Merry Christmas

 Maggie and Corbin were up around seven this year and they had to scope it all out while they were waiting. Claire was up at 6:30, but she didn't quite know what was going on yet. They were able to get their stockings and see what they had before the other kids woke up. Maggie got nail polish so I painted her toes while we were waiting. Claire got some underwear so I guess I better potty train her soon.

Finally at 7:45 Matt let them wake up Kent. Normally he would sleep a lot longer, but they couldn't wait any more. The traditional way to start out Christmas morning is a picture in front of the tree. 

 Maggie already knew she was getting a Gizmo watch because she saw her new phone number in my phone a few days before, but she was still excited. 

 The kids gave Matt a new beanie. It wasn't too exciting because they didn't pick it out or wrap it, they only wrote their names on the tag. Next year I will do better. The kids loved that Matt took them to the store to buy a gift for me. They picked the presents out and I loved them. The boys gave me an electric blanket to use in the basement. Maggie gave me a cute amazing mom necklace. 

 Corbin got a Gizmo too, but he really loved his new Nintendo Switch game that Santa gave him.

 Kent loved everything he got. Santa brought him Stratego, a t-ball set, and legos. Matt and I gave him the robot, which is also a hit. 

 Claire was the cutest! She loved unwrapping the presents and couldn't wait to move on to the next one. She got some games because we play games all day long every day. I think her favorite Christmas present was the baby she got from Grandma Jenkins though.

 We had a wonderful Christmas morning. We spent the rest of the day visiting family. We are so blessed!

Christmas Eve

 Christmas Eve at Grandpa and Grandma Jenkins' is always super fun. This year I gave Mark a puzzle of him and Marianne with the grandkids to work on Christmas Eve, since he always does a puzzle. Maggie and I started it and at first I thought it would be too easy, but after the faces and shirts were done, it turned out to be pretty hard It was super fun though. Maggie really loved doing a puzzle of us. 

Claire was not very interested in the books this year until Grandma pulled out Llama Llama Jingle Bells. Kent has that one memorized, so he helped Grandma read it.

The kids loved their jammies and this year they got slippers to go with. Kent's light up and he and Claire were pretty thrilled about that. 

Corb was pretty excited that he got sliders and not slippers, even though they are a few months out of being used.  

 The traditional grandkids pajama picture. We missed Maddi, but she is doing amazing serving in Philadelphia.  

Davis Christmas Party

 We had our annual Davis Christmas Party at Steph's house. We played some super fun games and did our cousin gift exchange.  Shannon had a game where you get points for random things you are wearing and then you get to have an auction for mystery brown paper bags. I got a book, Maggie got nail files, Corbin got kitchen sponges, and Kent got sandwich bags, and Claire was given a plush from Jed's winnings. Some were fun and others not so much. It was so fun. I put together a game where you guess the number of bells in a box. 

Claire still loves to take selfies!

We were missing the older boys because they were at a friend's party. I love that my kids get to buy a gift for one of their cousins. It is the only time they buy for someone else. 

 The boys gifts they received, and the beanies Grandma and Grandpa gave them. 

 My cute kiddos in front of Steph's tree. 

Christmas Village

 I took my kids to Christmas Village with my family a few weeks ago. Matt didn't come because he stepped on a screw a few days before and his foot was still super sore. I told Kent at the very beginning if he gave me one good picture I would't ask for any others. He gave me a partial smile for it.

Claire is at the funnest age! She loves everything. She was so happy just wandering around. I accidentally dropped her mittens on the garage floor while we were loading up so she had to wear socks. She hated them so they didn't last long, but she was still happy, even with cold hands.

  Kent cried the entire time we were looking at houses begging for the train. We finally made it to the train and he still cried. Although I am not sure why. Shannon was able to get a picture of him, I never tried after that first one. Claire loved the train. She started screaming when I took her out of it. I let her ride it one more time and then bribed her with "yum yums" that Grandpa promised to buy her.

