Family Christmas Party 2013

My in-laws always goes above and beyond. We had our family party last night and we all had a good time. The kids acted out the nativity. Sage says, "Grandma! I want to be baby Jesus!" She settled for the donkey. We told her the donkey had an important job, which is definitely true. She also tried on Mary's costume. The kids played bingo, colored, put together a reindeer puzzle, Papa told them a story about his great-great-grandma making Boden Candy and brought some for us to try, we sand carols, ate delicious food, did the cousin book exchange (Sage got pinkalicious which we have already read a million times today and Harper got the cutest Pink Library) and the kids got their jammies from Grandma and Papa. Sage loves her nightgown with a matching nightgown for her baby doll and Harper's jammies could not be any softer except for maybe the blankets they also received. Each family also got a fun Disney Holiday Matching Game and a gingerbread house to decorate. We sure are spoiled. We know it takes a lot of work and planning to put on such a fun party and we sure are grateful! We were all so happy to surprise them with their Christmas gifts. We gave them tickets to see Brian Reagan and got Jeanne a Silhouette Cameo! It is so much fun to give. We love this time year and wish we had more to give to those around us. We are truly blessed.

Reindeer Party

The other day we has a little reindeer party for Sage and a few of her friends that have been  in her joy school group + her buddy Cole and his brother, Harper's boyfriend Quinn. We painted feet and made reindeer on canvases, played pin the nose on the reindeer, made reindeer food, played "pass the present" (kind of like hot potato, but with a present and if the music stopped while you were holding the gift it was yours to keep! Everyone got reindeer coloring books), sang Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, read The Night Before Christmas, ate sandwiches shaped into reindeer and decorated/ate reindeer cookies. It was a fun time and I know Sage loves her friends. We are pretty lucky. 

Easter

We all (Taylor's siblings and their families) went up to Paradise the day before Easter and spent the day playing and eating good food. We colored eggs, played Easter Bingo, went on an egg hunt and received fun baskets filled with all kinds of "prizes"(surprises- as Sage girl calls them). As always it was tons of fun. We stayed the night at Grandma & Papa's and spent Easter day with them. Even with a hurt arm grandma managed to fix a wonderful Easter dinner. We put the girls baskets outside and had Sage go out and find them. Her happy and excited mood quickly changed as soon as she saw the camera. Her and the camera were not friends that day as you will notice. I am constantly reminded that things do not often go according to plan or how I envision them to play out in my mind. Sometimes I forget to laugh and enjoy the journey. Taylor is always by my side to remind me and to assure me that the day is not ruined over a few tears and snot and that life in fact will go on... I am grateful for this life I live and for my Savior who has made this life possible and makes it oh so sweet.