December...a plethera of pictures

Well in true Merilee fashion...they are all bass-ackwards. Figures. So, here is a pictorial of our last month, starting from New Years Eve, and making it's way back to Cayden's Birthday...

I had to put a picture of me in there, to prove that I was there. I cleaned the whole day, I did shower, but didn't put on any make-up. Lovely!

We had an impromptu New Years Eve party with my parents and Greg & Whit. Here is a picture of them playing Rock Band on the Wii. My dad was singing on this one, and it was flipping hillarious. I have now realized where I got my LOVELY singing voice from! HIM!!!

Kylee & Cayden flashing gang signs, and acting like...Kiss?

Halle made a New Years Eve poster, it was cute, and took her all day, and 3 blue markers to make this masterpiece! Oh yeah, and she lost 2 more teeth on the 23rd of December. She completely looks like snaggle tooth. Cute yes, but kinda goofy as well!

Clay took the kids sledding on New Years Eve, here is Cayden just about to go off the jump...

and Kylee catching some serious air!!!

Halle pushing herself down the hill, I guess she lasted 2 times, and then spent the rest of the time in the truck. She has a tendency to whine a little...!

Christmas Eve tradition, opening their pajamas!

Halle really wanted to go see Santa, fortunately for us, we waited until the last Monday before Christmas...and I am quite sure every.other.person.in.Utah.County. was there for FHE. We waited in line for almost an hour, but it was worth the wait, she was so excited. It was especially great, because Cayden and Halle both told Santa something completely different than the letter that they sent Santa earlier that month. I think that the elves might have wet themselves when they heard what they wanted, because they were completely out of their requests. Christmas morning was a gem.

We went and saw the Christmas lights at Thanksgiving Point.

Halle's 1st grade class put on a play called "The Gingerbread Man", it was so cute!

Pre-requisite picture before they can go open presents, and just for the record...we had to wake them up at 7 so we would have enough time to get to my parents house later that morning...LOVE IT!!!

Christmas picture in front of the mantle. They are getting so old!

First real snow storm, they played outside for like 3 hours!!!

We celebrated Cayden's 10th birthday, he wanted a BYU football. The blue is a little off, but he was happy with it!

So there you have it, hopefully I will be better at posting this year, at least I can hope!

We had a great holiday season and a Merry Christmas, hope yours was as well!

Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day recap

So, I know that it is the 3rd of January...and I have already posted 2 other times today. Hey, it is either feast, or famine these days. We had a great Christmas season. We had some fun parties, ate tons of good food, and received some wonderful presents from both family, friends, and the man in the red suit. There are a bunch of pictures in this one...and they are not good pictures. I do have an amazing camera, however the operator is not quite so amazing. Sucks for you!

Kylee playing some Christmas carols while we all sang along on Christmas Eve at g & g Parkes house. She played at both of the grandparents houses, but seemed much more comfortable at this one...possibly because there were half as many people! She did a great job, and is quite talented...now if we could just get her to practice!

I was testing out my camera skills, or lack there of, on the newest member of the Olsen clan. Here is a pic of Zoe, she was so cute, I just couldn't resist!

Olsen family Christmas party...the dice game...enough said!




NOW, for Christmas morning. For some stinking reason, I can't get a good picture on Christmas morning...to save my life. I am going to blame it on the chaos around me, and not the lack of talent.

Ky got this cool street soccer ball, it is really cool. She was really excited about it, probably because she didn't know anything about it! It gets harder and harder to surprise kids the older they get.

Cayden on the other hand was SUPER excited to get an ipod, even though he didn't get the nano, he was really excited to get the shuffle! Seriously, when I was 9 I think I was still getting barbies...kids now a days are so spoiled!

Kylee opened the family present of "Rock Band", it was a hit...Thanks Santa!

Halle made her list, and never once was a Ninteno DS on it. Until we went to see santa at the North Pole (a cabin here in Highland that it all decked out like the North Pole, hence the name), and he asked her what she wanted, and lo and behold, she tells him that she wants a Nintendo DS, Pink, with the baby game...? huh? Luckily Santa was able to find one, with such short notice! It is pretty cute however! Back to the age thing...5 year olds wanting Nintendo's...seriously!

This is where we found Halle for the rest of the morning...hiding behind the chair playing her Nintendo. It was really cute!

We had a great Christmas, and can't believe that it is already over. This is my favorite time of the year, and it just seems to go by faster, and faster each year. I am so thankful that we are so blessed, with both spiritual, and temoral things. I am thankful to be a memeber of the Church of Jesus Christ, and to be able to know that I can have my little family with me forever! I am thankful for all of the blessings that we have, health, clothing, jobs (for the time being!), a beautiful home, cars to get around in, good friends, and wonderful families. I am so blessed!

I hope that each of you had a wonderful Christmas as well!