~MeRrY ChRiStMaS~

Our Final Week leading up to 

Christmas

Sunday Aaron got sick, so that meant most the week had to be taken easy. 

We made Grinch corn and watched the Grinch. 

We fed popcorn to the birds in our back alley.

Christmas Eve: We had a guest arrive... Peetie the Rabbit! He's staying with us for a few days and the boys LOVE him. Nala LOVES him, but can't have him. 

We made Christmas decorations. 

We watched Elf and made "Elf donuts."

We made cookies for Santa, 

and we read our special Christmas books after 

setting milk, cookies, elf donuts, carrots, and a 'Thank You' not for Santa!

Then bed...

... but not sleep. Not sleep for a LoNg TiMe. 

Maddix even offered to help me clean so Santa could come faster. 

Once the children were snuggled up in their beds, Peetie the rabbit and I watched 

Christmas Vacation and prepped for the arrival! 

3:45am Christmas Morning: The realization that we've entered a new stage when I registered Maddix sitting in my bed talking away. A little while later I went in their room to check on them and found him sitting

in his bed wide awake, using his little flashlight to look through the stocking Santa left at the foot of his bed; there was pure elation on his face. At 6:00am he bounds into my room ready for the day, still awake from the 15 min intervals he'd decided to grace me with all night. 

FINALLY Travis made it home from his night shift (that he said "the gates of hell must have opened up" for and really gave him a run for his money), and Aaron woke up. We read our Christmas scriptures, opened presents... 

... HOWEVER, the first present Maddix opened, I was ready with the camera to capture the moment and his face-PRICELESS- of pure disappointment to see clothes... CLOTHES! 

He has never had such a big pouty lip in his life; thankfully, Santa's presents really delivered, and everything just went uphill from there. 

We were really lucky to have so many wonderful Grandparents send us presents and it really made our Christmas special to have a piece of them with us. So we face timed, texted, and called around to say thank you and Merry Christmas. 

We've eaten, snacked, napped, played, watched movies, and just sat still as we've watched the rabbit hop around. I'm so grateful that with a week full of 6 12hr shifts, that Travis had today off. And that he skipped sleeping the ENTIRE DAY (minus some doze off's) to be with us. 

Oh... and most ANNOYING TOY award goes to my dad for gifting us the Despicable Me Fart Guns that the boys have carried around ALL DAY making loud fart noises:) ohhhh boy! 

Peetie is obsessed with our lamp

2015 New York Christmas

I loved this moment

"This isn't the gun I asked Santa for, but Santa must have
known better and got me this and I LOVE is so much
More!!"   

Oh his faces:) 

Thanks Gpa Cam and Gma Jo for the Rocking chairs! 

This was my favorite present! I love this
picture!

Those fart... guns! 

Peetie was loving all the boxes.

 Annual Christmas PJ Pictures for Gma Lori

(Thanks for the polar bear pjs)

Merry Merry Christmas!!!! 

Two Weeks w/ Christmas Love... and LOVE for this weather!

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go.  There's a tree in the Grand hotel, one in the park as well, it's the sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow.... "
.... except that there isn't any snow. Not even close. And I have no complaints.
Don't get me wrong, I am one that LOVES and DESIRES a beautiful white Christmas; however, if the Lord is choosing to give us the most gorgeous weather, then I'm just going to enjoy that too. We're supposed to be 68degrees Christmas morning. It's been such a blessing getting to keep the boys outside longer, drive to and from the airport every week in good weather, etc.

So our past two weeks: 

We've had Travis here, but mostly he is gone. 

We have days where Christmas doesn't consume our every though, but most days it does.

We have all our Christmas traditions mostly done: our service tree, candy canes to the firefighters, we had our ward Christmas party, hot chocolate bar, gingerbread house decorating, holiday pancakes, Many of the major Christmas movies watched, the presents are trickling in from family, Gpa Vaughn/Gma Lori read their annual Christmas story via FaceTime, and our door is slowly being covered in Christmas cards (which I love). 

