Christmas picture explosion!

The week before Christmas Zayne came down with Croup. Poor little guy. He had a really high fever along with a horrible raspy, wheezy breathing. He looked like the bottom picture for a few days. The doctor gave me some steroids to help with his tight breathing and coughing. He started to feel better just as Evie started to get it :( that's what I was afraid of. Evie was sick over Christmas and is just starting to feel better. I blame the sickness on nursery, but he could have picked up from anywhere...

My poor little man.

My brother loves BBQ. So we borrowed Owens brothers smoker the weekend before Christmas and my brother made the most delicious pulled pork I have ever had! He made an awesome BBQ sauce to go with it. It was so good that that was what we decided to make for the family Christmas dinner. Delicious!

That weekend before Christmas we also decided to make sugar cookies. I don't really care to make them because they are a lot of work, but I found a really easy recipe on Pinterest and they were super easy and turned out great! We just rolled the dough into a ball and cooked them, I don't care for using cookie cutters; the shapes don't ever turn out very well.

Evie had lots of fun decorating them! She took some to her primary teachers on Sunday :)

On Christmas Eve day, Owen's family has a tradition of getting together and drawing names between the people here in the area, shopping for the names, going to a restaurant and exchanging gifts. We met at Olive Garden this year. My picture turned out kind of dark and I'm not really sure why. 

I love this picture of Evie and daddy :)

And me and Zayner on the other side of the table :)

Love that little smile! If she grabs my phone she starts taking selfies....didn't realize there was an actual term for that until somewhat recently. I feel old!

Evie and her cousin Keegan :)

Zayne and his cousin Tessa. She wouldn't look at me.....she kept turning her head away, but looking at me from the side. It was funny :) cute cousins! We stopped at Costco after eating to do some last minute shopping. You might think we were crazy to go there on Christmas Eve, but it was surprisingly not very busy. It was the Nampa one, so maybe that was the reason? My sister went to the mall and said there was no one there either. Maybe everyone got thier shopping done early this year?!

After shopping we stopped by and visited an older gentelman and his wife. Owen recently helped them move from out by his parents house to Kuna. We stopped by to visit so I could see their new house and tell them thank you for the Christmas card they sent the weekend before Christmas with a nice amount of Money in it. They had no idea how badly that was needed at the time. Thank goodness for answers to prayers.

After eating, shopping, and stopping to visit, we went straight to my sisters house for my family's Christmas Eve party. My mom bought everyone elf hats and Santa hats for the kids :)

The kids played pin the carrot on the snowman :) 

I love my little family. Owen is so darn handsome! Glad we chose each other almost 9 years ago!

My mom and dad! This picture may have to be in the family calendar for next year :)

Fun cousin friends! The kids were so excited for Santa to come :)

Santa and his elves didn't leave the house until 1:30 am. Yikes! I bet they were tired ;)

We had a grandma and grandpa elf that really spoiled these two this year! Thanks for the help with the presents. The kids loved them!

Zayne kept trying to sit on his presents for the picture. Haha! 

Daddy and Zayne on Christmas morning :)

This has been the most loved present of all! Santa might have found this slide on Craigslist for $5 bucks! Yep, that's a price even the unemployed can afford :)

Evie loves Doc Mcstuffins! I told you they got spoiled!

So I took this picture because Owens brother gave me a substantial amount of money to buy some new clothes for his wife for Christmas. I was pretty excited because for one, my sister in law was the first person I met on Owens side of the family and I've always felt like she has been a special friend. And within the last few years she has become one of my best friends, and shopping with someone else's money is fun :) It was also fun because we are the same size, so everything I tried on to see if it would fit, I fell in love with! My sister came with me to the mall to help me pick some things out. This sweater was one of my favorite things I found! On Christmas Day I opened a gift from my sister and she had gone back to the mall and bought one for me :) have I mentioned that I have amazing family?! Anyway, it was an act of pure kindness because I had taken myself out of our family gift exchange because we really didn't have the money this year. She went over the top to buy me gifts even when she didn't have my name. We also received a nice amount of money from people on Owens side of the family on Christmas Day. Part of the Money was anonymous and once again we felt very blessed for an answer to our prayers. 

The week leading up to Christmas was stressful. We found out that our unemployment extension will be terminated on December 28 until the senate votes on it January 7th. It was seriously looking like we would have no money for the small amount of bills in January. Our savings is pretty much depleted and I felt like I was going to explode in frustration, anger, etc. once again, we are seeing the blessings of tithing in our lives and we have more than enough money for January. The Lord hears and answers prayers. I know this to be true.

