1st Week of December

Here is an update from the 1st week of December.  On Sunday, December 1st, we went over to Herriman for Pauline/Chris' baby Lincoln's baby blessing.

We took a quick family picture before Sacrament meeting started.

Group picture after baby Lincoln's blessing.  Left to right: Steve, Carter, Me, Nyles, Ezra, Charlotte, Leslie and Dave Grayson, Ali, Pauline, baby Lincoln, Chris, Ava, Sophia, Rose, Dad and Mom.

After the blessing we went back to Pauline/Chris' house for lunch, then visited for a while.

That afternoon we decorated our Christmas tree!  Mom and dad stayed one more night, which was great!  We played games and had a lot of fun together.

Putting up the ornaments.

Everyone helped!

Later playing Jenga.

Mom and dad headed out Monday morning.  I went back to work and Steve had his last day of clinical rotations at LDS Hospital for the semester, yeah!  That night Nyles had basketball practice.

Later the sun came out and Carter wanted to play w/ the hose.

Carter melting the snow w/ the hose.

Elf on the Shelf is back!  Our Elf "Buddy."

Carter and Nyles w/ their wooden stockings they painted at Home Depot.

Friday, Steve and the boys met me after work, then we went over to Temple Square to look at the Christmas lights.  There was a cool "fog" hanging around too.

Salt Lake Temple w/ the fog around it.

Pretty colors on Temple Square.

Cute boys!

 

Pretty lights!

 

Looking at the lights around temple square.

 

We went into the North Visitors Center.  They boys love see the Christus statue.

Carter thought the Nativity on the water was pretty neat as well.

The boys started getting grumpy, so we knew it was time to go and get dinner.

We stopped at Cafe Rio for dinner downtown before going home.

Saturday morning we went to Home Depot for another Christmas craft.

 

This time a countdown to Christmas.

Completed projects w/ stickers on them.

That afternoon Nyles had a Jr. Jazz basketball game.

Nyles is still learning the game, but he did his best.

They worked hard though lost.

After his game, Steve, Nyles and Rob went out to Utah Lake to go duck hunting.

Nyles was excited to wear his waders and help put the decoys out.

Nyles and Rob waiting for ducks.

Then that night we had our Ward Christmas Party.  The kids were excited when Santa arrived!

Carter and Nyles w/ Santa.  They couldn't wait to tell him what they wanted for Christmas!

The boys are getting excited for Christmas!!!

4th Week of November, 2nd half of the week

Here's some highlights from the 2nd half of the week of Thanksgiving.

For Thanksgiving we went up to Midway to Melanie/Brandon's place for dinner.  We all pitched in and got dinner/late lunch ready by 3pm.  Everything was super yummy!  It started to snow some more, so we took LuDean home after dinner.

Isaac showing Carter how to use a Chinese yo-yo.

Back at home.  We made some popcorn and watched "Elf."  

Carter liked playing "Headbands" too w/ Grandma and Grandpa though he would just act it out. 

On Friday, Steve, my dad and Rob went to a movie for Steve's birthday.

Say cheese!

And then it started snowing that afternoon.

Nyles stayed overnight up at Melanie's and came home w/ Dave/Joann that afternoon.
Carter and my mom played a matching game while we watched the snow come down.

 By the time Steve and my dad got home, we definitely had a few inches.

 Steve got the snowblower out to clear the driveway.  Carter insisted on helping too.

And it just kept coming.  We had 10 inches on the grass!

Carter thought it was fun to get buried in the snow from the blower.  Silly kid!

The basketball hoop looked so cool covered in snow.

That night we had Dave/Joann over for Steve's birthday dinner.  

We ordered pizza and had cake and ice cream.

The boys of course wanted to help blow out the candles.

After dinner Steve opened his gift we all went in on for him.  We got him Dewalt tools (2 cordless drills, reciprocating saw, a flashlight, and a skill-saw) that were on sale that day "Black Friday."  Luckily we were able to buy it online the night before so Steve didn't have to go stand in line early that morning to get it.  Steve and my dad went and picked up on after the movie, nice and easy. 

Cool tools!

 Carter like playing keep away w/ the balloon w/ both Grandpas.

 So much snow!  Look at my parents car just covered!

Saturday we took the boys to Home Depot to make a Christmas stocking.

First hammering and putting it together.

Then painting.

After that we went sledding while Steve tried to go out duck hunting w/ Rob at Utah Lake.  Unfortunately there was a semi-truck that tipped over earlier in the morning at 10:30am that had Butane in it, which basically shut the freeway down until 8pm.  They were stuck in traffic for 4 hours, just sitting there.  Rob pulled up a movie for them to watch on his phone while they sat there.  They ended up just turning around and came home once they were finally able to.

My parents went out to visit Rose in Stansbury Park so we let them know about the accident.  Rose helped them look up an alternate route so they could make it to their Christmas Party in Benjamin w/ my mom's family later that evening.

My mom and her brothers and sisters.  Oldest to youngest (right to left): 

Roy, Brent, Chris, Sheri, Mom, Rosanne, Jane, Judy, Connie, Slade, Brad, Ben and Aleesa.

With their spouses (except Jane and Chris)

Carter and I love sledding together!

Cute boys.  The snow had melted a lot, but we had enough to still sled.

 Silly boys pretending to be dogs pulling a sled on the way back up.

Back at home playing in the snow on the lawn.

Cuties!

Carter making a snow angel in the backyard.

Carter going down the slide.  We got leather put in the Honda Pilot and seat heaters, oh yeah!

 

We have so much to be thankful for!