grandma & grandpa nielsen's home

we took a quick tour through grandma and grandpa nielsen's home while we were in monroe over christmas.  the interior really looks nothing like it used to, but i'm okay with that.  the fact that people live there who love and are keeping up with the house makes me pretty happy :)

when we were growing up, for a few generations of kids growing up, actually, we would sit on these concrete "railings" and play, but also have our pictures taken.  i got to do the same with my sillies.

 i couldn't pick just one pretty picture.  for a couple of reasons: 1 - there weren't any pretty ones and 

2 - they were all too good :)

me and the kids

december 25

december 25: merry christmas

from the coltons!

 

december 24

december 24: christmas eve

this year, the menu was grilled tri tip steak, oven roasted greek potatoes, bacon and green beans, some well done garlic bread ;) and welch's sparkling purple grape juice.

after having dinner and making sure everyone was full, we unwrapped christmas pajamas!

i had a lot of fun making these this year - christmas fabric is so much fun to sew!

kate helped a brother out and opened up miles' green footies

beth worked at getting hers out and kate watched intently

kate, the pro, tackled hers with ease

let's see how they look

they each got a pair of fuzzy slipper/boots to accompany the pjs

i love these girls!!!

don't leave miles out!  weston got him all cozied up

cute family

sorry about the attempt to correct the red eye...

december 23

december 23: make rice crispie treats

i think weston looks forward to this december day more than maybe christmas..

 not the prettiest, but definitely tasty

 kate loves them

 beth's undecided..

 ok, beth loves them, too

 daddy definitely loves them!

tuckered out from a sugar coma

and miles, well he's always in a milk coma these days..

december 22

december 22: carson christmas party

i guess i don't have any pictures! :(  we had a great time at this year's party.  the kids loved running around with their cousins.  miles was the perfect babe - slept through almost the whole thing until i woke him up to show him off a little ;)

we ate dinner and visited, played the annual white elephant/gift exchange game, and even had a visit from santa claus!  he brought miles a baby toy with lots of buttons and sounds, and beth and kate got stompeez - bunny slippers whose ears stand up when you take a step.  they were all thrilled :)

we love this tradition and look forward to it every year!

and who stopped by that day?  grandma and grandpa colton came bringing gifts for the kids :)  they like to watch the kids open presents and it helps us from hauling even more stuff if we go to monroe during the holidays.

kate got a computer!

 and beth got her very own dollhouse!

sweetest miles, looking so handsome

december 21

december 21: take treats to a friend

we loaded up a few plates and drove them around as a family.  we spent the night looking at some christmas lights, listening to and singing along with christmas carols, and sharing some goodies (hopefully they were good!) with friends.

kate and beth showing me their treats

miles gets in on the action, too

december 20

december 20: go get hot chocolate

we got bundled and went out for some hot cocoa. 
kate being silly while we waited for our drinks

 beth tried hers through a straw..

 but immediately told me "too hot!"

 and then went back for more

 yum!

december 19

december 19: christmas cookies - at home

while i wasn't really planning to make sugar cookies and decorate them again (since we had done this at my parents' house), kate kept asking when we were ... so i went ahead and made a small batch and gave her 8 or 12 cookies to decorate.

paintbrushes and all!

kate's first finished cookie

 her collection - not bad!

 my cookies - i had to get in on it a bit ;)

december 18

december 18: go see the lights at temple square

this is one of kate's favorite things every december.  since we went this year, beth has been telling us at least once a day "mama! i'm so excited for the temple!"  it's always a cold night, and this year it was pretty long, but it's a great tradition for the family :)

weston and his girls

beth would not leave those mittens on - we put those things back on over and over and over again

 cute girls

 red eye alert!  me and my girls :)

notice beth does not have those gloves on.

willful, that one..

december 17

december 17: make gingerbread cookies

i made 1/4 of this recipe and got the dough ready a day before we were going to cut, decorate, and bake the cookies.  the next day, while looking at the recipe card, i realized i made the recipe for gingerbread HOUSE dough!  it was fine, it just wasn't as spiced or sweet as my other recipe... something just wasn't quite as good, but still okay..  who knows, it could be in my head that it tasted any different!

 

 kate loved cutting out the cookies

 beth had a great time, as well.  i let her do a few and then finished the rest myself

 you can see why...

 another tradition i grew up with was gingerbread cookies with red hots (not frosting).  i often wonder if people think this is strange or whatever - i love the flavor :)

 beth's cute little toddler hands got in on the action, too

puffy gingerbread people - just waiting for their heads to be bitten off first!