Gingerbread Rock!

Letting the traditions continue... here is another one and yes I know these posts are out of order of when they actually happened but it 's okay. The Sunday before Christmas we went to my parents house for dinner and then to make and decorate gingerbread houses with all the cousins. I didn't make one myself this year but Mike helped Rory decorate hers while Paige just ate the candy! All the kids (and Joanna) had a great time. My mom even made real gingerbread for them to use, I would have just used gram crackers, way to go Mom! Anyway it was fun and I'm glad we get together and do it every year!

Visiting Santa

Our ward Party this year didn't have a Santa for the kids so I had to find another option. Being the cheap skate that I am I didn't want to pay $20 just to get their picture taken at the mall so I kept looking and found out the the Bass Pro Shop had a Santa and did the pictures for free along with a bunch of other crafts and activities so we took a trip out there. It was nice because there were only a couple people in front of us and Santa really took his time and talked to the girls. So it was a success besides the store it self is pretty cool and the girls loved walking around there and looking at all the animals and the giant fish tank, so if you are in the same boat I was in next year keep a hunting and fishing store in mind for a visit to Santa, I bet it wouldn't be hard to get your husband to take the kids so you could have a break, now there's a thought!

Christmas PJ's

I think like many of you, we also have a tradition of opening one present on Christmas Eve and it is always pajamas. I've been doing this since I was a child and it wasn't until a couple years ago that my parents stopped buying them for us which is okay because now that we have families of our own to keep the tradition going. So her are Rory and Paige sporting their new Christmas PJ's... Rory with the princesses and Paige with curious George, she just keep saying monkey and trying to bend down so she could see him, way cute!

Christmas Dresses!

Coming from a family of all girls the tradition of a Christmas Dress runs strong with me. My girls actually got two this year because I got such a great deal on the second one!!! ... but anyway these pictures were taken on the Sunday before Christmas in their new dresses. I wanted to take pictures before church so their hair would still be done and stuff but with 8 o'clock start time we didn't get our photo shoot done till after church but I think they turned out pretty good anyway!

Rory's Preschool Holiday Program

I know I'm a little behind in this post but I'm going to do it anyway! The last day of Rory's Preschool class they did a little program for the parents to come and listen to the songs and poems they had been learning that semester. Rory loves to sing so most of the songs we familiar and Paige even knows some of them! Rory was so excited and it turned out really cute and her placement worked out nice for pictures because she was in the front row! Thanks Mrs. Axtell and Mrs. Chu!

Family Pictures by Liz Farnsworth - Red Bucket Photography

Heaton Family Christmas Party

Every Year my Mom's side of the family gets together for a Christmas party at our house. The traditions include a potato bar where my mom does all the baked potatoes and everyone else brings a topping for them and a desert to share. We share stories and sing songs and the kids act out the Nativity story! Here are Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus

This is the angels appearing to the shepherds telling them of the birth of our Savior

Here the shepherds are coming to worship the new born King

The wise men giving their gifts to Jesus

And here is the cast taking their bow at the end, check out Rory's face, she is obviously pretty proud of her performance!

I think this tradition is my favorite part and even more so this year since Rory was able to participate as one of the angels! I love family traditions and I love coming from such a big family and I love that we have so many cousins living so close to us!

O' Christmas Tree

I used to be one of those people who would bah-humbug people putting up their Christmas stuff super early, I mean let Thanksgiving have it's day in the sun too but this year the Friday after Thanksgiving our tree came out, but I guess it is still okay because we waited till the day after right! Plus we didn't actually decorate the tree till the Monday night for family home evening. I don't really know why but I've been really excited for Christmas this year, don't get me worng I've always loved Christmas but this year seems like it's a little more the usual and am enjoying being in the holiday spirit!

Thanksgiving Pic's

These are a little behind but I'm trying to play catch up now so here you go! These are some of the pictures we took while at my parents house for Thanksgiving!. The kids had fun playing outside in between the rainy patches, Paige would swing all day if you'd let her! We were just setting the table and I look over and Paige had moved a chair over so she could get up to the reach the food. It cracked me up because of all the things on the table for her to eat she went for the stuffing. That is her dad's favorite part of the meal so I guess she takes after his own heart!