Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Birthday!

This really should be about five separate posts, but I'm a little behind. Here are our holidays in mainly pictures.  It all began with us embracing Idaho and driving to the mounts to chop down our own Christmas Tree. To do this, we had to buy a permit (and a saw) in advance. We also had to dig out our winter snow clothes, which we hadn't needed before this trip. 

Earlier in the fall, before it snowed, we scouted a place that was relatively easy to get to. It seemed like there were plenty of trees to choose from. Later, when we actually came with our saw to bring home the perfect Christmas tree, our first picks were already gone. Scott and I tromped around trying to find something that wasn't too big or too small. Leo froze a little and the boys discovered their snow suits made the perfect sleds on the icy snow. They had the best time sliding down the hill. Luckily, they had so much fun they didn't notice their cold feet. Before we had left our home, I was able to find their snow clothes, but not their boots. 

Scott found us a great tree. Here is his manly picture with it chopped down. It seemed to be just the right size, but that was because it was outside. When we tried to squeeze it in our house, we had to cut off about a foot or two. I already miss the tree. Chopping my own down made me a little sad. But we are saving it to use this summer when we need firewood  for long summer evenings. 

After we had our tree in place, the other holiday traditions commenced. I did less treat baking this year, except for these cinnamon rolls. My friend and former neighbor, Lori, shared her recipe with me. They were delicious and froze well for Christmas morning. Lucas and Soren loved rolling out the dough, painting on the butter and sprinkling the cinnamon and sugar. They might have got a little carried away. These babies were super rich - even I could only eat one.

We had a Christmas Party with our good friends, the Andersons. The kids exchanged gifts, played "Don't Eat Pete" and tossed paper snow balls. Then we read "The Gingerbread Man" and baked the cookie recipe that was on the back of the book. It was pretty hilarious to get them pumped up about making our own, possibly live, gingerbread man. Would he try to run away?

 They were pretty disgusted to see the dough was brown "like poop," according to them. And they didn't like the strong smell of molasses. But they persevered - they really wanted to know what would happen if they were baked. We used NinjaMan cookie cutters and some other Christmasy shapes.



When the timer buzzed and the gingerbread men were ready to come out of the oven, each child picked a door to guard. No gingerbread men would be running out of this house.

They didn't hold their positions very long, though. Their excitement was too strong. They couldn't bare to hear the oven door crack open without seeing what was inside. Each child ran across the house to peer in the oven. With relief, and a little disappointment, they realized we had normal cookies on our hands and not talking, running, gingerbread men.

The boys got new white dress shirts and ties for church. I had to get a picture with them in front of our tree, which looks a little crooked here. 

Lucas always has fun building a train track around the tree. He also liked helping me water the tree and look after it. He is a great helper. 

A few days before Christmas, we surprised the boys with a bunk bed. Before this, they had both been sleeping in toddler beds. This was fine for Lucas, our most recent toddler, but Soren was too big. His mattress was the same one he slept on in his crib.

Besides being too big, it must not have been comfortable. He was choosing to sleep on our floor every night rather than be in his bed. He was cranky from lack of sleep and so was I.

Since he started sleeping in his new bed, he has not slept on my floor once. Its a little Christmas Miracle!

 The bunk bed has been awesome for a couple more reasons. First, they have more room to play in their room. Second, they can't see each other in bed any more. Which means less teasing and playing before falling asleep. AND they don't notice if one of them has snuck into my room.

Our new Christmas Eve Day tradition is to play at iJump, a trampoline park. It worked a little too well this year. We were all beat and ready for bed super early - even us parents who had lots more work to do. 

Here is our peaceful, Christmas morning. We were lucky - they usually don't wake up before seven in the morning. Every body got some fun stuff and we enjoyed playing and relaxing the rest of the day.

Scott got a new razor, etc and his own ocarina - its shaped like a dwarven ax and came with a "Lord of the Rings" songbook. Expect some future ocarina duets at our house ;)

I got some fancy new colored pencils, games and a fitbit device to help me meet all those new years healthy goals.

Soren got some new lego sets, walkie talkies and Mine Craft. Lucas got a floor mat for his cars and trains, dinosaurs and an exciting, new remote control car. Oh, he also got Lego Marvel for the Xbox, something he really, really wanted. Its been cute to watch him and Soren play together. For the most part, they are great little buddies.

Then we did this for the next couple days. I still need to share about New Years and Soren's Birthday, but that will have to be another post. I feel like that picture right now after all this typing.