Christmas Festivities 2010

Grandma and grandpa always plan many fun activities for the family to do around Christmas time. One special event is breakfast with Santa day. Although Santa doesn't exactly eat breakfast with us, he and Mrs. Claus arrive at grandma's just as we are finishing up breakfast.

First, grandma makes us all breakfast and we enjoy that! She always has very fun table decorations and place settings, tablecloth, etc.

Colton, Livy and Abby in front of grandma and grandpa's Christmas tree.

Daddy and Colton waiting for Santa to arrive......

We always know when Santa arrives, because we can hear his bells jingling all the way down the stairs. It's so fun, the kids get way excited!

Abby surprisingly sat very well on Santa's lap.

Colton helped Santa lead the family in singing Christmas songs.

Olivia sticks her thumb in her mouth when she gets nervous.

Olivia leading the Christmas singing.

Colton and Santa... each grandchild got a turn to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas that year. Then Santa gave them a little present.

All the cute grandkids with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Our family with Mr. and Mrs. Claus

Grandpa and grandma with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Baby Abby and Baby Charlotte.

It was a fun day of "Breakfast with Santa"....such a fun tradition.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Newcastle Christmas program

Today was interesting....it was Colton's school Christmas program and he would not participate in it. I could not get him to go up on the stage to save my life. So we both sat out in the audience and watched the other kids. If you look closely at the picture you'll see the vacant spot in the front row on the end. That's my boy!!!

Colton turned 5!!!

Happy Birthday to my Colton....can you guess how old he turned???? Colton and Olivia had a really fun time playing with this huge balloon... I feel bad that I really didn't get many pictures of his birthday. Grandma Ann came over before his birthday party to give him a present so I got some pictures of that and then when it was time for his party I just got so busy with it I didn't take many pictures.

Colton opened his present from grandma Ann...she also gave Colton and Olivia new p.j.s, because his birthday party was a p.j. party.

Livy in her new p.j.'s from grandma.

Colton and Liv with Grandma Ann.

Birthday Boy!!

For Colton's birthday party we did a p.j. and movie party. So all the kids wore their pajamas and we had a pinata, pizza, popcorn and opened presents, watched a movie-"How to train your Dragon" and had cupcakes. It was a blast!

Some of Colton's friends waiting their turn in the pinata line.

This was Colton opening more presents after church the next day.

......and little sissy.
....and baby sissy...five months old!

HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY COLTON!!!

Abby at 5 months old.

Josh's dodgeball party!

I wanted to do something different for Josh's 30th birthday this year. He threw me such an amazing 30th birthday surprise party. However, I know Josh and he is not big into parties or social gatherings especially if they are for him. But I knew I wanted to do something. My friend Jen gave me an idea that sounded just like something Josh would like. Very fun, casual, laid back....I decided to throw him a surprise dodge ball bday party. I think most of us had not played dodge ball since we were in elementary school. So it was very out of the ordinary for all of us!! I reserved the gym at the church, bought lots of dodge ball's and a whistle.

It was a Friday night....I told Josh that I had signed us up to clean the church on Friday night, because there was going to be an event on Saturday morning. I told him to wear comfy clothing to clean in. He did have an idea that something was going on, but he had no clue it was a dodge ball party.

Josh with "the dads."
Josh's family....as you can tell they were not up for playing dodge ball.

Neither was Britt or Jami....

Most of the rest of us came to play.....notice the blue and the yellow sweat bands that I sort of made. (We had to differentiate the teams)

Ms. Love


I had a little display up of lots of Josh's growing up pictures.

This is the Happy Birthday I made.

This is the hilarious picture that our very computer savvy friend Levi photoshoped for me. It is a picture of Ben Stiller's body playing dodge ball on the movie Dodge ball. Josh's head is on the body. I used it on the birthday invitation. It turned out really funny.

More pictures from Josh's life.

For dinner I served hoagie sandwiches, our favorite pasta salad from Red Butte Cafe, chips and carrot cake.
Josh and long time buddy Doug.

I had to get a picture of Levi's dodge ball uniform.....Hil Ar IOUS!

A few action shots.....


Everybody who came to play, said they had the best time. It really was so fun playing dodge ball...we turned on music and got a little wild. It was a great party...I even think Josh had some fun! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH!!!