A Texas Christmas!

We were invited out to McKinney, Texas for Christmas this year by Sheehan's Aunt Diana (David's Sister) and Uncle Bill Tyner. They had a beautiful home to entertain all the family that was able to come. 

Shay was planning on driving there with his family but due to Rebecca and Ammon (3 weeks old) having some health problems after Ammon was born they decided to stay home in Utah for Christmas. 

We did get to spend time with Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa Pat Hinman (David's mom and step-dad), Denise Hinman and her son Scott, and Mike, Annie, and Makai. Mike and Annie drove all the way from Florida to be with the family. We enjoyed visiting with them and getting to know them so much! They brought their new little puppy Hazel and the boys were so entertained and in love with her. 

For the first half of the week the weather was beautiful! I definitely packed too warm for the boys. It was so nice to let them run around outside after being cooped up in Utah. All the adults enjoyed just watching them run, play, and explore with puppy Hazel.

The boys loved blowing the pedals off of the dandelions

We bought Makai and the boys matching outfits so we could take pictures of them all together. Makai was great! Lincoln and Vance not so much. Especially little Vance...he was not into the photo shoot and kept crying. I finally remember I had a chocolate bar from the airport Sheehan lovingly bought for me so I bribed them to sit with candy. 

Uncle Bill made the boys dreams come true giving them rides on his real tractor. Lincoln asked to go twice. Saying they loved it would be an understatement.

Everyone was so good to Lincoln and patient with him. He loved sitting on Grandma Marilyn's lap and just chatting with her about everything. She was a good listener. 

Lincoln loved playing games with Scott and Grandma Marilyn helped him play too. 

Grandma Marilyn, Sheehan, and Lincoln making pecan pie.

Sheehan, Lincoln, and Uncle Mike making silly faces in the reflection of the Berkey water dispenser. 

 

Scott, Denise, Pat, and myself (28 weeks pregnant with baby Rae) frosting sugar cookies Denise made from scratch for everyone. 

Vance was super tired after the festivities

Aunt Diana, Mike, and Marilyn getting ready to make pumpkin pie. 

I love this Christmas picture of Vance

We did our little gift giving for Christmas with the boys a few days before we left so that they would have a couple days to play with their new toys. Everyone was so nice and had cars,  a book, and a little money for the boys to open on Christmas day. 

Hutchin's BBQ in McKinney

Grandpa Pat and Grandma Marilyn

Vance was very proud to have his very own ice cream cone. He hasn't figure out how to properly lick the ice cream though. He just wiggles his tongue from side to side across the ice cream. Not the most efficient but he was still happy. 

Lincoln sitting with Uncle Bill

On Sunday, our last day in McKinney, we went out to eat at the local BBQ hotspot Hutchin's BBQ. When I asked what time we should go Bill informed us that the Baptists all get out of church at noon so it'd be best if we beat the church crowd. I loved his response. It was such a stereotypical thing to have everyone in town go eat out at a local favorite after church services. There were definitely lots of good church going, hard working people dining there. I wish I could talk to all of them! 

All I wanted to do while we were in Dallas was to go to The Sixth Floor Museum in downtown Dallas and learn more about JFK and where he was assassinated right there on Elm St. It was really interesting and again, the boys did good given it was an audio tour that they couldn't hear and we stayed for a good hour and a half. They were troopers for us! 

We were able to snap a picture of the alleged snipers view of Elm St. where the President's motorcade drove through. They have a white X on the road right where the President was shot in Dealey Plaza.  

While we were away Utah got a record breaking amount of snow. Thankfully we have wonderful neighbors with snowblowers (and some just used shovels) to clear our driveway and sidewalk for us while we were gone. I don't think I can say enough times how grateful we are to have such great neighbors and blessed to be in such a great neighborhood. 

Monday morning we checked out of our hotel in Dallas, returned our rental car, and flew back home. The boys did so good traveling considering how little they are. We had minimal tears from everyone but I think that's because Vance was just happy to have so much time with his Daddy and just wanted to sit on his lap. 

This is the house we came home to. Covered in more snow...It sure was a White Christmas for everyone here in Utah. It does look very pretty from inside a warm house.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party & Other Festivities

Our friends, Rob and Kati Johnstun invited us to an ugly sweater party. I handmade our sweaters and I'm sure we will get a lot of use out of them for years to come. For the record we were the runner up couple for our ugly sweaters.

 You can see my 27 week belly popping through my sweater.

Lincoln running up to Santa!

Santa also came to the party and Lincoln could not stop smiling! He was so excited to sit on his lap. We did a group photo with Santa and Lincoln ran up to be able to sit on his lap again. He talks about Santa coming every single day. He thinks if it snows Santa is coming asap. He won't let me turn the fireplace on for fear that we will hurt Santa. He also says he's thankful for Santa whenever we pray at night or before we eat.

Lincoln had his Learning Dynamics Preschool Program. He sat up there in his seat great and didn't cry or ask to sit with us. He loves his teacher Mrs. Frost. He only stayed up there because she made sure to keep him sitting right next to her to keep him happy. He did not sing a word or do any hand motions but we did get a couple bell shakes out of him.

I bought the boys the candy countdown to Christmas pictures and they did pretty good for about a week and then I came into the kitchen to find them happily eating away the candy out of all the advent boxes. It was a joint effort on their part. At least they worked peacefully together. 

I love this throwback picture of me! My new barney sweater. The little aladdin palace toy that I STILL remember playing with. This was a pretty great Christmas. I love that I'm eating a banana. So healthy on Christmas morning!  

Sheehan made this box full of christmas lights poked through the top for the boys. Kind of like a light tunnel. We have to admit we saw the idea on Facebook so we used a giant cabinet box we had and the boys played with this for a couple days before it became too loved and needed to go! It was lots of fun for them while it lasted. That Sheehan sure is handy. 

I just like this picture of Lincoln in the playroom wearing a Santa hat and watching a Christmas cartoon movie. He's a cute boy. 

Alyssa, myself, and my parents met up at Archibald's in Gardner Village to just have lunch with the girls and Dad. We briefly walked the shops (it was so cold!) but we found Santa and took a picture with him. Alyssa thought he was a bit stinky this time around and complained his smell rubbed off on her. haha! I had a great time just chatting with my sister and parents with no kids, husbands, distractions. I, of course, got my favorite Archibald's dessert, White Chocolate Bread Pudding. Delicious!

We did our family Christmas the Sunday prior to Christmas Day since we would be in McKinney, Texas with Sheehan's family for Christmas. Here are the boys with some of their new presents. They love to build temples with their wood blocks. It took Sheehan a really long time to assemble the Cozy Coupe car, but the boys love it!

Vance decorating the tree in his room holding his favorite"Butter" puppy.