Christmas 2013

Christmas in Portland with the Histand Family

Holiday's are always a little more fun and happy

with family around!  We left Tuesday night

after Aaron was done working and I had worked

Monday night with little sleep and was tired, but...

we made great time and there was hardly any traffic. 

I stayed awake most of the time just to make sure 

Aaron was awake!  I had so many mixed emotions

about traveling on Christmas Eve because this 

is my Favorite part of Christmas.  I love going to 

church and then the last several years we have been

doing Christmas Eve at our house with an "Aaron

Special" that he has made and created for us.  However

waking up Christmas morning with family was wonderful!

My little wonderful, amazing family that I LOVE so much!

Christmas Dinner....is being served.

We had a ham and turkey and both were amazingly good. 

Olivia's Christmas Present from us......

The American Girl Doll, Saige.
She is a beautiful doll with Red hair and
blue eyes, just like my beautiful little girl.
Olivia LOVES doll's, loves playing with them,
dressing them up and playing house.  This
was the PERFECT gift for her and she LOVED it.
I don't thin she put her down much the entire week. 
She carried her everywhere, dressed her many times
and had Aunt Kara do her hair often.  Made my heart 
melt.

The girls with their dolls, their suitcases and all their clothes.

The incredible part is that Grandma Histand got all the girls

their suitcases and then made them a variety of outfits

to fit their dolls.  She also got them several different shoes

and she even made a little purse to go with them.  Daphne and

Lili had their doll's and suitcases, but this was Olivia's first

and she LOVED it.  I loved it and Grandma Histand 

loved it too.  We think in the near future we need to get

Grandma Nancy her own doll because she had so much fun 

playing with the girls, their dolls and dressing them up.
It was priceless to see them playing with these beautiful dolls.

The boys got skateboards from Grandpa and Grandma 
and thought they were pretty cool despite not
really knowing how to ride them, but.......you can
always learn!

The three little beauties.  

Well look what the boys got.....LEGO'S!  Owen got a huge

Cargo Airplane set and Josiah got a Coast Guard set.

They sat around for several hours and put them together

and played.  I think the big boys have as much fun

as the little ones do.  FUN for all!  After all these 

years Owen still loves his Lego's and I am glad 

because they are good quality toys that are 

NOT electronics!!!

The Kropf Family

6th Annual Gingerbread Party

The last 6 years I have had a party to decorate Gingerbread

houses.  The kids have really enjoyed this so I have 

continued the tradition.  The first few years I did it in my 

house, but have gotten smart and moved it to the garage.

We all the people and the candy mess on the floor it

was definitely the way to go! It is so fun

and have really enjoyed it myself!!!

Laurel and her kids ALWAYS do a great job of

decorating their house!

Owen and his best little buddy from school, Sam.

Ava and Elle

Olivia and Claire

Kelly and Kayleigh decorated a Gingerbread Man

and he was very cute and colorfully decorated.

Ally and her Gingerbread Man too.
A fun party with friends!  Love our tradition!

The food table.  Another fun party of hosting parties is
doing food and making yummy treats!

Our Mission....To find the Perfect

Christmas Tree

 Every year we go up to Idaho City on the hunt for 

another Christmas Tree.  We go up into the mountains

and look for a tree that is as close to perfect as you can 

find.  We have been going to the same spot and think 

we have picked our spot over pretty well, so next

year we might have to venture up further into

the mountains.  It is always fun though.  There wasn't 

much snow this year and it actually wasn't that cold.

 The kids tree.  

We always get two tress, one for upstairs

that the kids to decorate and put their ornaments on and

then I get one for downstairs.  

 Taking a break. Waiting for mom as she hunts and hunts

for her tree.  

Home!  The tree up and decorated for Christmas!

Thanksgiving 2013

 This year we decided to do Thanksgiving with friends 

and we had such a fun day.  Aaron and I did the turkey

and Laurel did most of the sides.  It was delicious!

 The kiddos

 Jared and Laurel

Aaron and I.  

It was a relaxing day, we just hung

out and enjoyed the day and all the many blessings

we have!