It's Here! It's Finally Here!!

Christmas morning has finally arrived!! I don't think Spencer could wait another second!!! He's been counting down the days since July! He's been planning and carefully preparing his list for Santa. Ethan has been excited as well. My rule is 8:00am. No earlier! Everyone is too grumpy if we start opening gifts any earlier. So both boys come in my room at 7:59..."Mom...Mom....it's time..." "Ok boys...just let me shower, dry my hair and do my make-up." You should have seen their faces..."WHAT???!!!!" "Boys! I'm just kidding!!" It was great.

So here they are ready to pounce down the stairs to see what Santa has delivered.

And then imagine running, jumping, and shouts of excitement. Pure joy!

Sadie's big gift was a giant castle that converts into a table and chairs. She's been talking about it for months and now sees it for the first time....

So this was the first gift that was opened....

I'm not sure what you think, you be the judge, but I think it was a hit.

I have about 5 more minutes of screaming, jumping, laughing on video. I guess they wanted a Wii and Wii games? Santa brought the right stuff this year!

Spencer has the most dramatic faces as he opens his gifts. It's a complete contrast to how he used to be when he was really little. I remember when he was about 2, he was opening gifts and didn't crack a smile, not a word, nothing, nada. The kid was a brick. We couldn't even get him to smile for the camera. You would never know it from these pictures!!

And Ethan had his freak out moments too....

I have to admit. It was one of the most fun Christmas mornings we've had. The sheer excitement and shouts of joy made opening gifts an absolute riot!!

Sadie also LOVED everything Santa brought for her. She wasn't quite as loud and animated as the boys, but she neatly stacked her gifts one by one in a pile and sat down by them to enjoy.

Then she started serving her new plastic food on her new princess table. Spencer and Ethan were both delighted...

And here's the traditional "hidden in the mess of wrapping paper" picture...

There is nothing better than spending an entire day in your pajamas, watching your kids experience sheer excitement and shouts of joy, and eating Victorian french toast all morning long. There's just nothing better!

By evening, we finally decided to get dressed since Grandma and Grandpa Gadd were coming for a visit. They of course came with awesome gifts! SNUGGIES!! Now I'm not sure about you, but "snuggie" has a COMPLETELY different meaning for Matt and I than it does for the kids. I asked Ethan a month ago if he would rather have a Snuggie for Christmas or a Wii. He sat for several minutes and thought about it. Then he said, " That's a tough one Mom. The snuggie is so convenient and it comes with fun socks." It was at that moment that I realized my kids watch WAY too much Qubo TV. We don't have cable or satelight, so our kids get their daily dose of cartoons from watching channel 16. Every commercial is an infomercial and it's sucking my kids in!!

Anyway, Grandma and Grandpa scored MAJOR points with the kids by getting them these great Snuggies...AND fun Socks!! Woohooo! Thanks so much Grandma and Grandpa! We love you!

All in all it was a wonderful Christmas day. It really couldn't have been any better.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was so great this year.  Matt was able to get home from work by 4:00pm.  So the minute he walked in the door...you could feel it...Christmas was coming!

We invited my Dad to join us this year for the evening.  Here we are ready for dinner...

After dinner, the boys do the dishes, while the girls take a break!  It's tradition!  Then we all head into the front room with our scriptures and our flashlights for the telling of the Christmas story from the scriptures.

While we take turns reading the scriptures.....

We shine our flashlights on the parts of the nativity that are being read....

After the reading of the nativity, the kids get to open ONE gift.  And it's ALWAYS jammies!!  Of course!  What's Christmas Eve without new comfy jammies!  Well, this year was different, since Grandpa was visiting, he brought his presents, and we thought he would love to see the kids open them.  So they got to open TWO gifts this year.

Grandpa spoiled Sadie with an awesome princess coloring set and the boys got a $20 bill!!  They were VERY excited to say the least!!  Thank you Grandpa!!  Love you!

It's always fun to open gifts and get crazy with the wrapping paper!  Sadie loved her new princess night gown and the boys thought their transformers jammies were "cool".

After the opening of presents, it was back to the kitchen to make homemade donuts and hot chocolate.  Mmmmmmmmmmm.  I'd have to say that this tradition is one of my favorites, and yummiest.

Then after we're stuffed, we pile in the car and drive around to see all the Christmas lights.  This year, we found an awesome nativity display on a farm near our house.  There was a real donkey, a real sheep, horses and statues that looked very real.  We sat and enjoyed the beautiful nativity for a while...

And then it's perfect...by the time we're done looking at lights, the kids are getting pretty drowsy and are ready for bed.  We carried them into the house and put them to bed so Santa could come.

Christmas Eve is definitely my favorite.  This year seemed so busy and so stressful, but every year as we read the Christmas story, I'm reminded of the real reason for the season.  All the stress and hustle and bustle of the season disappear and I feel the love of our Savior.  I'm so grateful for His birth and for His atoning death.  I'm grateful to have this wonderful time of year that helps me stop and reflect.  May your homes be filled with the Christmas spirit this wonderful Christmas Eve.

Christmas Cookies

Christmas cookies at our house are a BIG deal.  It wasn't always this way.  Growing up my Mom always made cut out Christmas cookies and then we would frost them.  She also made delightful fudge, divinity, homemade caramels, and mint candies.  Then we would put a few of the treats on a plate and deliver them to all the neighbors.  We always delivered to our Primary teachers, and our best friends, and then the house with the scary dogs.  (honestly I don't think the people in that house ever ate their cookies...I'm confident the dogs got the treats every year)  But, it was tradition.

