It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

...CHRISTMAS!!! Yay! I love this time of year! And I might just get the best present I've ever received... my husband HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!!! We can't wait to welcome him home... in less than two weeks now! Yipee!!!
But... back to the post... we took a quick-ish weekend trip to Utah for Caroline's baptism. And though the drive up AND back were horrific... to say the very least... while we were there it was fun and eventful! Caroline's baptism went well, and we were so happy to see the decision she has made to follow the Savior's example. That was Saturday morning. We got there super... SUPER late/early Thurs. night/Fri. morning. I got to go have my hair done that afternoon, and then we went to my mom's ward Christmas party. Grandpa Mike and Grandma Linda joined us there, and we had fun. I think the only person that got a picture of my mom was a lady sitting at our table... and my mom has a copy of that... drat. I forgot to scan it before I left. (So, Mom... when you read this... do that for me, please! Thanks!)
You'll be able to tell, but Santa wasn't on Ella's list of favorite people to see that night! Ha!
Then Saturday was the baptism, playing baseball with Aunt Katie in the FREEZING and WINDY weather, and playing at Cornell and Tamie's for a while. Sunday was church and family time, and Monday we headed home... AFTER I registered both our vehicles, and AFTER the kids got to play in the almost 6" of snow at my mom's! Fun stuff! Just glad the driving is behind us. Ick!

Gma Linda and Braeden singing to welcome Santa!

Gpa Mike had to help our koala baby... she wouldn't let go of him to save her life! She was NOT having any part of the sitting on Santa's lap thing. Good thing I don't waste money at the mall for this kind of stuff, eh?

Jolly Old St. Nicholas, lean your ear this way...

...whisper what you'll bring to me, tell me if you can!

They each got a yummy treat bag... and here's Braeden not even wanting me to take a picture of it... he thinks I'll steal it! He might just be right! ;)

What a surprise... a candy cane!

What's in my bag??

Mmmmm... candy! The only thing I will eat tonight! So there!

Uncle Seth playing trains with Hayden and Ella!

Sweet, sleeping baby Jonathan!

Braeden throwing, Lexi warming up, and yes... that's Caroline waiting for Aunt Katie's pitch in SHORTS!!!! She had on a short sleeve shirt, too, but just to please her mother, she put on a coat. Lovely. It really was WAAAYYYYY too cold for such clothing!

Ella in the tunnels at Cornell and Tamie's!

Yay for cash registers! This is the VERY ONE that she spends so much time with at John and Colleen's! She was so happy to find it there, too!

Braeden with a gun... he does, however, need a little practice with the aim.

Ella so badly wanted Gma Pam to get in the tubes with her. This is as much as she got! But better than nothing! Silly girls!

Whooossshhh!

Woo-hoo! She's finally got it!

And even though Gma can't do it around her waist anymore, she still showed us that she has some hool-a-hooping tricks up her sleeve... or her arm... whatever! ;)

Lexi and Tiffy are entering the synchronized hool-a-hooping portion of the next olympics... :)

(Hey... anything's possible... they have synchronized trampoline routines now...)

Whoa, Nellie! This horse is buckin'!

Playing Polly Pockets, and getting a manicure... all in one afternoon! Around the table: Ella behind Braeden, Caroline, Lexi, Tamie, and Tiffy!

They even got out the pool... and the car that magically dresses Polly as she drives. NOT SAFE! No wonder teenagers these days feel they can multitask while driving... we can blame it on adolescent toys!

And here it is! WINTER WONDERLAND!! Lexi falling off the fence, and Braeden climbing on!

Yay for Ella! You should have seen her last year when we tried to get her suited up to go out! This is NOT the expression she had! She had an enormous amount of fun this time! :)

Snowball fights... get a little hairy!

...but what goes around... eventually ALWAYS comes around!

Priceless! I just couldn't deny them the chance to go out and play in it. They were begging!

And just look at their faces! Happy as little larks!

Lexi's abandoned snow angel!

Brrrrrr...

Even Gma Pam got in on the action!

Where's Lexi!??!

Yep... their noses say BBBRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

All this fun... while I pack up the car to go home. Boo-hoo!

And then... Gma put her "helpers" to good use, and had them shoveling the porch and sidewalk! Well, except Lexi, who is taking a break to eat some fresh fallen snow! Mmmmm, num!

Ella and Braeden BOTH use their tongues to concentrate!

Wow... she's tough... using only one hand!

Braeden hard at work!

And I mean seriously hard... see the tongue?

Then Ella... she got the snow from the sidewalk and brought it all the way back UP the porch just to throw it off the edge. Sigh... where do they get all the energy??? And to just waste it like that! It's not fair!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow... LET IT SNOW!!!! (Just not when I need to drive next time... please! Ha!)