Merry Christmas!

My kids are not know for their sleeping in abilities, so by 6:30 it was all we could do to keep Grace in the bedroom. We ended up waking Max up -
Grace was so excited about everything - she got Pez in her stocking and a refill pack and candy necklaces. I don't think she even wanted to open up any of her presents. Santa didn't finish all his cookies, so Max helped a little. Surprise.

Grace loved her puppy and her kitty. She also got a Sit-n-Spin, a Dance Cam, some games and some babies. Growing up I loved baby dolls and hated stuffed animals. I want so badly for Grace to love baby dolls, but she hasn't played with the dolls that Santa brought her once. On the other hand, she hasn't put down the kitty - Max got trucks and cars and a puppy too. He is all boy, he puts the cars in the dump truck and drives it around my house.

After we were finished opening Santa presents Mike told Grace he had a surprise for her. Santa talked with him last night and left a special present in the kitchen. Grace went in and found her frogs on the counter. Mike told her Santa said they were magic frogs and they only stayed with good girls who minded their mommies and daddies and didn't whine or throw tantrums. She has been mesmerized by the frogs - and tells everyone about them. Their names are Chip and Dale - and the place I bought them promised they only needed cleaned 3-4 times a year and their container would always look clean and not smell.

We went to Mikes parents for breakfast and presents and then my parents for lunch, a talk with my brother Patch who's on a mission in California and then more presents. Of course the kids got spoiled some more- we are so blessed to have family and friends so close. We are blessed to have jobs, and the gospel in our lives.

While you were sleeping

Christmas Eve we made Santa some cookies, they were so tasty - but no one liked them more than Max. He must have had 6 or 7 cookies that day. Every time I came in the kitchen he was reaching up for another one. I finally had to move everything and push them as far back as I could, and then I came in and he was pushing a chair over to the counter. Max's nickname is Sugar Cube, and it fits!
After the Christmas Eve party we set Santa out some cookies and milk, and the next thing I know Grace is in my bed eating cookies. She told me she was just going to try it for Santa.

One minute I walk in and she's eating a cookie and the next minute she was sound asleep. Unfortunately we were not so lucky with Max, after all the cookies, the candy canes and the Hershey kisses he ate at the party he was up with a tummy ache for several hours that night. But Santa came anyways.

And I guess the kids were good this year, because they sure got spoiled!

Christmas Eve

We went to Mike's family Christmas Eve party this year. Mike's aunt and uncle own North Davis Gymnastics and always have the family parties there. It's great for the kids because they are able to play on the gymnastic equipment and they always have so much fun. Max thought he was pretty neat stuff that he could hold onto the rings.

Miss sassy pants herself. (Side note, Grace wears these silver boots pretty much everyday. I only have one pair of skinny jeans for her- but she doesn't care, she can "match" them with everything.)

Santa always comes after dinner and the little kids love it. He remembers some of the kids from the years past and tells them a Christmas story, they sing some Christmas songs and then each kid gets a present. Grace and Max were leery at first - but while Santa was talking he said someone gave him a high five. Well Max perks right up and walks around the kids right over to Santa to give him a high five. It was really cute - Santa is so good with the kids.

This picture turned out a little blurry, but the fact that Max is on his lap is a huge accomplishment. It didn't last long - but then Santa gave him a candy cane - and made it all better. (Can I just say for the record that I hate candy canes, who ever thought that a big sticky stick was a good idea for kids?)

Grace wasn't too sure about Santa when he first came in. She sat on Grandma Ruth's lap and after a few minutes she said "He's sure a nice Santa." Then she hoped down and ran up and got her present -

My niece Daisy did not like Santa, the sad look on her face said it all. She wouldn't look at him - not even to get her present.

It's so much fun to see how excited the kids get on Christmas Eve, you can just see it in their eyes.

Temple Square

I want my kids to experience family traditions, especially at Christmas time, so each year we go to temple square to see the lights. We usually try to go the first part of December, but between Disneyland, and me working until 8pm 3 days a week it looked like it wasn't going to happen. Plus it's just be so dang cold. But on the 23rd we had an open night and bundled up the kids.

It really was cold - I had them each in a long sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt and their biggest coats, plus stocking caps, scarves and gloves. I wanted them to not cry because they were cold and just be able to enjoy the lights.

