Holly Jolly Christmas

Ahhhh Christmastime. It went by so fast this year- but it was so fun! Our boys are the perfect ages to be so excited and everyday is magical and exciting. Everyday we opened a door on the chocolate advent calendar, cut a paper ring off our Christmas chain, and read a story about Jesus. The boys were so excited to remind me everyday. Throughout the day I would find them  looking at our Christmas tree, playing with the decorations and choosing which candy cane was theirs. They would pick up their presents to each other (the only ones we put out) to wonder at what was inside, and showed them to us many times a day. I love the wonder and excitement little kids bring to Christmas... it's the best! 

So I couldn't pick only a couple of pictures since this is supposed to be my memory book now... So these pics start on Christmas Eve...

We found little elf footprints out the back door!!! It's hard to tell how little they are, but the boys were excited that an elf was checking on them to see if they were sleeping yet...
We were a little tired of cookies, so we made Santa a cupcake instead. The boys HAD to put the spider decoration in it. They thought Santa would like that. And carrots for the reindeer of course.

CHRISTMAS MORNING-
This is Ollie discovering his stocking and all the goodies tucked inside. 



I love this picture of Elliott. He had such a hard time going to sleep the night before (and the night before that...) He was just so excited for this day.
I love that Santa put underwear in their stockings!!! (Even in Ollie's- who isn't potty trained yet.) Hilarious sense of humor that guy...

Ready to open the presents...

Elliott wanted a remote control dinosaur (no pic??!?) and a treasure box. We also got Rock Band from Adam's mom.

Ollie only wanted a remote controlled monster truck. Santa was kind enough to bring the race car track too.


Hootenannies with strawberries and whipped cream- our traditional Christmas breakfast.


It was so nice to be able to stay home and play most of the day. Usually we go to both of our parents house- but this year Adam's parents are in Indiana with his sister. We had Christmas with them last week (more pics to come later.) In the afternoon we headed over to my mom's to hang out, and the power went out for a few HOURS!!! It was crazy- but we had candles and played games. The boys have been playing all day, everyday with all of their fun toys. And we have also had a VERY white Christmas in Utah- so they have been enjoying the snow too. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

I left my heart in San Francisco...

Last week Adam and I went to San Francisco to visit my brother, Eric and his wife, Tagen one last time before they move  back to Utah. It was Erkki's graduation from Chiropractic school on Saturday, so we went on Wednesday to do a little sight seeing. The last two years we took our boys with us, but this year we left them to play at Grammy and Grandpa's house. We had lots of fun visiting!

Tagen and Eric at his school, Life Chiropractic College West. He spent the last 3 plus years studying here to get his Doctorate of Chiropractic!
Adam's favorite part of the whole trip was all of the stocked music stores. Let's just say he did all of his own Christmas shopping this year. Nothing compares to Amoeba and Rasputin according to him...

A night in Berkeley.

Eating at 'Crepes a Go Go'- another yearly favorite for us. Yummy- I want one right now!!
So we learned this from our friends' blog, Jesse and Lindy. We decided to spice up some of our dull pics with the blowfish face. Adam had so many good ones. My non-lips could only do so much...
Me and Tags with our full H&M bags after a long day of shopping in downtown San Francisco. We are due a day apart and she doesn't even have a belly yet!! 
It was Erkki's 33 birthday while we were there, so we went to his favorite restaurant which happened to be a german one. It was SO good! I think I'm going to have to find one in Utah. Love their blowfish faces- seriously- if you haven't tried this yet- you need to! I want to see it on everybody's blogs with their millions of Christmas pics...Go ahead, try it!

Christmas in San Fran.

This is tumbled glass from my favorite store in Half Moon Bay. They have this outside section where all the paths are covered in glass. It is so beautiful!! I wish I could have a place in my yard to have paths like this.

You can buy the glass by the pound too. Adam posed in this picture for me. 

Erkki's graduation day! My Mom, Erkki, Linds and Me.

Erkki and Tagen

Bridger, Jamie- Tagen's sister, Mary Jo- Tagen's mom, Tagen, Eric, Sini, Adam, Linds and Leena.

Sisters in San Fran.

On the plane.

At the Salt Lake airport there were Christmas trees made of poinsettias- they looked pretty cool.
We were so excited to see the boysies after 5 days! Grammy and Grandpa sent them home with this awesome gingerbread house from their neighbors. Even the windows light up! They have to work for the candy because the frosting is so hard. :)

The fab 5 minus 1

We had our annual Christmas get together on Saturday in Ange's beautifully remodeled house. Love these girls! Me, Ange, Jill and Tam (We missed you Steph!) I love how Ollie is always around in all the pics- he was glued to my leg that night...
Brady, Ange, Baby Alex, Adam, Sini, Ollie, Jana, Jill, Tam and Dave (The rest of the kiddies were playing in the fun basement.)

Rock Band Boys

Jill, Jenny (Jill's little sis) and me. We are all due within a month of each other.
Sorry Jillie- I had to post this!! :) You know those pregnant bellies catch all the spills...

O Christmas Tree!

We were very excited that our usual Christmas tree lot was still around this year, as every year they tell us it might be their last. I don't know what we'll do when they stop- we love our Charlie Brown trees! (I need to just realize that Blogger flips my pics exactly opposite of what I plan!! :(  ) Anyway- here's the thumbs up from Ollie and Adam.
The boys had fun running through the rows of trees... and every one was their favorite.

Our cute lil' tree. Every year we say it's our favorite. Ollie has to have it plugged in every morning, day and night. I always hear the boys discussing which decoration is their favorite and which candy cane is theirs. I love Christmas trees- they are so magical!

Captain Underpants Times Two

I don't know what it is but my boys have both been so hilarious lately. I seriously laugh all day! 

We have been reading a scripture about Jesus everyday and today's was about when he was a boy and he started working with Joseph. I told them he was a carpenter and showed them the picture of the two working together in a wood shop. After I asked Elliott to tell me about it and he said, "Jesus worked with his dad, Joseph when he was a boy, like maybe 10 or 20- I'm not sure." I asked him what Joseph did for his job and he said, "He did carpet." It was funny  because that's what I would think a carpenter did if I was five, but also because of Adam's job. I remember thinking all Dads did the same job as my Dad when I was little...

Then this morning we ran out of time to give baths before church, so I just told Elliott to change his underwear because he had streakers. (Do I need to explain this, or are they common in every house with kids?) So that was this morning and tonight we were at Adam's parents and Elliott went to the bathroom and was in there forever. So I told Adam to check on him and he came out with a pair of underwear and said Elliott changed them in the bathroom- we were all confused. Elliott came out and told us this morning he forgot to take off the streakers, and had just put the clean ones over the top of them!!! So funny! He didn't even realize until hours later!! Crazy boy.