Dec13-25th...Tis the season.... our christmas season post!

Jessica and Kevin arrive from VA!!!
On Saturday morning, December 13th, my sister, Jessica, and her husband Kevin and their kids came for a week long visit from Virginia!! It was so great to see them! I wish they didn't live so far away. We had a week of fun with them here. Kevin's wonderful family lives here too so we shared them with the Hughes family, which was great! We visited with them for a while on Saturday at my parent's house, then they left for a couple of days with the Hughes family for a mini reunion in New Harmony, Utah at Kevin's brother's house. They had a great time! I was still on "little to no activity" rules from the doctor so I rested up while they were gone, so I could party during the week. haha. On Tuesday, the 16th, I had my cardiologist appt where I was cleared to "play". That night, Rachel, my sister in law (jeremy's wife), was in charge of a special RS christmas dinner in her ward. Several of us attended that and loved it! Clint and his brothers, Kayden, Keith, and Kourtney, sang several christmas songs for the program. They were so awesome! I could listen to them sing all day long! There was yummy food and great company. It was a great night. (bummer- I didn't take any pics from that night!)

Me and Jessica

The arrival!! It's so nice to see how much the cousins love eachother!!

Cousins, cousins, and more cousins!

Nathan (jessica's third), Troy (jeremy's youngest), and Lily (my third)

Brooke (Jessica's 8month 0ld), mom, Carson (my 12 month old), and Jessica

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow....
On Wednesday, Dec 17th, Henderson got what it never gets... Snow... that sticks! It was incredibly beautiful and the kids loved playing in it. The one big problem was that we have no snow gear! So they all froze pretty quick, and were very wet by the time they came inside. It blanketed everything. It really was gorgeous. I thought it would stop and melt pretty quick, but I was surprised when it kept coming and kept coming. That night we drove in it to my parents house to have a little party with all my siblings and their kids, and my cousin Wendy and her family. Luckily, Clint drove really well in it. We only slipped a little when we got up by my parents house.... the roads weren't cleared and they aren't traveled very much so they were covered in the stuff. :) That night Clint, my dad, Kevin, and my cousin's hubby helped a few people get unstuck. it was hilarious. I felt like I was back at college in Idaho. So funny!

Top pics: My backyard that afternoon. It really was cool lookin!
Bottom pics: My front yard (the tree was wilting from the weight of the snow. haha) My girls, Emma and Lily, with our dog, Bart (who also loved playing in it!)

This is when it was just starting to stick. The kids were having a snowball fight and bart wanted to be a part of it so bad. haha. He looks like a deer prancing around in some of it. So silly.

This is in front of my parents house and down their street that night! Wow! It did not look like Henderson. So pretty though!

This is the backyard. Kevin and my dad built that lovely snow-bear. It was really cute!

This is Shaunie, Josh (Jody's hubby), Jaron, Emma, and Heidi roasting marshmallows in the firepit in the backyard. It was freezing outside, but that fire gave off great heat! So fun!!!

I thought for sure on Thursday when i woke up all the snow would be melted, but no. We had a couple more days of it to play in. Clint had to work, so me and the kids walked down and around the corner from our house to the park and school. There were already several people there building snowmen and snow forts and having snowball fights. My kids played for about and hour and then we decided to walk home. It was a pretty walk. Coming up the street toward home the mountain looked really pretty... and I must say, so did my house! :)



The snow was a fun surprise, and it made everything pretty, but I'm glad it's gone. I live here for a reason... I'm not a fan of snow. It's fun to visit, sled a little on, then drink some hot chocolate and head home. haha. It's cold and wet and scary to drive in. Give me my sunny, hot days over snow anytime and I'll be happy!

Friday night Clint and I went to his squad christmas party. It was so much more fun than I thought it was going to be. Everyone was so nice and funny. It was real family oriented. The kids decorated sugar cookies and played together all night. Us adults had some awesome bbq made by Clint's sargeant (Yum) and then had a Wii bowling tournament. Clint and I could only stay for the 1st round, which, by the way, we won! (and i've never played the wii before... fun!) We left that party and met all my siblings and their significant others at the movies. We saw 7 pounds, which I was the only one that like it. haha. Not my favorite movie (i'm not a fan of sad endings usually), but I still liked it. :) Then it was off to home to relief the babysitter and spend time together. What a great evening it was!

Brynlee's Baptism

On Saturday, the 20th of Dec., Clint's brother's daughter, Brynlee, got baptized up in Boulder City by her dad, Keith. It was so nice to be there and support her in this great ordinance. She looked absolutely adorable all dressed in white, with her hair up in cute braids, with her new braces on. So cute. She did such a good job and so did Keith. The girls loved sitting next to eachother during the program and sitting on the floor right in front of the font during the actual baptism. Everyone was so happy. It was a good day.

