Christmas 2011

We tend to celebrate Christmas all month long and this year was no different. On December 10 we visited the lights on Temple Square with our friends, the Winegars and the Ormes. It was freezing that night, but we all had a good time. Connor really loved all the lights.

It snowed a few times this winter, but overall this winter was pretty mild. One of Connor's favorite activities was shoveling snow with Brad. He would beg him to go shovel snow, even when it hadn't snowed. We bought him his very own shovel. So cute watching him next to Brad.

Brad's new toy. It shoots snow about 20 feet.

We had a MOMS Club Activity with Santa Claus (my friend's dad, who happens to be in our ward) on December 20. I tried to prep Connor with "Look! It's Santa! He brings you presents and candy for Christmas!" over and over again to try to get him excited so he would sit on Santa's lap for a picture. Santa read "The Night Before Christmas" to all the kids and then they sat on his lap. Connor sat perfectly still and calm and when Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas Connor said, "Um, more chocolate." Santa laughed. He really loves chocolate. Grandma Brenda should be proud; he is definitely her grandson.

Friday December 23, we drove down to California to spend a week over Christmas with my family. We were there until January 2. It was a great trip, with the exception that Connor came down with Croup on Christmas Eve. We were in the ER from 11 p.m. 'til 3 a.m. since he was coughing so bad and having a hard time breathing. Great. Fortunately he is a pretty tough kid so it didn't really affect him too much after the first couple nights of coughing. Unfortunately I also caught it too (just a bad chest cold for me) and let me say, I really hate being sick when I'm pregnant! I couldn't take ANYTHING to help me feel better except Tylenol, which didn't help my symptoms at all. While in California, we:

opened Christmas presents (which I didn't get a single picture of, dang it, but aren't Will, Jaxson, and Connor cute in their Christmas jammies Christmas morning?!). Connor got books, puzzles, clothes, his blue tricycle from Gaga and Papa, a Buzz Lightyear nerf gun, and a train table from Brad and I (which we gave him when we got back to Utah).  Connor REALLY loves trains and he spent the first week playing with only that every day for 6-8 hours a day.  I wish I was exaggerating.

visited Irvine Park for a train ride,

went to Sea World,

walked around RSM Lake by my parents' house with Claire and Jaxson,

honored a new tradition - Chuck E. Cheese,

and just played around my parents' house and in their neighborhood.

We drove back to Utah January 2 at 3 a.m. (which we always do when we drive so Connor sleeps half the drive time - awesome). We had a great time with my family and always enjoy the Christmas season.