Toph took the day off, and so we thought we should do something wonderful…We love Thanksgiving Pointe, especially the dinosaur museum! So it seems like a natural choice to go there!
And a perfect way to end the morning, was to have a yummy ice-cream treat too!
My kids talk about this YEAR round. They LOVE, LOVE, LOVE skating!
We had so much fun, as always!
Lorelei rode in the bucket,
Elliot spent a little time riding in the bucket, and more time learning to skate with the bucket.
Tuck and Tru were ‘old pro’s’ by the end of the night. Neither of them used the buckets…
and may have spent a few minutes on the ice! 🙂
Ice Skating is still a magical time for me, makes me wish we lived closer to a rink!
Thanks again Patti! It was wonderful!
Unfortunately, this Christmas was the last Christmas, and I was totally worn out from taking pictures. So there was not a ton here either, and somehow I don’t have one picture with Heather and Aunt Sue! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!?! They were there. Trust me. 🙂
We had a great gift exchange, and the kids got some great presents! Then we ate some yummy food, and played games.
Lorelei
Elliot
Ike
Tru
My mom always wraps the presents, so they look just beautiful!
Belle
Excited Tuck?
Bestest Little Brother Eric
Cutest Sister Amy
Nora opened this doll, and Lorelei really wanted it!
And apparently, Ryan was pretty excited about it too 🙂
Toph is excited to get out with his new show shoes (now if it would only snow!)
Grams and Gramps (or Grandpa Jo-Jo Bob, as the kids call him now!)
And at the end of the night, we were able to get a pretty decent pic with almost all the kids looking at the camera.
It was a wonderful day, and was the perfect way to end the Christmas season!
So wonderful to spend time with my cousins and grandparents!
I didn’t get too many pictures this year–but did get a few great ones.
Lorelei loves her great grandpa Hunsaker. She just was happy to be with him, and just sat with him, for almost the first HOUR of us being there!
We had yummy brunch,
and then sang the 12 days of Christmas, and Grandma Hunsaker shared the significance/symbolism of each one with us afterwords.
Then we opened presents.
And just enjoyed being together.
One of my most favorite traditions of the year! Exchanging family presents.
Earlier in the month for FHE we go shopping at the dollar store, and choose out a present. It seems like the boys put so much thought and effort into these presents, and are so excited to give them. I think that’s what makes it the sweetest.
Lorelei got a new Santa Board Book
Elliot got a Squinky puzzle from dad
Truman got a bag of candy from Lorelei
Tucker got some Christmas Crafts from Elliot
Toph got some office candy from Truman
I got some chocolate from Tucker
I also love to see the home-made school presents from the boys, and how excited they are to give them.
Toph and I exchanged presents.
And I am happy to announce that I can now SIT AROUND ALL DAY IN MY DUSTER and LABEL everything.
Couldn’t be a happier woman. 🙂
And then we played for a few minutes before it was time to head up to SLC
The traditional picture on the stairs:
And then our tradition of oldest to youngest….
Lorelei started in,
Then Elliot was too anxious, and came zipping around the corner! HA!
Tru
Tuck.
They were excited to see the presents, We unwrapped and enjoyed,
The big surprise this year, was the kitchen, table and chair set. It’s already gotten some good use!
I love this fun picture, Christmas Happiness.
And then some video (Thanks Toph)–
for Historical Sake of the unwrapping craziness:
A few things from this year to remember:
Tucker HATES the fact that Santa wraps up clothes, like socks and pants. But all other presents, just thrill him, and just bring out the hugest smiles, and excitement.
Truman was a little sad that Santa didn’t hear his request for a Nintendo DS, but after some re-evaluation, decided it was a pretty good christmas after all. He has spent hours playing with all of his toys, and ate most of the 3 huge bags of candy within 4 or 5 days.
Elliot could have been happy with one pack of squinkies. And just wanted to open his toys and play with them, instead of continuing to unwrap them all. He is now the squinkie king, he eats, drinks, and sleeps squinkies. They go with him everywhere.
Lorelei was not sure what to make of the whole big mess…she just kept crawling around, and watching her siblings. When she did unwrap her play food for the kitchen, she was excited and wanted to taste every single piece.
Christmas Outfits.
A Greene tradition from when I was a little girl. It usually goes like this: The first Christmas present you get to open, on Christmas Eve, is your Christmas outfits to wear for the Christmas Celebrations.
But this year, with Christmas being on a Sunday Morning (and church being at 8 am), we did things a little different.
We woke up early, (the boys might have been a little tired, because Elliot was the only one who woke up on his own!), opened our Christmas Outfits,
ate breakfast,
then headed off to church, to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas
A beautiful morning, and it was a beautiful Sacrament Meeting!
The kids were AMAZING, but as soon as church was done, they were ready to head home to see what Santa had left!
The Nativity was Beautiful this year, the best we’ve ever had, I think!
Here some laughter before we began: 🙂
Tucker-Joseph
Ava-Mary
After much debate, and discussion, a baby doll was used as Jesus, and not a teddy bear.
Madalyn was the Angel.
Truman, Michael, and Owen were the Wisemen.
Elliot was a shepherd who carried a cow.
We sang some primary songs that told the story of the Nativity.
Then after the most important part of the evening was done, we did the 12 days of Christmas song. It was fun to see the kids getting older and enjoying it more!
Some Video:
Then we opened the new toys to stay at Grandma’s House.
Then we loaded up, and made the 2 hour drive home, where the 3 big kids were put to sleep under the Christmas Tree….
With Sugar Plums Dancing in their heads! 🙂
The Phillips Family Tradition Continues…
The Book Find~
Before hand, some snuggles from Emi and Lorelei
Passing out of wrapping paper
Finding of Presents
Lorelei got a darling Bear Book (thanks again Aunt Cathryn!) and Bear Stuffed Animal/Blanket
Elliot got a Nursery Rhyme book and CD
Truman got A How things Work Book
Tucker got Tom Sawyer Book (and was over 1/2 way thru the 450 page book by the morning 🙂 )
I got the Discovering Issac: The Wise Potter of Niederbipp. (and it is WONDERFUL! I just finished it!) And Toph got a Steven Covey Book: Roots of Human Relationships
Group Shots.
And presents for Grandma and Grandpa:
Marbles
And Elliot LOVES his whale-y
There was a little laughter!
Gift Exchange
We got a Monopoly Game and JJCole Blanket from Dallin Paul
and Gave Patrick his T-shirt Quilt.
Every Year, there is always one kid, who loves the wrapping more than the presents! This year, it was Elliot! 🙂
Toph looking at the ‘Book’ for Grandma and Grandpa Phillips
Another Great Year, of another great tradition!
This little girl LOVES raisins.
Couldn’t help filming this sweet girl! She looks so big in this video.
After I finished filming, Truman picked up the camera, and made his own video. 🙂
Love watching my children interact!