New Year's Eve

Some friends from church- and neighbors- invited us over for dinner on New Year's Eve. They also have 4 girls almost exactly our girls age. It was a fun night! We had tacos and the kids ran around. We played games and then counted down the new year at 9pm (midnight eastern time!). 

Our friends, the Barnes, had party hats and noise makers. I think we can skip the noise makers next year. So loud!

We had a big package of sparklers that had been floating around our house for years- not kidding. So we figured it was the perfect time to finally use them. 

Thanks for a fun evening Barnes! We love the new friends we are making. 

The next morning I made pancakes. Penny ate that huge snowman! 

After my workout I told the girls I would take them on a run. Not the best conditions but we made it a mile! They get excited whenever I offer to take them running.

Christmas Eve & Christmas

Christmas Eve was on a Sunday this year. We had 9am church, and with kids that like to sleep in- not a lot of time to get ready. But still managed to get a few cute pictures after church. 4 excited girls!!

Love our Harvey Girls!

And a few pictures with the Christmas tree. 

We had enough cookies and cream to eat it on Christmas Eve as well. We all love it!

Paige too! We basically hung out at home on Christmas Eve and just enjoyed the day as a family.

Santa came! Everything looks so magical once he does. 

On Saturday the girls made cookies all by themselves. Paige was napping and I slipped out on a run (because I couldn't ignore the excited drama of making cookies by themselves and it was stressing me out). They did a good job! I am sure Santa loved them. 

Santa came! He even used the wrapping paper we left out for him.

I think Aubrey and Ada got up around 6:30- which is early in our house. We got the other girls up after 7 and opened stockings and presents. 

Lots of happy faces and spoiled kids. 

They all claimed they got everything they wanted and more. 

Watching the hatchimal that Santa brought us hatch open. It was twins!

Christmas mess. 

Loving her hair chalk and new earrings. 

We made potatoes and ham and had plenty of treats around. 

In the afternoon we visited Grandma and Papa and Zack & Kellie, and went sledding at their house. 

Just enough snow for a perfect ride. We had an exciting and busy Christmas. It is always such a fun day, but also exhausting. Merry Christmas!!

Some new friends from our ward invited us to go on the Santa cruise with them the day after Christmas. We got to get on a boat on Lake Couer d'Alene and visit Santa's Village to see if the girls were on the nice list (which they obviously were because he had come the night before!). It was so cold but so fun. The kids love it so much and get so excited to hear Santa call their names.

We saw lots of lights and the show finishes with fireworks. 

We brought candy canes to share with everyone. I had secretly packed all of our swimming stuff, so after the cruise we headed to the resort to soak in the hot tub and swim. A perfect way to end the evening!

This winter has been somewhat strange. It has probably only snowed two or three times. We have mainly been getting rain and more rain. So we try to enjoy the snow when we can.

Christmas Eve Eve Eve

We were able to find Santa for family home evening one night. Paige wasn't a fan obviously. 

Decorating the tree. 

Conservatory lights. Maybe we had high expectations- but we were all a bit disappointed with this one. Luckily we were able to drive around and find some more lights and Santa. Now we know!

Life sized gingerbread house. It was in a hotel lobby, and while cool, still just a way for them to get people in to spend money. So yes, it is amazing someone would spend that kind of time and resourses making it, but at the same time just a little wall.  But I told Cameron, "These kinds of things will be glorified in our kids memories. They won't remember what it was really like, but they will remember the highlights...like walking through a real gingerbread house and remembering it being amazing."

My parents came into town a few days before Christmas. They brought my grandparents over for dinner and we had a party! We made cookies and cream, ate a delicious dinner, opened some presents, and watched some Christmas clips. It was such a fun evening, and we loved having family here to share it with. 

And I loved the help with cookies and cream. I am most often not very patient with the girls during projects like these, so it was nice to take a step back and not worry about the mess, but just let them enjoy the moment with their grandparents. 

We opened presents from my aunts and uncles too. The girls were more than thrilled with their new karaoke machine from Jason and Annette. We had a fun time trying it out. Papa was funny telling jokes and singing with the girls. 

The girls also made Great Papa birthday cards. Aubrey has a special bond with all her grandparents. It can only be described as pure love. She just soaks up any time she gets to spend with any of her grandparents and great grandparents. 

Paige would reluctantly got to Papa but then just snuggle and snuggle. Such special memories.

Love moments like these. 

Puffy tummy. Cameron shoved her blanket in her jammies. 

More singing machine practice. 

We LOVED the shirts Grandma Dalton brought all the girls. And I will add a picture of Ada and her jewelry box later. She opened it and I could just tell she loved it from the minute she saw it. 

 

Aubrey has been carrying around her tree identification book the past couple days. Grandma and Papa knew the perfect gifts to make each of the girls feel special. Thanks for coming to visit. My parents spent the night and then enjoyed the morning playing with the girls before having to head home. We love Grandma and Papa visits. Hope you come again soon!