Holiday Spirit

In the couple weeks leading up to Christmas, we joined my family for a few activities to get into the holiday spirit.

The lights at Temple Square are always so pretty!

The Potters came to town and joined us for our sleigh ride to see Santa Claus. It was a beautiful, still night and we felt as though we'd been transported back to the Victorian age as our horse-drawn "sleigh" carried us under tunnels of snow-sprinkled trees. We had Santa all to ourselves for a good ten minutes, and he was so great with the kids. Quite the different experience than our Macy's Santa!

Seven-year-old Joshie was quite the Santa skeptic this year... that is, until Christmas morning when he realized only Santa could have delivered the gift he had wished for!

Calling for our elf Pixie is an all-time favorite tradition. Jake loved it this year and clapped along as we cheered, "Pixie, Pixie, come right now!"

That would be Jake's excited "Ooooo" face.

We caved in and let my mom have a little talent show when Coley and Jordan came to town. It ended up being a lot of fun after all! Matt and Jordan serenaded us with an incredible version of "We Three Kings," Joshie had us rolling with laughter as he performed impressions of all the family members, Gabe showed off his dribbling skills, Kaleb played the piano upside down, and the teenagers whipped out their phones and shared a few jokes. Oh, but the highlight was probably the little boys' performance of The Sugar Plum Fairy. They had teased my mom and Heidi for watching the Nutcracker a few days before, and did their impersonation of it as a joke ... Little do they know, they just supplied us with years and years and years of blackmail material. :)

We ended the talent show night with a little Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree dance party. Our little sickie loved spinning around, shaking the jingle bells until he was dizzy.

All ready for Christmas!