Camping Inside

Sometimes when I am cleaning the house, Chase likes to steal the sheets and chairs and make a fort.  With all the Christmas cleaning, I really didn't want to deal with that.  So I may have planted a bug in his ear to have Marcus set up a real tent in the basement :)

Chase was loving the tent, so they built a fire and camped in it.  Well, they turned on the yule log on Netflix, and Marcus slept next to Chase on an air mattress.  All inside, of course.

Oh, camping.

Bowling

Since Marcus had a few days off work, we wanted to do something fun as a family.  We decided to take the boys bowling (and then go to McDonalds).  We figured it was a great Chase activity.  Well, he did not agree.  Until he saw other kids bowling.  Then he instantly wanted to do it too.  It was really fun.

Yeah, pretty embarrassing scores.

But we had a great morning!

Christmas with the Hardys

We spent most of Christmas with Marcus' family.  His brother Paden was in town from California with his family, so Chase and Ty got to play with their favorite (and only) cousin.

On Christmas Eve, we went to the Utah Symphony concert.  They were playing the soundtrack to the first Harry Potter movie.  We watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone while they did the music live.  It was really great.  

I thought I had more pictures of Christmas, but apparently in my blogging craze (since I was catching up from over three months), I can only find one of each boy.

Ty was given a bear

Chase build a snowman with Grandpa

When we got home, Chase and Marcus began their Lego building.  They were both really looking forward to building their new Lego sets.

Christmas Morning

It's been fun having a house at Christmas.  Marcus put lights on the roof, which was a little more intense than we originally imagined.  And of course we decorated.  Although our NY apartment decorations did not have quite the same impact - they spread a bit thin :)  Room to grow the collection!

It still felt pretty festive :)

We had Christmas morning at home, which was really nice.  We did go to church for an hour late morning, but it didn't impact much given the boys were up bright and early.  And they were both thrilled Santa came!

Ty's gifts from Santa (minus the chair)

Chase's gifts from Santa (minus the ottoman)

Checking out some presents

Chase was so excited about all the presents, not just his.  It was cute watching his excitement while we opened our gifts too.

Marcus made my family's traditional omelette breakfast - he's gotten really great at making them.  Delicious.  Maybe one day Chase will want one too :)

 I don't have tons more pictures of presents and whatnot, but check out this awesome, nerdy gift I got.  Amazing, right?!

Merry Christmas!

North Pole Express

Since Chase is obsessed with Christmas and trains, we decided to get tickets for the North Pole Express in Heber City.  (Seriously, Chase watches The Polar Express daily and singings the soundtrack multiple times a day).  We really hoped he'd love it and not expect it to be like the movie :)  

It was awesome.

Apparently Chase is really into karaoke with Christmas songs :)

Looking out the window for the North Pole and Santa

Watching the elves dance and sing

Meeting Santa

Getting a bell

Marcus made this movie from our trip

If you have a kid who loves trains and Christmas, do it!  So fun.

Vox Humana Concerts

I was asked to play in a quartet accompanying a women's ensemble called Vox Humana.  It's a Saratoga Springs group that branched off when the Saratoga Springs Community Orchestra was established.  I thought the singing was really great, and it was fun to play in a quartet.  It's been awhile.  

We had two concerts.  The first was at a creche festival in Eagle Mountain, and the second was at the Assembly Hall in Temple Square.  Marcus and I made that one a date night so he could come watch :)

It was a fun Christmasy night with great lights and music.

Christmas with Gram & Pops

Before they left for Arizona, Gram and Pops came over for "Pizza, Presents, and Pops."  At least that's how Chase and my mom described the evening :)

We had some dinner and opened presents together.  Chase was super excited.  He made us sing Christmas carols before exchanging gifts.  He loves to sing.  And he knows some of the words to those songs... haha

Chase really wanted an orange Duplo train for Christmas.  He convinced Gram to get it for him months ago, so he knew exactly what was coming.  He even shook boxes so he'd know which box it was in.  He cracks me up.

Marcus was totally caught off guard with Legos - I'm pretty sure he's always wanted that Star Wars Lego set!

Of course we gave Gram a singing Christmas animal - this year the song was Feliz Navidad.  Chase's second favorite Christmas song, right after The Polar Express theme.

Those are all the pictures I have from our presents night, but I do have a video of Chase singing one of the songs from The Polar Express...

And a picture of Pepper and Ty playing with the favorite orange Duplo train while Chase was at school :)