As most of you know, I worked Christmas this year. It was just now coming up with a day for us to celebrate Christmas on. We've already done a Christmas get together with the Plotts so now we were curious as to what my parents were doing for the holidays because we knew they had gifts for Braxton. The best day that would work for my parents to come up and visit were the Saturday after Christmas since my dad is busy helping Santa out the month of December. So Jackson and I decided that we would wait as well and just have our Christmas be on Saturday with my parents.
So my parents came up on Friday night along with Emily arriving to have Christmas eve. Than later on that Saturday afternoon, my brother Wade and his family came over for Christmas as well. It was a great christmas and as usual, the pictures tell it all! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! I tried so hard to get this post before 2014, but as usual from me, better late than never.
Emily and I making some last minute trips to some stores on Friday evening to prepare for Christmas! At least we weren't rushed by stores closing early as it would have been if it was actually Christmas Eve :)
Braxton was hungry, so we gave him a hot dog and some slushy, he loved the slushy!
No worries, we broke pieces off of the hot dog, we didn't let him bite it himself. He loved that too though!
We saw this headband when walking through all the christmas stuff on sale!
We thought we'd just take a picture of it instead of buy it.
Opening up our one Christmas Eve gift, new jammies!
Santa came! Even a few days later! :)
It was so weird for me to have my stocking say "mom". When we were putting names on the stockings, I was just gonna put Rachel but my mom and Emily said that it needs to say mom. Another reality moment for me I guess. I'm sure it will be even more weird when Braxton starts saying it as well.
My new stocking holders! They were great before the stockings were filled.
I'm guessing they'll just be used next year up until Christmas day.
Christmas morning in our new PJ's, the men just got new bottoms.
Jackson insisted that I open my gift from him first....
...so that way I can use my new video camera! :) Jackson even had it charged and ready for me to go!
Thanx sweetie! I love it!! :)
Braxton opening up his new dinosaur from mom.
This is the book that Braxton's Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Hawkins gave him. He loves it! He loves those types of books with flaps! And I'm so glad to have something he can take to church with him.
I didn't take any pictures of him opening it because I was too focused on recording it with my new video camera just for you Grandma! I will try to send you the video sooner than later or even post it on facebook for you to watch.
Braxton playing with his new toy from Grandma and Grandpa Hawkins!
Thank you! :)
Mom and dad opening up there new.....
bed foam pad from us. It's the exact same one on our guest bed that they love!
Emily also got them new body pillows and head pillows. Once I saw that Emily was getting them new pillows, I thought they should get a new bed foam pad. They will now sleep in comfort!
Emily and Jackson opening up there gift from Braxton.
Yep they got baby spoons! With a note that said to check the freezer for there very own....
...Blue Bell Ice Cream! All the way from Texas!
Well shipped to Provo from one of there corporate buildings, either way Jackson and Emily were excited for there very own "Blue Bell" ice cream.
Emily opening up her gift from mom and dad. It was wrapped in multiple boxes.
It was her mission blog that my mom kept up to date for her while she was on her mission. My mom made the blog into a book for her. All of her letters that she wrote to home including pictures that were posted are now all in that book.
Emily LOVED it! Her reaction was priceless and I got it all on video tape! As I said earlier, will hopefully soon be able to post on facebook. Yes, those are tears of joy! She was so happy!
Jackson oepning up his gift from me, new...
Rollerblades! It's the exact one that Jackson wanted. They are huge! He had to try it on a few weeks before Christmas just incase we needed to send it back and exchange it, so the picture on the right was his reaction than when he first opened the box.
My dad said that he just had to get this welcome mat for Jackson.
XCOM game from Santa.
Jackson opening up his gift from me, tickets to an NBA Jazz game in February! Jackson said he's never been to a NBA game before. I was trying to get him tickets to a game with the Miami heat but that is a big game and quite sold out. I got these tickets for like 1/4 of the original price! Lower box seats even! :)
Dad opening up his gifts from my mom, a new lunchbox and work overalls.
