Christmas 2011

Mike got home from Casper 3 days before Christmas. For the first couple days we were just enjoying having him home and getting ready for Christmas. 

For Christmas Eve we went over to Mike's parents house to see them and his dad. He had surgery a week before and we wanted to go visit.

Here is E by their Christmas Tree...

 J and E opening their Christmas Eve presents

 J and E in their NEW jammies

 Now this is the first "real" Santa time we have had...Mike got his first experience putting together a bike for J the night before!! What a great santa!!

 The best part about having little kids is they don't want to wake you up early on Christmas morning. I believe we woke up at 7 and opened presents...here are the kiddos waiting to come down!

 J and E in their Christmas clothes...MERRY CHRISTMAS

 I believe everyone got what they wanted. I got Mike a pair of TOMS and his PS3 game that he wanted. He got me a sewing machine!!! and his mom got me a bread maker! Late that day we headed over to John and Brenda's house for games and dinner/dessert. I made these brownie bite Santa hats! So cute and SO YUMMY! I saw them on pinterest! 

Casper, WY rotation

Mike's last rotation was Casper, WY!! And he absolutely LOVED it! Here are some pictures from his 3 weeks there

Now Interrupting....

Now interrupting my catch up session is  little E dancing it up!!!

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year we headed to Utah to spend time with my family. Mike was able to meet up with us after his Pueblo rotation. It was so much fun to have the kids wake up Thanksgiving morning to Mike there. Up to this point in his audition rotations he had not seen them for 2 months. That is a VERY long time for a little guy who is attached to his dad.  Granted J was therefore attached to Mike's hip from Thanksgiving morning until the day Mike had to leave for Casper.  This may be picture overload, but Mike had the camera for the full 3 months, so just sit back and enjoy! 

My brother Jason and his newest little guy Tad

 E and Patience at the "girl" table

 My sis, Lisa and her hubby Jesse

 My amazing parents

 My brother, Tage and his wife Marcella...plus Grandma B

 Jason and his wife Steph

 My adorable nieces...Ora and McKenna

 Playing outside...taking a break from eating...J and Ellis

 E just relaxing

 Lisa's little guy swinging and apparently she is full :) 

 E taking in some jumping time while the other kids were off

 My dad made this awesome rope swing...J loves it! Can't wait for E to be old enough to understand to hang on so she can have a blast too.

 Jason, Patience, and E

 Getting ready to eat some breakfast at Denny's

 Friday (after thanksgiving) we went to see the Temple lights at the Salt Lake Temple with my sister and her family...J woke up from a little nap on the drive over and was freezing..E would not let us cover her hands, she absolutely LOVED the cold weather

 yup, that's right I'm amazing. I took this picture. It does look like another one, but I think I could sell this for big bucks!! LOL 

 My nephew...he is 6 months younger than E and is at least 4 pounds heavier and the same height

 Pose!

 "what you lookin at"

 Like I said J was freezing! 

 Family photo

 The Marcial's 

 Another pose, but this time us!

 LOVING the cold weather and lights

 Another family shot. I just love my sister and her family

 The group

 You just can't get enough of this little guy

 Only one more day before Mike had to leave.....

 Sad that Mike had to leave...the kids saying goodbye