gingerbread houses...a very loose term

We decorated the Gingerbread Houses that my mom made from scratch and made the house smelled SO DELICIOUS!

We had frosting all over our faces, hands, clothes and after the night was over.  It's such a fun tradition and it helped me get in the mood for Christmas!!

This is our "CREATION." Ryan and I tried to make two houses and attach them together, but since I was a frost-hog the frosting wouldn't dry! The walls started buckling and the roofs never stayed on so we just threw pieces where they could go and decorated it as much as we could.  It was a BLAST! It's our "Mansion/Church/LeanTo/Hostel/Whatever" and I think it turned out well.  It is HUGE!

This is Ryan's truck.  He was very proud of it!

Carter was everywhere, licking, biting, eating, snitching, etc.  He was such a good helper!

And we're holding....and we're holding...and we're holding...

Dawson and his yummy house!

Dawson is happy...Ryanna not so much.  She was mad that we had to keep the houses at Grammie and Grandaddy's house so it could try.

He was being a STINKER and he DESERVED IT! I totally frosted his neck!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're done!

It was FUN! Thanks for all the hard work, Mom, that you put into the night for us.  Next year, I'll help clean up! It was a blast, can't wait for next year's!!

saddest wiseman you'll ever see

Last Sunday Dawson had his little preschool Nativity.  It was a beautiful chaotic evening.  I absolutely had a wonderful time, felt the spirit and loved that it finally felt like CHRISTMAS!

Dawson was a Wiseman, but he was the most sad, timid, scared Wiseman I had ever seen! I doubt any of the Wisemen travered to Bethlehem attached to their Mother's hand!

Look at these sweet faces!

Carter is loving all the kids running around all over the place! He was in HEAVEN!

Look at these darling Angels! No really, they are dressed up as angels!

This is AFTER I bribed him with a new plastic sword...HAPPY AS A CLAM!

Look at the wonderful Nativity!

utterances in the last 24 hours

"Carter, WHERE is your diaper?"

"Dawson, please put Pretty Pretty Princess away!"

"Carter, WHERE is your diaper?"

"Ryanna, you are NOT a tomboy."

"Carter, where are your clothes?"

"Ryan, how do I keep Carter's diaper on?

"Carter, WHERE IS YOUR DIAPER? And why is there poop all over the bathroom?"

"Carter, the presents under the tree are not toys."

"Carter, the presents are not to be used as chairs.  Don't SIT on them"

"Carter, WHERE is your diaper?"

"Carter, WHY is there 4 inches of water in the bathroom drawer?"

"Carter, the presents are not to be used as trucks, trains, cars, airplanes or ANYTHING with engines."

"Carter, the presents are not guns.  Do NOT throw them at people."

"Carter, where is your diaper?"

"Ryanna, get OFF the kitchen counter."

"Dawson, those are Carter's pants.  Go find some your size."

"Ryanna, please don't give out your phone number to boys.  I'm getting phone calls daily.  I don't CARE if they are your 'Right Hand Guys', you can see them at school."

"Why are you NAKED again, Carter?"

WHY am I SO EXHAUSTED??!

farewell elder holdaway

Elder Holdaway (Ryan's youngest brother) is going to be serving in the Mexico, Merida mission!

Can you find it on the map?

There he is! Elder Don Gaheffio Valdego Holdaway! (OR just Elder Holdaway)

He enters the MTC tomorrow morning, but is currently on his way down to Utah.  Last night was our final FHE with him last night, and we enjoyed some pizza, pop and laughs. 

(I DO APOLOGIZE for my dumb camera! I don't know how the pictures got overexposed somehow and the SETTINGS OF THE FLASH WERE CORRECT!)

Calvin, I mean DAWSON making faces at me...as always.  He is our little Calvin.

Carter was dancing to his own version of Jingle Bells.

Elder Holdaway with my neice...I just LOVE her! She's so darling.

I took several pictures of her last night, but most of them were blurry, but I thought this one turned out very cute.  Still blurry, but stinking adorable!!

Farewell Elder Holdaway.  Return with Honor.  We love and support you, can't wait to write to you and hear about all the happenings in Mexio!

christmas in zarahemla

Last Saturday was the day that I had to survive through! It actually was a ton of fun, I worked with a fabulous group of gals and we pulled off a very successful...

WARD CHRISTMAS PARTY!

Our theme was Christmas in Zarahemla.  We had each table be a different village/city from the Book of Mormon.  It turned out VERY CUTE!

I was running back and forth helping in the kitchen...

Setting up the tables...

(this is the beautiful place where Santa visited all the children later that evening)

Snapping pictures of Brother Hilton who was very into his character...

Making sure all the food was stocked and touching base with my family...

My kids are so cute!

Snapped a picture of the Primary kids singing a few songs...

Realized that we only fed maybe 250 people instead of the predicted 400...

The wonderful HANSEN family!

Then Santa came! Carter was very excited and was telling Santa what he wanted for Christmas.

Dawson was a little timid, but he was okay.

Ryanna was also shy, and she's SO NOT a shy person!

The BEST PART of the night was when Ryanna got up and got to sing Jingle Bells for the entire audience while Santa was coming through the doors.  Her singing included cresendos, ritardandos and VIBRATO! It was hysterical, Ryan and I had tears rolling down our cheeks because of this very dramatic version of Jingle Bells.  I wish I could have recorded it.  It was AWESOME!!! Go Ryanna!

After we cleaned up and divided the left over food for other families in the ward, we all got to go home...after 6 hours on my feet I was exhausted! It was a huge success and I took a huge bubble bath! Whew! It was OVER!