Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we wrapped presents, ate crab and pizza with my family (odd, but good), made cookies for Mr. Clause, opened new Christmas Pajamas and hurried to bed so Santa could come....

Ty wrapping the present he got for Hazel.

Roar.

Sorry Chris, but I think she likes Jaxen more than you . . .

I told my grandparents to wave to the camera... so they did.

Aren't they adorable?

Lesley's cute mom joined us for our Christmas festivities.

Hazel showing off her impressive splits.

Hazel and Tyler making cookies for Santa...

And eating cookies.

Opening Christmas Pajamas. For some reason I didn't take a picture of their actual pajamas, but they were really cute. Try to imagine it.

Temple Square

Tyler was holding up his picture of the temple to compare it with the real thing.

Gingerbread Houses

This year my family decided to try a new tradition out:

Gingerbread houses.

We've never done them as a family before.

I think it was a success.

Although Daniel, may have felt otherwise.

His house completely fell apart and we declared it condemned.

The kids decorated cookies.

And ate cookies.

This is Tim and my house.

Isn't it splendid?

I don't think the picture does it justice, really.

My parents are in love.

Isaac and Jessi's house.

Tyler cutting out the cookies...

Jessi was SO proud of the candy wreath she made, I thought it should be featured.

What a clever sister I have.

Daniel's condemned house.

Notice the green shrubbery?

Most condemned houses have a lot of shrubbery.

Kati and the Boyfriend's house.

While we were there Jaxen took dog riding lessons.

He's a natural.

 And Isaac declared his love for my sister.

(You never said what I had to write in the "word bubble" . . )

And Tim was NOT snorting powdered sugar.

My mom is the most patient Grandma ever.

Sadly, Hazel was feeling under the weather so she just laid on the couch the whole evening.

When she finally sat up, her hair was epic.

Annual Bradshaw Family Christmas Party

Right before Christmas we went to the Annual Bradshaw Family Christmas Party. I've been going to these for as long as I can remember and it's fun to take my kids now. Although this year neither Isaac or Tim could come so Jessi and I were on our own with our kids. Also, Kati's choir concert was the same night so she and my mom were also absent. Despite constantly corralling our noisy kids, we had a good time (even though there was an cake incident... cake + toddler fingers = holey cake). The food was delicious and we exchanged white elephant gifts. Tyler got silly puddy. I came home with a tie with floppy discs printed on it. Tim was rather excited about it . . or maybe not. Jaxen chose not to participate in the white elephant festivities.

Tragically, there was a "Tyler sized" finger print on my lens that I didn't discover until I looked at the pictures. . . .You'll see what I mean.

We're a random bunch.

My Dad with his mom and three of his siblings.

Isn't my Grandma stunning?? She's almost 88! (Thanks Thomas!)

The party went pretty late and all the kiddos (and parents) were rather tired, but all in all it was a good time.

On a side not my Uncle Jeff's book In God's Image and Likeness was recently released.

I haven't read it (it's quite extensive) but I heard good things about it.