Christmas is crazy! We've had so much fun the last couple of days with all our winter time activities. We Finally got our tree! We usually go up to Mountain Green and pick a tree right off the mountain the day after Thanksgiving, but I had a super fun girls night Thanksgiving night and Josh had to work that day. Luckily the boys had a traditional sleepover at g'ma and g'pa McMillan's so they were able to go up and help pick out everyone else's tree! Josh was off Thursday so we made the most of it and went to an awesome tree lot next to our house. We picked out a lovely 6' Frazier Fir. Came home and blasted the Christmas tunes while the boys helped me decorate the bottom 12" of the tree. They did a super job.

 Their primary teacher made these cute ornaments last year and they get there very own ornament from g'ma McMillan every year so they are getting quite the little collection.
I have wonderful memories of going to the tree lot down by King's in Layton and we'd spend a good hour searching for the perfect specimen. We always had the most beautiful tree. My mom would decorate it with Victorian Era trinkets and it was seriously magical! Then upstairs we had a fake tree that was full of toyland treasures and homemade trimmings. I wonder if my kids will think this season is as enchanting as I did.

Friday 'gwawma and gwampa' Schmidt had a sleepover for  the boy grandkids. What a party! My dad saves all his change for the year and then cashes it in and gives all the grandkids like 20 bucks! so they can shop for cousins, mom and dad, etc. Isn't he great! I guess they went to Target and Ty and Emmett had chosen Ashlyn and Ella and they were not too thrilled to look for things that girls would be interested in! I can only imagine.. I went with Ty the other day and he wanted Everything and I kept reminding him we weren't shopping for us and he would emphatically say 'I know, I know mom, Ella would love this monster robot!' Emmett was pretty worn out by the end and was standing in the cart asleep... Standing I tell you! They watched Grinch and then settled in one giant bed together. Mom said she overheard Ty tucking everyone in and giving goodnight kisses. She went in a little later and he was asleep on top of Cam. Oh dear. I usually find Ty and Emmett  in the most random positions, in mid-wrestling moves, feet in face style or just folded over. 

They all came down for my ward breakfast. We did a cute little Nativity and a Special Friend came for a visit. As soon as the Jolly St. Nick came in Ty and Emmett's face lit up in amazement. Ty wandered over to him a couple of times just to be close.  Emmett asked for his skateboard and Ty said he wanted one too, but that was on his list already so he tried for the life of him to think of something new. 

He is a little scary, huh, e-man?
We had a birthday party at the bounce houses and man was that heaven! I admit my boys are a little psycho, so this was the perfect setting to get some energy out! Climbing, sliding, wrestling, racing. Oh the joy! We came home and discovered the boys are OBSESSED with Power Rangers. Cracks me right up. Me and Ash used to play Power Rangers with a group in the neighborhood - please don't judge, Josh does enough of that:) so when it came on I had to see just how cheeseball it was. Oh man. The cheesier the better in this house though. Who knew it would create hours of make believe (really, we're going on two and they're still going strong.) Those who know my boys, know how intense they play. So the running and sliding across the bed, the beating each other up until you're not quite sure if someone should intervene, the yelling 'Estroy, estroy!', it's all just part of the party. Little Paden sure enjoys their noise and smiles away. His big toothless, dimply, sparkly eyed smile is to die for.