Christmas Memories 2011

It is bittersweet when Christmas ends. Hard to put away the decorations and music, hard to say goodbye to family, hard to stop eating the fudge...luckily we still have family in town and will be blessed with having family in town through New Years, but for the family and friends who we were not able to share Christmas with, here are some photo highlights of Christmas:

Nelson Family on Christmas Day 2011

My kiddos and me in Christmas PJs

Sheelah, Amber, David, Joan

Getting ready for our family Nativity scene (David as the Star)

Sheelah and Shayla at Christmas Tree

The Nativity Scene (Mitchell/Joseph took over the manger)

Mitchell loves his new train

Third round of guests - Megans family - on a walk around the block

Slideshow of MORE FUN photos

Merry Christmas 2011!

Merry Christmas From The Nelson Family

Larissa, Jon, Shayla & Mitchell!

Have a wonderful day and may the blessings of happiness greet you and extend throughout the New Year!

Shayla - 4 1/2 Years Olds

Mitchell - 22 Months

Got Eggnog?

Nelson Family Christmas Card 2011 - E-version!

More Christmas Fun!

More Christmas adventures...busy finishing up wrapping and getting house ready for guests tomorrow so the pictures will speak for themselves!

SHAYLA's Christmas Program at Preschool - she was an angel (see big smiley face behind manger)

Singing at her class party

Shayla's class party (this is her little best buddy Bryceton who has major crush on her - he won't leave class everyday without walking Shayla to the car).

Christmas Sleepover with friends for SHAYLA

Breakfast with Santa

She went with Hailey

Gingerbread House Making!

Finished product (my fav part were the white nerds saved from Halloween for the snow on roof)

The girls and their houses!

Tyson is a grinch (:

Shayla's Christmas List & Letter to Santa

I love fill in the blank letters. Shayla had fun writing all her own answers in her letter to Santa. (with Jon's help with spelling). I like the end "I hope I get to HUG you one day".

Shayla's "Official Wish List" - It says Jewelrey (for jewelry box), Guitar, Dog House (has to have something related to a dog always) and Map (not sure where that one came from!

Nutcracker and Ice Skating

This past week, Shayla and I attended our 3rd annual traditional Nutcracker Mommy and Me date! We went with our friends Jamie and Brooke. This year we also added a new tradition of Ice Skating after the show! Shayla loved it and although she was a bit unsteady on the ice, she said it was the favorite part of her day!

Shayla and Brooke on Ice

Shayla's first time ice skating

Shayla on skates!

Shayla and Mom

Pre-nutcraker - Shayla and Mom

The Show

Post show posing with Nutcracker

Until next year...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

What it is December 10th and I have yet to have a Christmas Post up yet! What is wrong with me?? Maybe I figured with my 25 days of Christmas posts in 2009 - it did cover all of my favorite Christmas things and traditions, but I have a few more to add later in the month. Well we have been having fun, so I will share what we have been up to so far this December:

Church Christmas Party and visiting with Santa - yay Mitchell did not cry!

Cute!

Oh Christmas Tree! Growing up my grandparents always came down to stay with us for Christmas on December 18th or 19th (my sisters birthdays) and they always brough a frehsly chopped tree from the Idaho forest! It was always so big! Anyway so for me since we only had the tree up a few days before Christmas it always seemed weird to get one in the beginning of December. BUT when I started decorating it myself I realized if I am going to put the time into it, might as well have it up as long as possible - but I do refuse to put one up BEFORE December! Anyway, we went a Christmas tree farm that is just 10 minutes from our house to chop down our own tree in the spirit of having a freshly chopped tree. It was fun but Jon may tell you otherwise since he had to do the cutting!

Shayla hugging the tree

Coming home happy with the tree!

And we always celebrate St. Nicholas's Day on December 6th and this for me truly marks the beginning of the Christmas season. We leave our shoes by the door and St Nick fills them with goodies - traditionally fruit and chocolate - but my tradition is to leave the kids a Christmas movie and/or book they can watch all season and a new ornament for each for the tree!

Shayla Reading "Pig Wig"

Shayla loves reading her little books. She started a few months ago and is working on building her skills.