Christmas season

This year on December 1st our very own Elf on the Shelf appeared at our house.  The boys wondered why he had never come before...guess he was waiting for us to move to Arizona (or for mom to get clued in).  We named him Luke (yes, a Star Wars reference) and he quickly became the highlight of each morning.  The boys would race downstairs to see where he was & if he'd done something funny in the night.  Here are a few of their favorites....

We made sugar cookies one night and the next morning, we found Luke had had some too.  Silly little elf!  Guess he gets hungry too.  Luke was very helpful in getting Gavin to eat his dinner, reminding them not to fight, and entertaining us.  It just took a little reminder that our elf would be reporting back to Santa that night how they had behaved or (mis)behaved in the day.

We made lots & lots of cookies to eat and give to neighbors and friends.

As is tradition, we made gingerbread.  This year we did gingerbread people and a gingerbread train.

Dallin preferred just to eat the icing.  Nice.

Gavin showing off his gingerbread man.

The masterpieces.

Now onto the train.

One of the fabulous things down here in Arizona is they decorate the Mesa temple with Christmas lights.  I haven't been to see the SLC temple lights for years, and 3 of my boys haven't seen them either.  So, this was a real treat and they were beautiful!!

I am laughing at this picture because we are so bundled up. It was only 55 degrees outside but we've already adjusted to the Arizona heat and it felt cold to me.

Ethan & Gavin's preschool did a Christmas program and it was absolutely darling.  They knew the songs so well and did such a great job.

We also made it to a Suns/Jazz game in Phoenix one night in December.  And...the Jazz lost.  Every time we've gone to see one of "our teams" or I should say "Tad's teams" play here in Arizona, they lose.  We must be bad luck.

Anyway, our Christmas season was wonderful and busy.  It seems to get more and more busy and crazy the older your kids get.