Day 6 of Christmas

On the Sixth Day of Christmas - we had an awesome night!  Last night we went for pancakes at Ihop in the coldest, winteriest night you have ever known.  We had a Christmas Miracle.  Aiden ate dinner.  Really ate and ate a huge pancake, 2 bowls of yogurt, 2 cups of milk and half of Mom's hashbrowns.  Lovely.  We really had a wonderful meal.  Then we went home to watch a Christmas Movie- Thomas the Thank Engine and the Merry Winter Wish.  Ok, gag for all of us grown-ups, but so, so, so fun for a 2-year old Mister.  He loved it - as evidenced by his cheesy little grin in those super-dee-duper cute footie jammies.

Check these out...

This 25 days of Christmas is a super fun tradition.  This is our second year, but for SURE will not be the last.  For some reason, it is not stressful like I thought it would be.  It is just super fun.

Spoiler alert:  tonight, we did the BEST activity yet.   Pictures to come tomorrow...

Days 4 & 5

On the 4th Day of Christmas, Mom needed a little spiritual filling - so our activity for the night was to watch the annual First Presidency Devotional.  It was absolutely delightful and was just what I needed to start feeling the Christmas Spirit.

For those of you who haven't watched it or have no idea what I am talking about, find it HERE. 

I absolutely loved the new Bible videos and can't wait to watch each of them.  They are so inspired and you really can feel the Spirit when you watch them.

We have also been doing a new Christmas tradition where we read a Christmas story every night.  This year, we decided to really focus on Christ, so our Christmas books are very Christ-centered.  They are wrapped up and tucked under the big Christmas tree.  Every night, he chooses one to unwrap and we read the story by tree-light.  It is really magical and reminds me of the times we spent as children with lights off and the tree aglow.

Monday night, well Monday night was HILARIOUS.  The advent calendar told us to go and see the lights in Ogden.  But the thermometer told us that it was about 11 degrees with a breeze.  No way.  Good thing Mom keeps many Plan B activities handy.  So, we made sugar cookies.  He didn't care about anything except watching the mixer turn and eating the dough.  It was awesome.  They had too much butter (remember that I am a cook... not a baker) so the "Santa" cookie looked like a blob.  But it tasted amazing and Aiden loved it.

So fun!! Is it just me or is Christmas 10 times more awesome with a child?

On the 3rd Day Of Christmas.

First off, I have to include some pictures from our last adventure on Wednesday night - technically before the 25 days of Christmas started... we just couldn't help ourselves, so we went to Newgate Mall for a trip on the train and Lee's Mongolian BBQ.  Aiden loves the train and loves Lee's.  It is our favorite dive eatery with the BEST food.  Ever.

Let me just clarify.  Aiden LOVES egg drop soup.  Loves egg rolls.  Loves any food that is not traditional Kid food (except the occasional Mac & Cheese...)  What a great kid.

BUT... tonight, we did a fun new tradition.  The local burger joint sponsors hay rides through the Layton City lights.  Aiden loves these lights and we go see them nearly every night in the warmth of our own car, but this was a wagon ride with proceeds going to the local homeless shelter, so we couldn't resist.

Tell me that this is not spitting image of his cousin, Bridger...

oh, how Mom looks tired.  Oh, yeah.  I am.  Played for a wedding today, sick, and homework-ridden. A bit tired and looking old and weary.  Good thing my date is a hottie...

AND a happy, happy birthday to Grandma Sharon today!!

25 days of Christmas!!!

This year, we are DETERMINED to have the Christmas Spirit.  We have been Ho Ho Ho'ing for a couple weeks already and practicing our Jingle Bells.  Aiden almost has all the words down and we are going to ROCK the caroling this year.

Last year, we did a 25 Days of Christmas Sprint in December and it was wonderful.  This year, we changed up things just a bit, but the idea is the same.  This year we added a story to the evening's great adventures as well as a movie, activity or other fun thing.  So, may I present to you... the 25 days of Christmas.

Day 1 - There is only one way to start off the holiday season - Gingerbread Herb Tea and Muppet Christmas Carol.  And, oh yeah, it was that good.

Day 2 - home made ornaments and classic Christmas cartoons on Netflix.  These are really cool ornaments and really super easy.  Aiden helped with most of them before he dashed off to - what else - play with his trains.  

Oh, and by the way, he absolutely refuses to have his picture taken.  Sorry his cute little mug is nowhere on this page.  We will try again tomorrow.  

We Gather Together...

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for myself.  I love cooking super fancy things and gathering with my family for an evening of fun.  This year did not disappoint.  I was able to cook a rocking turkey (herb and butter and citrus which was amazing as a gravy...), yams, green been casserole with fresh beans and very very yummy cream, 2 pies, homemade rolls, and a whole lot of other great stuff.

I had Smedleys over to the house and Chris was able to come home from Lehi to join us.

After cooking all morning, Aiden and I went to the park.  He really did have a great time and we played until noses ran and our turkey was calling to be basted.

This how Aiden spent most of Thanksgiving dinner.  NOT eating, but playing with his Ipad.

Ah.  Dinner.  You were divine.

We have all the folks here except one.. Jessica spent her first holiday away from home at the MTC.  She is doing such amazing things, but we miss her.  TERRIBLY.

I love this expression on Kelly's face.  He was such a trooper to put up with our dysfunction for an evening.  

Classy.

And classier still...

We loved having Kelly over as well.  He is so freaking hilarious with Aiden.  

What would Thanksgiving be without a little football?

I loved, loved, loved having this day with my family.  I started out cooking the night before and finished a lot of it with the help of the Smedley girls.  Then, the next day, we finished up and went to the park.  We had dinner at 6:30pm (which is actually dinner time...) and enjoyed games and laughs for many hours.  

 

Thomas. Always Thomas.

Aiden's favorite song... Down By the Docks.

Notice that he sings every word - but you may not understand it.  

Except the part where Aiden sings (not the real words...):

Down by the docks.

You're never on your bum.

Down by the docks

You're always home from bum.

True boy.  Through and through.

Oh, and the reason he says hi to Jess is because we will be sending this video to our new missionary in the field.  

Hello Goodbye

Saying goodbye is the hardest thing to do.  Especially when someone you love is going for a long time to do something very good and very hard.  I find it hard when a 2-year-old doesn't understand that he won't see someone every day that he has been used to seeing since the moment he was born.

Jessica is Aiden's cousin and literally has been there with Aiden from the moment he was born.  She was the first to watch him all day while I flew to Dallas for a job interview - he was 5 weeks old.  She has been there at the hospital for him 3 times... she has been beside him for his best and greatest moments.

She is leaving tomorrow for Rome, Italy for 18 months to be a representative of the Lord as an LDS missionary.  And I will miss her more than I can say.

Today she took Aiden for a "date"... lunch, the park, and a nap together.  She is such an amazing cousin.  They spent the day and evening hanging out.  When I came to pick him up, it was goodbye since we won't be seeing her tomorrow.  We all cried and Aiden wondered why Jessica was crying.  I think that made it harder.  He doesn't understand, but we will make sure he doesn't forget....

Oh, crap.  Now I am crying again.