I do own a double stroller, but I didn't have it at my house and I figured sticking them both in the single would keep them warm. Plus there are so many people, trying to get a double stroller through temple square just doesn't make so much sense.

The reflecting pools with the little bubble lights have always been my favorite.

It was lightly snowing, not even enough to get us wet, but it made everything look so beautiful. I leaned down and told Grace that the temple was Heavenly Fathers house and she looked at me and said, "I know that," and then gave me a look like "duh, mom." Thanks Grace.

Grace kept taking off her hat and telling me her head was hot, I thought well then I'm doing my job and told her to keep it on.

I'm glad we live close enough to make this a quick trip - and hope it's something my kids will enjoy doing each year. The lights are so beautiful and the Christmas story is always touching. At the end of the story the prophet always has a recorded message. Last year it was still President Hinckley, this year it had changed to President Monson. I looked at Mike and said it made me a little sad. Not because I feel anything negative towards our current prophet, but the last four years Mike and I have been we loved hearing President Hinkley's voice, it was comforting. Max was named after President Hinckley. I'm sure next year it will be normal to hear President Monson's voice, even comforting again.

Speth Family Christmas Party

Because I'm a slacker, or possibly because I usually blog at work when it's slow and November/December are busy I'm just a bit behind on my posts.... So, even though my sister and cousin posted this a week ago - here are some pictures from my mom's family Christmas party.

Each year we get together a few weeks before Christmas at an elementary school in Hyrum. It's always very casual, we eat, talk, sometimes play games, sometimes just eat and talk. It's great because we are baby making machines and have a ton of little kids... okay, maybe not machines but there are a bunch of munchkins. They get to run around the gym and play, scream and use every last drop of energy they have.

Here's my mom writing my brother and cousin a letter. They are both on missions and we are proud of them both.
Some of my cute family, Ryan, Mary, Jalane, Taya, Cassie, Dustin & Nicole.

The school has these skateboard things that can be used individually or hooked together to make a train (danger train). You can see by Max and Grace's faces that they loved this!

Adi trying to pull Max and Grace...

Grace and uncle Jordan

I posted this picture because it was so dang funny to watch - This is Grace and my cousins little boy Tyson. He's a few months older than Grace and they are both in the "Don't touch it, it's mine, I had it first" age. I honestly don't know who had it first, but when I came up on them they were both going at it over the green skateboard. Part of me wanted to jump in, but the other part of me was like this is so good for Grace, she is always the taker, and the winner of objects in dispute.. Well not this time!

Luckily there were no major accidents with the danger train this year. Adi and Ty had a pretty good run in, and Nayvie's hair got stuck in a wheel - but as fast as those things get going, and as many kids and multiple trains going at once - we'll count it as a win!

Missed all of you who couldn't come!

"I hate Santa"

Shortly before Thanksgiving we started trying to get the kids excited for Santa. Max is too young, but typically easy going so I thought he'd be okay. The first time we told Grace Santa would be coming soon she said "I hate Santa." She proceeded to say that last year we made her sit on Santa's lap and that she hated him and was scared and that Max didn't cry but he didn't like him either.

Sometimes it's hard for me to remember that she isn't even 3 yet, how does she remember that day a year ago so clearly? She wouldn't have even been 2 then, what child remembers a year ago? Well, every time we talked about Santa she said she hated him, she wouldn't go near him and was sure not going to sit on his lap.

When we were in Disneyland our hotel had a Santa, and Grace made sure to keep her distance. Max didn't like him either, and he was the cutest Santa. By the third day Santa came to her and gave her a candy cane, she still wouldn't talk to him but she didn't scream and run away.

Grace has been telling me that she wants a fish or a frog for Christmas, well her mommy doesn't want one so I told her she'd have to ask Santa for it. We went to the mall and I told her it was time to go ask Santa. She wouldn't get out of her stroller, I even told her I'd go with her but nope, she wouldn't budge. I thought my plan was working great until Santa foiled it. He left his chair and came out the exit and kneeled down to Grace -

"What would you like?"

Pause.... "A FISH!"

"Oh, a fish" (quick look at mom...) "What else would you like?"

"Just a fish."

"Would you like a baby doll?"

"No, Just a fish." (Quick look at mom again with a sly little smile.)

"Well, I'm sure if you are good then you will have a great Christmas!"

