Various January Fun

New Years Eve was all kinds of fun this year!  We got together with some families and partied only as mormons can. We danced and ate and played games and did it all again. No faking the 10:30 midnight with this crowd. We all hung on to the real hour and had a blast together.

January found Lincoln heading in to Sunbeams! He isn't a huge fan, but seems to be handling it OK.
 
The Willards came over to hang out one night and we did popcorn olympics.

Conor went to the fire station for scouts and when we went to pick him up they invited us in for a tour of the station and to see the trucks. Lincoln was surprisingly a little shy about it, but enjoyed sitting in the drivers seat and checking out the engines.
 
I love when January finally rolls around and you can take a moment to gather with friends and family and take a collective breather.

Kevin and Conor went night skiing one evening and snapped this beautiful picture of the sun setting.  Unfortunately Josie was unable to join them because her snow pants just didn't feel right.  And the drama of clothes continues with poor Josie. 
 

-Midnight pandamonium!

-Laura, Julie, Amina, Shelly, Megan, Julie and Lori

-My baby is a Sunbeam!

-The Popcorn Olympics

-Sunset over 49

Christmas Day

Oh the anticipation!!!! The kids were good and slept in until 7:30 and then they were ready to see what Santa brought. I think everyone was really happy with all their loot. I am always so grateful that we are able to provide a nice Christmas and I love to see the excitement as each toy is discovered or opened. We are so blessed! We had a quiet day enjoying the new toys and gifts and watching movies, eating, playing games and skyping with family.

Christmas Eve skiing

Josie is skiing! After serious drama over the snow pants and helmet, Josie finally got down to business and took to the snow. She struggled a bit on her first few runs, but she is officially joining the family from now on the slopes, that is if she will wear the required clothes. Yay for Josie!!! Amina was nice enough to watch Lincoln while the rest of us spent Christmas eve enjoying the ski hill. We called it a day pretty early and headed home for the yummy chili in the crock pot, video's from Santa and all the other good Christmas eve traditions.

Gingerbread Houses

Time for the gingerbread houses! We have got this down to a science now. We know what candy we like how to do the houses and frosting and set up. Everyone looks forward to the fun including the Mom's. Here are the beautiful results.

-The foundation stage

-Josie

-Conor

-Ta DA

Sometimes getting everyone together for a picture can be so very painful!!!!

Santa

We went to the ward party and Santa was there!  Lincoln wouldn't sit on his lap, but the others were happy to tell him what present they wanted.  Josie asked for an electric guitar, Conor asked for a lego set - I will add that he reluctantly sat on his lap for me.  Lincoln asked for a train.  The kids participated in some Christmas caroling and everyone got their fill of cake and rolls.  I was just glad that I wasn't planning it like last year. 

-Josie and Santa

-Santa with the Kellogg kids

-Lincoln fist bumping Santa

-Santa and Conor

-Conor with the "reluctant singers"

-Conor and Josie happily caroling and ringing their bells

On the way to Christmas

Christmas is headed our way and I am not sure that we are ready. We are going to try and get all the fun and festivities into the weeks ahead. 1st we went out to Coeur'd Alene the day after Thanksgiving for the annual firework show and Christmas parade. We met the Wilson's there and we went out to dinner and wandered around the resort to look at the Christmas lights. Always a good time.

Full swing into a band concert for Conor and a Christmas musical concert for Josie. We went downtown to the Davenport to look at the Christmas trees on display and spent sometime (a lot of time) in the whiz kids toy store.  Lincoln spent some time playing in the snow and we wrote our Christmas lists. We can hardly wait!

-The family at the Christmas parade in Coeur d'alene

-Conor doing a stellar job in his 1st band concert.

-Beautiful Josie singing in her school Christmas concert

-Kevin and the kids in the Davenport hotel, this tree is always beautiful.

-Conor and Josie and Lincoln

-Josie and Mom in front of the pretty poinsettia's

-Lincoln doing a little snow driving

-One of Josie's many Christmas lists

November Fun and Thanksgiving

After we got back from Utah we headed back to school and schedules and found that we had much to catch up on and realized the holidays were quickly approaching.  Life was back in full swing.  Conor was able to participate in volleyball at school, he had games or practices every Wednesday and Friday and he loved it.  We were able to go to a lot of his games and we loved watching him.  He learned a lot and is looking forward to next year. 

-Midway volleyball

-Conor serving

-Midway Volleyball

-I snapped this picture of cute Lincoln by himself at the island

 Thanksgiving found us in Spokane this year so we invited Grandma and Grandpa Kellogg and the Robinson family to join us.  Grandma and Grandpa backed out at the last minute for reasons unknown, but the Robinson's came with the oodles and oodles of delicious rolls and pie.  We had a blast with them.  Kevin smoked a turkey and cooked a small turkey breast in the oven to try out a different recipe and the turkey was yummo! We watched lots of football and we played tons of games.  Just the way a Thanksgiving should be.

-Rob and Sara with their delicious/giant rolls!

-The yummy spread

-Turkey chef Kevin- Smoking is the only way to go.  No more oven turkeys for us.

-The little kid table-Lincoln, Josie, Riley, Cody and Charlie

-The adult table- Kevin, Rob, Sara, Jo, and Conor.