Merry Christmas

Looks like Santa came!
Slept in till 8am, what a GREAT morning!

Wobby was lucky to catch this shot, Ashton told me that they weren't going to wait for pictures this year, he told me to be ready down the hallway. Here they come:

Checking out their stockings

Santa left a note to Branson saying: Look in the garage for a big surprise

SURPRISE!

Meet Branson's new kitty: BARN

Branson setting up his little kitty's new home.

Ash got a new rope bag, he had to run back to his room, put his cowboy hat on, to make sure and get the right look for the camera.

Time to open presents.

Since Brian lost his fishing pole in the lake this last summer, the boys were pretty disappointed watching it go in the lake getting carried away by a fish, Ashton and Branson decided to buy dad a new fishing pole for Christmas.

Checking out Wobby's new sound bar from Santa.

Ashton working on his lego city set.

I decided to set out my china for our Christmas dinner. We had Grandma and Grandpa Downs up for the night and cooked a yummy dinner.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! We hope you all had as good as Christmas as we did! We Love You All!!

and

Happy New Year!

Our Christmas Eve Tradition

Every Christmas Eve we head out about noon and go to Hardware Ranch to see the elk and try to go on a sleigh ride. This year they weren't doing the sleigh rides, but we still had fun seeing the elk anyways. Brian decided to start up another tradition this year too, and let the kids open up a gift on our way up the canyon to Hardware.

Dad gave them new binoculars. They both were very excited about these!
Brian also surprised me with a family gift, a new digital recorder. I was very surprised!

Getting a good look at all of the elk.

Ashton kept begging us to go down to the gate and see the elk up a little bit more closer. He didn't get to see them, cause he was too cold. As soon as we got down there, he begged to go back up to the truck. We stayed down there long enough to snap a few shots and then ran back to the truck.

After seeing the elk, we headed to Grandma and Grandpa Parker's house for our family Christmas Party. I forgot to take my camera in, the kids had such a fun time, and loved playing with all of their cousins. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for a delicious dinner, the Christmas story, and getting spoiled with gifts! We Love You Guys!

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Then we headed home to get ready for Santa

Finding the perfect spot to set out our stockings for Santa.

Branson setting out his banana and coke for Santa, and Ashton setting out his green cookie and peanut butter cookies for Santa.

All ready to head to bed and sleep so Santa can come!

Downs Family Christmas Party

It was our turn this year to host the Downs Family Christmas Party, we had a very fun night! We sure missed Uncle Bubby & Afton, Taylor, and Mylee! Grandma and Grandpa had gifts galore for the grandkids, and the grandkids sure loved every one of them!
Exchanging gifts

Putting on our 'Bingo Faces'

The little girls showing off their tutu's Grandma made for them, Hailey and Jocelyn...Mylee was home sick, we sure missed her!

The traditional Christmas PJs from Grandma and Grandpa. Here are all the grandkids showing off their new look.

Thanks everyone for coming up to our house for our Christmas Party, it sure turned out to be a really fun party for all of us, thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for spoiling us all!

Ashton's Christmas Program

Ashton had his school Christmas program last week. He was so nervous to get in front of all those people, and said he wasn't going to sing because he would have stage fright. But, he did in fact sing, and did most of the actions too. There were so many people there, that we had to watch from the door way of the auditorium. I think most of our little town was there!

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I was able to snap a picture of him walking out of the program, he just loves pictures!

Here are the Christmas Program 'comers', thanks Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Bubby and Afton for coming to watch!

Way to go Ashton! You did such a good job, we are so proud of you!

Look Wobby!

One afternoon Branson was in the kitchen for quite awhile, I kept asking him what he was doing, and he said 'I will show you in a minute.....its a surprise' When he was all done he said 'Look Wobby, I wrote my ABZ's: A B C D E F and Z; see I am very smart!'

And Santa Wrote Back!

It was a very exciting day once we got a letter back from Santa! Santa is requesting Branson leave out a banana and a coke for him, and wants Ashton to leave him out a green cookie and a coke for him too.

Good thing Santa is so good to write back, makes the season so much funner for the boys!

Our Christmas Tree

We cut down our Christmas tree Monday afternoon about an hour before the snow started to come down, perfect timing, we got home just in time! Ashton and Branson were very excited to go, and wanted to find 'the perfect one' this year.

And they did find it:

Watching dad cut the tree down.

The tree all cut down and ready to haul home.

Ashton was excited to pull out the train and set it up around the tree, and Branson was a BIG helper decorating the tree, the bottom branches were definetely filled up with ornaments!

And here is the final look of our Christmas Tree.....Now we are ready for Christmas!