Christmas, Part 1

Well I've tried and tried, but I can't condense all the fun and all the photo's of the last 2 weeks down into a manageable post. So because of that (and my new years resolution to manage my time more wisely) Christmas is going to be a multi-post extravaganza of pictures and stories.

Tyler and I decided to try something different for our drive to Montana this year. First of all we decided to go through Wyoming, my favorite state, and second of all we decided to leave home at 3am. Other than the snow storm that arrived a few hours early, thus making the first 3 hours a bit treacherous and slickery, it was a wonderful drive. The kids slept almost the entire way to Worland where we stopped to visit my Grandparents and watch some football game. The girls got to play with and warm up to their Great Grandparents, and we got a wonderful meal, and some great company on the stop. It was sad to go but we promised to return on our way back and continued on to Billings.

Sunday we went to church and got to see all our friends from our old ward plus a wonderful Christmas program. That night I got a call from an old friend (like met up at girls camp when we were 12 years old, old). Alice was flying into town that night and decided to take me up on my offer to stay with us!!! It was so fun seeing her again after 2 years, and we got to spend the next 4 days with her as our guest!!!

Here we are now at 25.

And here we are at 20? I even have pictures of us at like 15, but that was pre-digital and locked away in a photo album somewhere, too bad. What do you think, should I go back to black with bangs?!!!!

I've always wanted to do gingerbread houses and making some was also on Alice's holiday checklist so we went to Candy town USA and LOADED up on candy. It ended up being about a 2 day affair but the results were delicious!

Alex was simply amazed with the whole thing.

She probably ate more sugar that day, than the previous 2 years of her life.

Those cute wandering fingers couldn't stay away.

Here was our finished gingerbread village. David's on the left (made a few days previous and already being eaten away), Mine, candy central (I tried to cover just about every inch of that thing, it was delicious) and Alice's which won the beauty contest by about 10,000 points. It was gorgeous, she had all the good ideas.

Sadly on Thursday Alice had to leave, but that was when Michael and Danielle showed up!!!

Alex was THRILLED to see her Uncle Michael

And Heidi soon got attached to Aunt Danielle and all her attention.