Travis had his friends over for the first time with their dog (didn't snap a photo) and we took the dogs and the boys out back and played in the heavy rain/puddles. Travis was gone for 5 days for an interview circuit. He flew into Denver, drove to Wyoming -interviewed-. Went to Utah where he visited his friend who's wife just had a baby. He worked with his dad to fix the jeep for Garett who arrived home from Madagascar a few days ago. He went out for dinner. And just enjoyed some (short) time at home. Then he drove to Arizona -Loved his interview-. He got a new phone (but is for Christmas really). He was not a fan of the BYU game yesterday. He was feeling congested and took NyQuil the other night and was KNOCKED out and loopy and hilarious. He is now currently on a plane to Wisconsin for his next interview and when he gets back he works 12's every day except Christmas.

He's so good and hardworking. 

Lacey- Yesterday I got to go clean the church with a friend and not our kids; it was pleasant:) I've finally found motivation to work out again and love starting the early mornings with a workout and shower before the boys are even awake! Today I'm singing a duet and choir number at church. Yesterday I finally got to build a gingerbread house without having to take care of my boys... because we have finally it that stage of self sufficiency!  

Maddix has been, well, seriously struggling the past few weeks. Blame it on boredom. Probably it's a stage, but jealousy, anger, sarcasm, broken ears, selfishness, the gimmies, and whininess "are strong in this one." (honor of star wars). Oh my. He did build an awesome Paw Patrol Palace/cruiser/dog gingerbread decoration. He decided to stand and fall off the couch onto the concrete floor and nearly got a concussion while Trav was gone. He constantly says, "Best. Day. Ever!" Then follows with (when he doesn't get it way) "This is the worst day of my life!!!" He constantly talks about how at nights he works at his agency for secret agents animals (Phineas & Ferb) so that's why he's tired and can't control his anger... he's a good helper, has a big heart, smarter than smart, and has a real love for God and a desire to be like Jesus, so it really does get him down when he believes he's made Jesus sad with his words or actions; he's a good boy. Just tired too from all the odd hour airport trips.

Aaron has been a little under the weather, we think from some germs Travis picked up on all these flights. Last night as we walked our neighborhood admiring the lights, he tripped and smashed his face into the sidewalk. He now has a giant split lip that is swollen and it's sad looking. He says funny things like, "sdgusting, gross." "Nuggle me mom?" "I miss dahtd; he cahnt hear me, he not in his seat" as we left the airport. He's loved shopping and running errands. He is so aware of all that's going on, and learning so much. His speech has jumped another level. First thing he said to U. Garett when he arrived at the airport was, "Gahett, guess whut? Nuffin'!" He loves Christmas also! 

As previously mentioned, our dear Garett made it home this week from his two year mission in Madagascar! I don't know if I mentioned it, but my awesome cousin Kara made it home from her mission in Spain last week, and now all that's left is my brother out in South Carolina! 

We love missionary work. I can't wait to serve missions with Travis someday!! 

Happy Sunday

~Merry Joyous Christmas Holiday~

"... sure it's Christmas, once more."

Miss these cute nieces!!!

Movie night with the Christmas lights, Christmas Micky,
and beds why the dog curled up in between them. 

Beating the monster/cleaning
the rug ;) 

Italian Christmas treat from
Maria, our neighbor

"La-papaya!" Minions with a hide-out and popcorn!

Delivered the candy canes then stayed out to play

 ~Christmas Party~

puppet show for the kids

I loved his reaction to Santa! 

Playing in the boxes from the gifts Gpa Jeff/Gma Wendy sent

Then Daddy came home and we went to the park! Ate lunch at Olive Garden. Then continued our holiday traditions that were on hold until he came home!! 

~Park~

Reading our Christmas book at bedtime

 ~Welcome Home Elder Garett Johnson~

Hot Chocolate bar/ The Santa Claus movie Night

Watching The Santa Claus; they smiled like this the
Whole movie! 

Reading with Grandparents 

 Annual Decorating day results: 

Left: Travis & Aaron, Middle: Lacey, Right: Maddix's Paw Patrol Palace and cruiser.

BYU Game... boo. 

Then after taking Travis BACK to the airport we came home made pancakes (using my Christmas apron from my grandma Janet), bathed and got all ready for church, and watched some bible cartoons all by 9:00am... church is at 1:00. Travis is gone. What do I do with all this time?!