First Skiing of the Season

I really wanted to take the boys skiing over the Christmas break.  The weather was really cold, (8 degrees) but we decided to tough it out and still go.  Matt had to work.  I arranged for a babysitter, Megan, to stay with Tanner but her times were limited so we only skied a half day.  We made sandwiches and ate them up at the ski resort before we started skiing. We skiing until 5:00 and it was wonderful.  The snow was pretty good but it was SO cold.  Luckily we had hand and feet warmers otherwise we would have called it quits.  It was so cold that my phone stopped working at times.  My fingers would freeze just trying to take a picture.  But the boys were troopers!!!  They never complained about being cold.  Bridger kept saying "I'm hot!"  Only the tips of our noses were showing.

When we pulled out our skis this winter, Chase had outgrown his but they fit Bridger.  Chase actually fits my boots.  My skis are a little long for him but he makes them work.  Chase wanted to use poles for the first time.  Our first time on the lift, Chase accidentally drop one of the poles.  He got all upset and said he didn't want to use poles.  So I skied down to the lift and got the one he drop and took Matt's to the car and I used mine since Chase didn't want to use it.  I used Matt's skis and boots.  the boots are a little big but with two pairs of socks and feet warmers they work.  His skis are a little longer than I'm used to but it's nice not having to rent.  Chase really wants to switch to snowboarding.   I told him he had to ski one more season.  We'll let him switch next year.  They are such great skiers.  We have such a fun time skiing together!

Playing in the Snow

We got a little bit of snow after Christmas so we wanted to have a snow party.  Shan came up with the girls.  Lily was in a big snowsuit that she could hardly move in.  We pulled my snowman kit out and sweet Shan practically built the snowman.  Chase helped a little but they mostly just tackled each other while Shan rolled the balls.  Sophie was so happy to have someone playing with her in the snow.  I came out with Tanner for a little but I was worried it was too cold for him.  So I put him in his high chair and had him look out the window at us.  He just smiled and was happy as can be watching us.

Lily was so happy playing in the snow.  She loved eating the snow!!! Chase and Bridger played tackle football.  Boys will be boys!

Our snowman turned out so cute!  My kit makes him look like a real snowman.  Bridger informed me later in the day that he's missing arms.  He said our snowman needs some sticks for arms.  I think he looks great!  Lily bonked her head at the very end.  She was trying to come down the porch steps and fell right down them.  She got a huge goose egg on her forehead.  After playing in the snow, we came in and had hot chocolate and ham sandwiches.

Bridger loves Legos

Before Christmas, Bridger was playing with Legos.  He built this spaceship and put a ton of his favorite guys on it.  I tried to put a couple more on it and he said that it would block the drivers.  He cracks me up.  For Christmas, Bridger and Chase got a couple of lego sets.  Bridger was so excited to put his sets together.  He stays so focused when he's building them.  It amazes me that he can build them with no help.  The white spaceship is the set that Grandpa and Grandma R gave him.

Christmas Day with our Families

We spent the early afternoon with the A's and Angie and her family.  Mikayla was so excited to have a white Christmas.  Angie called and told us to bring up the boys' snow clothes.  The boys and Mikayla went out and played in the snow for a little.  They had such a fun time!  We munch on some snacks and looked through some picture books.  Amy was with her family so it was really quiet.  We enjoyed relaxing and hanging out with the A's.  Around 5:00 we went over to mom and dad's.  Mom fixed an amazing spread of food.  Everyone brought something yummy to share.  Shan made the three layer jello which is a true act of love.  She even made a shortbread sugar cookie.  After dinner some of the kids went out to play in the snow while we were doing the dishes.  Then we exchanged gifts.  

Mom and Dad gave the boys each a lego Star Wars set and a Nike hoodie.  Bud's family had our family this year.  They bought the boys Hulk and Captain America to go with their new Disney Infinity for the WiiU.  They were very excited about their characters.

