Our first stop in Utah was my dad's house.
The kids ADORE their Ampa and it is always fun to stay there.
Ampa's house was a little cold (he keeps his thermostat at like 60...WAY too cold for our warm AZ blood) so Beau slept in his teddy bear fuzzies every night...too cute!
The kids love this fire truck at Ampa's house.
It was soooo good to see some of my girlfriends! I LOVE and miss them so much!
My Lou Lou and her first baby boy, Clark, came by to visit us! He is the sweetest little guy ever and Lou is an amazing mom! I am so happy for her and Dave!
Next we headed up to Logan to see you know who...Mr. and Mrs Claus!!!
Beau could not decide what he thought of Santa, but here is his first picture with the big man! I was so bummed that I forgot to pack the traditional Snowman suit that I have my babies where in their first pic with Santa:( So I took a pic of him in it anyway when we got home...love this costume!!!
I want to eat him up!
Now back to UT with Santa:)
Daners was excited to see Santa. I think he was in shock a little because in all of his pics he looks like his eyes are glazed over like he is trying to figure out what is happening. The magic of Christmas is soooo fun especially with little kids!
Logan was thrilled to see Santa! Such a fun tradition at the Bryner house!
If you can't tell, I felt a little awkward on Santa's lap, but it was a fun family pic. It would have been better if I was sitting next to him:)
Christmas Eve
Making cookies with Grandma for Santa!
Playing a little Mexican Horseshoes.
All tuckered out waiting for the Christmas Eve festivities to begin!
(Tom, Logan, Clark (who is the only one fake sleeping), and Sam)
He passed out mid playing with his little car:)
Beau bugs loves his Uncle John and Aunt Bonnie!
Brent, Annette, Lindsay, and sweet baby Taylor:)
Beau's first Christmas Eve!
John's 33rd Christmas:)
Christmas Eve dinner with all of the traditional fixings (ham, funeral potatoes, fruit salad, mixed veggies, green and red ice cubes...yum!) according to the "Bryner Christmas Traditions Handbook":) Ha ha...the made up "handbook" was the running joke of the holiday!
Next, was the traditional reenactment of the Nativity Story
Beau played baby Jesus (this role is usually given to the youngest baby, but baby Taylor was too tired so Beau got the part). All of the rest of the parts are drawn out of a hat, but Bonnie is always the Angel and Brent is always the narrator.
Dane was a sheep and Tom was his shepherd
Logan was Joseph
And Daddy was Mary. We always seem to have a cross dresser each year:)
I was one of the wisemen
It was a lot of fun as usual!
The whole cast
Logan and Dane played Santa and passed around the traditional Christmas Eve ornaments
Traditional Christmas Eve jammies and new slippers this year!
Logan and Dane helped grandma make cookies for Santa. They were plated up for the big man and the kids insisted on chocolate milk for him because they think he likes it the best too!
Christmas Day
First Christmas for Baby Beau and Taylor!
Traditional cold cereal Christmas breakfast
It was a bounteous Christmas for all!
Oh the anticipation!
The kids were so excited to dig into to their presents!
Another Beau bugs' first Christmas pic in his first Christmas outfit:)
Since Christmas landed on Sunday this year, we had church at 11am. So, we decided to have the kids open their presents before church and then do everyone else after so the kids wouldn't have to wait.
Beau loved the paper more than his presents!
He loved to eat the paper too!
Logan and Dane did a great job helping baby Beau and showing him how to do it.
Dane got a Potty Book to help prepare him to start potty training after the holidays.
and he got undies!
We couldn't resist the undie hats!
So silly:)
Logan's first Geo Trax set...LOVES it!
Dane's very own Cars 2 race car track!
Silly stinkers would NOT smile normally or at all, but they look cute in their outfits!
The kids were so excited to see Uncle John in his policeman uniform (he had to work Christmas morning, but luckily got the rest of the day off)!
Baby Tay's first Christmas present opening!
Can't wait to see what Uncle Sam got!
Beau bugs loves his Grandma!
After church and the about 3 hour present opening session for the adults,
it was either time to pass out or play!
Logan loves this head lamp from Uncle John!
We all spent A LOT of time playing Just Dance on the Wii...sooo fun and addicting!
Logan was really good at it!
Tay is such a cutie pie and such a GOOD baby! I don't think she cried more than twice the whole time we were in Logan!
