Christmas in Arizona is the best time of year!

    

 This year all the kids wanted bikes and scooters! This is when living in Arizona comes in handy cause not everyone can get bikes and scooters and go outside at 8am and start riding them! We were freezing ( it was only probably 60 out!) but we enjoyed every minute of it!

This little girl is amazing on a scooter. She cracks me up, she even will hold one leg out to the side and turn in circles! she loves her scooter and even better that the wheels light up!

 Jarom loves that he finally has a bike that fits him. He as grown so much so fast that he out grew his last one way too fast. ( it was the bike that Josh grew up riding)

 Cole is in heaven! he wasn't sure if he was going to get a new bike because we told him that he could just get Jarom's old bike. But as Josh and I talked we felt bad that Cole is that child in the family that would always get the used items and so we decided that they both needed new bikes! Santa did a good job! Cole also got new clothes and shoes. They aren't much different from his other outfit but he loves them. they are the cutest jeans, they are skinny jeans and then   Em-ma got him some glow in the dark slip on vans and man does  he look good! I love his style!

 

Last there is Wesley! Even when he is sick he still looks so cute. It might have something to do with this SUPER cute sweater that Em-ma got him, but he is just getting so big!  He was under the weather and so he didn't even enjoy playing with the wrapping paper, good thing he is only 7 months, cause we really didn't give him anything. I say take advantage of that when you can.

Christmas was fun this year, having kids that understand Santa and get into some of the fun traditions makes it even better. I think my favorite was Christmas eve day we were all outside in the garage and the mailman had just left the mail. I went to go get it and found a package from Nick and Jess in it, but then also came across a letter to the boys. I looked to see who it was from... IT WAS SANTA!!! I looked at Josh and said look who this is from! Showed it to the boys and they were sooo excited. Inside they got a personal letter addressed to them along with stickers and coloring pages. To see the boys light up and hear about what was going on in the north pole and be told by Santa to leave milk and cookies out so he can make it through the night was really fun! I love the magic that Christmas brings.

The only bad thing is when the gifts from Santa break the next day and you have to try and cover things up by telling the boys that sometimes Santa brings extra bikes to Walmart and you can take them back there and exchange them for new ones! luckily wallyworld came through for us and had an extra bike that we could exchange for jarom and had an extra part that was missing for Coles bike.
All in all Christmas was great. We were able to go over to Josh's family house on Christmas eve and day. Always fun to be with them. sure wish more of the siblings could have come home, but they waited so we could all be together when Gavin is home from his mission. crazy he his already home in July! However we will be able to see Jason and whit on Sunday and spend the new year with them. Lewis tradition is to make homemade gifts and so we get to exchange those on Sunday. I cant wait for that, that is always a highlight of the season.
This year Jarom had Josh and we found something that we wanted to do. It was out of wood and pretty simple and so i figured i could do it with him and make it look somewhat ok. I think its times like this when my dad is smiling... ok laughing down at me cause i will never change. I always will find a way to put something together even if i have no clue or the right tools to do it. Good thing Wayne came through for us. It was so fun to watch Jarom and Papa together making Josh's gift. made me miss my dad, but grateful Jarom and my kids have such a great Papa!