Christmas and New Year's Eve 2014

So I had planned to do our "holidays" post in two separate posts, but I've pushed it off for so long that I just decided to put everything in one long post!  Lots and lots of pictures!

Trent and Aiden went shopping for Christmas lights in December to put up on our house.  They got some to put around a tree or two as well, but they ended up on Aiden's bed instead ;)  He loved it!

I love Christmas Sunday :)  It was the second to last Sunday we had to wake Miss Janie from her nap to go to our 1 p.m. Church meeting, which may be why she's not smiling.  We are thrilled that our time has switched to 9!

By Monday, the 22nd, Jen, Jill, Amy, and Richard had all made it down from Utah.  That afternoon we had family pictures.

Tuesday, the 23rd, we met up with the family that evening to go check out a neighborhood where 6 houses all have their lights synced to music on a radio station.  Those are always pretty fascinating, don't you think??  We actually met the guy who started it all and he said he has to start programming for it in July!!  And it was neat because they had a box set out where you could donate to Make-a-Wish.  I guess they have really good success :)

It's kind of silly to get pictures b/c you can't see the lights flashing and changing..haha.

The man we met also had fake snow go off every once in a while :)

Aiden was loving it :)

The group.  Janie fell asleep in the car, so Trent decided to stay with her and just listen to the music from the car.

We went back to my parents' for a little while afterward.

We started our annual Christmas music video that evening.  Miss Jane Jane made her first appearance and stole the show :)

Wednesday, the 24th, we had waffles at the Knuckles' for dinner (I love breakfast for dinner ;)) and then headed to my parents' for our traditional Christmas Eve program.

We always start out by opening a gift on Christmas Eve.

Aiden opened Jill's gift - a little book called The Pout Pout Fish and it came with a stuffed Pout Pout fish :)

You can't really tell, but Aiden's holding his fish :)

Amy read it to him.  I hadn't heard of this book, but I guess it's pretty well known.  Jill's class loves it :)

Then we read the Christmas story (from the scriptures) and sang hymns - we have a book we read/sing from.

Aiden Monkey finds great joy in terrorizing Haddie (he chases her around everywhere) and he even chased her under the Christmas tree..haha.

Out comes Haddie...

and out comes Aiden..haha.

We headed back to our place and I was up late wrapping all of the final gifts.

'Twas the night before Christmas :)

Had to get a pic of Janie's Santa bum before I went to bed ;)

We were really shocked when Aiden didn't wake up until like 8:30 on Christmas morning!

We started with the stockings, as always.

Tanis took Aiden out the week before to get gifts for me, Trent, and Janie - we had no idea!  It was very cute!  So here's Aiden with Daddy (he got him Reese's Christmas trees) and Janie (he got her a little caterpiller).  And then Janie got Aiden a city bus, which had he been asking for for weeks!  He was ecstatic :)

We got Aiden a book called Patch that we had checked out of the library.  He kept mentioning he wanted it :)  I love that he can tell us what he wants now!

Janie got a little toy grocery tote :)

She also got little play keys in her stocking :)

Aiden's main gift was a classic train set, you'll see set up in a picture coming up.

So I took this pic because the lights on our tree are colored.  Our tree can do both white and colored lights and Aiden always insisted on the colored lights.  Of course Trent and I prefer the white ones, but if we ever tried to change them, Aiden always noticed and would run over and change them back..haha.  Needless to say, every night when we put him to bed, we would change them to white ;)

Janie sporting her new tote :)

Peeking under the table at the boys setting up the train tracks.

Janie wanted to see for herself.

Janie over with Daddy making a smoothie.

Then we headed over to my parents' for a little bit, around 10ish. They had just finished opening all of their gifts (we told them not to wait for us because we didn't want to feel rushed to get over there).

Jane Jane w/ Aunt Amy and Uncle Richard.

Aiden opening a gift.

Look at the joy on her face!

She got her very own puppy and pink car :)

Aunt Jen got Aiden some Thomas the Train stickers and a cute book, Little Blue Truck.

Grandma trying out the remote control car.

Jill had been telling me (earlier in the week) that I need to be better about getting pictures of everyone and not just my kids, so I was kind of picking on her at this point ;)

We always take a pic holding a gift or two.