We ended the night at Dylan's with shakes for everyone. It was such a fun night!

Winter Dance Show and Robotics

Maggie had her Winter Dance Show on Saturday. I was only able to go to the first one because it was a crazy day. It was a super cute dance to "What a Wonderful World." It will also be a competition dance for her team. I love that she and Maybree are on the same team this year!

Corbin had a robotics competition on Saturday too. He had a super rough start to the year with his coach starting late and then quitting. But this new coach is great and they did an awesome job at the competition. They took 9th in the qualifier and then second in the finals! He is on a team with his best friends Matthew and Max. and Matthew's mom Becky is their coach.

 

Thanksgiving vacation

This year for Thanksgiving my whole family decided to take off to Moab. We rented a house just outside of Moab and stayed from Wednesday to Saturday. Wednesday we got there in the evening and just hung out all night. We did Karaoke, hot tubbed, played games, watched movies, and just hung out a lot over the weekend. Shannon brought a craft that was a hit, burlap banners for Christmas.

 Thursday morning everyone (except me and my parents) went on a fun hike. We had a simple, but super yummy Thanksgiving meal for lunch and then headed out on another hike. This hike was an adventure! Matt and I remembered loving it when we did it with the Jenkins three years ago. But we did it in the summer and didn't remember how many times you had to cross the river. We crossed (with the boys carrying us) four three times and then turned back before the fourth crossing. It was freezing water and we still had to head back. It worked out that we turned back because we would have run out of daylight, but Bryce looked it up later and that fourth crossing was the last one before the end of the hike!

  Claire was so cute on the hikes! She walked with a little jump in her step and smiled and laughed the entire time. We even forgot her coat so she just went along in a shirt of Kent's and a beanie from Steph. Kent was a trooper because he had a pretty nasty cold and cough through the whole trip.

 

 

  Friday it was pretty wet so we went or a drive. We stopped at the rock shop first and my kids thought it was the best black friday sale ever because they all got rocks for less than $10! Then we were headed to Dead Horse Point, but we never actually made it. Matt decided we would take a "short cut" which was a dirt road. It ended up being a little too off road and Shannon and Erin's families had to turn back maybe a mile before the end because we had to climb up a rock pile. Steph and my families kept going and made it to this awesome lookout. By that time it was late afternoon and my parents were already done at Dead Horse Point (they took the main highway) so we headed back. Corbin went with Steph and Joe to Gemini bridges.

Friday night Matt, Joe, and Jed went out somewhere in the Tahoe to explore. After a while Matt called and Bryce and my dad had to go tow them out of a huge snow pile that Matt had got stuck in. My dad loved that part!

Saturday morning we woke up and cleaned up. Shannon's family and my parents had to head straight home.Then we headed to Corona Arch to hike. It was my favorite hike that we did. Super cool and pretty easy.

 It was such a wonderful trip! I loved that we had the whole weekend together! I would totally vacation over Thanksgiving again.

First Snow

Kent and Claire were so excited for the first snow storm! They couldn't wait to get out to play. Claire just kept picking it up and saying "yum." Kent and I had a little snowball fight and Claire was laughing so hard. Every time we got hit she would laugh. 

Halloween

For Halloween this year I bought Kent a costume at the DI for three dollars. It was a spiderman costume and he was super excited. The a few days before Halloween we were going through my mom's costumes and he decided he wanted to be a wizard like Merlin (he loves Magic Treehouse.) Corbin wanted to by a fur trapper. Maggie chose a Raggedy Ann costume I wore when I was little and Claire got to be a lady bug. 

Maggie said no kids knew what she was, only adults at school. She looked darling though.

It was a perfect Halloween. My boys didn't trick-or-treat for very long and just wanted to stay home and play. Maggie found a friend and went around with her. Then Gracie's Grandpa took them over to 2100 North to some houses that gave out full size candy bars. Maggie loved going with Gracie this year. I was a cave woman that passed out candy. It was pretty cold and a school night so it was a mellow year.