SIng and Dance and Make Good Cheer -- We Made it Through Another Year!

Whew!  We survived 2011 -- and have high hopes for 2012!

We enjoyed our annual New Year's Eve party with our pals, the Mendonsas, and had a fabulous time -- as usual!

Here are Nicole and Krystal with their "puncher bag" balloons ... partyin' in their pjs!

Playing games:

Firework show:

Cutie-pa-tooties:

Ringing in the New Year!  These kids were so loud ... thanks to the equipment we (their parents so brilliantly) purchased for them:  screaming balloons and air horns.  Let me just say - w.o.a.h.  It was very VERY loud.  haha!

Heather wanted me to be sure to label this picture as "apple juice".  :)!!  LOL!  We all enjoyed sparkling cider at the end of our count down (Heather even gave me a cup with just a teaspoon in it ... since I hate the stuff ... ;)).

Oh, man - we had such a fun night!  Love you Mendonsa Fam!

Happy New Year!

Christmas Cuties

We slept over at Grandpa Brent's and Grandma Pat's house Christmas Eve.  The kids think that's just the greatest thing ever.  Here they are all in their jammies getting ready for some games and hot chocolate (can ya blame 'em for wanting to be there?)

Santa's Comin' to town!!

Yep - he made it ... even before the kids were all the way asleep!  They were told to STAY in bed, though. haha.  I don't really like to wrap presents ... as you can see! ;)

Nothin' greater than awesome reactions Christmas morning.  

It's like making aaaaaaall their dreams come true.  :)

This Marissa excitement is over an old-school X-Box paddle.  For those of you that are friends with her on facebook - she seemed to think she was addicted to Halo there for awhile (haha) - and we only have one paddle.  Tyler and I were able to track down a store that sells old video game stuff ... including XBox paddles!  The kids were so dang excited that they could play TOGETHER now ... and they do!  :)

There's No Time Like the Presents! -- Christmas Central at Gma Pat and Gpa Brents

Opening presents gets a little crazy at Grandma Pat and Grandpa Brents.  We have several people opening up all at once ... it's a wonderful chaos!

Aaron and Ethan got these nerf guns ... I think everyone would have liked one.  We all had a lot of fun with them!

Krystal jumped on the "Squinky" bandwagon (her heart's desire) - and has been playing with them nonstop since Christmas day.  Marissa got a new flat iron (she's beyond ecstatic!)

Trying out/ showing off the fabulous presents:

Love hanging out!

Gramps made the little girlies these cute hats - and made all his kids really nice hot pads ... I didn't get a picture!  He's awesome!  Mom and Dad got me, Kristy, and M these cute coats that we all love.

I love opening presents!  :)

Let Your Light So Shine

Tyler's parents have a cool traditional candle lighting ceremony every Christmas Eve.  It's really neat, and I'm glad we got to be a part of it this year!

May we all try to share the light of the gospel with others throughout our lives.

Holiday Hoopla

One of the best parts of the holidays is being able to hang out, play games, eat good food, and JUST be together.  In fact, I think that is THE best part of the holidays!

Playing together with new Christmas gifts is a favorite!

Sweeeeeeeeeedish Pancakes!

 

Cousin Buds!

We played our 2nd Annual  LCR (Left/Center/Right) game with the Miller clan, and it was very intense.

The final 2 dollar bills belonged to Kristy and Marissa ... and they both stayed safe for several rolls.  (Don'tcha just love how nervous M is!  haha!)

Here's Marissa's final roll ... and ... loss.  Kristy won the mula!!

We also had a lot of good laughs over this fun game  (everyone on each team -- except one who guesses -- acts out a phrase) -- here are M and the girlies giving an example of how the game works  by acting out "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree".

Marissa was a team captain and Kristy was a team captain.  Look how Marissa's team ended up  :)  (Kristy picked all the oldies).  The littles made up the cheer -  "X the oldies out!  X the oldies out!"  So -- that's what they did ... with style!

Thank Heavens the "oldies" got some easy things to act out.  Here we are acting out flip-flops.  Don'tcha just love Tyler's flip-flop walkie-walk?!?

... and applying lip stick.  James feels that requires one hand in the pocket ...

Grandpa ended up joining the girlies team ... and they were awesome.  Here they are acting out "fire hydrant":

*chuckle* ...  peeing on the fire hydrant while gramps hooks up the hose:

Rocking horse ...

So fun ... and funny.  I love hangin' out with our families!  It's the greatest.

Grandma's Christmas Cookies

Every year, Grandma and Grandpa Jenson gets the kiddos together to make their traditional Christmas cookies.  The kids really look forward to it.

Here they are making the peppernut cookies - a danish tradition - they are spicy lil' cookie bites that the kids don't really like to eat :) - but they love to make!

Holy cow!  Is it just me, or does Krystal's face shape and features look a lot like her grandma's in this picture?

The kids LOVE being with their cousins.

 

And then Grandma J. lets them decorate good ol' fashioned sugar cookies  (now THERE'S a cookie I can't stop eating!)  :)

 

 

I just love Marissa's technique for taking care of frosting smudges ...   And Kyle's tongue (Marissa's left) is just in true Jenson form!

 

Grateful for Christmas traditions!