Christmas here and Christmas there....

We remembered Christ and that without him there wouldn't be a holiday.  We spent Christmas eve over at the Castles eating potato Chowder, Bread Bowls, and Cheesecake.  We ended the night with the movie "Joy to the World".  It is a video about the birth of Christ.  We have a tradition usually where we put out a manger one week before Christmas.  As the kids do good deeds in that week, they get to put a handful of hay into the manger.  The theory is, that the more good deeds (being Christlike) they do the more comfortable the bed will be for Christ on Christmas Eve.  When Chrsitmas Eve comes, and the kids go to bed, We put a baby wraped in towels in the manger, so that Christmas Day when they wake up they see what a comfy cozy bed they made for baby Jesus.  Plus it helps remind them before the tear into the gifts to think about Christ on his birthday. 
     So we spent our Christmas morning as a family as always, I made them eat breakfast, get dressed, and then well..  Of course pictures!  They gladly set for the pictures!

 After pictures The kids with such glee found a heap of presents under the tree!  This is what the woke up to....

This was the mess that happened after!!! 

 And of course it comes with being a parent, putting things together and taking ohters out of packages.  My fingers still hurt from all those pain in the butt wire ties.  Why do they put them on there anyways?  Really? 

The kids really enjoyed the Chrsitmas Season this year!  They got everything they asked for plus some!  Plus points for mommy and daddy....  I mean Santa Clause!!  LOL!

Cookies with Santa?

Since I am a key person in the FRG, I do all the planning. One of the family events I planned for this holiday season was a Cookies with Santa Social. I got the Santa, and the cookies, adn then just had to get RSVP's. When all the list were checked, The day had arrived. Everyone was so excited! mommy was away int he kitchen baking cookies, and the kiddos were excitedly awaiting the Santa. Our guest started to arrive to a cookie table that looks like this:

We had card making and had them all sign a family ornament that they got to take with them! 

After all the cards were made, most of the kids gave thiers to Santa when he got here, we had a story.  Will read T'was the Night Before Christmas tot he group.  

I think the kids really enjoyed it!  Atleast the ones who stayed still!  LOL!  It was tiem for Santa to come, so the kids all lined up, and Our elves came over with thier boxes from santa.  One with candy and candy canes, the other with small toys. 

My elf!!!

 

Dade and one of his best friends Shayden

Ty-Austin with Santa

Neveah with Santa

Aiden with Santa

Dade with Santa

Gavin with Santa

Ashley...  She is so cute!



It was a great night, and it was so nice to spend it with friends!  I am so thankful for the friends we have made here! 

Holidays with the Parker's

     So this holiday season has been fantastic in the Parker house.  We were happy to have the Mister home this year!  The quality time spent as a family and with friends was phenomenal!  We truly enjoyed every minute.  To start off the holiday season, we had our traditional Thanksgiving Dinner.  We had our family, the Castles, and Jason and family over.  First we watched the parade, and then FOOTBALL!!!  Our family are such football enthusiast!!!  We love football season! 

      Shortly after Thanksgiving we received our first snow fall that stuck!  Well I say snowfall, the Mister says BLIZZARD.  LOL!  We got 23 or so inches, and lost power for 10 hours.  We made the most of it though.  It was quite humbling actually.  It is amazing how stress free it is.  The kids were alot less cranky (not that they are cranky kids but lately they have been stuck in the house so they were a little stir crazy), mommy and Daddy were alot less stressed.  Will had to go set up a EOC (for those who don't understand Army acronyms, that stands for Emergency Operation Center).  So he was gone up until Dinner time.  We pioneered a dinner of hotdogs, mac and cheese, baked beans, and fruit.  We ate by candle light (first candle light dinner in a long time I have set through).

Sorry they are so dark.  I hope you can still make them out.

       This actually made me think about a story that our Prophet shared of Gordon B Hinkley's childhood.  It was on a Thanksgiving day more than 50 years ago, and his family had just gotten power on their farm.  He states: "Gordon indicated, however, that the Thanksgiving he remembered most thankfully was the year they seemed to have nothing for which to be grateful".  Thanksgiving came, and what was usually a large feast was not.  Instead his father walked in with a Jackrabbit and laid it at the table for his mother to cook for the feast.  She grudgingly cooked it.  Rains ruined the crops so when the jackrabbit was done, it was served with just a few turnips which survived.  The Children including the beloved Gordon refused to eat, and his mother cried.  At that moment his father got up went into the attic and fetched a old oil lamp.  It was lit and all the power was shut off.  President Monson states: "When there was only the lamp again, they could hardly believe that it had been that dark before. They wondered how they had ever seen anything without the bright lights made possible by electricity.The food was blessed, and everyone ate. When dinner was over, they all sat quietly." 'Wrote Gordon: In the humble dimness of the old lamp we were beginning to see clearly again. … It [was] a lovely meal. The jack rabbit tasted like turkey and the turnips were the mildest we could recall… [Our] home … , for all its want, was so rich [to] us" 
  This story came to mind when we were eating by that candle light.  It was humbling to see all my little ones more than happy with the modest meal provided for them.  It truly was a memory that will always be with us.  Makes me almost want to eat like that every night. 
     

Aiden is already 2???

I must be sleeping through the years becuase it does not seem like my baby should be 2 already!!!  When did this happen? 

He is such a big boy now, he is doing things far beyond his age, and is so smart!  We truly have our hands full with this little man!

For his 2nd birthday we threw a monkey themed party!  It was so awesome!  He really loved every minute of it!  His best friend Liam came too!!!  YAY!  Here are his pictures!

 Mommy makes all the cakes!!!  They have actually been getting really good!  I am surprised at my talent!

 I love to make cupcakes!!!  So I am glad they work for kiddos birthdays!!!  I LOVE CUPCAKES!!!

 The food table!  We had wings (Aiden's fav) crackers and cheeseball, veggie platter, chips and salsa, homemade snack mix, and other snacks!!!  The kids all loved the food!!! 

 Bowling!  mommy made the bowling pins too!  I think we will save these for rainy days in the house!

 make a wish little man!!!  Still can't believe he is 2 already!

 Some of the crew!!!!

 We made these cute little binoculars for he kiddos to go monkey sighting!  They loved them! Top is Ty

 This one is Gavin and the one below is Aiden!!!

 Opening presents!  he loves his art stuff, and has played with his little potatoe head and friends a ton!  Thanks everyoen for such great gifts!!!

It was such a fun two year old party!  I am sure he will agree!!!  Now next month will be our three year lolds party!!! I can't wait!

Nevaeh turned 4 this year!!!

Because my little princess and I almost share a birthday by two hours... We celebrated together as a family. We went to Chili's for dinner, and it was awesome! Chili's has always been one of my favorite restraunts! Yummy! Then for her Birthday Party, we celebrated it by having a few friends over for a Princess Tea Party. This would be number two (tea Parties) for her this Summer. Actually I take that back, in April we had another for her Best Friends Birthday! So this makes number three for this princess! :)  I can not believe my baby girl is already 4!  I remember it like yesterday she was a screaming colicy baby!  I swore I would never have more kids, (Little did I know that the lord had a different plan for me only 15 months later)!  But now she is a beautiful four year old!  I can not wait to see what this next year brings us with her!  Here are some pics from her birthday!

Thanks to all those who came to bring our little girl into her new year!  We greatly appreciate all our friends, and all that they do!!!  We have truly been blessed with amazing friends!