BEST Christmas gift 2015

At 10am we got the BEST Christmas gift of the year! We had 60 minutes to talk to Elder Coon. He is doing so great in Indiana. I didn't realize how much I missed my boy until I saw his face! I got all choked up. He was so full of energy and excitement about this gospel and sharing it. He told us some crazy experiences and so spiritual ones too. I loved to hear him share in testimony. The 60 minutes went way to fast. Elder Coon has been out for 5 months!  Time is a crazy thing... it seems to be going way to fast! We love our Elder Coon. Way to be a rock!

Christmas morning 2015

What a perfect Christmas morning. Katie and Grant spent the night, which made the morning so much fun! They are the cutest couple!

We all woke up around 7am. We sat in a circle on the floor in front of the Christmas Tree and each took turns opening gifts. The big Santa gift this year was "hoover boards". The girls were thrilled!

 New Shoes!!! 

 Grant wanted to make Katie some gifts for their first Christmas together. Who knew he was so crafty.... Grandpa Coon and Uncle Alan help Grant cut out the wood for the "Joy to the world" sign. He made both of these signs by himself.... WOW I am impressed!

Katie loved them so much! They will make her home beautiful.

 Annie wanted some signs for her room too.

I found this sign that says, "Happiness is a choice".

Which is my crazy saying. I tell my kids that all the time...

"Happiness is a choice. You have to choice to be happy!"

 Katie got some new clothes and so did Grant. Sporting their new shirts.

 I got exactly what I wanted. 

a WiFi scanner

&

a Powerful hand mixer! Yippee

Time for James Jolly to go back home until next year...

 We gave Grant his very own... tools!

He is going to be a handy man!

 Katie sewed Grant a star wars pillow case. Because he LOVES star wars!

Only once a year do the girls get sugar cereal, on Christmas!

They all want lucky charms.

They are enjoying their sugar cereal.

Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas Eve family party

 We always play the gift exchange game. I think I was won the grand prize... the Red 6 inch velvet boots!  Talk about some HOT boots.

  This year we played the paper bag game. It is crazy how flexible everyone is except me! 

 Grant Boyd or G3...

is such a game person! He is the life of the party! He was making everyone laugh.

Katie was in the top 4 most flexible girl cousins. They all actually tied for first place...

 Annie was amazingly limber

Who knew Hannah would be so good at this game?

 Cousin picture...

Some of our darling girl cousins:

Alice, Jolynn, Annie, Lila, Abby, Gloria, Katie, Hannah

 The mom's of those cute girls:

Jill, Niki, & Jennifer

Christmas Piano recital - December 4

 This year Annie piece for the piano recital was so hard - it had 4 sharps!!!

She played "believe" for Polar Express. She worked so hard and had her song memorized and ready to perform.

Hannah's song was Rudolph the red nose reindeer. She had her song memorized and polished weeks before the recital. The monday before the recital she was playing basketball at recess and sprained her finger. Her pointer finger on her left had was all black and blue and swollen.

She was worried she wouldn't be able to play at the recital.

The night of her performance she did her very best and played amazing even with a swollen finger.

 Julie Hatch has been our piano teacher since Katie was 10 years old. Hannah disappeared so she missed the picture. 

 Jake Hillstead... Hannah's friend since they were babies. Anne Hillstead, Jake's mom, 

is my dear friend.

What? an elf on the shelf.

 Hannah wanted an elf on the shelf so badly. I did not want another thing to think about.  Her dad wanted her to be happy so an elf came to our house. We named James Jolly! Every night our good elf would do something fun and each of us would take turns thinking helping James Jolly. I wish I would have taken pictures each morning. The first morning he was sitting in bubbles with snowflakes around him, the second night he was zip lining around the kitchen, the third night he was cruising the house with the BARBIE babes, and the fourth night he was swinging. The month went really fast and it was so much fun! We are happy Hannah wanted to start a new tradition.

Sunday night family birthday party!

Millennial Choir concert

 On our way to the concert in Mesa!

 What a beautiful night of talent! This choir is amazing. I love that Annie is being trained and having this experience. I am living through my child because I always wanted to sing.