Traditions...

I was inspired by a friends blog to write down all the many traditions that we have as a family during the Christmas season! There are so many that I am hoping I remember them all- here goes...

1. Taking a family/kids picture a week or so before Thanksgiving for our family Christmas card.
2. Getting a new ornament from Grandma and Grandpa in Illinois the first week in December for each of my kids. (They did this for me every year as a kid and I have all of them now- so cool!)
3. Decorating the Christmas tree in the family room with my kids while we watch Elf.
4. Going to see Santa at the mall and getting a photo- and I display the former pictures in my home too during Christmastime so we can see how much they've grown!!
5. Coming up with a creative neighbor gift and driving them around with the kids to deliver (and Chan when he can!)
6. Having a Christmas party at our home with friends, family and co-workers the Saturday before Christmas.
7. Having hot chocolate with marshmallows every time we play in the snow!
8. Making Sausage fondue every Christmas Eve to have for breakfast Christmas morning.
9. Giving out pajamas as a gift for all the kids on Christmas Eve and getting a picture of them together before they go to bed.
10. Putting Christmas music on and having the video camera in hand before the kids come in Christmas morning (that ones for you Dad).
11. Singing obnoxious carols as loud as we can when we are in the truck together! So fun!
12. Reading the book "I believe in Santa Claus" with my kids.
13. Christmas Day is usually spent all day/night at Chan's parents where we eat and enjoy LOTS of family until the wee hours! But this year we'll be with MY family! Yay!
14. Staying up late with Chan on Christmas Eve being Santa's helpers and watching the marathon of "A Christmas Story" on TV.
15. Wrapping presents like it's a contest!! I LOVE to wrap!!
16. Chan going online and looking at NORAD Santa tracker on Christmas Eve with the kids.

I am sure there's more I am NOT thinking of right now- but how blessed we are! I love spending every waking moment with Chan and my kids and celebrating the birth of Jesus! Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas came early...

Yesterday we went over to Chan's parents home to celebrate Christmas with them and his sisters and their families! We leave soon to go to Illinois to celebrate Christmas with my family this year, so we got to have an early Christmas here! We had all the kids come in red so we could get a picture, but little did Gamma and Papa know- this was a little Christmas trick! We had the kids take a professional photo in these same outfits a week earlier as a gift and had it blown up for them! It was a great gift and they LOVED it! In the picture are my kids, Annie's boy Dakota and Brooke's kids Myles and Sophie! Aren't they soooo cute! ;) And below is a picture slide show of the kids and others opening gifts and having fun! Thanks everybody- we had an awesome time! Merry Christmas!

Being festive...

I LOVE Christmastime! I love to make my house look festive! This is my front room- obviously I have a thing for snowflakes! It started with a few after Christmas sale items at Target and has grown a bit! But I love it! ;)
Here is a shot of just the tree in this room (yes I have another one...)
This is what I have above the piano- I took pictures of each of the kids with a Santa hat on and printed them out... they turned out cute!
This is the end table by the couch- it has the most current picture of the kids with Santa.
Here is the tree in my family room! it's getting pretty full, so I may need to switch things around next year! The ornaments on here are so fun- the ones my Mom got ME every year when I was growing up, and then the ones she has gotten the kids every year. It's a tradition that I LOVE!
This is my mantle above my fireplace in this room- it has all my nativity scenes. The one in the middle that is southwestern was my Mom's and she let me have it this year! ;)
This is a shelf in that same room- this Santa was a gift and I think he's pretty cool!
I also have a few random items from the kids! This is Brianne's Christmas tree she did in her class at school. She had a blast making it! She has also made some art projects and pictures and I am sure there will be more coming home soon!
This is another tradition in our house- a LEGO advent calendar! This is a new one we got this year and we add a block each day and the last blocks are gold and there's a small flame that goes on top to make it a candle! In the past years we have gotten their usual advent that has little doors you open and has a small LEGO thing to build. Those were fun too- but this one we can use year after year! Christmas is so fun!!!! I was going to get a picture of the outside of our house last night but forgot- so I'll try to add that in soon! Merry Christmas!!

Brianne's big day!

Brianne's big day was this past Saturday- she was baptized!!! She turned 8 on November 2nd and has been waiting patiently for her baptism day to come!
The reason she waited just a bit longer was so that Grandma Panko and Pa Boo (my parents Loren and Patty) could be there.
She was excited and a bit nervous too, but anxious to get there and get it done! Her brother's were excited for her as well.
Gamma Kathy and Papa Tom were there too (Chan's parents) as well as Dakota, Annie, Gerardo, the Skinner family and a few Ward members and friends. It was a great day!
I LOVE this picture! It's a shot of Brianne and Chan in front of the font shortly before she was baptized. It all went really smoothly and they did it perfectly the first time!
We are soooooo proud of her and her decision to be baptized! She was introduced to our Ward as the newest member of the church on Sunday and then she bore her testimony and did a great job! Way to go Brianne!! We love you!!! :)

The Trophy

My cute hubby has been bugging me to get this picture posted on here- it was on a different camera than the other pics from Las Vegas. It's a shot of Carter with the championship trophy! It's a big one!!