Christmas 2011

Brock and I had a lovely Christmas at home together this year. I was hoping for a "White Christmas" but maybe next year, right?

Christmas Eve was a really nice day that we spent together. We slept in until 10:00- I know totally awesome! We ate yummy Orange French Toast for brunch, which was delightful and then we relaxed for a couple hours around the house. I made some yummy fudge and Brock took a nap-yes, an afternoon nap even though he woke up at 10 am.

We decided to spend some of our Christmas money that Grandma Hebdon and Duane gave for a date night. We went to a matinee and saw the 2nd Sherlock Holmes, which was slightly predictable but awesome. Brock bought me a sprite, which is it me or does the sprite at the movies taste better than any other forms of sprite? Yum! After the movie we went to The Grand Tree for dinner and it was yummy.
It is a tradition of ours to drive around and look at Christmas lights on Christmas eve, so after dinner we strolled through some neighborhoods. We stumbled upon an awesome neighborhood off of South 3rd, (in Bishop Owen & President Heap's neighborhood-future reference for locals) that has lit paper bags lining each street and most the houses are really decked out. It was the coolest!
Once we got home we did our spiritual stuff, watched Mr. Kruger's Christmas and then opened up Christmas Eve gifts.

We slept in a touch on Christmas morning and then we got up opened our presents and stockings. Since they changed our Sacrament meeting time we didn't have enough time to do our traditional breakfast until after church. (it was more like our lunch, hahah).

Puppies opening their stocking

Some of our stocking stuff

My mom made this matching scarf and band for me, I love it!

Brutus and Boog got some puffy coats for the winter. They hate them and Brock thinks they are ridiculous, hahah.

It was nice to be at church on Christmas even though it was a million degrees in there with 2 wards worth of people. Roasty toasty!

After church we came home and I made our traditional Dutch Babies, bacon and sausage for brunch. It was quite delish if I do say so myself:) After breakfast we watched our traditional Christmas Day movie, A Christmas Story. Which is very convenient because we don't own it but they play it over and over for 24hrs on T.V. I never get tired of that hilarious Christmas flick and Brock thoroughly enjoys the bullying and the adolescent cursing in the movie, so it is a win win.

We planned an enormous  Ham dinner (you have to have a good dinner on Christmas Day) for just the two of us for that night. We tried to convince some friends to eat with us but we were too late and they had already planned their meals for the night. Plus I think most people would rather just be home with their families on Christmas, I know that's what we prefer! We ate a late dinner which consisted of ham, cheesy crock pot potatoes and salad. (I was going to make homemade rolls but realized that afternoon I didn't have all the ingredients. I was totally annoyed because I had made several trips to the store).
We had a really nice night at home and just hanging out. Brock got a hunting game for the Wii so we played that a lot!

Brock and I both had Monday off so we decided to got up the mountain and hike to Ghrotto  Falls. Well, a mile from the trail head Brock decided to pull off the road for a minute and when he did the right side of our truck sank in fluffy snow. We were tipped and stuck so bad that the snow was about to the windows of the truck. Unfortunately there is zero phone service anywhere on  the mountain and we live in hippie country and everyone drives flippin' Subarus. Finally, a guy in a truck stopped to help tow us out. It wasn't easy and it actually took the help of 2 other random dudes helping to get us out. The guy with the truck had his wife and kids with him and his wife was was so mean and grumpy about helping us. I'm pretty sure she chewed him out for even stopping to talk to us. She kept saying things so Brock and I could hear like " the kids are freezing, the kids are starving, they are going to have to get a professional, only five more minutes and then we are leaving them". I understand her frustration...maybe, but who does that? We felt bad enough already but we really needed the help. After we got the truck out and were thanking them she was super snotty to Brock and I was biting my tongue the whole time! Come to find out she from the south somewhere so I felt better that she wasn't a grumpy local.
They were however an answer to our prayers and I am so grateful they stopped to help and that the man knew how to tow. I just hope that Brock and I will take opportunities to help others and I hope we will be kind and have a good attitude about it.

Well, that's that for this year! We have a had a busy, eventful, fun and surprising year. We are grateful to be healthy, happy and members of the Church. In looking back we have been indeed blessed and watched over this year and we look forward to the New Year and the fun that is in store. I think 2012 will be just as marvelous as the last year... if not more;) See ya on the flippity flip!

cHrIsTmAs WiTh ThE fAmILy

 A couple weeks ago we traveled down to Utah to spend some time with our families for Christmas. We decided last year that we would like to be home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day if at all possible, so we got our family parties out of the way early this year. The last couple years our families have planned the parties on the same weekend so we haven't had to travel down more than once in the month.  In the past we've traveled down as much as 4 times between Thanksgiving and Christmas, which is insane and too much for us to do. I do miss being with the family on Christmas Eve and Christmas night but it sooooo so  nice to be home just the two of us for Christmas Morning!

Our first visit was to Brock's parents home in Mayfield. We spent 2 nights there and partied with the family for the weekend.  I love going to Mayfield because we have so many fun memories in that area and it's in the country! I got to finally meet our new nephew Tanner Rex, who is now  7 months...ugh. ( I hate being away sometimes). I also got to see my sis-in-law whom I haven't seen for a year, so that was fun to catch up with her. It was so fun to play and be with everyone:)

Our traditional Nativity put on by the children. Look how big they've gotten since 07'.
We've also added to the group through the years.

2007 Nativity

Kim & baby Tanner-he loves his favorite Auntie:)

Brady & Laura competing in the tossing marshmallows through wreaths game. The kids kept all the rules but most of the adults cheated...including Brock and I.

Papa gushing over  baby Stetson

White Elephant game and gift exchange with the whole family.
 (minus: Shilo, Devin, Kindred, Gabe, Noelle, Nicole, Ethan and Breylyn. We missed you guys).

Dylan scored extra large twizzlers for his white elephant and he was so happy...until mom made him share.
 I think he was okay with sharing after the initial shock wore off.

Kiddos opening their gifts from Grandma & Grandpa

We left Mayfield Sunday morning and traveled to my folks place in So. Jo. That afternoon we had my side's Christmas party at my Brother's place and it was such a fun night. My brother and his wife put on a "Cocktail Party" (alcohol free) and we ate so much food and had so much fun! We had our traditional devotional, gifts to Jesus and treasure hunt. We had a great time together and we made a huge mess:)



Our drink servers
(Ambree, Chelsea & Kaitlyn)

They had tons of food! A couple hours after these appetizers we had Turkini, which was awesome but I was ready to burst out of my clothes:)

Christy made these really cute red and green jello cups.

Since it was a "cocktail" party Brock wore his finest.

This was my favorite game. We were split into teams and had limited time to decorate our "tree".
(Jonny, Nate, Zac)

Jon was my teams model and I think he stole the show;)

Taylor (Nick's friend) and Christian modeling their Reindeer pantyhose hats.



Pic of the the whole "Fam-damily" to send to our sweet missionaries, Damion & Nick!
(I was sickish so I don't look as lovely as Brock)

Merry, Merry!

Merry, Merry to you! I've been such a blogging slacker lately and I need to get back on the ball because my blog is a journal/record for Brock and I. I will have to back log to make sure we have an accurate log of our Christmas celebrations this year.

I came into the season super excited for the holidays this year and I couldn't wait to get things rolling. I did my shopping and decorating and then it hit me...the everlasting cold from Satan's little helpers. It was by far the worst cold I have ever had and I'm not exaggerating! Typically when I get a cold it runs for maybe two days and I can still completely function as a human and I just have to deal with a runny/stuffy nose. This thing lasted for 3 weeks and I'm still dealing with a slight run of the nose problemo. I spoke to my doctor and she declared my nasty cold as a sinus infection, which I had never experienced before, yay me. So she put me on some antibiotics and some heavy duty cough syrup so I could sleep instead of hacking all night and keep both Brock and I up. I couldn't breath, I was coughing constantly, sneezing all the time and I had a serious snot problem. I still went to work ( I know, dumb) and it was miserable. I was sucking on nasty cough drops non-stop and having to excuse myself from the operatory to go blow/wipe my nose. I also had moments where we were in the middle of procedures and I couldn't leave so I had to just let snot run down my face under my mask. Yeah, gross...you can judge me...I judge myself. Actually, I've always prided myself on my rockin' immune system and the fact that I NEVER get sick! However, I must say that I'm really disappointed in myself and that fact that I got so rocked by a virus.
You may be asking yourself..."why such a long detailed post of this chick's illness?"...well, like I said, I don't get sick and this was a monumental and horrifying point in my life that needs to be recorded.