Then my mom made us all a nice breakfast :)

Aiden working on his new fire station puzzle with Aunt Amber and Grandma :)

We had to try on Janie's new shirt from Aunt Amber :)

And her new pink slippers from Aunt Jill :)

We headed home for a little bit, and to get changed, before we headed to the Knuckles' for the rest of the day.

We ate right when we got there - Mexican!  Of course Janie didn't have any Mexican..haha.  I think she was eating squash :)

I didn't get too many gift opening pictures because the lighting was bad and I still don't know how to use our camera, other than automatic (one of my New Year's resolutions..haha).

Janie could just play with the ribbon and be happy :)

Janie got this crazy fun thing (I don't even know what to call it) from Grandma and Grandpa Knuckles!

Reading her new book with Daddy :)

Trent with his grandpa.  They were right in the middle of talking, but Trent's always ready ;)

Aiden wanted to get in the bath with his crazy new boat toy from Grandma and Grandpa.

It came with all kinds of stuff including a giant squid, shark, and submarine.

Jane Jane zonked out.

Checking the back of the box to read up on all of the features of his new toy ;)

Trent with the kids and his parents and grandparents (Tanis's parents).  Aiden held his helicopter right in front of his face..ha.

The kids with Grandma and Grandpa Knuckles.

We headed home that evening (Trent had to work the next day) and we were cracking up b/c we caught Janie playing with Aiden's new toy...

...and Aiden playing with Janie's new toy ;)

My family stopped by briefly to see our Christmas lights.  I'm glad Jen got this picture b/c we didn't get one.

I also realized I wasn't really in any pictures that day, so I had my mom take this of me and Janie ;) Aiden had run off to try to get in bed with Trent.

Friday, the 26th, we all met to do a session at the Gilbert temple and had lunch afterward.

That evening we wanted to go bowling, but we got there and it was like a 2 hour wait, so we postponed it.

Janie all bundled up like a mummy ;)

So we came back to my parents' and continued working on the music video.

The boys' part :)

I was showing everyone Janie's fox feet..haha.

Saturday, the 27th, we headed back to the bowling alley.  It was Aiden's first time!

We got Aiden bumpers and this ramp thing.

Amber snapped this of me sitting on Trent's lap and Aiden sitting on mine..haha.

The whole group.

So I was the biggest loser by far!!  It was the worst game I have ever played!  It was so embarrassing!  Even Aiden beat me, but he did have an unfair advantage with the bumpers..haha.  I needed those more than anyone!!  Let's just say, I don't know if I'll be bowling again! I should've sat out like Amy did ;)

We had wanted to head right to dinner at BJ's after bowling, but it was like a 2 hour wait, so we waited it out at my parents'.  Dinner was so yummy later that evening though!

Richard headed out early Sunday morning.

Tuesday, the 30th, we got together for lunch at Zupa's.  Aiden was having a really weird hair day..haha.

That evening we headed to my parents' to play some games.  Amy was heading out the next day.

A rare picture of Grandpa Christensen with Janie (because he doesn't love pictures).

My mom gave Janie a bath that night and we were worried about her being cold, so Jill blow dried her hair..haha.

Trent and Aiden built a fort and watched Frozen from under there ;)

Miss Janie fell asleep in Amy's lap.

Wednesday, New Year's Eve, I frantically finished reading Unbroken and met up with my parents and Jill to see the movie that evening.

We got out around 10, and I went home to pick up Trent and the kids, and they were all asleep :/  I felt really bad dragging them all to my parents', but we wanted to say "goodbye" to Jen who was leaving in the morning.  It was snowing on our way over, so that was fun!! That never happens here!

My mom always has lots of fun props :)

Jane Jane was puzzled by my glasses..haha.

Trying to hold a bow tie up to Janie.

She kept grabbing it..haha.

Poor Aiden just wanted to sleep :/

He did run into this picture with us though..haha.

We got Janie in her jammies.

Getting ready for the countdown!

Little love with the sparkling cider ;)

Love this picture..haha.

Yay for 2015!

We loved having everyone down here for the holidays.  2014 was a great year.  We moved into a home and welcomed our little love, Janie Lynn!  We are so excited to see what 2015 has in store!  Hope you all had a joyous holiday season :)