Christmas in AZ: Christmas Morning

Santa definitely worked his magic this year.  He brought just what the kids wanted. 

Bet you can't guess who all those animals are for.

Brynlee has been asking for a baby doll for the last few years.  I've always thought she was getting a little old for them but she REALLY wanted one.  Santa finally decided to fulfill her wish and even brought twins!

Landon = Legos.

Ashlee wanted a hammock-type swing that hangs from ceiling (she calls it a Hugglepod but this one is actually from IKEA) so she can curl up with a good book in her room.  Sure hope Santa checked to make sure there was an accessible beam in the ceiling in her room to hang it from!

Mirror mirror on the wall.  Who's the cutest baby of all?  Olivia is starting to become more aware of things around her.  You can tell she really tries to concentrate on things and hopefully this will encourage her to lift her head while doing tummy time and see that pretty little face.

The girls checking out the songs on Just Dance for Kids 2. 

Here's a little review....do not buy it!  The kids really like the first one so I thought we'd get the second one.  The song list had some good songs, but after trying it out on the Wii, I wish I hadn't bought it...errr, I wish Santa hadn't brought it.

Landon will have to wait to use this snowboard...even Utah didn't get snow for Christmas. 

His panda can try it out first.

Mary Anne made this fleece blanket for Grandpa.  Perfect for the dedicated scouter he is!

After opening presents and eating sausage egg "McMuffins" made by Grandpa and Grandma, we got ready for church and enjoyed a nice worship service centered on the Savior.  I think I'm going to start a petition to have Christmas always be on Sunday (like Thanksgiving is always on Thursday).  Anyone want to sign it?


Rob's sister, Cheryl, let us borrow this cute outfit for Olivia...so festive!  These days her hands are constantly in her mouth and she is so wiggly so after 19 attempts (trust me, I counted), here are a couple of the best ones. It helps when you hold her hands down and crop your hand out of the photo :)

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and wish you a joyous and prosperous new year!

Christmas in AZ: Christmas Eve

My mom had grand plans of making mini gingerbread houses for the grandkids, but a stomach bug found its way to their house the week before Christmas (and luckily was gone by the time we arrived!) so the gingerbread didn't get made.  Hey, graham crackers work just as well!

Ashlee's finished house.  I love Santa and the reindeer.

Brynlee's finished house, complete with bushes made of Reese's Peanut Butter cups and green m&m's.

Landon's finished house.  He's got a flower pattern theme going on.

Little Gingerbread village.  I didn't get an individual shot of Trevor's but his is on the left.

New Christmas Eve jammies (and some not-so-happy little ones)

Canon, Trevor, Olivia, Ashlee, Emmett, Brynlee, Landon and Sadie

The pj's weren't totally matchy-matchy, but after a couple of shopping trips to pretty much every clothing store to find all of the right sizes, I soon realized an unintentional theme of polar bears and penguins.

 

Olivia chillin' with Grandpa after the others had gone to bed.

Looks like the house is ready for Santa to work his magic...

Christmas in AZ: Meeting New Cousins

On our way down to my parents' house for Christmas, we stopped in Phoenix for a couple of days to hang out with my siblings that live there since they weren't going down to SV for Christmas.  We got to meet two of the three new Kovacs cousins: Austin (Jeremy & Clytie's, born in August) and Jace (David & Noel's, born in September).

Then once we got to SV, we met this little guy, Emmett (Mary Anne & Dusty's born in October).

Being with my family sure makes me wish we all lived closer, but they would definitely have to move up here because I'm not too sure I can handle the AZ heat, although the topic of being snowbirds did come up more than once between me and Rob.

Trevor's 4th Birthday

How on earth can my cute little blonde boy be FOUR?!  Time is flying by way too fast, and I often get teary eyed thinking about how fast my kids are growing up.

Trevor can still be summed up with one word...animals! He eats, breathes, and talks animals. Just today after Primary his new teacher came up to me after class and said she has never met someone his age with so much knowledge about animals. Pretty much if you talk to Trevor, you'd better be ready to carry on a conversation about gazelles, bush babies, meerkats, peacocks, Peregrine falcons, red squirrels, or let's face it, pretty much any animal that has ever existed. And if you try to change the subject, he won't allow it. Thank you, Wild Kratts (and Grandma Barton for his animal books that he quizzes me on everyday). Brynlee also feeds his animal addiction by checking out a library book just for him from school every week.

We celebrated on his birthday with a snake cake per his request. He got a new bike (that he will have to wait at least 4 months to ride, unless we have some amazingly, abnormally warm weather in good old Cache Valley before then) and Grandma Barton put together a scrapbook of his first four years.

Yeah, don't ask... (this is what happens when mom is taking pictures and dad is in charge of cutting the cake)

The day was just a little hectic and I had forgotten that his bike still needed to be put together.  Rob wrapped the box up in an animal print blanket...hey, whatever works.

Handy dandy daddy had it put together in no time.

The next morning we left for Arizona to spend Christmas with my family.  Maybe we should have brought his bike with us because it was plenty warm there...oh wait, there was no room.  My sister, Mary Anne, was gracious enough to take fabulous pictures of my kids since my two attempts at getting a good picture of them in Logan for a Christmas card failed miserably (and sadly, it was because of the little stinker of whom this post is all about!)  He was all smiles for Mary Anne, though.  I guess he was more in his element in the grasslands as he pretended he was a cheetah stalking his prey.  Looks like he caught it!

Barton Family Christmas Gatherings

We had our annual extended Barton Christmas party on December 17th in Centerville, followed by a party with Rob's parents and siblings and their families in Draper.  Activities included lunch, decorating graham cracker houses, and white elephant gift exchanges.

Ham and fudge sandwich, anyone?

  

All Ashlee could talk about for weeks before the party was how she couldn't wait for the gift exchange. They have one for the kids and one for the adults. Well, let's just say that after getting Disney princess game cards (Go Fish/Old Maid), she wasn't so excited about it anymore. Not exactly sure what she was expecting to get but she declared that next year she would be participating in the adult exchange. Still trying to figure out how to prepare her for the disappointment she may receive from that one as well. At least she can fake a smile because I'm pretty sure just minutes after Rob took this picture, she came to me with tears in her eyes about what a dumb present she got (no offense to whoever brought it...I hope it's not anyone that reads this!)

Trevor (with the help of Aunt Cheryl...thanks!) got some cool new sharks.

Best of all, we got a four generation picture with Olivia, Rob, Grandpa Barton and Great-Grandma Barton.

Later in the evening was the smaller Barton family party which included more yummy food, a cousin gift exchange and presents from Grandma and Grandpa.



No wasting time when it comes to filling that brain with more animal facts.  And yes, he turned EVERY SINGLE page.

First baby doll!

In case you were wondering who would win in a faceoff between a rhino and 6 sharks...

It would most definitely be a rhino...