So, I decided to continue the tradition.  It's a nice way to say Merry Christmas to your neighbors at Christmas time.  One problem...we have  A LOT of neighbors!  Where I grew up, we didn't have a lot of neighbors because we all lived on 3 and 5 acre lots.  10 neighbors away was pretty far!!  Well here in our neighborhood now, 10 neighbors is a block!

I debated this year if I really had time to do the cookies.  I thought of other options...popcorn, store bought chocolate...and the closer it got to Christmas, the more neighbors asked about the cookies.  OK!! FINE!!  I'll do the cookies!  No really, I wanted to eat some. :)

So I spent 6 hours mixing dough, rolling, cutting and baking 186 cookies.  Then the following day I pipe frosted each of those 186 cookies.  I couldn't turn my head for a week afterwards! 

But really...it's all worth it.  I LOVE my neighbors.  And when I say LOVE, I really mean LOVE.  I wish I could afford to do more for them.  Really they are the best.  They are the ones that are helping me raise my children.  They teach them at church, they let them come over and play, and they are always looking out for them.  I feel sooo blessed to have such great friends and neighbors.  Every cookie was worth it!!  Love you neighbors!

Here's a sampling of a couple of them.  I don't know why I can't ever remember to take a picture of them!  Next year maybe...

Christmas Pictures

So as a photographer, you would think that I'd be all over taking family Christmas pictures.  Well it's true!  I was all over it!  Just not MY family!  Finally on Sunday, just before Christmas, I got the kids together for a quick shoot.

Spencer made me promise I could only take 5 pictures.  Only five??!!!  Does he know his own mother?  I don't think so!  I've never been known to only take 5 pictures...EVER!  I had to hurry before he started getting grouchy, but I only got 6 pics in before he said.."I counted 5 Mom!  That's enough!!"

Sadie was the exact opposite.  "Mom, take a picture of me doing this, take another one Mom!  That's not enough pictures Mom!  Take 20 more!"

And Ethan is pretty easy going.  He said he's game for how ever many pictures I want to take.  Thanks Ethan!

We're lucky to have 3 of the greatest kids EVER!  Really they are so great. Merry Christmas everyone!!

The First Time on Stage

I simply can't believe it, but the day has come!  Sadie danced in her first ever dance recital!!!  And of course being the photo crazy person I am, I documented every moment and then some!  So if you're not a fan of lots of pictures, I encourage you now to turn away.  Here goes...

This is Sadie at her dress rehearsal the night before.  She thought it was so fun to run around on the stage with all the awesome stage lights on.

The night of the recital...  Sadie is waiting backstage with the rest of her class. 

They danced to the song Uptown Girls.  Sadie sings it EVERYday.  Seriously all the time.  It's permanently stuck in her head!

Then after all the classes performed, Miss Brittani, the instructor invited all the girls to come and collect a rose. 

Sadie was a bit embarrassed from all the attention and a little overwhelmed.  But eventually she got over it and started to smile again.   Thank goodness!  Matt and I got Sadie some flowers for her.  She LOVED them.  And when I say love, I mean LOVE. 

One of Sadie's good friend's Aspen is in Sadie's class.  They are great friends.  Aspen is only 6 months younger, but is just a tiny little girl!  Aspen is at the low end of the growth scale and Sadie is at the very top.

Of course after all the people started leaving, then Sadie's shyness started wearing off and she started dancing around!

Then after we got home, a little photshoot was in order!  I love Sadie's personality.  She is so much fun to take pictures of.  She makes lots of faces and poses without me telling her what to do.  It's seriously a blast to photograph her!

I have to admit seeing my baby girl on stage for the first time I was more than just misty-eyed.  I bawled!  It was seriously so neat to see her up there.  She's such a natural dancer.  She's got serious rythym and she can shake it!

I can't wait for her next recital in May.  So proud of you Sadie!

My little baby sister, What?

Meet Danielle.  This is how I remember her.  The happiest little baby.

Danielle had the cutest red hair ever.

Isn't she the cutest?  Well.....

Today, December 5, 2009, my little baby sister got MARRIED! I never in a million years imagined sweet little Danielle as a married woman! When Matt and I got married she was the ripe old age of 10.
Here's about what she looked like...

And now just look at her....

She met the greatest guy Ethan.  And they are just ADORABLE together.  Can't you just feel the love?

Danielle had her reception last night, (Dec.4th) and here's a few photos...

I'm SOOO proud of my baby sister for getting married in the temple and making her dreams come true.  Way to go Danielley!!!

And they lived happily ever after....

Sorry....

Dear GaddFam Blog,

I'm so sorry  I've neglected you lately.  I feel bad I've only looked at you a couple of times in the past month.  I have so many pictures and events I'd love to share with you.  If I only had some time.  I hope you aren't too mad at me and understand.  You see, I feel as if I need to document everything.  And all the pictures need to be just right and the stories need to be told with cleverness.  Lately, I've had no energy for any of that.  I'm sure you are jealous of Pink Daffodil Photography blog.  That one is getting all the attention lately.  It's not that I love that one more, please don't ever think that.  It's just happens to have deadlines and timeframes that must be met.

Don't worry GaddFam Blog, I will catch up with you again soon.  Right after I finish the 10 photo orders, complete 2 more photo shoots, send out Christmas cards, take down my FALL decorations, put up my Christmas decorations, clean the house, do the laundry, take care of kids, drive them to and from basketball practices and games and dance classes and pre-school, finish Christmas shopping, plan the meals, make the meals...oh I didn't write sleep...I might need a little of that too.  And THEN....I'll blog.  Until then...