And Grace beamed. Way to go Santa for not commiting mom to a fish, but Grace hasn't stopped asking for a fish and/or frog since. She said that Santa's told her he'd bring her a fish. Oh, what does a mommy who doesn't want to clean out a fish bowl or frog bowl do?

Gradually she's come around to Santa until this morning during breakfast she said "I like oatmeal and Santa now." Okay, thanks Grace.

Disneyland!

The first week in December Mike's parents took us to Disneyland for Christmas. I love the holiday decorations - it's my favorite way to visit! We went with Mike's sisters as well, so we had 5 kids 12 and under, 3 under 3 and we knew there was going to be some challenges.

I was nervous to take Grace and Max on the plane, I didn't want to be "that mother" of "that baby" who wouldn't stop crying. They both did beautifuly on the way to California, not so much on the way home, but 50/50 isn't bad right?


We had so much fun in Disneyland, I love getting to make memories with my kids, they are probably to young to remember too much, but we'll always have pictures!


The first day we went to the character breakfast at our hotel, staring Lilo and Stich. I got assaulted by Stitch. Most of you know my personal space bubble, and it was shattered. He had me in a head lock and kept giving me hugs because Max was so scared of him. I didn't count him being scared either, he usually is just an easy going boy, but he did not like any of the characters.

This is the first day in the park, I told Max I wanted one cute picture of him smiling at the camera, he looked at me and smiled cute! What a good boy!

I didn't get a picture of Lighting McQueen on my camera, hopefully someone else did! They were really cute!

This is the huge Christmas tree right as you walk into Disneyland. It is huge! They bring in semi's each year to set it up. I love all the decorations and the Christmas music.

There are so many pictures on the carousel, Grace and Max both loved it. We made the mistake of taking Grace on Snow White first and she was scared to death! She wouldn't ride anything in the dark again. So we just kept taking her on the carousel. This is Grace and Grandma Ruth.

They had Santa's sleigh and all his reindeer back by this excellent BBQ place we ate lunch at. The food was so good, and it's a good thing it was all you can eat because Grace had a hungry week and ate 4 chicken legs + beans + cornbread.

Aunt Caitlin and Max

The 2nd day we took the kids into Toontown, Grace had been so scared to ride anything the first day. I told her I would ride everything with her and not let anything happen. She was just barely tall enough to ride the Toontown roller coaster, but I didn't think she really would do it. The whole time we were in line she just kept watching it asking why it went around like that. I showed her how all the people were smiling when they were done and bribed her with a sucker if she would ride it.

Look at this proud girl after she got off her 1st roller coaster! Way to go Grace! (Mike said her face was terrified the whole time, but she didn't cry at all!) We went and got suckers afterwards!

Grace is usually a pill when it comes to the camera....

Grace and Mike in jail. Right were they belong! :)

If there is water around, Max will find it. But look how happy he is!

The jungle safari ended up being one of Grace's favorite things, she loved the zebras*, the hippos and the rhinos. Max loved it too!

(*for those of you who have been to Disneyland, do you remember that the zebra is getting eaten by the lion? do you think I should be concerned that's her favorite?)

Max has become quite the mama's boy, he is cautious about so many things that I never thought he would be. This is him on the jungle cruise as he's watching the animals. I look terrible, but I loved the picture of him!

Grace went through Chip and Dale's tree house and was mad they were not home. She was excited to see them later that day. I also didn't get a picture of her with Donald Duck, who is her favorite. She told me the day before we left that Donald is her favorite because he doesn't wear pants. Well, when we finally found Donald he was signing another girls book. He did something I can't remember what and I said, "Oh he's an angry Donald." Well, he looked at me, blew a raspberry, threw the girls book and kicked the post. Grace laughed and laughed, she says that was her favorite thing too. He really played Donald so well!

Grace and her cousin Tylor -

One of the attempts to get the 5 grandchildren in the same picture....

Max rode everything, he never cried he just loved being with us, outside and watching people.

The carousel at California Adventures is so stinking cute! Plus they don't make you get off so they just rode and rode.

Our hotel was decorated for Christmas too! They had a Santa, but my children wouldn't go near him. We had to wait until he left to get a picture by the tree. It was darling!

We really did have such a fun time. We were worried about all the walking with Mike's back, but he held up really well. The last day I told Grace we were going home and she said "Grandpa will bring me back next week." I wish too sweetheart!

Thanks Todd and Ruth!