We count down the days for our trips to Arizona! We were so excited to be able to go for Christmas this time! It was a new adventure to pack up our gifts and not be at home on Christmas. Matt stayed behind to work. He was sad to not have us with him for the Holidays. We left the day after the kids got out of school which was only a couple of days before Christmas. The first 3 1/2 hours of the drive were completely nerve wracking for me. It was stormy and the roads were a mess. I had to drive slow and when I couldn't handle the pressure I would tell the kids to say a prayer. They were so good. After passing a couple of roll overs, I broke down in tears, because of the overwhelming responsibility I had of getting my precious cargo to AZ safely. I know we were blessed and watched over, because every time I called Matt or Donna (who was an hour or so behind me) for support and comfort, my cell phone had service in areas I know I don't usually get it. Once we made it over the pass, the roads cleared up and we had a great rest of the drive. We were ready for our Christmas Vacation to begin!
After a long 11 1/2 hour drive down, we were so happy to finally get to Grandpa and Grandma Debbie's for the Christmas party! Debbie had a yummy feast prepared that hit the spot! They handed out their gifts to the grand kids: games and $30 in a toilet paper roll, a gift my Dad used to get from his grandpa. Kynlee and Karley gave them beanies that they had made themselves...they look good!
The kids had fun making their ginger bread houses with the cousins later that night! It's a tradition for Grandpa and Grandma Debbie that we don't get to participate in every year. So fun!
Christmas Eve day we frosted sugar cookies at Grandmama's for Santa's plate! They looked good enough to eat...lucky Santa!:)
That night we had everyone over for my Mom's homemade Chili and Indian Fry Bread...yummy! After our bellies were good and full, we all loaded up in the back of Uncle Jesse's truck to go look at lights in the neighborhood. Then we came back and the kids put on a Nativity and we did a grand kids gift exchange as we waited for a SPECIAL visitor.
Santa came! The kids love this tradition of sitting on his lap and getting their Christmas pajamas from him! When he leaves they all race out back to see Santa leave, but they have never seen the sleigh and reindeer!:)
All the cousins in their Christmas pajamas!
My silly Kenzie made this face when I woke her up Christmas morning and told her that Santa had come!
Merry Christmas kids! They're wrapped in the comfy blankets Grandmama made and are ready to open presents!
The kids with their gifts from Santa! They loved the gifts from Mom and Dad too! Matthew got snowboarding boots & bindings, Kynlee got a Nintendo DS, Karley got a remote control car, and Kenzie got the Dog Park Barbie, too name the biggest ones.
Aunt Karissa invited us over for Christmas breakfast...biscuits and gravy, eggs, and bacon! It was so yummy! Thanks sister!
I'm surrounded by my beautiful sisters, Natalie and Karissa.
I was so excited to see Kristy on Christmas Eve! We were being totally retarded in this picture as I was pretending to knee her "where it counts"!:) We were laughing so hard! We went and saw Avatar in 3D later that night, which was awesome!
We went and saw Alvin and the Chipmunks with Grandpa and Grandma Debbie and the rest of the crew.
Great Grandma Schroeder's birthday is on New Year's Eve and we were able to attend her party the Monday before at Peter Piper Pizza. We love her! It was great seeing extended family, but it was most exciting to see Matt's brothers, Billy and David with his fiance. We hadn't seen them in years...we love you!
We tried something new this trip and went ice skating with the cousins...it was so much fun and we will definitely be doing that again! We went on my gorgeous niece, Kylie's birthday...Happy Birthday Ky Jo!
Group Picture
I got my Mom tickets to the Broadway show, Annie, for Christmas! It of course was amazing and I loved being with just my beautiful Mom!
I have been wanting to go hiking every trip we've been down there and finally, thanks to Aunt Kristy, we did. We drove to Usery Pass to hike up a little mountain out in the desert. Well, as we were just starting our hike, we heard a pack of coyotes yipping back and forth not far away...totally freaky! We hustled the kids back to the Ramada. Aunt Kristy and Grandmama bravely stayed behind and were able to see the coyotes run away. Aunt Karissa and I stayed back with Kynlee and Karley (who were both terrified), Presley, and baby Harlow, while the others went on to hike.
The brave ones! I love this collage, because it shows the different colors the sky changed to as the sun was setting in a very short amount of time! What a gorgeous sunset!
Aunt Natalie is going to Cosmetology school and so I had her give Kenzie a needed healthy trim. She did great and it looks so much better!
Kynlee with Harlow, who we couldn't get enough of!
Our trip ended with us being over at Grandpa and Grandma Debbie's. The kids played games outside, and then we all went bowling, which is a special request each trip! We loved spending so much time with our wonderful family! We love you all!
Aunt Karissa invited us over for Christmas breakfast...biscuits and gravy, eggs, and bacon! It was so yummy! Thanks sister!
I'm surrounded by my beautiful sisters, Natalie and Karissa.
I was so excited to see Kristy on Christmas Eve! We were being totally retarded in this picture as I was pretending to knee her "where it counts"!:) We were laughing so hard! We went and saw Avatar in 3D later that night, which was awesome!
We went and saw Alvin and the Chipmunks with Grandpa and Grandma Debbie and the rest of the crew.
Great Grandma Schroeder's birthday is on New Year's Eve and we were able to attend her party the Monday before at Peter Piper Pizza. We love her! It was great seeing extended family, but it was most exciting to see Matt's brothers, Billy and David with his fiance. We hadn't seen them in years...we love you! We tried something new this trip and went ice skating with the cousins...it was so much fun and we will definitely be doing that again! We went on my gorgeous niece, Kylie's birthday...Happy Birthday Ky Jo!
Group Picture
I got my Mom tickets to the Broadway show, Annie, for Christmas! It of course was amazing and I loved being with just my beautiful Mom!
I have been wanting to go hiking every trip we've been down there and finally, thanks to Aunt Kristy, we did. We drove to Usery Pass to hike up a little mountain out in the desert. Well, as we were just starting our hike, we heard a pack of coyotes yipping back and forth not far away...totally freaky! We hustled the kids back to the Ramada. Aunt Kristy and Grandmama bravely stayed behind and were able to see the coyotes run away. Aunt Karissa and I stayed back with Kynlee and Karley (who were both terrified), Presley, and baby Harlow, while the others went on to hike.
The brave ones! I love this collage, because it shows the different colors the sky changed to as the sun was setting in a very short amount of time! What a gorgeous sunset!
Aunt Natalie is going to Cosmetology school and so I had her give Kenzie a needed healthy trim. She did great and it looks so much better!
Kynlee with Harlow, who we couldn't get enough of!
