I meant to post this a couple weeks ago when it happened. But better late than never, huh?
A couple weeks ago V. and I were heading into town and V. exclaimed excitedly," Look Mom! They are putting Christmas lights on the Christmas trees!"
As you head into town there are huge pine trees along both sides of the road. And yes, they were putting Christmas lights up on them! They just haven't lit them yet. I can't wait for when they do. It's always so pretty!
And I LOVED V.'s excitement over seeing that!

I went out with a friend last night and had a very enjoyable time and a much needed break!
Anyhoo, when I got home V. was already asleep so I gave her a kiss then talked with Steve about what they did while I was gone. He said they went fishing then came home and had Mac & Cheese{V. would live off that if she could!}. He said that later in the evening she came into our room and had a downcast face and was humphing. He asked her what was wrong. She said{in a very serious tone}," I just don't understand. Almost all my toys are made in China. Why? Why is everything from China?"
At this point Steve is thinking that she's being all political or something and he was very surprised!
She then continued," All my toys from Santa say 'made in China' on them. I don't understand. Aren't they made in Santa's workshop? Does he HAVE a workshop? Why are they from China?"
Steve said he probably had the deer-in-headlights look at this point. He was like, "Where is this coming from? When did she get old enough to start asking questions like this?"
So he turned to joking and told her that maybe Santa made a stop in China on the way to our house for her toys or something.
 Then the next morning she approached me with the same questions. So I told her something like maybe Santa gets parts from China, or has workshops all over the world and has one in China, or something like that.
Anyway, he said she was very serious and seemed genuinely upset by all this.
It has us wondering if this is the year she stops believing in Santa. It's sad to think about her growing up. I have a friend who says in their house they say ,"If you don't believe you don't receive." She says none of her kids have ever asked about Santa{not even the teens}. If they start, they are just told,"If you don't believe you don't receive."
But I've always told V. that she can ask us anything and we'd always be truthful with her. I was thinking more along the lines of talking about life and such. I didn't think about Santa. So do I break her heart when she asks about Santa by telling her the truth or do I just say that I believe in the magic myself, because if you don't believe you don't receive. Or is that too cryptic for a child?
I guess we need to do some serious thinking about how to answer her when she asks....
p.s.
I have found a few ideas on Pinterest of ways to talk to our child about Santa. I think I might take a couple of those and change them to fit us and they way we talk with V.

Christmas!!!

We had a fun, busy Christmas season.

This year, I wanted to try really hard to teach V. about the importance of giving. We have a cute, little house advent thing that has drawers that pull out. Last year I tried putting scriptures for us to read in each drawer. But we also have a really good advent book that also has scriptures and it got a little confusing. So this year I thought we'd do random acts of kindness. In each drawer there was a slip of paper with an act of kindness V. could do. Some were small like do your chores without being asked, tell a family member you love them, be kind to another child at school, etc. Some were things we do every year anyway like give a gift to your school/piano/ballet teacher, take treats to nieghbors, etc. Some were fun like tape candy canes to atm's around town or tape quaters to vending machines. Some were a little bigger: bake and take goodies to the library staff, to the fire and police departments. And some required a money sacrifice from V. like buying a toy to donate to Toys for Tots and buying some canned food for the FoodBank. And yes, V. used her own money for those.They were all fun and V. couldn't wait each morning to open up a drawer and see what act of kindess she could do that day. We will definetly be doing this every year from now on! And I enjoyed doing it with her as well and giving to people all season long!

We had a family party at my parents.

 V. and her cousin loved watching the train go around and around grandma and grandpa's tree~

 My dad in the background, my brother, and my sister holding my niece. Isn't she a cutie? And V.~

 Steve and V. having fun!~

 Some family chaos. We had the kids put on the nativity. {Unfortunately I didn't have the camera ready for that.}  This photo is everyone getting ready for the white elephant gift exchange~

 My Dad and V. watching all the fun~

 I tried taking a couple of panoramic photos of everyone. But I still only got a few people in the photo and not everyone~

 Then we started fun Christmas time with Steve's family.
Here's a photo of V. and her cousin and her Aunt Randi making cookies~

 These two are so cute together. A regular little Thelma and Louise.~

 Our Christmas tree and village at home~

 V. in her Christmas pj's watching Santa's flight across the world. She couldn't wait for him to get to the United States!~

