Our Wiley Ways: January 2010

Wow, it's been a while. And believe it or not a few things have happened since last I wrote. I'm going to just skip right on over Thanksgiving as it might best be an event to forget this year. Sure, the meal was great, but sickness and travel woes have overshadowed that memory by now.

So moving on to December and the Christmas preparations & celebrations, I present a photo essay...

Snow!!

The kids building snowmen at Grandma & Grandpa Z's house. We've had some snow and it's been cold!

Decorating

I got Huck's stocking done just in time. (It turned out a bit bigger than I'd hoped, but what else is new?!)

We will forever be a "real tree" family.

These were our costumes for our annual Christmas party with our friends. It started out as a crazy sweater party but the costume bar has been raised every year. It's amazing what you can find on ebay!

Christmas Eve

Orem has an In-n-Out!! Which meant we could continue the Zackrison-Family-Christmas-Eve-Dinner-at-In-n-Out tradition this year. (Also notable, hey look - Dad has a Christmas Sweater!)

Mom picked out cute matching jammies for all of us -- Rachel & June modeling some of the styles.

The kids were a little riled up as we tried to sit reverently and listen to Dad read the Christmas story from the scriptures.

It was so fun having so many Zackrisons gathered together for Christmas this year. We had Grandma & Grandpa, Rachel, Christine, Zack, Ana & Jack all together for Christmas Eve. Then Steve, Ie Li, Mei Li & Stephen arrived on Christmas day. Maybe next year we'll lure the Earnests to town too?!?

Does that look like the face of a kid who intends to sleep through the night? The correct answer is No.

Christmas Morning

Santa setup shop in the basement this year and left this note so we wouldn't worry that he didn't come (although that was Brenden's first thought when he woke up).

Getting ready to crash through the wrapping paper at the top of the stairs

The splendor!
Favorite gifts this year: fancy sled-mobiles, lego sets (Lego Garage & Lego Beetle), giant nerf guns, Dora backpack & Dora Beanie Baby character dolls, a doll that laughs & cries, new TV for the basement

One of June's favorite presents was the little kitchen Santa built in her little play house under the stairs

Christmas with the Wileys

Scott's family came to town for a few days after Christmas. We had a great time with them celebrating Christmas and enjoying the snow
(read: Scott & Brett took the boys sledding at 8am after a fresh snowfall)

Peter, Tommy, Oliver, Stephanie & Huck

Brenden, Webb, Laurel & June

Wait - are these two related?

Family Time

Accessories

I've been resisting getting iPods for the boys specifically because I wasn't ready for one of these -- a boy who'd walk around with earbuds hanging out of his hat who you had to yell at to get his attention. But Brenden saved up his birthday money and did jobs and earned enough and bought an iPod Nano right after Christmas. Unfortunately 2 weeks later it is now missing (with signs up around the neighborhood hoping some kind soul might find it and give it back).

Huck got this great 'h' shirt from Aunt Annee, which is the perfect thing to go with his new leg warmers.

Turns out Huck's leg warmers have been the most popular gift this year, requiring that we come up with a rotation for who gets to wear them when, and has the boys both saving up some money so they can buy themselves some Snuggle Luvs of their own. I'm not kidding. (Brenden and Oliver have each already worn them to school multiple times. Weird, I know.)

In other news... We finished our basement

We took the door off at the top of the stairs to help everyone feel like it's not so far away and separate. I can't even tell you how great it has been to have a good space for the toys and video games and general kids-underfoot noise.