FHE: Gingerbread Man Edition

For Family Home Evening tonight the kids decorated Gingerbread Men. It was a small departure from our yearly Gingerbread houses. They loved it! We had the funnest and funniest night. It really was great! We turned on the Christmas carols and dived in. Here are some photo highlights.

 Caught Ethan having a light bulb moment

 Evelyn showing us she had an "evil plan" to get as much candy as she can possibly get on her Gingerbread man.

 Ally was singing along with Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

 Ryland was holding his breath when he would do his frosting. Then blow it out when he stopped. It was funny.

 A frosting war almost broke out

 Ethan's

 Ally's

 Ryland's, obviously

Evelyn's

Photo Shoot Sunday: Christmas Village 2012

We took the kids to see Christmas Village tonight. It was super cold, but  we are old pros at this so we were all wearing our snow gear so it wasn't too bad. Here are the photo highlights.

Nutcracker 2012

 This year Ally was in the Nutcracker. Her ballet school performs it every Christmas season and she decided that this year she was ready to commit to the production. She was an Arabian Princess that Clara and the Nutcracker see on their way to see the Sugarplum Fairy. She did a great job and is TOTALLY doing it again next year.

Evie and I had fun hanging out together most of the day at the Egyptian Theater. We had to get Ally there early and decided to stay and save seats for our family members who were coming to attend the Matinee performance.

While we were in line to get into the Auditorium Evelyn took her very first pictures with my camera. I had a whole bunch of pictures of random people, the floor, my shoes, doors, posters on the wall. She took a bunch of me as well. I frequently was missing either my forehead or my chin. However, she also got these two awesome shots of me. Awesome.  

The Skidmore girls came to watch.

 Janet, Wendy, Becca and little Janet also came to see the Matinee

 Joe and Shelley with Ally

 Grandpa and Grandma Burke with Ally after the Evening performance

 Nate and Ethan went to the Evening performance after being busy with a scout overnighter and fundraiser. Ryland is going to be attending the Matinee on Monday with his school class. Such a fun Christmas activity.



Pictures With Santa 2012

Our family attended a fundraiser in Perry recently for the five little boys that were burned in an accident. When we got there we saw that they had pictures with Santa. We decided to go ahead and do it. Wish I would have dressed the kids all up instead of having them AS IS. Probably wouldn't have mattered much they were running like crazed little things all through out the gym area having a riot. Good thing they are stinking cute any way you slice it. Evelyn wasn't having any of it at first but we eventually coaxed her into the photo. Gotta admit, I think it will be kinda sad when I don't have a little one that isn't feeling the Santa love in pictures.

 Ally was excited to have two of her best friends there at the same time so she could get a picture taken with them as well. Emma and Taylor have been great friends to her for a great many years.

Bonneville Shoreline North: Our First Expedition

Since hurting my foot and having schnauz surgery I haven't hit the trail once. Not once. It is torture. Brutal. So once the schnauz doc cleared me for walking I knew right where I was heading. Although I prefer running trail the most I am not above walking or hiking it. This last Fall a new trail has been being cut to extend our favorite Bonneville Shoreline Trail from the north side of the North Ogden Divide to the Box Elder county line. Love it! Since snow is on the way they haven't finished it to the Box Elder County line yet. Cannot wait til they can get back to it next Spring. 

Since we were just gonna walk, and not run, I invited Vonda Salmon to come go with Vanessa Nielsen and I. We parked at the lot on the Divide road and walked the trail about 2.5 miles and then headed back. It was cold and it felt like it took forever but we had a great time. This trail definitely shows great promise, it just needs a little bit more usage to harden her up. Cannot wait til I am allowed to run it. Grateful I at least got to get on one though.