So here I am 3 weeks and 3 days later and although I'm feeling much better I still feel a little lousy and pretty scarred by the whole thing. The part that makes me the most mad is that it has kinda tainted this Christmas season for me/us. (Did I mention that sweet Brock has it now...ugh...poor guy)! It made going to see family and participating in Christmas Parties a real challenge but we still had a good time. I didn't get to do everything on my Christmas season wishlist but that's okay, there's always next year...right?

So here's what we have managed to do so far:

Family Party in Mayfield
Family Party in So. Jordan
The Ward Christmas Party
General Christmas Devotional
Brock went to a party Dusty put on and I skipped out
I decorated for the ward Christmas Party
I went Caroling with the Youth in our ward
I taught the Christmas lesson in YW's
Watched: Elf, Christmas Vacation, 4 Christmases & Home Alone
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*We missed the Ugly Sweater & Caroling party due to our illness. (that's the night Brock caught the bug).
* No Gingerbread Houses
* No Christmas Lights on our house
* No Homemade Hot Chocolate or Wassail
* No Christmas Play
* No homemade Christmas treats...yet, I'm hoping to still do that.
* No neighbor gifts done to take around
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Well, the good news it that we are both feeling a touch better and we have some fun things planned for this Christmas weekend. We are staying home and we are so excited about that! I'm really excited for some of our plans and I can't wait to give Brock his Christmas prize!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Christmas Season!!!

I love the Christmas Season! For me Christmas is so much more than Christmas morning and the gifts. I love to have an entire month to reflect on the Savior's birth and life. We fill our month with many fun things that bring the spirit of Christmas into our lives and home. Our month is usually filled with Christmas music, Christmas stories, Christmas movies, shopping, parties with friends & family, yummy food & treats and Church & community events.

This weekend we officially kicked off the season at our house by going the the Christmas Stroll in town, watching the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional, finished up decorating our house and our tree and watched Christmas vacation which is one of our favorite Christmas flicks. We have many more fun things planned for the month but this weekend was a great kick off for us.

The rest of the month will be filled with family parties, a church party, caroling, gingerbread houses, driving around to look at lights, a service project, ugly sweaters, white elephants,white fluffy snow, homemade hot chocolate & wassail, yummy treats and Christmas on Sunday! I am so excited to have Christmas on Sunday, I can't think of a better place to be on Christmas :)

I'm so excited!


The Christmas Stroll is always a fun event to kick of the season. The city shuts down downtown main street and the street is flooded with tons of people. They start the night by having Santa light the Christmas lights at every intersection on main. Then there is music, a live nativity, food vendors, local stores put out free snacks with hot chocolate and all the stores are open and have sales. If it is not too cold, it is actually really festive.

We went to the stroll and then we ate dinner at the new Santa Fe Red's downtown. My favorite part of the stroll this year was the live nativity. I love that our community recognizes why we celebrate Christmas and supported a nativity.

Looking down main (really blurry)

Brock and I watched the nativity for a while before we realized there was a real baby in the cradle.

I had to take a picture of this because I thought it was ridiculous. I think this kid is a little big to be in a backpack!

I also had to take of picture of this because this little guy's parents didn't put him in a back pack, rather they put him on a mini horse for the stroll.

Brock and I thought these bucket drummers were really cool and they did a great job.



And last but not least, what would a Christmas stroll be with out live mannequins in a jewelry store window? Of course we had to snap a picture of the hired talent. ( I made Brock go take the picture)