Last year I tried to buy Shan the Chick-fil-A cow calendar but they were sold out.  So the first week in December I went to the Chick-fil-A in AF but they were already sold out!!  So I had some errands to do in Sandy and luckily the Chick-fil-A in Sandy still had calendars left.  She LOVED it!!!  When I gave it to Matt, he didn't see the humor in it.  But Shan's reaction was exactly what I was hoping for.  She was very excited with her cow calendar.  We gave the C's a marble ramp with some marbles.  We ended up staying until 10:30 because it was so nice to just sit around and visit.  What a great Christmas!

Mom and Dad gave each family a pair of Fisher Price binoculars for all the animal watching we like to do.  Lily loved them!!!  Tanner really liked the toy mom and dad gave him.

Christmas Morning

Last night we told the boys that we would get up whenever Tanner woke up.  I was hoping for 8:00 but Tanner woke up at 7:00.  The boys woke up at 6:45 and started to play games in their room.  They were very happy when Tanner woke up!  Sweet mom continued on the tradition and made us a potato casserole to eat Christmas morning.  Shan and I threw together the sticky buns a few days ago with the ingredients mom had bought for us.  Everything tasted so good!!!  Bridger and Sophie were so patient and waited at the top of the stairs while I threw the food in the oven and fed Tanner a quick breakfast.

Bridger was very sad to see Buddy go back home with Santa.  We've had a fun few weeks with him.  Last night I tucked the boys in the bed and it was almost 11:00.  I had just come downstairs when Bridger came back down.  I was going to yell at him but then he said "Mom! We forgot to leave cookies out for Santa and Buddy."  We put some gingerbread cookies out for Santa and Buddy with some milk.  It looks like Santa and Buddy enjoyed them.

Tanner got a walker for Christmas.  He's very happy sitting in it.  He's already figuring out how to move it.  Chase was really happy with his BYU hoodie.  Santa brought the boys Disney Infinity 2.0!!!  That was the main thing they wanted.  After opening all their presents we told the boys there was one more present hiding in the tree.  The boys found a piece of paper that had a basketball hoop on it.  We told the boys that we were giving them a basketball hoop this spring!

Santa even brought a few things for Sophie!  Bridger got Baymax as a figure to play with and a figure for the wii game.  While we were in Florida at the lego store, Bridger saw a set that had husky dogs in it.  He told me that he wanted one of those dogs for Christmas.  I told him you had to buy the whole set to get a husky dog.  He looked up at me and said "Santa will find a way to give me one without the set."  Luckily Santa came through and found him a lego husky dog.  The look on Bridger's face when he opened it was priceless!!!

Bridger got a "zoomed" dog named Shadow from Santa.  It's a robot dog that you have to train.  Later in the day Bridger told me that when he opened the present he thought "this is a dumb gift."  Luckily he didn't express that thought out loud.  After playing with it all day, he told me that he really likes the dog!  Chase got lacrosse gloves and shoulder pads.  He was really excited to get some lacrosse gear.  The other thing Chase was really excited to receive was an Under Armor hoodie from Santa.  Santa also brought the boys a nerd bow and arrow.  What lucky boys!  After opening presents and eating some breakfast, the boys went in and played Disney Infinity for a little bit before we headed up to see our families and Matt got his new sound bar all hooked up.  It was nice to have a couple of hours to enjoy our Christmas presents.

Bridger made Matt and I a calendar.  I remember Chase doing the same thing because I loved his calendar.  Now I have a special one from Bridger.  Each month I'll have a new picture to look forward to.  I love how each month I'll have a homemade picture from Bridger.  Then Chase made a sleigh ornament that has his picture on it. What special gifts!  Santa surprised Matt and brought him a sound bar.  I'll just have to invest in a some ear plugs when we watch movies.  Matt surprised me and bought me a mini iPad.  My old iPad was having some issues and I had to reset it anytime I did anything on it.  I'm so excited to have a smaller one.  I think it's the perfect size.