We got into Idaho only a few days before Christmas, so the majority of our time there with our families was after Christmas. And we got in some good playtime together!
Christmas day brought us some snow, so the day after we just had to get out in it and play.
My favorite Picture - cute boy!!!
For lunch we had a hot-dog roast around the fire pit in my parent's backyard.
Christensen Cousins
Grandpa and Grayer enjoying lunch.
My sister, Megan, and her cute baby, Beau
Uncle Justin and Cousin Maggie
The Idaho museum kept their Nativity and Santa Display up for a few days after Christmas so we stopped in for a look. Grayer enjoyed it, but mostly wanted to skip all the "look at stuff" and head straight to the kids area.
Playing with Grandma in the Teepee
Mad that I made him stop for a picture, I am a horrible Mother:)
Proof that there really was a Santa Display!
My brother, Jon, and his family live in Idaho as well and invited us all over for dinner and games one night so my Mom could have a break from cooking. We had a blast at their house, especially Grayer, he loves playing with all his cousins!
Grayer with my Brother's cute kids, he fits into their family, don't you think?
After dinner we went downstairs and played "Just Dance" on the Wii.
Whenever we go home my girlfriends and I always try to get together for lunch. This year Jen and I were the only ones in town so it was just the 2 of us but we had a blast talking for hours!
Before we left the West to fly back home to NY we drove down to Salt Lake City to spend a few more days with family. We went to the new (or at least new to us) Family History Children's Museum. What a cool place.
Grayer playing in Nephi's boat
Andy and my Dad!
Grayer and Grandma listening to different musical instruments from Mexico
One night my sister, Amy, and her husband, Mike drove into Salt Lake City for dinner. My Mom and Dad took us out to dinner at the "Roof" in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building - Fancy!! We had never been before, it was really nice and delicious.
This was our view from our table
I was trying to be artistic with these two pictures:)
We went to church with Amy and her family. My niece Ana is a little "mini me" because just like me she loves everything "girl" she loves make-up, she loves to do hair, but most of all she loves earrings. She loves to take out my earrings and put them back in again and again. Anyway after church I let her dress me up....
Notice, she put my bracelet in my hair, my earrings are hung over my ears, my rings are on different fingers plus I am adorning all their finger puppets:) Thanks Ana girl I love you!
For Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning we were with Andy's Family. We had the traditional Gilchrist Christmas Eve Dinner of Turkey and Mashed Potatoes, it was delicious!! We did a gift exchange and once again talked and caught up with family. Christmas Morning Grayer woke up anxious to open presents!
Grandma Gilchrist made Grayer this cute smurf hat
It is tradition that after we are done opening presents we head over to Grandma's and Grandpa's house to watch them open their presents.
Grayer playing with Grandpa Wayne
Playing with Cousin Chris and Uncle Mike
That afternoon we drove back up to Idaho Falls for more celebrating with the Christensen Family. We opened presents, then played with our presents!
Cousin Maggie opened Toy Story 3 from our Family to her's!
Me with my Mom and Grandma
Grayer's new Fireman outfit
Uncle Mike and Cousin Emma playing with her new toy
Grandpa passing out the presents
Cousin Sam and Grayer
My handsome man!!
For that evening my Mom planned a special activity at the church... We were to discover the "Treasures" of Christmas!
The first treasure was Christmas Music. We had a wonderful family Christmas program.
Cousin Audrey singing
Grayer and Cousin Emma being goofs:)
Cousin Daniel rockin' it on the piano
Cousin Maggie performing her Christmas piece
Here is a video of Grayer singing a Christmas Song
The next treasure was the treasure of Christmas Fun! We went into the gym and had a snowball fight and went sledding. How, you might ask? The "snowballs" were marshmallows and the "sleds" were pieces of carpet, it was awesome!!
Here is the video of our Indoor Snowball Fight
Lizzy didn't want to throw the marshmallows, she just want to eat them!
carpet "sled" relay races
Cousin Eva having the time of her life
The third treasure was Christmas Cookies. We went into the kitchen and decorated some cookies!
The big boys
Next my Dad took us into the high-council room and had each grandchild take off his or her shoes before entering the room. He then told everyone the story that President Hinckley once told of the 2 boys who came across a poor man's shoes. One of the boys thought it would be funny to take the shoes and hide them and the other thought it would be even better if instead they put a silver dollar in each shoe and see what happened. The boys hid and watched as the poor man came back for his shoes and discovered the silver dollars and immediately knelt down and thanked Heavenly Father for this blessing.
This was the treasure of giving and also the treasure of Christmas stories. And as all the kids were putting their shoes back on they too discovered some silver dollars hidden inside!
The last treasure I don't have any pictures of but we went into the chapel and all the lights were off besides a lamp, and underneath that lamp was a manger scene. We sang Silent Night and my Mom bore her testimony of the treasure of Christ in our lives. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful and very Merry Christmas!
Andrew and I officially met in our music theory class at BYU-Idaho. We both had a mutual friend who set us up and of course the rest is history!! We were married in June of 2005 in the Idaho Falls Temple. In January of 2009 we were blessed with our sweet little baby boy, Grayer!! In May of 2013 our second darling baby boy, Finden joined our family!! We currently are living in Rochester, New York where Andrew is getting his Doctorate in music performance from Eastman School of Music. Together we are having a great adventure and loving life!!
