Holiday Season 2010

 Wowza!! This post is huge. We have been busy little bees, but have had a lot of fun!! Here's the pictures to prove it.

 My dear friend Kathy turned the big 6-0 and we had a rockin' party straight out of the jukebox! I love her to death, and I'm so glad we could be there to celebrate her!

 We went back to our old house for a party for Kelsey's little friend Ariyah. It was so fun to see their family enjoying our home and making it beautiful!

 Jeremy had a blast in the bounce house playing monster. Boys.

Look at him go!

Jeremy made pretzels and root beer at his soccer party.

Go Arctic Wolves! He had some really sweet kids on his team this year, and a couple of pretty intense ones as well.

The moms thought Kelsey was so cute, and would give her a soccer treat too.

And then for the Thanksgiving meal.
Oh the wonder and the goodness of it all.

This year we were at my in-laws house during the holiday, all living in one little room. I was especially glad for my little family as we snuggled close!

We got crafty. My SIL Kathryn made some festive table decorations.

I made these Thanksgiving bibs for the babies.

And our good friend Bonnie made a cornucopia out of bread!
Oh the wonder of it all.

After dinner, the cousins enjoyed playing at the park together.

Soon followed Christmas! I made these gingerbread appliqued potholders for two handmade gift exchanges I participated in.
I found felt buttons, which worked out perfectly, since the plastic buttons I usually use for my gingerbread men would have been too melty for potholders!

Uncle Jim had some passes left over so we took our friends and went to Disneyland! I made Kelsey this cute shirt and found some leggings and the skirt secondhand. I was in love with her outfit!

The kids had a ball playing together.

We introduced our friends to Captain EO!

The kids did a little dance for joy...or boredom. Whatever.

It was fun to see everything all lit up for Christmas!

We decorated Grandma's Christmas tree, and hoped we'd be in our house to decorate our own this year!

I did my final craft boutique and had to bring the kids along!
What an adventure!

Our friends had a tutu and 'stache bash and I made 7 tutus for the birthday girl and all her little girl guests! They were so cute in their tutus!

We left that party and hopped on over to Chelsey Marie's Elmo celebration! Isn't her mom so cupcake crafty!

Daddy was lucky and got some birthday party love!

After the parties we went to visit my grandma and pick up some pictures she had set aside for us. Pictures we had given her and older pictures of me as a child and my grandpa in the war. Treasures.

Then we hopped on out to visit my parents. David brought his pens he's been making and gave them a couple. Notice Kelsey still has her tutu on. She wouldn't take it off all day!

My friend Kyla threw a crazy Christmas cookie exchange party. It was super tasty! There were 13 confirmed girls with 6 dozen cookies each they had brought! Oh wow. We went home with sooooo many delicious treats!

I kept my running title from last year as Most Festive! I knew I would have stiffer competition this year, so I had to up my game.

I made some cozy quilts for my sweet nieces who were moving to the frozen northern land of Idaho.

And finally, just as we thought the short sale process would never end, the paperwork was finally all completed at the last possible moment on the Friday night before Christmas! We were so excited that we went and slept in the empty house on the floor that night!

The next day, we moved in, rain and all! 

The kids had fun climbing the mattresses and sliding down.

Kelsey was super excited to have her own bed!

I love it!!

Thank you!!

We had a celebratory facial.

And got all cleaned up and in our church clothes the next day to go back down for church!

That evening we celebrated with our annual sisters dinner and gift exchange. We toasted each other with sparkling apple cider, laughed, and played games. It was so fun!

It poured and poured that week, and I loved it!

We got our Christmas tree up!

I got to see my friend Lauren sealed in the Newport Beach temple! Hooray!

We snagged one more trip to California Adventure from Uncle Jim and saw Santa.

Ate our favorite soft serve.

Rode some fun rides.

Took pictures with Christmas Mickey!

And Jeremy taught Frozone some rad kempo moves.
Punch like this...

...and kick like that!

He's the man!

Christmas morning brought the biggest dollhouse I had ever seen for Kelsey, and the batcave Jeremy has wanted forever.

And of course, the treasured stockings!

 Because it's California, the kids went for a beautiful walk around the neighborhood later that day, and checked out the parks in our neighborhood.

 Later the grandparents came and brought their Christmas trove of goodies and ate dinner and played games with us. Good times.

 The next day we went to our ward for the last time to wish a fond farewell to our friend Jerica who left to serve a mission in Idaho!

We had the best time this Christmas break, working and relaxing together. I'm excited and a little scared to see what the new year will bring us! Hope your holidays were filled with fun!