Braxton opening up his gift from Daddy, of course a push around DOG! :)
He does love it though! :)
Helping daddy put it together!
My friend Ashlee gave me this huge tub of toys that her kiddos don't play with anymore. And I didn't have room to bring it home the last time I was in Idaho, so my parents brought it up this last weekend. Thank you so much Ashlee for the toys! They have been put to good use! :)
Zaebyn playing with one of the toys given to me from Ashlee.
Melanie wanted to be apart of Christmas so she asked if she could skype with us and watch us open up our gifts. It was fun to have her be apart of our Christmas, even if it was through a computer 14 hours away.
Wade and Cadi checking out the new calender for this year from mom and dad.
My mom always offers to make pumpkin cake for the outgoing and returning home missionarries in Shelley. It's become a quite popular thing for her to do, make the families pumpkin cake. She probably makes about 3-5 pumpkin cakes a month at times for these missionaries. Well to make cake, multiple cakes even, you need good beaters. She has never had any good beaters, infact they always have a spare for when the cheapo one she owns breaks. So this year, Wade thought all of us kids could pitch in together and get her a nice excellent working kitchen aid mixer instead. She was so surprised and loved it! No more cheapo handheld beaters.
Xylie and Zaebyn opening up there gifts from Grandpa and Grandma Hawkins.
Playing with there gift from Emily.
Time to make Gingerbread houses. I love to make gingerbread houses and told my mom that I bought a kit and needed to make mine someday soon, so we went out and got more kits for everyone else to work on too. It was fun.
Grandpa holding Wade and Cadi's new daughter Aimbree, only a week and a half old.
Xylie and Zaebyn playing with the elefun game that Emily bought them as well.
Jackson trying out his new blades, got a pretty sweet video of him rollerblading! :)
The kiddos having fun with the the dogs and the lazer. Melanie loved how Braxton, Xylie, and Zaebyn were all just sitting there staring at the dogs, so I took some pics of it.
We decided to go to temple square that Saturday night to see the lights.
It was so nice to have someone available to take our picture!
Emily wanted to get a more recent picture of herself for my parent's wall so we took a few at our house.
And of course one with her new book!
Had to show a picture of my new video camera. Not only that was given to me, but Jackson got me the "Living Scriptures DVD's"! With a bunch of bonus stuff. Jackson told me that he knew the guy that was selling them at the expo in Idaho Falls and that he got us an awesome deal of everything pictured! I've always been a huge fan of these videos ever since I was little. I've always struggled with reading and my parents owned some of the Nephi videos and those videos helped me understand Nephi the best out of the whole book of mormon. So I was already a huge fan of them, but what really pushed me over the top for wanting these videos even more was when there was this little boy that is 7 in my primary class that knows all the answers to the questions I would ask about the scriptures. It was amazing, he honestly knew more than I do about the scriptures. I told the little boy's mom that he is so smart and that he knows a lot about the scriptures and the mother than stated, "It's because of the Living Scripture DVD's they have at home, he loves them". So yes, I am THRILLED to now own them too!! Thanx Babe! I love it!!
Lately I have found Braxton laying like this several times in his crib, it looks so uncomfortable that I fix him. I don't know if it's because he was breach and in that position my whole pregnancy, but I think that would have worn off by now. Poor little guy, I would hate to sleep in the shape of a "V".
Emily trying out her new mug and hot chocolate from Wade and Cadi, Mmmm!
My parents were planning on leaving Sunday evening. Well they needed something to do that morning and they always somehow find a project that needs to be completed at our house. A new baby gate for our little crawler! :) Thanx mom and dad for all the help in getting us a baby gate!
Braxton lounging in the tub while the men put up the baby gate!
The finished project upstairs (there's one downstairs as well)! So grateful for our new baby gate! :)
I didn't know you got a picture of me on Skype! That was cool. Also I LOVED your pics from temple square. They turned out beautiful. I love them. AND you're looking so beautiful sis. As usual. :) Love you and I love blogs. Love that I get stay connected with my family. Love you and miss you. (I say that a lot huh?) :) Hope 2014 is a great year for you!
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