We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

We love Christmas! The reason for the season, the decorations, the weather, the lights, the smells and of course the presents... although I don't love the crazy amount of presents...especially when they rip them open and throw them to the side just to open the next one. So this year we decided to try an idea I saw on Pinterest. The kids list had just four things....one thing to wear, one thing to read, one thing you want and one thing you need! I thought the kids were going to throw a fit when I proposed this idea and instead they LOVED it...here were their lists:

Aiden:
One thing to wear: A new Suit
One thing to read: FableHaven series
One thing you want: a basketball hoop
One thing you need: sports goggles (prescription glasses for sports)

Anna:
One thing to wear: jacket
One thing to read: Dork Diaries series
One thing you want: electric scooter
One thing you need: electric pencil sharpener

Laura:
One thing to wear: ASU or Cardinals shirt
One thing to read: Divergent
One thing you want: American Cookbook
One thing you need: slippers

They of course got other things from their family and stuff in their stockings but Santa really stuck to this list and I was very proud! It was a great Christmas and we will definitely be doing this next year!

Our favorite present was Laura's mom Marta and brother Pablo coming to visit. They actually arrived on Christmas Eve and came over first thing Christmas morning. It was so fun getting to meet them and I know Laura was thrilled to see them! The day after Christmas, they went on a whirlwind tour of California and we went to Pinetop with the Steven's family for our annual New Years trip!

Annual gingerbread house decorating with Nana

These two have a small crush on each other!!!!

Live Nativity with the Val Vista Ward

Anna and her bestie Paige

 Aiden's 1st band performance

Aiden getting ready to rock it on the trombone

We love Mr. Trout

Aiden's pals Cole and Cade

Grandma's 90th birthday party

Four generations

Christmas party with Gma Fluhr

Christmas Morning

Laura making homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast

Looking sharp in his new suit! It's good to know people! 

Our newest members of the family...Marta and Pablo

Tennessee who? Pablo is now an ASU fan!!

So fun having Grandpa Dan and Stacey over for breakfast

One of Aiden's favorite gifts...soccer jersey from Spain

New Years in Pinetop

The First Thanksgiving

When we purchased Trent's family home we missed the fine print: "family gatherings will always be held in this house"! So in order to honor the agreement we hosted our first Thanksgiving! I'm not going to lie I was very nervous about taking on such a huge responsibility! There is a lot of pressure in providing such a monumental feast...especially when the guests have high standards based on previous experience! Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays...food and family what could be better! But I love going to other peoples home! Fortunately, Trent's dad offered to help us with the Turkey and I am a good delegator so all the guests brought a portion of the meal. It ended up being a great day and everything turned out surprisingly well! This was also Laura's first Thanksgiving so it was an extra special day!

Grandpa Dan is a great teacher! Love watching these men in the kitchen!

Trent made a top for the pool table! It was the perfect setting for our 20+ guests!

Brendan is getting way to big way to fast! 

Anna and Miss Maddie!

Maddie and Laura got them honor of breaking the wishbone...Laura got the bigger piece! Hope she made a good wish!

I found the turkey crayon holder idea here...the kids loved decorating their place settings!

We love our cousins

The very best thing about Thanksgiving weekend..the ASU vs UofA game!

Laura's first ASU game and the best one of the year...and we won!!!!!

The kids were very helpful...removing the extra parts inside the cavity...gross!

Happy Halloween

Love this holiday! I really think Halloween is my favorite holiday! I love the decorations, the costumes and of course the candy! I have been lucky to work in schools that still allow us to dress up and even have a parade (more and more schools are not allowing this tradition :( So my team and I dressed up as the grammar police! Because of Aiden's glasses we thought he would make a perfect Clark Kent and Anna wanted to be a goddess! Laura enjoyed her first REAL Halloween as even though they celebrate the holiday in Spain it is on a much smaller scale! She dressed up as a cheerleader from Glee! Very cute! In honor of the holiday we also went to a pumpkin patch and maintained our tradition of carving pumpkins (this was a first for Laura). 
And of course there was the Trick or Treating! The kids hit up most of the neighborhood and filled up a pillow case! I on the other hand was on a diet and did not eat one piece of candy! That was a first for me!!

Anna with her besties...Kylie and Paige

Anna with the most amazing teacher ever...Mrs. Ryland!! We are so lucky to have her!!