Christmas Day

Christmas Day was pretty great!

The kids got spoiled as usual...

We spent early Christmas morning at home opening presents with the kids.

Lucas was thrilled to get his new MAGFORMERS from Santa and Millie loved her Princess castle.

Scott has passed along his love for Legos to Lucas... and here he opened a huge box!

Millie excited for BRAVE!

Two Favorite Presents!

MAGS | Trip to Disneyland!!!

After Christmas morning at our house, we went for breakfast and presents at Grammy and Grandpas!

Sourdough pancakes, bacon, eggs, orange juice. Yum.

Millie opening her Minnie Mouse stuff from Grammy and Grandpa.

My mom somehow always gets Scott his most FAVORITE present of Christmas every year. 

She did it again. Topped last year even...

See the pictures for his pure excitement and joy that Legos bring...

Scott has wanted this VW van lego for 3 years. He saw it at a LEGO store in Florida while I was pregnant with Millie and hasn't stopped talking about it since. 

To say he was excited, is an understatement for sure.

It took him a week to put it together... working on it night after night. Not too fast, not too slow. 

He had to prolong the fun!

Grammy opening the annual Christmas Calendar.

After Grammy and Grandpas we were off to home for naps. 

At Nana and Papa's Lucas got more MAGS!!! He was so excited because this set had wheels!

After we opened presents... we played our matching game! The kids even got their own game this year!

Scott and I didn't totally work everyone like last year... but we still did good! Scoring gift card to Five Guys and Cafe Rio among other awesome things!

Super fun tradition Chris started a few years back!!!

REALLY REALLY excited for our trip to DISNEYLAND at the end of January! 

Pictures to come!

Christmas Eve

Annual Christmas Eve sledding was really snowy and cold this year! 

Lucas had a great time tubing with grandpa and dad!

He went down all the big hills and wasn't nervous at all.

Millie loves the thrill of the rides... but she just got too cold after a few runs!

Grammy and Grandpa were so good at taking turns taking her in the yurts to warm up. 

As always, this tradition is something we look forward to each year and it doesn't disappoint!

Hot chocolate and home made sugar cookies! 

The best part!

After sledding we headed over to the Neidig's for our annual fondue night! 

We also play out the nativity and open cousin and sibling gifts. 

Such a fun and yummy night!!!

We look forward to fondue the whole year. 

This year we went back to the roots of the cheese fondue...

The consistency was good... but the flavor is always better with the good cheese!

Scott would disagree with me.

Lucas and Papa playing Lincoln Logs from Deacon!

I love Lucas' face here. He is so content!

Lucas and I made special cookies for Santa and Christmas Dinner!

He made sure to leave out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer!

intstagram pics of the night...

family during dessert fondue | special cookies for santa | lucas preparing for santa's arrival

Merry Christmas!

this year family pictures happened with extended families... but not with our little family. sure, the photographers took pictures of our little family during the extended family sessions... but i was not happy with the results. at. all. so, plan b for the family christmas card this year was to capture the year in instagram photos. i was super pleased with the result! huge thanks to sarah for designing and printing these for me! she is always so great to put my ideas in motion! xoxoxo.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas: Random

The kids saw Santa this year...

LOOK! Lucas is actually standing close to Santa for the first time ever!

Lucas asked for Magformers.

Millie asked for a baby.

Church and breakfast with Grandpa and Grammy while Mom slept | Lucas making sugar cookies

Millie and Lucas playing nice (!) | Breakfast Millie and Grammy

 Traditional Gingerbread Houses at the Neidigs!

Millie and Alan are now friends | Scotty with the kids.

I wasn't there this night but apparently Millie worked with Alan on the houses 

and even gave him a hug goodbye! It only took 2.5 years for this to happen! 

Lucas and I made sugar cookies for his guests at his Preschool Christmas Program.

Lucas was very excited for this night.... we had been waiting for weeks!

He participated with the other kids (huge milestone here!) and actually had a good time!

However, when Santa arrived at the end... he was more than ready to get outta there!

Christmas: Zoo Lights

Zoo lights have become a tradition for the Phillips Family. 

It's fun to see the animals and all the lights! 

They really do some fun things with animation and Christmas lights.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the fun and cold night!

Things I want to remember:
-It was so crowded! Later we found out it was half price Thursday or something like that. Never again.
-It was so dang cold! The kids were all bundled, but it wasn't warm enough!
-The animals were no where to be found. Too cold I guess.
-The favorite animal seen? The real life reindeer.
-Hot coco and treats and corner bakery never tasted so good as we de-thawed from the night!

Christmas: Temple Square

One of our favorite traditions of Christmas is to go to Temple Square with Jamin and Katrina!

They are such great people and friends. Not to mention, that every time we see them it's packed full of laughing and having an all around good time. 

One of the best pictures of Jamin and Lucas is below...

My kids love these guys so. dang. much.

Dinner at the Grand

For my parents wedding anniversary this year they took us to eat at the Grand America. 

I was a little nervous to take the kids, but my Dad assured me that it was kid friendly. The Grand not only had kids menus and high chairs... but they also had a maze around the hotel for the kids to find Christmas Stars. If they found them all they could earn themselves a cookie!

I have to say, the kids did quite well considering the length of dinner...

and the food was quite delicious! 

It was fun to dress up and go downtown. A finale to Christmas since it was December 28th. 

Thanks Dad and Mom for a fun night out!!!

Grammy and the kids looking for Christmas Stars.

Millie at dinner...

She was very excited to get dressed up in her new outfit and matching purse.

She is such a girl!

The whole gang post dinner.

My Dad insisted on a picture with Millie by the tree....

it turned out to be the best picture of the night!

Christmas: Neidig's

After our morning with the Phillips' we headed home to have Millie take a nap. 

Lucas got to play with his new toys and watch Cars 2 while she slept. 

Early evening we headed over to the Neidig's and had a low key Christmas evening with dinner and more presents!

Once again Millie is the only one who is in any of the Christmas evening photos. 

I promise that the rest of us were there too... including Papa, Brent, Angie, Emily and Alan. 

I need to work on getting everyone included in photos apparently. 

Loving her new baby from Nana and Papa.

Goofing off on the rocking chair...

Christmas: Phillips'

After our Christmas morning at home, we headed to my parents house for some breakfast and presents.

We had a really great morning and ate some really great food.

I realized when I uploaded the pictures that I don't have one single picture of Lucas or Scott at my parents house. 

Lucas was obviously too busy playing with his new planes.

Loving her new phone from her cousin Jack.

Giving her new baby kisses.

Exploring her new purse!

It came full of Minnie Mouse accessories!

Mom and Dad enjoying a look at the annual family calendar.