Christmas & New Years

We had a fabulous Christmas/New Years holiday this year.  We spent Christmas Eve with the Terry family and Christmas Day with the Jensen family.  The kids were spoiled as always--Bryan & I (and Santa) always give a somewhat small amount to the kids because we know that the grandparents spoil them rotten!  But that's what grandparents are for, right?  As for Bryan & me, we decided not to give gifts to each other because our gift this year is a finished basement!  Bryan has begun working hard, framing the basement, and so far it's looking great.  Here are a few photos of the kids with their gifts:

Miles with his Lightning McQueen "light-up" shoes...

 Tess also asked for shoes this year--high heeled church shoes.  She was thrilled by how fancy they are...

 The kids riding their new scooters in the basement... (check out the framing--go Bryan!  You can see in the camera lens that the scooters were kicking up the sawdust from the floor.)

Tess really wanted a kick stand and a bell for her bike.  Her cute neighbor friend has those 2 features on her bike and Tess has been dying to have them for her bike as well.  Here she is with the bell/bike helmet combo, still in the package... 

 I love this picture because it just screams "Christmas!" to me...she's giddy and goofy and on a sugar/presents/cousins high!

Miles got a t-ball set.  Watch out!... 

For the New Years weekend, we decided to make the trip up to B's parents' cabin near Heber City.  Like most of northern Utah, that area had just had a huge snowstorm.  Timberlakes was freezing cold (around -15 degrees), with several feet of snow.  Bryan's sister and her family were with us and the kids (& adults) had a terrific time just playing games, sledding, eating yummy food, playing the Wii, and staying up way past our bedtimes! 

Here is Tess on the big sledding hill...

Bryan pulled people back up the hill with the 4-wheeler... 

Bryan & Miles, just chillin' on the sled... 

Tess made herself a nice little recliner to relax on... 

 Here are the kiddos with their cousins (Kade & Adrienne) playing "Just Dance."  That game was so much fun!  Miles was so happy to hold his nunchuk and join in with the big kids.

We ended the weekend by meeting Bryan's extended family at the annual "Pig out/Bingo" party.  Bryan's grandpa has been holding this family tradition on his birthday (New Years Day) for over 40 years.  He's now 91 years old and as spry as ever.  We feel so lucky to have 7 of our 8 grandparents still living--we have some good genes!