2016 Top Ten

10. Brad got promoted to Corporate Industrial Hygienist

9. Emily got to see her high school band Weezer over the summer

8. Carson (7) went to the NCAA final four tournament

7. Tanner (5) got his tonsils out and played soccer this fall

6. Logan (2) loves to run, play in the dirt, and give hugs

5.  Went to Park City 3 times this summer (girls trip, date night, and with the kids)

4.  Had Thanksgiving with family in Utah

3. 12 years later went back to the beach that Brad proposed at in Destin, Florida for spring break

2.  The boys got their wish to play in the snow and build a snowman

1.  Saw the Bellagio Fountain in Las Vegas

I love doing this post every year and looking back at all that we've done.  This year I got my quiet, no surprise year that I was hoping for after the previous year.  It was a year to connect with family, with two trips to Utah this year, a fun filled summer and a wedding this fall.

Now that we had our quiet year, we are already planning some fun things for 2017. Carson turns 8, big vacations, and Tanner starting kindergarten.  This year is also going to be the year of the 60's with 3/4 of our parents turning 60 this year and my grandparents will also be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.  Yep 2017 is going to be a great year!

New Years Eve in Fort Hood

For New Year's Eve we decided to get out of town and visit our cousins in Fort Hood.  Brian and Catherine moved there over the summer and thought it was about time for us to visit.  

Brian did his dental school through the army and is now paying his 4 years back.  We were so happy when Brian got stationed at Fort Hood just 3 hours away!  

Fort Hood is the largest army base in the world.  So naturally Brian had to take us on base to see it (although he said he's never reached the end of the base its so massive).  Being a holiday the base was unusually quiet, but we stopped and were able to see the old army tanks and helicopters. I think they have at least a couple representing each major war (since WWII).

Brian also let Carson wear his army uniform.

Then that night we laid out on the lawn and watched the movie Inside Out on their blow up movie projector.  

The three oldest slept together on the blow-up air mattress and surprisingly made it to 11 pm to watch the NYC ball drop (it was a live feed).

The kids sure loved playing with their cousins (and their fun toys)

Logan loved this cop car

It was sure fun to visit with family!  We loved having them close to us in Arizona and now we get them for a few years in Texas!  We will have to visit again soon especially now that their new baby has arrived!

Christmas

Christmas morning.  Such a magical time.  The boys were so excited for Christmas morning that they woke up at 5 a.m.  I couldn't even open my eyes it was so early!  So Brad told them either go back to bed or watch tv upstairs (tv won).  They lasted till 7 and then came back downstairs trying to sneak a look at their presents.  So Brad and I got up, because these boys could hardly contain themselves they were so excited!

As a parent there is nothing more magical then to see your kids on Christmas morning

Carson told Brad that kids at school were telling him that Santa wasn't real. But Carson proudly said; "of course Santa is real!  There is no way our parents would buy us all of this stuff!"  Haha!  

It breaks my heart a little thinking that he is getting to that age.  That this might be his last year believing in a Santa Christmas.  Here's hoping we still have a couple years left.

He was so excited for this! (the complete Harry Potter movie set)

Logan loved opening the presents!

Logan helping daddy open his present (poor Logan didn't have too many of his own to open).  

Brad and I had a big Christmas this year, we got tickets to go to Peru!  We will be hiking Machu Picchu and so got some hiking gear; backpack and shoes.  We're excited for our trip!

The cute little plate that Tanner made for us from preschool.  (Its the nativity scene with Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus, the star, oh yeah and don't forget the hay-Tanner always reminds me of that)

Taking it all in

The boys helping making our breakfast waffles.

After breakfast-playing with our new Christmas toys.

My Pokemon loving boys.

That face!  Thats one happy boy!  He sure loves his imaginext toys!

Carson got an owl pellet in his stocking.  An owl pellet is basically owl puke that has all the bones from the animal they just ate that they can't digest.  So Carson got to dig through all the fur and found lots of bones.  It came with a list of animals that the owl could have eaten; moles, rodents, small birds,  and after looking at the chart and comparing our bones we deducted that Carson's animal bones came from a rodent.  It was a pretty cool stocking stuffer.

The toy that Carson kept asking Santa for.  A ventriloquist dummy.  He was so excited.

The boys loved the big presents Santa brought.

Later that day we went on a family bike ride so Carson could ride his new bike.  We rode to the elementary school so the boys could play basketball.

It was a quiet, magical, wonderful, day

A Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we made cookies for Santa

Logan loved rolling the cookie dough!

snuggled and watched the "Muppet Christmas Carol" while dinner was cooking

In Brad's family growing up they did a big Christmas Eve dinner/big Christmas breakfast and we've been carrying the tradition.

After dinner we opened our Christmas jammies and watched the "Santa Clause".  

Before bed we went to bed we watched the Nativity and talked about the true meaning of Christmas.  Then we got out our milk and cookies for Santa.

While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. (Its the one night of the year where they can't wait to go to bed!)

Such a magical night!