Devin's photo shoot.

Devin will be getting baptized this year so we went and got his pictures done in his suit. I have said it before and I will say it again...FotoFly, the best place ever to get pics done. Seriously, if you live in Utah, don't go anywhere else. The experience there is second to none!! (heck, even if you live out of utah...drive here for pics!):)

Devin thought he was waaay too cool to be getting his pictures done but our awesome photographer soon had him doing all kinds of cool poses and jumping pics and having a blast!

We ended up with almost 100 pics...don't worry, I didn't post 100 pictures!:) These are just some of my favorites.





This top one was my absolute favorite and we used it for his invitations.

That is one good lookin kid if you ask me!!:)

This last one was one of the cool jumping ones, Devin liked this one best cuz he says it looks like something out of Thriller:)

Birthday Party

The boys birthday is tomorrow (the 22nd) and we did a birthday party for them last night. Orignally we weren't going to do one this year, since I have to plan a baptism/luncheon I told them it was just going to be a family party year. Well, a week ago I changed my mind and we did a last minute pool party for them. I told them they had to have a combined party this year, that was the only way they could have one at all and they agreed.
We did present opening in shifts & the pool was big enough that they each had their own space with their friends and hardly realized they had a joint party:)


It was inexspensive and I didn't really have to do anything...my kind of party!

Can you believe it...I actually blogged about something the day after it happened! Look at me being all caught up!!:)

Arrow of Light

At pack meeting last month, Hadley earned his Arrow of Light. For those not familiar with cubscouts, it is the highest award they can earn. They get it right before they leave cubscouts, it is comparative to the Eagle award for Boyscouts. So, good job Hadley for finishing all his requirements and getting the award...and thanx to awesome scout leaders that made it happen!!



There is a family in our neighborhood that is Native American...I can't remember which tribe they are from. They belong to a dance group that does performances etc...they have even performed for the Pope!
They came and did a whole Native American ceremony for the boys that earned the award that night. It was really cool and the kids loved it.

He even made real arrows for each of the boys...yeah, I know, REAL arrows given to 10yr olds?!!:)






They did some dances for us and then taught one to the boys.

Hadley whizzing by me during the dance.

I wish this one hadn't turned out so fuzzy, this is Hadley with one of his scout leaders, Zach. He was so good with the boys and really made scouts fun. Hadley loved him!

Hadley now moves up to the transitional, 11yr old scouts. Then when he turns 12 he will join boyscouts. Devin turns 8 tomorrow and will now start cubscouts so we get to start all over with that group.

Wedding

Peter had the week after Christmas off, we were planning on starting a tradition of going to Lake Tahoe every year but we ended up sticking around because his brother got remarried and decided to do it the 27th.

Chris & Shar coming out of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. Shar is fantastic, we love her and are so happy for the two of them!

With his son, Luke.

The Olson clan.

I gave my camera to someone when they started doing pics of just the Olson's and they took this pic of 2 of my nieces, Chris's daughters. Kat and Ali. Cute girls!

Peter's parents, sister and Chris & Shar.

After the luncheon...on to the reception.

This pic ended up blurry but you can't leave out a pic of the cake cutting!

Then on to grandma's to do Christmas gifts.

It was a great day, I love when we all get a chance to hang out and have fun with Peter's family, much better than Tahoe ...but we will still try next year:)

Christmas

Peter had to work Christmas morning, as usual. It is quite difficult to keep the kids from their gifts until he get's home at 2pm, but we survived. I always let them open their stockings and then we had church this year to take up some of the time. On a side note...Peter will hit his 10yr mark at the hospital this year and so this is the last Christmas he had to work! Yay!

Devin got some underwear in his stocking and thought it was funny.

Dad got home and we finally got to open gifts (and yes, we changed back into jammies after church)

Hadley was SO happy about his gift. He requested only one thing this year...an Ipod Touch. He didn't think he was getting it and we wrapped it in a big box so he was suprised when he opened it. He actually started crying he was so happy!...which made all the black friday chaos totally worth it!!!

We have had a VERY mild winter here in Utah and had no snow and temps close to 50 on Christmas day so Devin got to go outside and play with one of his gifts, an electric scooter.

And Lexi, of course, got spoiled with all kinds of girly, princessy things!

Christmas Eve

Our normal routine for the holidays was a little different this year. Peter got stuck not only working Christmas eve...but working a 16hr shift. We usually go to the movies Christmas day but this year with Christmas being on a Sunday and Peter working a long shift the day before, we decided to just go to our movie on Christmas eve.





Oh yay...another Chipmunks movie. (are you picking up on the sarcasm?) The kids thought it was great and that's what matters....right?

After the movie we went to the hospital to see Dad and let the kids open their Christmas eve presents with him.

They have finally figured out that it is ALWAYS jammies that they get to open, and were actually excited to get them:)

They decorated the gingerbread house first thing that morning. guess this pic should have been at the top.

After seeing Dad at the hospital, we came home and they decorated cookies for Santa.

In their new jammies, ready to go to bed so Santa can come!