  Preston loved it.  He mostly loved the story of how Mike got it.  He was able to manage a super nice ladder for $25.
Maysen, Mike, Preston
 Mike & Preston
 Preston
Santa brought Stockton a piano keyboard.  Apparently Santa's workshop is a little dusty.
Stockton
Preston got a boogy board from Santa.  This will be great to study Chinese on!
Jorja & Preston
Jorja got a phone for Christmas.  This is the youngest we have ever let on of our kids have a phone.  She needs one.  She was driving us crazy.  She loves to go on adventures, but it is scary not being able to get ahold of us.  Once Jorja and Hailey went to Classic to go rollerskating.  The rink closed early for some reason that day.  Jorja and Hailey didn't know how to get ahold of a parent to pick them up, so they walked to the movie theater.  It is a long ways away.  The neighborhood was sketchy.  It was dark.  I'm not even sure there were sidewalks on the busy streets.  Yep.  She needs a phone.  I just fear this is how we will see her from now on.
Jorja
Santa brought Maysen a Chrome book.  I'm positive she is going to love it.  It will be so nice for her this Christmas break.  She will be able to work on her writing.  Happy girl.
Maysen
Santa brought Jorja a vanity for Christmas.  Stockton is excited for Jorja to get her stuff out of the bathroom.  Let's hope this vanity holds a lot!  Maysen got text books and an instant pot from us.  I hope this instant pot is as amazing as Markell says because I bought three!  One for me, one for Maysen and one for my dad.  Jorja got lots of nail stuff.  Preston got a new legacy game.  It is about Pirates.  I don't know if I will like it as much as the Pandemic game.  I really love the working together part.  Stockton also got a stand and headphones for his piano.  I also got new exercise shoes - yay!  Mike/family got a train.  For the giant table.  To bring food.  Oh boy.

We had church and then hurried back to get ready for the Smith gingerbread party.  We worked our tails off to get ready.  It was so much fun!  Shannon brought pizzas, Sherry brought a salad and Lisa brought some fruit.  It is nice to have food along with the candy, and nice I don't have to worry about it.  I love how much this family supports this crazy hobby of mine.  Sherry told me several times how excited her kids were to come tonight.  Nathan told me that this has become a wonderful tradition.  I love how appreciative the family is.  It makes me happy that they love the tradition as much as I do.  I also love to see their houses.  Mike's family is so creative!
Before
During
Brandon, Erica, Maysen, Matt, Miah
 Weston, Stockton, Brandon, Erica
 Miah, Dane, Tage, Connor's friend
Shannon, Connor, Jorja, Preston
 Taylor, Jorja
 Preston with the photobomb
 Derek
 Melissa
 Melissa made a school house this year
 Melissa, Leo, Nova, Derek
 Leo
 Aimee and Nova
 Aimee
 Tage and her boyfriend Dane
 Miah
 Miah, Taylor, Xander
 Xander
 Connor and his mission buddy
 Connor told me getting gingerbread pictures on his mission
made him sad.  Life goes on.  Family has fun without him!
 Sherry
 Connor & Sherry
 Matt
 Connor, Connor's friend, Sherry, Matt
Tage, Dane, Xander, Miah
 Taylor
 Aimee, Taylor, Erica, Jorja
 Lisa and her beach house
 Shannon
 Steve
 Weston
 Brandon
 Jacob
 Erica
 Erica had an adorable waterfall out front
 Steve, Shannon, Erica, Jacob, Weston, Brandon
Jorja
 Stockton
 Maysen
 Stockton, Maysen, Preston, Jorja
 Preston's house was too delicate to move
Preston worked so hard to get Santa flying above his house.
It stayed still until we were ready to take pictures!
For the second day in a row Mike and I fell into bed completely exhausted.  We have had a blast though!  I love living next to family!

No comments: