Christmas Day 2010

Christmas morning came soon enough and the kids did not disappoint with their Christmas morning excitement. I, on the other hand, did disappoint in that I just didn't take any pictures. We is posted is what I got.

The kids got lots of legos, hexic bugs, zhu zhu pets, barbies, xbox and wii games, rockets (real ones!), microscope sets, scooters and too many toys to play with. Good thing they have all year before Christmas comes again.

Later that afternoon we had my brother and sister and their families over for dinner and gift exchange. Here's Hudson with his Pixos.

Finley with her FurReal kitty. She also happened to get a FOR REAL kitty for Christmas. She got kitty'ed out this Christmas.

The boys had fun playing with their remote control dune buggy's out in the back driveway. These cars are lots of fun and can drive on any terrain including snow!

Christmas Eve

I left Christopher in charge of getting pictures of the kids in front of the tree on Christmas Eve. This is what we got from that!

Santa's Booty

We found that Santa had come fairly early Christmas Eve so Christopher and I were able to take a few shots of his booty he left before the kids woke up and demolished it all. (Longest run on sentence ever.)

Gavin's stocking and goodies.

Caden's stocking and goodies.

The boys shared a Santa gift this year of a new flat screen TV for their room.

Mine and Christopher's stockings. (We didn't make new stockings this year, BOO!)

Grandma, Pa and their cat's stocking. Santa didn't miss a beat.

Reese and her stocking. She scored a Barbie multi-function airplane from Santa this year. Yes, Santa was good to us again this year.

Santa Tracker

Bear was so cute on Christmas Eve tracking Santa all night long. He was by far the most interested and insisted on checking in on Santa every few minutes. Once he hit North America, Bear was anxious to get fast asleep. Super cute.

Grandma Time

This year for Christmas we were lucky to have Grandma and Pa Haslam come for a visit. While here Grandma taught Reese to sew. We had to use some Christmas packages for her to reach the appropriate tools.

The finished project was an apron that gathers on the legs. It turned out pretty cute.

There was a little intermission before Bear got to start his sewing project and Grandma got slammed with snow balls. One happened to make it back inside stuck to her shirt and she didn't even know!

Bear's apron!

Then Reese and Bear got to put those aprons to work in the kitchen making cookies! Thanks for the fun Grandma!

Welcome to the World Daphne Aileen

Daphne Aileen was born on CHRISTMAS morning at 3:33 am, weighing in at 6lbs 6oz and 19.5 inches long! What a beautiful gift! She is just gorgeous and we are so proud to be a part of her large family!

What a cute family you three make. Congrats Belen and Bradley! We love you and can't wait to love on little Daphne! Reese is glad to finally have another girl on the Lloyd side to represent!

I had to include this photo of Daphne crying b.c I just love pictures of babies crying. Their heads are as big as their torsos so it's so funny looking. Adorable. LOVE IT.

Self Cleaning Commode

The other day I was in the kitchen when I heard gurgling sounds coming from the bathroom down the hall. I knew no one was in there b.c the kids were upstairs. So I went in to investigate and this is what I found. A toilet bowl full of soap! And on the rise! To this day it is a mystery but I'm assuming it had to do with too many bubbles in a bubble bath the kids were taking.

Holiday Giving

This year Reese and I had fun making necklaces for all the ladies in our life. We also made some for her teachers (and magnets). Gavin got in on the action and made some for his teachers and Bear likewise. Unfortunately, we had given all ours away before we took any pictures, so this is the last one left and we happened to get a shot of it.

We made them from the papers in this paper pack. Not all the papers are listed on the front but you get the idea. There were some really cute necklaces out there. Reese picked the papers for each of her Aunts, Grandma's, teachers and friends. It was a great activity for the both of us and we are totally hooked on homemade gifts for Christmas! LOVE IT!

The kids made up these candy cane reindeer with Christmas silly band attached for each of the kids in their classes. Yeah, we made over 70! That was a lot of googly eye hot gluing on my part!

Downtown SJ

At the city center of our little town is a fountain that apparently they freeze over in the winter and have dirt cheap ice skating. If you own skates, it's free. Otherwise it is a dollar a rental. WOW, right? Ever since being introduced to ice skating at the Olympic Center G's been hooked. Even got roller blades for Christmas.

Christopher let Gavin go at it on the ice while he and the kids went in to THE PIE for pizza for family night just before Christmas.

The ice was pretty beat up and his skates were a little too big but he still had fun out on the ice.

The kids warming up by the outdoor fire at THE PIE while we waited for our pizza.

A Christmas Miracle

Gavin came home from school just before Christmas with the above craft. I was stunned to find that in his classroom they talked about CHRISTmas, baby Jesus, Mary and Joesph. Where do we live again? Oh, yeah. Utah. Zion. Apparently they are allowed to talk religion in the classroom. What a breath of fresh air. This would NEVER fly in our Texas school and dare I say ANYWHERE else in the nation.

Gingie House

I got to help out in Gavin's Christmas party at school where they made "Gingerbread" houses (from paper milk cartons). I absolutely love that I have the opportunity to help out in my children's classrooms.

Gavin got really creative with a fish pond, trampoline, campfire, etc. However, not much was left in tack once he got home.

He took these pictures himself. He was quite proud of his work. The house was promptly destroyed after the pictures.