Snow Snow and Here We Go...

We're all ready for Christmas but have spent the last couple of days preparing for our trip to Arizona. We're leaving tomorrow and I can't believe Christmas is here already! I wanted to get all the pre-Christmas pictures on here before Christmas comes. We've had a few good snowfalls lately and so I have a bunch a pictures of the kids in the snow.

I built this snowman with the kids tonight.

On Sunday night we had a little Chirstmas at our house. We made some wreaths to eat and had egg nog. We opened our presents from my parents and had a wonderful time.

Bradley wanted to try taking a picture with the timer.

Wearing Daddy's big slippers

Sunday Christmas Dinner

Bradley was so excited for his gift

Having a great time

Jacob got his own chair so he doesn't have to fight his brother and sister for a seat anymore.

Busy busy with their new easle

We made some santa waffles the other night. Here are Bradley and Mackayla with their waffles.

Jared made the kids a sledding track this weekend. They loved it of course.

Bradley:

Jacob:

Mackayla:

Jacob mowing the snow

Bradley loves to "swim in" and eat the snow!

Making snow angles

Tis the Season...

We are truly enjoying this holiday season. Christmas is, as usual, approaching too quickly. Here are a few pictures of what we've been up to.

Santa came to our ward party!

The kids wanted to act out the Christmas story for family home evening. Mackayla wanted to be the angel and Bradley really wanted to be baby Jesus. Jared and I were assigned to be Mary and Joseph. Jacob got the role of a sheperd.

Our little sheperd with his sheep and staff.

What a cute baby Jesus

The kids are loving their Christmas countdown. They have been acting so good so that the elves will leave them a treat each day. Even Jacob is really into this and runs to check the stockings each morning.

Jacob decorating the tree.

The finished product

Jared and all his little helpers putting up a few christmas light.

Our ginger bread house. I forgot to take a picture of the house after they finished that night but Jared had this one from his phone.

Beginning to decorate the house

Mackayla, Sophie, and Lexie in their matching Dora pajamas

Christmas pictures after church

Just for our own personal memories here are a few pictures of some of our Christmas decor...

Thanksgiving

We had a fabulous trip to Yakima for Thanksgiving. Jared had a couple of big estimates he had to get done before we left town. He worked most of the night Monday night and got home in time to sleep a few short hours before heading to work again Tuesday morning. Then he had to work all Tuesday night and got home Wednesday morning just in time to load our suitcases into the van and drive us to the airport at 6am. Since I was getting ready for the trip by myself I didn't get a whole lot of sleep either. Then Jacob didn't sleep well at all while we were in Yakima so we were tired most of the trip but still enjoyed every minute with our family.

Jared and the kids on Thanksgiving day

Here's everyone eating dinner. It took three shots to get everyone.

Bradley and Mitchell having some olives as appetizers.

We finally got to meet our beautiful niece, Eden. She was such a sweet little girl and of course the kids just loved her. Mackayla got this pilgrim hat at preschool and made me pack it in our luggage so she could wear in on Thanksgiving day.

Jacob giving Eden a kiss

After the big feast Jared fell asleep on the floor.

Bradley wanted a picture like the one I took of his dad so he is pretending to be asleep here.

Jacob getting a ride with Grandma Davenport

I enjoyed giving a few rides myself

The next few pictures are just some hanging out with the family pictures...

watching the football game with their boys

Playing with Jackson and Mitchell

Uncle Jared/Daddy reading a book

The best thing about our trip was being able to spend time with Chad's family, especially Mitchell. They have constantly been in our prayers and continue to be so. They are all so wonderful and we really cherish the time we were able to spend with them.

April's family made it back from their trip to Preston before we left so we got to see them again in Yakima.

Our plane home left Pasco at 6:30 am. We left the house at 4am but due to snow and very bad roads we arrived later than we meant to. We should have had plenty of time though to still get on our plane but because of the very frustrating airport people they wouldn't let us get on and so they had to rebook us on a 4:30pm flight. So, we spent 11 straight hours in a tiny airport with three little kids. The kids actually did a great job all day but by the time we got home, 16 hours after we left the house, we were all EXHAUSTED!

Hanging out at the airport