Christmas

Christmas started a week early with the annual Bonkers night at the Trafzer's. It is always a good time and this year was no different. Jon and I put a lot of time and effort into making a fantastic white elephant gift and it went over quite well. We made a book titled "The Night Before Bonkers". It was filled with several photoshopped pictures of past Bonkers and the poem was changed to to accommodate the family. As Jon read it everyone was laughing so hard they were crying. It was a hit! But now we have a problem...we'll never top it!

Derrick with his small gift from Grandma and Grandpa Trafzer at Bonkers

Emma with her small gift from Bonkers. Always new toothbrushes!

Christmas Eve Grandma and Grandpa Trafzer came over to give the kids their presents. Derrick got a remote Control truck and Emma got a set of American Girl books. They also got the game Connect 4. They loved their gifts. After the grandparents left Jon read the Christmas Story from the Bible and then we opened our new pajamas. Emma got a Tinkerbell nightgown and Derrick got Spiderman pajamas. Jon got me a super comfy robe since pajamas aren't really fitting right now! :) The Denmarks also sent us an Elf on the Shelf. So we will start that new tradition next year. The kids left cookies and reindeer food and a note for Santa. They were off to bed and Christmas set up began.

A teddy bear that belonged to great grandma and grandpa Trafzer

Christmas was fun with with kids! I always enjoy seeing them open their gifts and being so excited. I did feel really bad when Emma opened her imitation American Girl Doll! She really wanted one but I just couldn't justify the $100 so I bought her an Our Generation doll. But when she opened it she started screaming "It's an American Girl, it's an American Girl!" I pointed out to her that it really wasn't and she was fine, but I felt bad! I may have to splurge for her 8th birthday! Derrick got lots of Legos and finally got a Star Wars light saber. (He's been asking for one for a very long time!) He loves it all! I surprised Jon by buying him a Kindle Fire. We weren't supposed to buy for each other but he just found out he got a promotion at work to Director of Operations. I was so happy for him, he deserved a nice gift. I'm just lucky I found a store that still had one in stock last minute! Christmas was on a Sunday so we opened presents and then headed off to church. After church we went to mom and dad's for dinner. It was especially fun because Debi and Curt flew in that day with their family and we were able to spend some time with them. The kids loved baby Claire and it was so good to see them. Mom and Dad gave us money which we were very grateful for. We used it throughout the following week to go to Golfland and Rawhide with Debi's family. Grace also got her first Christmas gift...a cute outfit from Grandma and Grandpa Clark. Christmas next year will be 3 times the fun with 3 kids. Can't wait! Merry Christmas!

Stockings

Lots of goodies and presents in the stockings

Books

Dress ups

A Hello Kitty watch

Operation (one of my favorite games as a kid)

A Nerf Dart Gun

"Use the Force"

A Black Spiderman costume

Mario Kart Legos

Hello Kitty Squinkies

Emma bought Derrick a monster Truck playset

A jewelry Box

New pony books

Superhero Squinkies

Derrick bought Emma a doll stroller

A new Memory Game

Derrick was so excited to get Mario Kart!

Emma loves her new cozy blanket. I do too! I want to steal it! :)

Harry Potter Wii game

A t-ball set

Ready to start practicing baseball before Little League starts in March!

A gift from Santa

She liked how the eyes opened and closed

She loves her!

What did Santa bring?

Legos from Santa

Jon was surprised to get a Kindle Fire

Derrick in his new Spiderman Costume

Emma in her new brides dress

Emma playing with her doll, Liliana

Derrick playing Legos in his new Spiderman costume

Jon playing on his Kindle (he hasn't put it down since he got it!) :)

Trash time!!

Ready for church

I love this picture!!

Derrick looks thrilled to be taking so many pictures! :)

Derrick trying to open one of his treats from Grandma and Grandpa Clark

A Santa lollipop

"Baby Claire"

The Nutcracker

Emma's ballet studio (Studio R Ballet) did a performance of act II of the Nutcracker at the beginning of December. Emma has been in rehearsals since September preparing for it. She was in the Baffoon dance and was so excited to hide under the big skirt! Emma was chosen to do cartwheels across the stage in her dance. She practiced really hard to get chosen for that and she was so excited when she was picked! Emma did a great job and it is always so fun to watch her perform. She can't wait to do it again next year. Her teacher put so much work into this show and it came out great. I'm so glad Emma was able to be a part of it! Emma loved all the attention that she got and all the flowers from friends and family. All of her grandparents went, Kadence and Kassidy, and Sis Peterson. We love them all and are thankful for their support of our little ballerina!

Dress Rehearsal...

Mother Baffoon

Emma finishing her cartwheels

Cartwheeling

Performance day...

Flowers from mom and dad

Flowers from all her friends and family

Our silly little baffoon!

Thanksgiving

This year I was at the school the day before Thanksgiving helping with the kids parties. They each had a feast and Derrick had a cute little program with songs. I tired to record his singing program but I couldn't see him. The kid in front of him kept getting in the way. But Derrick did great and knew all his songs.
On Thanksgiving we went to Rick and Denise's house for lunch and then over to Ron and Sher's. I'm really glad we made it to Ron and Sher's to see Jon's Grandma Trafzer one last time before she passed a few days later. We're thankful that she was able to see the kids and that she is now in a better place.

Emma and her friend Naraje

Emma eating her Thanksgiving Feast

Derrick singing his Thanksgiving songs

Derrick eating his feast

Derrick and Mrs. Kurth (we are definitely thankful for her. She has taught both my kids in kindergarten and we love her!)

War

The other day, Derrick pulled out all of his army men and had a war. He set it up just how he wanted it and he even picked a good side (which Uncle Mark was fighting on) and a bad side. Derrick is really getting into all the boy things that boys do. Although he did choose to play My Little Pony at my sister's house the other day. We'll keep trying! :)

Halloween

This year for Halloween Emma was a green witch and Derrick was a werewolf. I had fun with their costumes this year. I embellished Emma's hat to make it fancier and Derrick's costume was a crack up with a fake beard and all! Derrick was not allowed to wear his costume to school and Emma was. But I talked her out of it so it didn't get ripped or ruined. We settled on a cute Halloween outfit instead. I spent almost the entire day at the school helping out with the kids class parties. It was fun though. They played games and made crafts. I was in charge of the "face painting" in Derrick's classroom. I was stuck with that when Emma was in kindergarten too. Not my forte, but it's a good thing 5 and 6 year olds aren't too picky! Jon had to leave to go out of town the day before Halloween so I braved taking the kids out trick or treating by myself. It went fine, but Derrick got tired really fast and would sit in the driveway of each house we came to for a quick break! But they got lots of candy and had a great Halloween!

Ready for school

Emma making her bat

Decorating a pumpkin with feathers

Playing Halloween Bingo (she won twice!)

A popcorn monster hand

Crazy spider hats

Derrick chose a spider web for one cheek

And a candy corn for the other

Derrick's class

Ready to go Trick or Treating

Lots of loot!

Our ward had their annual Trunk or Treat Party the Saturday before Halloween. The kids had a great time and Jon and I even dressed up this year. Jon took home the prize for most creative costume with his "Porta Jon". The kids thought it was so funny that he was a bathroom! I threw together a Cleopatra costume last minute thanks to Jeni. I even squeezed into sandals that were too small for the sake of the costume! Grandma and Grandpa Trafzer came to watch the kids and we all had good time.

Our scary Werewolf

Our little green witch

Emma with Grandma Trafzer

The Brenay Family Halloween

The kids with their Jack-O-Lanterns that dad helped them carve