Grandkids and Grandma - December 28/29

All the kids said their favorite thing about Grandma and we gave her some flowers and sang Happy Birthday to her.  She was surprised since it's not her birthday until Monday.  

All the cousins are gone and mine were finally playing a card game Andrew received from Gigi.  Nice to see them interacting so nicely and enjoying each other.

CheeseCake Factory and ZooLights - December 27

Kids with Cousins!

Most of us (grandma is taking the picture)

They shook the trees and the picture looked like this, looks like snow, but it's just debris.

The zoo here in Fresno was decorated with lots of lights for the holidays.  My mom treated us all to go out to see the animals and the lights.  They served hot chocolate and cookies too!  The kids enjoyed getting out in the fresh night air and worked up an appetite for ice-cream when we returned.  The kids watched the Polar Express and the older three Kellogg kids slept over too.  Erin had arrived yesterday and she had her three kids sleep out on the floor too.  So there were 9 kiddos total!  It was a fun night!

Cheesecake Factory lunch for Mom's birthday.

Jeremy and Erin took mom out for her birthday early, since they will be leaving tomorrow, to the Cheesecake Factory.  We all shared a red velvet cheesecake for dessert.  Kaitlyn watched Erin's kids at home so we could enjoy a quiet lunch.

Christmas Day - December 25

Santa brought the kids a bandaloom bracelet maker.

Andrew got a "softie boy blue jacket" to replace the one that was lost.

Andrew and his nintendo ds

Kaitlyn and Ella each got iphones.  Kaitlyn's has phone service and Ella can use hers as an ipod touch. 

Andrew already playing his ds, and James got a new toy - a helicopter.

This is what the rest of the day looked like for them.  It was quiet.

My parents gave the kids and guys head lamps!

We had a nice relaxing Christmas day.  We had a turkey and lamb dinner with sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, onion pie, fruit salad, rolls and apple pie and cheesecake for dessert.  The Kelloggs came over that evening and they opened their gifts from the grandparents and it was Christmas all over again!

Christmas Eve - December 24

Hannah, and Porter loved to eat with Kaitlyn and Ella.

Kaitlyn being silly.

Ella is photo bombing the picture.

Grandma Gigi, Aunt Judy and Uncle Brent

Opening their Christmas P.J's

Getting Crazy!

We have a tradition to eat pizza on Christmas Eve.  Brent was hungry for the Roundtable garlic pizza so we went there and we ate at the restaurant. We ate lots of salad and pizza.  It was fun and very relaxing to eat out.  Then the kids opened their present of new pajama's.  Ella's were too small, and it's a bummer because I can't find it in the store or online anymore.  So luckily she had brought Kaitlyn's from last year that she could wear.  Got to get to bed so Santa will come!

Sleeping Underneath the Christmas Tree - Dec 23

As the tradition goes, the kids slept under the Christmas tree at grandma and grandpa's house the night before Christmas Eve.  They were so happy to sleep under the tree in sleeping bags.

Benefits of Living in Our Neighborhood - Dec 22

Looks like Christmas already came!

We heard a noise outside and when we looked out the windows we saw a fire truck and a fire engine parked out in the middle of our street.  The firemen were passing out toys to all the kids that had come out of their homes.  Our kids went down to see what was going on.  They each came back with two toys! They were excited to have something new to play with.  We sure have an amazing community in our little town!

Visit with Aunt Bonnie - Dec 21

The kids with Aunt Bonnie

We made a little trip out to see Aunt Bonnie.  We brought her some dark chocolate and James made her some chocolate covered toffee almonds that he makes every Christmas.  We enjoyed a nice visit.  Each of the kids took turns visiting with her one on one. She remembered what they each got for Christmas last year and many things that they were involved with.  She sure has a great memory.  We just wanted to make sure she knew we were thinking of her during the holidays and she will be missed in Fresno when we go to visit my parents.

Holiday School Parties - Dec 18 and 19

Ella with some antlers and yummy cookies!

Andrew and his two "book buddies"

Andrew with a Santa hat.

It rained hard at pick up and he was soaked through!  His face was dripping wet!  We had to come home and change clothes, shoes and socks before picking up Ella and Kaitlyn.

Breakfast with the Bishop - Dec 14

The Las Flores Ward Primary 

The Bishop had a pancake and bacon breakfast for all the primary kids and their parents.  He had given each of them an advent calender on Dec 1st.  They were requested to do an act of service each day in order to eat the chocolate.  He followed up with them on how they were doing at the breakfast and read a Christmas story about President Monson when he was a little boy.  The kids had a blast.  Kaitlyn thought she could stay home and sleep in as she is in Young Women's now, but she came along and even posed with all the kids for the picture.  She's in the white sweatshirt, Ella is in an elf hat and her bright green sleeper, and Andrew is right in front of Kaitlyn.  They were excited to wear their p.j's and not have to get ready before coming to the breakfast.

Family Fun Night - Dec 13

Kiddos with Santa!

Kaitlyn and Dad

Andrew and Ella

There was a Family Fun Night at the elementary school tonight.  Ella is in student council so she needed to be there to help out.  They had three Christmas crafts, cookies and milk and some caroling along with a visit from Santa.  It was nice and relaxing to come and visit and celebrate the Christmas season with other families.

Kaitlyn's Choir Holiday Concert - Dec 10

Thanh, Emma and Kaitlyn

Kaitlyn had her holiday choir performance tonight.  They sang some Christmas songs, one in Spanish that I had never heard before, and a funny rendition of Fa La La La La.  It has been super cold lately (at least for us anyway) and we didn't want to be outside any longer than we had to.  I can't believe Christmas is just around the corner!

Ella's Band Recital - December 9

Ella and Brianna

Ella setting up to play the clarinet.

Ella has been in band this year and is learning to play the clarinet.  Fortunately there is a lady in our ward that used to play in school and she let us borrow her clarinet.  This saves us from having to rent/buy one as the schools don't have them to loan out anymore.  She has done really well.  She challenged herself to learn a song all on her own and use it to audition for a solo part for the holiday recital.  She and the other girl pictured, Brianna both did the same song as a duet.  The band teacher couldn't choose between them. Brianna was actually on Ella's soccer team and they are in the same class and are great friends.  They performed so well together.  I was nervous that they wouldn't start or end on time, but they did!  They sounded the best of all the solo's!

Ella's Eye Appointment - Dec 3

Cool Shades!

Ella went to see an optometrist at Western University today.  She was referred to see an eye doctor after her physical exam.  She had trouble seeing clearly far away.  Luckily we found out that everything was covered with her insurance so that was why we went ahead and made the appointment and ordered glasses.  Turns out she is near-sighted.  The doctor said that it's not very bad and sometimes happens as a result of so much up close reading/studying in school.  Her eyes get used to seeing things close up and not having as much time looking at things farther away.  She had her eyes dilated as part of the exam and she got these cool glasses to wear back to school so that her eyes wouldn't hurt.  It happened to be a really sunny day too.  She was fitted for glasses and they will be in before Christmas. She picked out some nice ones.