Christmas 2012

We had a what I would call a very lovely Christmas Eve dinner. We had our usual steak and stuff but this year we add honey garlic glazed shrimp to the menu. Bryce found a recipe online and made it.  Abe and him grilled it with the steaks. They turned out exceptionally.

Kaylee picking out the cookies for Santa.

Dressed in stripes like his sister for Christmas Eve.

Kaylee sees the presents for the first time. She was a little disappointed that Santa himself wasn't there like when he came to the Christmas party but she got over that pretty fast.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Gj9ARMz2k]

The tree and stockings

Going through the stockings

Opening some presents.

This is what Conner did the whole time we all were opening presents.

Kaylee was a good girl this year and got a few presents. She liked everything she got which is always nice. In fact it seems like our whole family was good this year because Bryce got the gun he wanted and Nykol got her very own iPad which rendered her speechless. I would say that Christmas was a nice affair this year and not just because of the presents. There was fun and love and awesomeness all around this year. Now here is a video of Kaylee playing with one of her toys.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4nvWRBnEHI]

Salt Lake Trip 2012

We went to Salt Lake again to look at the lights on temple square. Things were a little rocky in the beginning, but it ended up not being too bad and Kaylee was thrilled which makes up for the not so great parts. In fact when Kaylee got in the hotel room and looked out the window it actually took her breathe away. She like the window in our room and by the elevator.

Kaylee waiting for the elevator.

I can't for the life of me remember what they would have been looking at but its kind of cute.

Conner getting dressed up warm to go look at the lights. And so many people thought he was adorable. I don't think I have been present with anyone who has received more compliments than he did that night.

Family pictures

Bryce all cute with Conner

Kaylee really enjoyed the lights, however, the fountain at City Creek Mall simple enthralled her. They were her favorite and she always got excited to pass by them. There were some the would make little white mounds and she would call them ghostes because there were more than one. Sadly I don't have a picture of the fountain but here are the lights.

Chillin out in our pajamas afterward. Kaylee felt so big to be holding Conner. It's not something that is usually allowed.

Christmas Tree

So this year we went with a live tree. All growing up we had a live tree until my mom moved to Utah. They started using my grandma's fake tree. And this was the last Christmas for Bryce before his mission and growing up. So I got a real tree for old times sake. We had to wait longer than I would have liked to get our tree and so when we went to get the lights for it the only ones left at the store were the ones you see on the tree. I'm not a big fan of the blue mixed in (on it's own would be better or just red and green) but what are you going to do.  It ended up being really nice. Abe put the lights on and we all decorated it with some of the normal ornaments and Bryce's Swedish straw ones. We may even do it again next year because its easier than a fake one.

Conner Month 2 and 3

On the 4th of December Conner become two months old. He smiles more and is still wiggly as ever. He face has lost his newborn look, he is all grown up now. He is trying to talk more and interact. It's fun watching him grow and change. Today he went for his two month shots and measurements. He weighed a whopping 14lbs 12oz and was 23 3/4 inches long. He is a big boy. Kaylee has really gotten use to him. She likes him to be around and likes to help him. She even sometimes tries to share her toys with him. But when she is in her drama queen mode the slightest touch from him hurts her, luckily that's not too often.



Conner sleeps really well at night. 7 hours and then eats and then goes right back to sleep for about 4 more. Some days he sleeps well in the day but he is a light sleeper so if a lot is going on he doesn't sleep to well and cries because he is tired. He is bigger than Kaylee was at this age but he eats a little less often than she did which is funny. He likes to be rocked and sung to. And he whines a bit which hopefully he will out grow, but over all he's a happy baby.

Elf on the Shelf 2012

Kaylee and Conner were visited by the Elf on the Shelf this year. She hasn't been named yet. But Kaylee enjoyed her still the same. This year the elf wasn't super creative, but she did bring a treat of some kind everyday. Usually a small piece of candy, but once it was a Christmas book and another time it was a Christmas apron for cookie making. This elf is not mischievous because she only wanted to teach Kaylee and Conner how to be good and nice and not make messes. Kaylee would go running to look for her and it was funny because she would only look in places the elf had already been. She also really enjoyed the book that came with it.  We are glad that the elf come to our house and hope that she returns every year from now on.

Kaylee enjoying one of her treats from the Elf on the Shelf.

The Growth of Kaylee

Christmas 2010

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2012

Christmas Treats 2012

Gingersnap cookies were one of our first treats this year (not including the O'Henry's and rice krispies that we've made all season long). So these were made last year and to those who like gingersnaps enjoyed them. So Bryce tried to make a batch with his friends and boy did it go wrong, the dough pretty much turned into a block of cement and they broke the mixer. A few days later Bryce and me decided to try again. We made two batches of dough with the same recipe as last year. Both batches tasted different and that didn't change after being baked. And so it was pretty much a bust.

So I use Pinterest like pretty much everyone else in the world. And one day when I came across this on there and I thought it would be fun to try. I went looking for snow flake molds and they had them on the Wilton website but they had been discontinued which was frustrating. They did however have these trees and gingerbread men and they were cute enough so I went for it or I should say that my mom and I went for it.

The step by step instructions can be found at the link above. Now below is a picture of the mold as I am pulling out the trees. It looks like a mess because I was not in the mood to be careful at that time, but it still turned out just fine.

This is not the best picture of the finished products but it is the only one I have. Now this was a little time consuming even though it didn't take as long as the instructions said it would, but I found them to be yummy and so did my family.

So we made sugar cookies again this year again. We won't be making them next year in the same way because we are burnt out. We usually make two batches of dough and then get creative, but no one was quite in the mood. So the creative decorating is going to become an every other year thing, but we will still make some every year but just one batch and one shape and one color of frosting to make it simple and quick.

So December 13th is St. Lucia's Day and traditionally saffron buns are made for that day. And we made some this year. Saffron is a pricey ingredient and it makes everything this weird yellow orange color with a taste I cared not for. My mom didn't like it either. Bryce didn't mind them. Abe and Nykol actually kinda liked them.  Even with some of our treats not being so tasty it was still fun to do.