Christmas Eve

 Christmas Eve is spent at Grandma and Grandpa Merkley's house.  It was a lot of fun to have the cousins all together and see everyone.  Dan is totally enthralled with Mark the Mouse, which is what he's playing with up above.  Over and over again until an adult has to remove it from the kids' reach.

 Emma being all cute waiting for everyone to arrive.

 Uncle Nate and Aunt Naomi even came up from St. George.

 Aunt Jenny stopped by and of course had to snuggle with Izzy (she's Naomi and Nate's new addition to the Buys (Merkley) clan.

 Aunt Melinda and Uncle Rod and cousin Reid got to meet Izzy for the first time as well.

 Dan liked holding his newest little cousin.  She was actually quite okay with him holding her.

 Hyrum had to get in on that action.  My kids LOVE babies!!

 Me with Izzy and Hyrum and Emma.

 Emma holding Izzy.

 Hyrum getting to hold her.

 All the cousins except Josh.  Josh and his mom and dad were quite late and we had to occupy the time.

Porter had a major accident.  He smashed into the wall into a star nightlight and hurt his nose and split both his lips.  Lots of tears, lots of blood, and one very inconsolable Porter.  The only way he would agree to a picture with all his cousins was if Dad joined him.  With Dad there, we had to include all the dads with their kids.  So you have Joe with Dan and Porter, Rodney with Reid (Hyrum next to him for sake of room), Emma had to squeeze onto her Uncle Geoff's lap with Josh, and lastly Nate with little Izzy.  It was a great picture.  If everyone hadn't been so annoyed, perhaps we could have done all the moms.  As a result of Porter's catastrophe, I wasn't able to take pictures of the insanity that was opening presents.  But they all walked away with stuff they loved.  It was a good day of family and friends.

Gift Time

 We are doing dinner on the night of the solstice this year, but figured we would do presents on the weekend and they could have all of break to play them to death.

 Me and my boys.

 Me and all the kids.

 Daddy with his kids.  Porter didn't really want to be there, so he agreed to sit only if he didn't have to sit near anyone.

 Dan opening the movie from Oma and Opa.  He got "Despicable Me."

 Porter opening his book. 

 Emma opening movie from Oma and Opa; she opened "The Guardians of Gah'Hoole"

Hyrum ripping into "Fantasia" from Oma and Opa.  Porter had opened "Shrek: The Whole Story (Blu-ray)".

They thoroughly enjoyed their gifts.  Each got a stuffed critter from the world of Dr. Suess, a book, a movie, and a Wii or DS game.  They were very happy with it all, and it was a lot of fun.

Our Christmas Tree

 I know that I am not like most people.  When the commercial comes on that says Christmas is the happiest day for kids and thereby parents happiest day, and all I feel is depressed.  Christmas has become a time were everyone everywhere gets the serious case of the "gimmes."  Me, I'm a minimalist.  I love the tree smell.  I love the colors.  And I believe that you get what you need from "Santa" and then maybe one other gift.  That's it.  So this year, we don't really have any room for a big tree, so I opted for a small LIVE tree.  The candle fills our entire house with the smell of pine trees.  I absolutely love it.

Emma wants to "decorate" it.  I don't know.  I think it's beautiful in all its simplicity.

Festival of Trees

 Some of our favorite trees.  However, between the crowds and a few grouchy kids, taking pictures wasn't the easiest task.

 Hyrum was complaining they were in the way, and Dan and Porter kept trying to look at the tree instead of me.

 Them big pots was scary!!

 Emma and the Mern waiting for us to get sat at the Mayan.

 Porter was scared of the big pottery so he was content to read his book.

 We took the train there and back so Hyrum and Porter occupied the time with the DS.

 Emma was so good on the way down, on the way back she turned into a serious Demon!!  I was in near tears.

Dan hanging with the Dad.  The trees were beautiful, but the day was Exhausting!!

Dan's Birthday Party

 I know this is so late, but I kept forgetting to get the pictures off the camera.  Dan turned three on the 21st of November.  We kept it small.

 Blowing out his candle.

My four babies!!!  So cute.  I sure do love them!