Zayne is still loving his slide. I love that little smile!

Felicity had Evie's name for Christmas this year, so she gave her a build a bear gift certificate. I would like to say that this is the first and last time we will be going. She had fun, but I feel like that place is a silly way to spend an absurd amount of money!

Zayne got this fleece as part of his present from a cousin this year. While we were at Owen's parents for Christmas, his sister said, "Zayne us such a pretty baby." His other sister has mentioned that before, too. And of course, I totally agree :) We had a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas happenings

As soon as I moved into my parents ward I was called as the Primary Chorister, and I am really starting to enjoy it! The primary president is one of my old young womens leader and she told me that the minute she found out we were moving back into the ward she wanted me in that spot and she didn't care what it would take, she thought I would be perfect. Nothing like having a boost of confidence to start your calling out ;) I bring this up because it's fun to watch Evie in primary. I love it! A couple of Sundays ago the primary president asked the kids to draw on the back of their nativity practice reminder what costume they wanted to wear in the nativity. I look back and see Evie shaking her head no and looking solemn while talking to the primary president. I went back and asked Evie what was wrong. She said, "I drew tangled because that's the costume I have at home and I want to be tangled for the nativity." I had to tell her that there was no tangled in the nativity. I tried talking her into being an angel, but it was a no go. How about a cow or a sheep? Nope, she didn't want to be either of those. I brought up Camel and she was ALL over that idea! So later in the week she was "practicing" her camel and was trying to crawl up the stairs when she biffed it and hurt her upper lip/below her nose area and insisted on a band aid, even though there was no blood or even a red spot, but hey, a band aid makes everything feel better. Especially if it's Dora ;)

She makes us laugh! I love her spunky personality! Last night she started saying the opening prayer for family home evening. She yelled, "DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER" we stopped her and then she said "I want Heavenly Father to hear me." I couldn't make it through the rest of the prayer with out laughing!

Zayne is growing up so fast. It makes me kind of sad. He is liking nursery. Yesterday 2 of the nursery teachers said that he was such a good boy and so well mannered. They said you would never know that he is a second child, not sure what that means, but it was a compliment so I will take it. He is so funny, too! He has such a fun little personality developing :) he still doesn't say a lot of words. He has started saying "no" more recently and "uh-oh" and he knows what he wants. He loves taking showers! When he says " mamma" over and over again, I ask him if he's ready to be washed up and he nods his head and smiles :) when we tell him to say "thank you " he also nods his head. So darn cute :)

Last Friday night we went to a live nativity at one of our churches across town. I had never been to one before and I loved it :) they did such a good job with it! They had a live camel, which the kids seemed to like, but wouldn't get close to for a picture.

And they were totally excited about the goat. Hmmm, goat vs. camel.....I guess the goat isn't as intimidating ;)

The choir of angels was beautiful! Their voices fit the part perfect :)

All of the parts were played by the youth in the church and they did so well. What a great experience for them as well as those in the community that were able to attend. I was overwhelmed by the spirit as I pondered the birth of our Savior more than 2000 years ago. It was a great reminder of the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

The baby Jesus looked so real from where I was standing. It brought back memories of when Zayne was a newborn infant. 

After the Nativity we went to a house that has it's lights synchronized with music. It was pretty cool! The kids liked it as well.

We had our ward Christmas party this last Saturday where Evie made her debut as a camel. But first, they sat on Santa's lap. Zayne was resistant at first, but was ok while I took pictures. What a good child ;) Evie was super excited!

You can see Evie on the right with a camel mask on. We bought camel colored felt and made her a hump and everything, but I didn't get an individual picture of her :( I was busy and trying to get ready so that the majority of the primary children wouldn't sing, but stare blankly out into the audience. I promise you, they sang GREAT at the practice that morning! Oh well. Guess they got stage fright?! I'm hoping the sacrament meeting songs they sing go better. If not, I'm comfortable singing a solo ;)

Owen had an interview this last Friday and they are hoping to make a decision this week. He also has two more interviews this week. I would say that he has had an interview with at least 98% of the jobs he has applied for. Somethings gotta give soon, right?! We are hoping and praying and forging ahead. The other night Evie was saying our night time family prayer and she said, " please bless (insert company name) to really like my daddy so that they will give him a job." Love that girl! I know that Heavenly Father is hearing our prayers :)