 Making chocolate milk with daddy for Santa~

 We got V. a bike for Christmas! We knew her reaction to it could go 2 ways~ She could be all excited or be like,"yay. I got a bike. whoop-dee-doo." Lucky for us, she was excited! First thing she did on Christmas morning was see the empty plate of cookies and empty glass. She knew Santa had been here! Then her eyes moved up into the living room and she exclaimed," A bike!" Went running into the living room to look at it, then saw her stocking from Santa on the couch. Here's a picture {blurry, sorry} of her bike~

 V. had seen this little doll at the local bazaar that she fell in love with. I told her to ask Santa for it. And every since our West Yellowstone trip here, she has been wanting a bison. I, again, told her to ask Santa for one.
Santa delivered  both and she was thrilled!~

 Christmas morning!~

A better photo of her bike~

Unwrapping gifts~

After we did our own Christmas we went to Steve's parents.
Again I tried to take a panoramic~

Steve's 96 year old Grandma opening up a gift~

Steve's Grandma and Dad~

Steve's mom made all the boys these hats with moustaches. We were all laughing so hard!
Steve is in the blue one. Don't they look like the Mario Brothers?~

A couple days after Christmas, Steve's sister Nona showed up with her two little boys. This was our first time meeting baby M. { I don't know what's up with Nona's face here}~

V. loved playing with her aunts~

Aunt Jo painted with the girls~

So there's a recap of our Christmas!

A fun, busy, family filled Holiday Season!

The North Pole Express

In December we did our annual North Pole Express trip. This year we invited Steve's nephew to go with us as well as my parents and me sister and her family. It was alot of fun!

Here's a picture of us waiting to board~

 V. and some of her cousins~

 Steve on the train and V. looking out the window. The scenery is always so beautiful!~

 Me on the train~

 V. and her cousin at the North Pole having fun while waiting to see Santa~

 Steve and I looking silly~

 V. and her cousins with Santa~

 My two cuties~

 Two weirdos~

 Santa and Mrs. Claus on the train ride home. They took time to visit with each child~

As always, this was a fun trip with lots of memories! We can't wait to go again next Christmas!

V.'s photo shoot

Every year I take a photo of V. in her Christmas dress to give to family members with our family Christmas card. Here's this years little photo shoot~









I think this will be the one we use!

Our Trip to see Santa

This last weekend we went to Boise. While there we went up to Horseshoe Bend and rode the Polar Express up to the North Pole to see Santa! It was a ton of fun!This is our 4th year doing this! We had hot cocoa and cookies and milk. We sang Christmas carols and visited with Mrs. Clause on the train. We saw Santa at the North Pole and then walked around a bit and warmed ourselves by a fire they had going. Then we got back on the train to head back home and visited with Mrs. Clause again. Overall, it was a very fun trip!
Here are some photos from our trip~

Christmas 2009

Okay, so I'm a little late getting this post done. But better late than never, right? We had a fun Christmas, here are a few pics of what we did!
Christmas Eve.
V. making chocolate milk to set out with the cookies we made for Santa. At one of her visits with him, she asked him what his favorite cookie and drink is. His reply was Chocolate milk and chocolate chip cookies.

Christmas morning!
Santa drank all the Chocolate milk and almost all of the cookies! The key next to the plate is one that we hang on the doorknob outside the front door on Christmas Eve. Since we don't have a fireplace or chimney, this is how Santa gets into our house!

Last year V. asked Santa for a Momma and a Baby bear. Which she got. All V. asked Santa for this year, was a Papa bear. Which she got!

Dumping out her stocking!

V.'s excited face as she unwraps her toy story Woody and Buzz. For some reason, this year, she really has been into Toy Story and really wanted the toys for Christmas!

Playing with her new favorite toys!

We went to Steve's parents for the rest of the day.
Steve's parents gave V. a sleeping bag, compass,and flashlight for Christmas that match the theme of her gifts this year!

V. wearing her cousins crazy hat! We all had so much fun hanging with family!

Oh! And I better add that the week before Christmas, V. and I went to the Nutcracker ballet here in Blackfoot. This was V.'s first year going. My Grandma used to take my sister and I every year when we lived in Utah. Anyway, V. loved it! The entire first act she couldn't take her eyes off the dancers! She says she wants to go again. YAY! I love the Nutcracker, and I'm glad she does too. Now we can make this a yearly tradition!