End of the year random post

I'm not sure if this will be my last post before the New Year, but I do have some random photos.  Gator and her friends wore matching PJ's to school on the day before Christmas break.  The cheerleaders had on the same pants and Zoie thought it was hilarious.  

Gator went to work the other night with me and we came home to gifts and groceries outside our door.  People amaze me, one day, I will be able to do this for someone struggling.  

We had a temple outing.  No school is fun, we can go early and then go to breakfast afterwards.  

She's confused why we are home during the day, she loves not being in the kennel all day though.  

Gator and Lainee have hung out the day after Christmas since they have known each other.  This year Leslie and I tagged a long and we got lunch at Costa Vida, and stayed for 3 hours talking and catching up.  

We had a dinner party planned for Monday night with my dad.  The weather made it so he couldn't come, but we still got together and had our traditional soup and rolls.  Grace set up a game for everyone, it was funny and I made six bucks.  

Davis is enjoying his new job and he sends me pictures once in a while.  It looks cold, but he says he likes it.  Right now they are in Smithfield working on the temple.  

Last year Owen and Chris went to the Potato Bowl in Boise.  They went again this year and had a couple extra join them.  

All the snow has been calling Gators name.  Her and Maddie went skiing.  I am glad she has friends to go with because I definitely not in the shape to ski anymore.  

Still Christmasing

 After our Christmas, we went to Ryan & Christine's for the family Christmas Eve party.  Some how Owen got the nut again, along with Kylee.  Actually Gator got one too, my family got 3 out of 5 nuts.  I think this is 24 years of Christmas Eve with the Stewarts.  It has changed a little, but still I look forward to it every year.  

Owen and Kylee went back to my house to have Christmas morning together before they headed up to her moms house.  Gator and I spent the night at Krissy's.  Last year we had Christmas morning with them, it was fun with all the kids so we decided to do it again this year.  We were able to hold them off until 8:45 then all craziness happened.  We opened gifts, ate breakfast, and got ready for church.  I actually love when Christmas is on a Sunday, it is nice to take time out from the world and focus on why we actually have Christmas.  After church, we ate, napped, and hung out.  By time we made it back home, we were worn out and sick from eating junk all day.  We just curled up on the couch, and watched Frozen.  Not a Christmas movie, but still a winter movie.  A good transition to close out the Christmas season.  

Sheila made all the kids quilts.  It was fun looking at all of them and seeing the fabric pieces and remembering who had pajamas made out of each fabric over the years.  

Having a crafty daughter is awesome.  She made me these cute garlands for each month.  I didn't pass any of this talent down to her, it is all her! 

Christmas Eve Christmas

 Sometimes I have to be flexible now that the boys are getting older and have in laws.  I had them over last night to sleep over.  And we still got to have "Christmas morning" with them just like when they were all younger.  I know with time it will change even more, but I love making memories that I can have forever.  They all woke up excited to open gifts.  But they were actually all excited to have the other open what they got them.  All 3 had the same idea and prank wrapped each others gifts.  Davis used super glue, that actually hadn't dried because he then wrapped it in duct tape and layers of paper.  Owen and Kylee earned that movie/pizza gift card.  Owen used a whole roll of duct tape on Gators box.  She'd work all day though because it was a gift card to 2 of her favorite places, Starbucks and Joann's.  Gator was super excited to give her gift to the boys, these shirts she had made up for them.  They fit them perfect!  Of course I just sat back and cried because I remembered every Christmas up until this point, dang being a mom and having over productive tear ducts.  

Christmas Eve Eve

We moved everything up a day for this Christmas.  Actually we just celebrated more.  Tonight Owen & Kylee came down and we met Davis at the live nativity.  I have been to this before, but I think the family does a good job, and I wanted to start our Christmas celebration with the story of our Savior.  After the nativity, we went back to my house, and Kin came over.  We had dinner and watched The Grinch with Grinch cookies for dessert.  Everyone spent the night to have Christmas morning together on Christmas Eve.  It is fun to have everyone here under one roof again at the same time.  

Winter Corn Maze

We went to Gibson's Green Acres tonight with Mat and Andrea.  I wanted to go since we go to the Burley Straw Maze Christmas lights.  It was really cute, but tiny.  That is okay tonight though, because it was freezing.  Like 8 degrees freezing.  We didn't last long, but we still had a fun time.  

Farmington Station

 We wanted a night to take the train to Farmington Station and just walk around and see the lights and get pretzel bites and Fiiz for dinner.  Tonight was the perfect night, it has been snowing all day long and it was beautiful.  It was the perfect Christmasy evening.  Josh and Rachelle joined us for a minute to have the kids ride the ice bumper cars.  They weren't terribly quick, but the kids had fun and laughed a lot.  I would've gotten sick with all the spinning they were doing.  The fountain lights made the falling snow look red, purple, green, and blue.  We got back on the train cold and wet, but the pretzel bites for dinner made everything better.  

Forgotten Carols

 I haven't been to the Forgotten Carols for a few years, but I have still watched my DVD every year.   I love the music and the story of the Forgotten Carols.  It was different this year, they rewrote it a little and Michael McClean isn't in it anymore.  It was still the same songs though and awesome as ever, but I think I may just watch my DVD every year now, it is just what I am used to.  

In the doghouse

 Gator and I house sat for Karma again.  This time it was just a night and just 3 dogs, not 5.  Tonight as we were being lazy watching Christmas movies and waiting for a storm to blow in, I looked outside and saw this beautiful rainbow.  I don't recall ever having rainbows in December before, but this one stretched across the whole sky, and was so bright.