Halle Campbell, Min Gibson, Brynlee Campbell, Emma, Avienda Gibson

The Keith Campbell Family: Keith and Jeni, Bryn, Halle, Tyler

Brynlee with Grandpa and Grandma Campbell.

Mangum family pics and christmas party!

After Brynlee's baptism we headed home to get ready for family pictures. All the Mangum's were here together. Ryan and Kristin drove down from Layton, and with Jessica and Kevin here, we couldn't pass up the opportunity for a HUGE Mangum family picture. Mike Conrad did a great job with all 31 of us. It was crazy, but went surprisingly well. I can't wait to get them! After pics we all met back at my parents for a "christmas eve" together before Jess, Kev, Ry, and Kris all went home the next morning. It was so fun! We had games, singing, opening presents, treats, and lots of visiting and laughing! It was a great night! We are so lucky to have such great families!

What's that face, Jaron?.. Gma and Gpa Mangum doing the little program.

Family looking on

Shaunie and Emma singing "When Joseph Went to Bethlehem"

Carson, Aurie, Shaunie, Emma and Heidi playing grandma's trivia game (Heidi was really good at it.)

More cousin fun!
The most adorable couple ever!
Emma and me
Sam (Jeremy's) and Jaron (mine)
Ashley (Jessica's), Aniston (Shannon's), and Lily (mine)
Leah(Jeremy's), Emma, Heidi (Jessica's), Shaunie (Jeremy's), and Aurianna (Shannon's)
Everyone looked so cute!





LtoR/top to bottom: Carson getting mad at Nathan when he took his ball. This pic is blurry, but Carson's face is hilarious.; Jesse got a remote control airplane for christmas and as Jen was leaving it flew into her hair and knotted up in the propeller. It was so funny. It took about 10 minutes to get it untangled.; Jennifer and Mike (my oldest sis and her boyfriend);Shannon and Jesse Petty (my sis and broinlaw); Lily playing with her barbie (clint is so patient) Lily loves her daddy!... oh so sweet!

Grandma Brown's Christmas Party!

Clint's Grandma Brown (his dad's mom) has a christmas get together every year. It's so fun and it's a great time to see and visit with Clint's aunts/uncles/and cousins! This year it was at Clint's Uncle Steve's house. People shared talents, we had yummy food, we visited, passed out christmas cards, played a funny game (thanks Uncle Steve), and had a cool raffle (thanks Andrew) (which Clint a I won a prize... one of those chairs that you plug your video game console into and it's automatice surround sound... the guys loved it!) :) It was so great to see everyone!

Rebecca (Clint's sis) and her hubby Dave holding a tired Carson, and pops!
Rawley (Clint's cousin) playing his awesome Christmas song! It was great!
Jennifer and Billy Covington (Billy's clint's cousin) and Kelly (Clint's bro) and his cute pregnant wife, Ashley (due anyday now!! woohoo)
Sorry, blurry!... LtoR: Kourtney (Clint's bro) and his girlfriend, Christen; Janine and Kolby (Clint's bro)... they are getting married Saturday!! woohoo!; Kayden (Clint's bro) and his awesome pregnant wife, Stephanie! What cute couples!
The guys singing for their talent.
Kayden and Steph
Ashley and Kelly
Kourt and Christen
Jason (Clint's cousin) and Keith
Keith and Jeni
CJ (Dave and Bec's) and Jaron
Cute little Emma!

Christmas Eve with Mangums and Christmas Day with the porcelain god :
We had christmas eve with my parents, Shannon and Jesse and their kids, and Jody and Josh. We went to my parents for dinner and opening presents. It was a good time, and pretty relaxing. Unfortunately in the middle of the night christmas eve me, and Emma, and Carson starting puking. Not fun! Even though we didn't get to do all the things we wanted to on Christmas day (spending it with Campbells), it was still nice and relaxing too. Clint had to work all day, but he got to come home between 6 and 7am to open presents with the kids and spend a little time with us. I love the christmas season, but I'm ready for it to be over, and have a little normalcy and routine come back into our lives... hmmm, did I even have normalcy or routines in my life before christmas????? Well, maybe that'll be my new years resolution. haha.

Emma (with her new doll), Carson (with his new basketball set), Emma (with her new jewelry set), and Jaron (with his new remote control speed racer car)

Think Jaron's happy about his car?? :)
Emma's thrilled with anykind of jewelry or makeup (is this girl 7 or 17??)

opening gifts (I think my mom is just as or more excited than the kids. haha)

Christmas Morning at home

They are stunned! haha.

Carson was so happy to get a couple of balls for christmas.... I love this age and they are so easy to please! :)

Emma and Jaron opening barbies and speed racer the movie! Look at those smiles! Priceless!! If you look close you can tell Emma's hair is wet... she rolled over and slept in her puke (gross, gross, gross) so we had to do an early morning bath and load in the washer. ewwww. haha.

Lily

The kids are happy! That's the goal and it was accomplished. Yipee!!