Christmas in Vegas

This year we headed to Vegas for Christmas to see Justin's family.  It was a busy week and a half and I was sicker than I've been in years so much of it is a blur, but the kids had a great time seeing all their grandmas and grandpas and their cousins and aunts and uncles.  

Swimming with the fam:  (I didn't get in, surprise surprise.)

Christmas Pageant:

Dove and Cow:  (Grant was starting to get sick here.)

Ellie got to be Mary this year:

Meg got to be an angel:

I'm not sure what they're looking at, but these intent angels look so cute to me.

This basket had a real baby in it.  Cutest little baby ever.

Waiting to check out what Santa brought:

Parents waiting to watch their kids:

Bowling:

Piano Concert:  (Ellie wrote her own song for this one.)

Seeing our friend Kainoa:  (and, of course, his parents.)

Watching a movie at Grandma Duck's:

Gingerbread People

We made some gingerbread boys/girls with some friends before Christmas break.  I knew I had to invite friends over or I would find a way to put the gingerbread people off forever.  The gingerbread actually turned out pretty good to eat, although  I wasn't quite read to create gingerbread houses.

Iowa's Lone Snow Storm

Back in December it snowed in Iowa.  Since then, we've been warm and rainy while Utah has got its dose of Iowa weather.  Can't say I'm sorry about the switcheroo.  Living in Iowa makes it very hard to be sad about global warming.  Instead, I'm prone to leave my car on more often and produce more greenhouse gases.  Okay, not really.  But honestly, I don't really care if I never experience one of those ice storms they keep telling me about.

Here is the crew all marshmellowed up to go outside and play in the snow.  I stayed in with the baby.  Very heroic of me.

I watched and took photos for awhile, and then retreated to the warm house.  The kids had a lot of fun.

Justin's Secret Life

The other day I called Justin.  Usually when I call him he says something like:

"Hello love."

or

"Hello lovebug."

and he says it in a cutesy voice because we are mushy like this.

Anyway, when I called him he answered me in his mushy voice but he said:

"Hello research."

Yup.  Research.  I knew it!

Christmas in West Branch

This year we went to the Hoover Library at West Branch and enjoyed the old-fashioned Christmas.  We saw an ice carver, viewed some trains, took a carriage ride, and ate some awesome doughnuts (first good doughnuts I've found in Iowa!!! other than the Amish ones.)  The kids also got to see Santa.  

Waiting in line for Santa:

Spencer is suffering from "my coat makes me a marshmallow and so I can't hold my head up" here.  Which reminds me of this picture of Ellie and Meg also being marshmallows, which I will post below.

(Ellie is wearing my coat because I was super-smart and forgot to bring hers.  Luckily it was not too cold so I wore my jacket.)

Trains:

I'm so cute:

Pictures from my phone that I like...

Spencer wearing his new hat from Grandma:

Spencer eating Buzz Lightyear:

Meg refusing to take a nap:

Where we find Grant after the night-time circus dies down:

Super Spencer:

This is Elise singing in her school sing-along.  Hey, I was using a camera phone zoomed way too much while a baby pulled on my leg and screamed.  Considering that, this is an AMAZING photo.

Sleeping is adorable:

Mashed potatoes are apparently disgusting:

Playing with the laundry warrants climbing:

Whipped cream is apparently good:

Ice Skating birthday party:

1st Science Fair with her bird nest collection: