Christmas at Grandma Dalley's-2013

We were only able to stay at Grandma's house for a couple of days.  There always seems

to be so many things that everyone is doing.  I am grateful that we were able to spend some

time there, however.   As the kids get older and older things change more and more.  I hope that

we get quite a few more years of Christmas at Grandma's!

This sweet card has been hanging around at Christmas since the 1970's! 

I love that it is not just a retro looking card--it is actually vintage!!!

We have always taken the shots by the tree.  Sometimes we look

great--sometimes, we don't!  Over the years there have been

screaming babies, p.j.s, and everything in between.  It seems

strange to only have half of my children with us, I guess that is a sign of the times

changing!

By next Christmas Justin will probably be taller than Grandma!

Trying to get everyone to smile as we are leaving--a miracle!!

 

Christmas 2013-

Christmas Sledding in St. Anthony Dec. 2013

Sledding at Boy's Town!

 

There is a sledding hill up the road from my Mom's house.

The area has always been called Boy's Town.  It is basically

a little spot next to the river with an awesome hill! 

It is one of the favorite sledding hills around.  For my

kids it doesn't feel like Christmas if we don't

go sledding at Boy's Town.

Emily and Justin

Our little Hollie dog.  I rarely take pictures of her.  I figured that

she is getting old, I better get a few shots.  She loves to

be outside with the kids.  She went up and down the

hill a dozen times!

Justin had a ball!  He was so glad that Christa and her

other cousins came.  It is always more fun with more

people!

When did that little girl get so grown up?

Emily and Bentley(Cousin Christa's little boy)

Justin had a few wipe outs but kept going and going!

Emily and Katie Banta could not quite figure out

how to steer the sled!  Luckily the sled stopped

in the trees before smacking them!

 

Could baby Jersey be any sweeter?  I think not!

Jersey Ann with her Grandma Julie(my sister in law)

 

 

 

Bentley(3 yrs old) was very nervous about going down the big hill. 

Finally Justin got him on with him.  He was still a little afraid.  Then

he got more and more brave!

His cousin Cheyanne finally got him to go on a tiny hill by himself.

Christa and Bentley LeCheminant

 

 

Christmas in St. Anthony 2013

 

Christmas at Grandma's House!!

 

Grandma Dalley's house is like walking into a Better Homes and Garden Christmas issue!  There aren't many spots that aren't decorated.  Her front porch has to be one of my favorite places on Earth!

 

 

Nowhere feels quite like "home" like this house! 

 

During the 1990's Grandma started collecting Santa's.  Then other

people started giving them as gifts.  The mantle has a few of

her amazing collection.

 

Grandma bought this nativity when I was fairly young. 

It has always been one of my favorite decorations

in the house.

 

 

 Grandma started this Christmas village in the 1990's

We all helped buy a few pieces here and there. 

Vance and Julie found the darling white house that

is so similar to our house.  All the grandkids and

now great grandkids enjoy this village.  They have all

moved all the little people and horses.  There is a little

dancing snowman that they all love to play with.

 

Grandma's tree is always beautiful.  She has so many ornaments!

When we were decorating it this year I didn't think we would ever

be able to put all the ornaments on the tree.  The tree is amazing because of the

amount of ornaments.  There are many ornaments that are over fifty years old.  Those

are treasures!!

Wow!

A few events happen in life that we think about. Birth, baptisms, weddings etc. We assume we know how we will react and feel when these events happen. Then when they do happen they are often nothing like we imagined!

- This weekend was one such event.

My baby girl got engaged! Engaged. That means she is getting married. How does that happen? Wasn't she just little? Didn't we just start kindergarten? Didn't we just put her braces on, take the training wheels off and learn to read?

How did my baby girl get big enough to get married?

Family fun

With Ashley being all big and grown up it is rare that we have all the kids doing an activity together! So it was a fun night when Ash came and went ice skating with us. Dave's Young Single Adult stake( church group) had a huge activity at the Weber State ice rink. They rented out the facility for a few hours.

Skating isn't something we haven't done much of. In fact, it was Justin's first time! We also brought Andrew and Parker with us. Those crazy boys were lucky they didn't break something!

Ashley and Emily helped the Parry's twin grandchildren skate for awhile. They are darling!!!

Dave bribed Parker into landing a 360* turn. It took him awhile but he did it!