Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas!! Ever since Shaun and I have been married we celebrated Christmas with the Martineaus on Christmas Eve because Doug always has to work on Christmas day. So we get in our PJs and slippers all daylong and eat, open gifts and play! 

Cute cousins...Millie, Riley, Ryker and Rigdon

 Nolan, Riley, Missy, Pa, Nana, Millie, Leah, Shaun and Ryk and Riggs on the floor

Ryker is not yawning....he was super excited for one of his gifts.

Then that night when we got home we put out our reindeer food.

 Good Morning......Santa came.

As I mentioned before Amelia is obsessed with candy, ice cream etc. She loves the game Candyland....just so she can get her person to Lolly Lollipop. Ryker saw this Lolly Lollipop purse thing and we knew she had to have it.

Ryker was excited to get this black dragon

Amelia with all her loot. She asked Santa for play food and really wanted play ice cream too. She also loves Minnie Mouse.

Ryker asked Sanat for the Dragon Castle

Riggs first Christmas

Sarah Su Su and Blakie came over a little later and brought a few more gifts........the hit of the day, a shopping cart.

They got Ryker a coons skin hat and a camo shirt....so he can go hunting with Blake next time of course.

Later that day Ryker put on his stuff and wanted to hide in the bushes in the front yard to watch for bad guys.

oops....forgot to turn the picture around. Ridgon is getting so big and is such a sweet boy. 

Party, Party and More Parties

As we all know December has one event after another, so here is a run down of all the fun things we did.

I was able to plan Rykers Kindergarten class Christmas party.....we thought that having stations worked so well for the Halloween one, so I planned 5 centers to go to. One making reindeer food.

We all love decorating sugar cookies

 We had our Udall Christmas party at my Aunt Sharons. My grandparents bought a little gift for the younger kids, Amelia got a dollie and a purse.

Ryker is 5 so he got to be included in the cousin gift exchange. He gave to my cousin Hillary

Then my cousin Marcie gave to him. Such beautiful girls!!

Bompa Jess and Grandma Ann with all the Great Grandkids

Most of the cousins

During the winter break we meet up with some friends at the park. It was only a few days before Christmas and our kids were so excited to play in the leaves since they don't get to experience that in the fall. So they worked so hard making a huge pile and the took turns jumping into it.

Then the park sprinklers came on and they wanted to run in them and get wet.

Only in Arizona!!!

While Nana watch Baby Riggs, we went with Pa to see Tangled.....I loved it, and yes I get a kids meal of popcorn, icee and fruit snacks like the kids!!

Millie making Christmas trees out of waffle cones, frosting and decorating with candy.

One of the nights we went to Zoo lights with all the Martienaus and Palmers. We didn't get a group shot. But here is our little family. It was a little cold (well to everyone else but me and Ryker) and it was sprinkling most of the time.

 Mommy and Rigatoni

I was on the other side of the carousel with Ryker, Missy and Riley so I didn't see Shaun up on the elephant...but when I saw the picture I died laughing. Shaun is a 6' 3" guy....and he is riding on the carousel. Love it!!!

 Riggs and I weren't feeling to well so we didn't make it to the Rowley family party. I'm sad that I missed seeing Millie play the part of Mary.

Sweet Mary with baby Jesus

Every year Ryker will only be an animal.

Then jolly old St. Nick came along.

Then we had the Connelly family party. I of course will be found at the kids craft table.

We did the nativity again and Ryker was yet again another animal and Millie was the angel this time. She was a bit sad about not being Mary....but if you look closer she is a beautiful angel with a sucker in her mouth.

Almost Christmas

What a fun month so far. December is always packed with so many fun activities. Like making Gingerbread houses with your friends.

The Sugar Queen here really had a good time. One piece of candy for her house, then one for her mouth, one for her house, then one for her mouth. Seriously....she will be a dentist dream =)

This little guy didn't eat one piece of candy while decorating it. Afterwards he pops 2 or 3 pieces in his mouth and ran outside to play.

Speaking of self-control, Ryk had his Karate testing and advanced to an orange belt. 

Christmas crafts

Ward christmas party with Santa.....Amelia says she wants play food for christmas.

Ryker would like a dragon castle.

Went to San Tan mall to see Santa and play in the fake bubbles snow.

What a special day this was. Rigdon had his baby blessing December 12th 2010. His dad gave him a wonderful blessing and after he came and sat down, Rigdon and I just stared at each other for like 15 minutes while he smiled and cooed. I bawled my eyes out listening to the beautiful music and just starting at my sweet baby boy. I love him so much. His little puffy cheek, I could just kiss on all day. He really is a joy and I'm so grateful he is in our small family. 

Shaun (and Nana) are brainwashing my boys at an early age to love the Cardinals.  I hope they do learn to love it like their dad so they can have that bonding time throughout the years. While they watch the game, Millie and I will do our crafts =)

For the whole month of December, we have all our FHE lessons based on the true meaning of Christmas and our Savior. So we acted out the nativity story with our Little People and then the kids did a nativity project. Ryker wanted to color everything to match the Little People toys. He is such a perfectionist, like his father, certainly not me!!

 Rig-a-toni is just growing bigger and bigger everyday. I seriously love this little guy and each day we just lay on my bed and stare at each other while I make him smile and laugh and he makes the absolute cutest sounds. 

The kids and I had so much fun delivering our christmas treats to the neighbors. I was craving a cheese ball, (as I always do) so I decided to make them as our treat this year. Ryker loved going to the doors to hand our friends their yummy treat. Millie rang the doorbell. Hope everyone enjoyed them.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!