Christmas Festivities 2014

Ah, December. I love and also kind of hate December. It's a month where there's a million fun things to do and I want to do them all....but then there's this whole job thing where we're trying to build, test, and launch a tax website two weeks into January. I don't truly remember what it's like to have a normal December - it's been almost ten years after all. But it does make all of the Christmas-time activities I do get to participate in all the more fun.

Christmas Tree

Since Jacob insists on a real Christmas tree, I insist on getting it early so I can enjoy the smell and not enjoy cleaning up the needles as long as possible. So far, we're forming a fun tradition of the men getting the tree ready (Speed loves saws apparently) and then the family decorates the tree during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional the first Sunday in December. As usual, the ornaments slowly crept up the tree as the month went on. Sure sign of a small child in the house: a mostly bare-bottomed tree.

Getting the tree ready

Here are the non-glass ornaments: go!

We tried so hard to distract him with his own toys

Carefully place it, Zizah, don't throw it.

The finished product

Gingerbread Houses

My sister-in-law was awesome enough to make some gingerbread and graham cracker houses again this year for us to decorate. The kids (okay, and me too) really enjoy this activity both for the creative aspect and the more candy on the table than you can possibly eat aspect.

My nephew did give me the genius idea of incorporating the Grinch into my house. I really liked how it turned out.

Hard at work

With the finished products

Hazel's

Speed's

 

Front view of mine

Back view of mine

Thor says: there's candy here??

Glendale Glitters

Another Monday evening in December, I convinced the family and the in-laws to go check out Glendale Glitters, which is basically the City of Glendale's free light show (we're right next to the border with Glendale). We got some delicious Pete's first and then headed over. I was really glad that we ended up going on a regular night instead of one of the festival nights. I'm sure the traffic and crowds were so easy because it was just the lights and nothing extra that night.

At Pete's during dinner - it was pretty chilly but she REFUSED to wear her jacket

The light show was pretty cool. Probably a fourth or a third the size of the Mesa Temple lights and no comparison to Temple Square, but still fun. It kinda helped that it was a 15 minute drive instead of an hour plus. Hazel and Speed got pictures with their favorite trees. I think we might make this one a yearly tradition since it's so close and all.

Hanging with the cousins

Speed and his favorite tree

Hazel and her favorite tree

The whole group (minus our photographer)

Jacob and me

Me and my girls