The Firebirds Thunder Up!

Harper's Basketball team got to enjoy an Thunder Event in the December just like Owen's team.  However, Harper and her fellow Firebirds got to scrimmage in the Court of Dreams event before the Thunder took the court.  All of those girls were so excited to get on the big court...when Harper got down there, she said..."It really isn't that BIG!"  But the crowd wasn't there yet!  I even got to run the scoreboard and make announcements during her scrimmage!!!  They had an absolute blast playing on the court, but were even more excited to get to stand on the sidelines while the players were introduced.  High Fives from Tall Guys...what could be better!!!

At this game, Owen got his hat signed by Nick Collison.  He was so pumped and cannot get enough of wearing his newly autographed cap!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Morning is always my favorite time with the kids!  Well...unless it is 5:40 am and you have an 8-year old tapping you on the shoulder when you are sound asleep.  She was ready to get up!  However, I convinced her that we needed to wait until 6:15, so at 6:15 sharp she was back tapping me on the shoulder.  I went to wake Owen up and we the madness began!  They were so excited about the fun gifts that Santa had left for them.  Owen's favorite was his Nerf guns and Harper's was her Kindle reader.  We all checked our stockings and I was pleased to find the perfume I had been wanting.  Richard told me that Harper had written a note to Sneaky (our elf) asking him to bring it to me for Christmas...and he did!!  Thank you Santa!

After we played with our toys and waited for the sun to come up, we headed over to Grandma and Boppy's for Christmas Morning breakfast.  It has to be our yummiest tradition!

We ate and ate and ate...and then we opened presents!  Again, so fun to watch everyone open the presents that the kids picked out for them.  Harper is way better at giving appropriate (non-amusing gifts) now, but Owen is at the best stage.  Owen gave Grandma a cute dip spreader and dish, he gave Boppy a #1 Grandpa money clip, Cole got two gifts...a Thunder Sticker and a Coffee Mug with a beautiful Christmas scene on it.  Hazen was the proud recipient of a really cool light up centipede and a bottle of $1 pink baby lotion.  But the best gift of all was for Aunt Melanie...a beautiful bracelet, engraved with #1 Grandma that Owen purchased at the Santa Shop at school.  Priceless!!!!

We spent ALL of Christmas Day at my parents with all of our family...even Cindy and Tony, along with Grandma Marks and Janet stopped by.  It was a very relaxing, just the way I like it, Christmas!!!

Celebrating Christmas Eve

In case you haven't learned, I am totally into traditions and doing the same thing each and every year...when it comes to the holidays.  This Christmas Eve was no different than the past!

We began the day by making Christmas Cookies and Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas morning.  Then Rich, the kids and I sat down to open our presents to each other.  It was also great to see the look on Harper's face when she opened up the T-Shirt quilt I made for her from all of her shirts from the past 8 years.  She love it!  I love to watch the kids open presents, but I have to admit that I absolutely love to open the presents that they get for us each year.  This year, Harper set her sights higher...she wanted to go to the mall to shop for Richard, Owen and I.  Richard took her one day and I took her another...and I did have to set a price limit.  She wanted to get her daddy a "real nice" gift!  She ended up getting Owen a Lego set, Richard a watch and hand sanitizer and she got me a charm bracelet and hand sanitizer.  Loved it!!!

Owen on the other hand made the infamous trip to Dollar Tree with Richard for my gift!  I was the lucky recipient of some "gorgeous, too pretty to use" dixie party cups.  It was even a 12 pack!  I also got a sack of green marbles...the kind that go in the bottom of a vase.  I love that little man!!  He was so excited to give a gift...the best part about Christmas!

After a nap, we got all dressed up and headed to Mass.  It always great to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas...while singing all of my favorite hymns.

After Mass, we all headed to our house to eat some yummy BBQ and open our Christmas jammies from Grandma & Boppy!  I told my mom that she did an awesome job this year...of getting me PJs that actually fit!  For several years she was very kind and bought me a size that I haven't fit into since I was in the 8th grade! :)

Then we headed outside to spread our Reindeer food that our friends sent us!  It was awesome because you could see the glitter in the moonlight.  Then we prepared Santa's plate, read the Christmas Story and headed to bed!  Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Christmas Fun!

We had several fun happenings, gathering and traditions that led up to Christmas that I wanted to share!  We love spending time with friends and family at Christmas.  Time is the best present at all!

Christmas at Grandma Marks' House- It was a very icy, cold Saturday, so many members of the family weren't able to make it.  But our small group still had a super fun time hanging out in the warm house!

Making Christmas Cookies- This might just be one of my favorite long-time Christmas traditions!  We always love making the cookies that I have been helping make since I was a little girl...not to mention the results sure are yummy! :)