Ah oh, stuck again!
Ben, Brent, and Dane went to go visit Grandpa Bryner in Ogden. Four generations!
After Christmas Fun
Ta da!!! Presenting the long awaited and exciting Christmas present from all of the kids and Bonnie to Annette and Brent...Tamsin and Emma (Sam couldn't get work off)!!! We all chipped in to fly them out the day after Christmas and Annette and Brent had no idea they were coming!
Aunt Loene and Aunt Bonnie picked Tamsin and Emma up from the airport late Monday night and drove them up to Logan very early the next morning. They all arrived at the Bryners at about 7 am and woke up Annette and Brent first. Well, Annette was actually in the bathroom (trapped in there without her house coat and wondering what all the commotion was) and once she came out, she was brought to tears with the excitement of ALL of her children and grandchildren being home for Christmas! It was the BEST Christmas surprise yet and soooo good to see Tamsin and Emma!!!
Daners was loving playing outside and being crazy as usual!
I think John found his new best friend:)
Sooo big!!!
Katie graduated from Utah State this December! Since they college didn't hold a graduation ceremony, we did a "Mockuation" (Katie so cleverly came up with the name) for Katie in the comfort of her own home...it was great! Sure beats going to a graduation any day!
Brent emceed the event. Sam made the programs and put together all of the technical details like: the graduation music, school song lyrics and music, Utah State backdrop, etc.
Here she is marching to the old Graduation song (Pomp and something?...Bonnie knows the name of it:))
I actually got a little teary eyed while she did her march and sat down...it really felt like a real graduation!
Everyone offered their advice and Tamsin shared a motivational poem (I think it was "Oh the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Suess). Again, I got choked up:)
Then Katie gave her valedictorian speech:)
Logan was very concerned about capturing the photo op with his new camera:)
Congrats Katie! We are so proud of you and know that you will accomplish great things in your future! Thanks for letting us be part of your big day...it really was fun and creative!!! We should always do graduations that way! It was much more personal...loved it!
After the "Mockuation" we all went to El Sol for a celebratory dinner.
My little prince:)
Loved, loved, loved how Brent got in on the dancing action with Log!
Brent did a great job...I think this is the first time I have ever seen him dance! So fun!!!
More dancing with, who Logan calls his "other cousins", the Thurber girls.
I am not sure what he is upset about, but I think I have an idea:)
Next, some went to Grandpa's farm to burn the excess Christmas trash.
They LOVE to ride Grandpa's tractor!
Good old Uncle Sam:)
Ben, Clark, and Tom
Clark, Brent, Tom, Ben, and Daners
The boys loved the fire and...
running around the farm, which is one of their favorite things to do with Grandpa.
Game time with grandma!
Pulling off dried out corn with grandma and grandpa to make parched corn.
Me, Ben, Tom, and John went skiing at Beaver Mountain. I haven't been skiing for years, but it was kind of like riding a bike...kind of:) I fell a few times and tweaked my knee a bit, but I kept up with the boys:) It was a lot of fun and it makes me want to keep going to get better at it. Ben was grinning from ear to ear the whole time because he was doing what he loved and he finally talked me into going with him! We can't wait to take our kids and ski as a family!
After all of the fun, fatigue finally sets in.
Future Aggie:)
Beau learned a new trick on the trip...clapping!
All of the Bryner grandkids all together:)
Just chillin
We all got a lot of good Wii time in:)
Tamsin all ready to go see some friends in SLC.
Back at my dad's in Sandy. The kids could not get enough of the swings that my dad put up for me and my sister when we were kids. It is so nostalgic to see my kids playing in the same backyard
where I played as a kid!
I love how much fun they all have together. They mutually truly adore each other...so cute!
Dear old dad:)
My dad begged for us to come back to Sandy so he could have a New Years Eve party with my boys and Kaia. They had a fun night watching movies, eating pizza, making cookies, and being crazy with my dad.
Since my dad and Paula were watching the kids, we were able to go out with Julie and her fiance' Chris (for the second time, which was great!). We love, love, love him!!! He is so perfect for her and we are looking forward to him being part of the family:) We had so much fun with them!
We went to Rodizio to ring in the New Year!
Ben even got a New Years kiss:)
Of course Chris got one too:)
Home sweet home.
We had a blast in UT, but it is always nice to come home and sleep in your own bed. I think Beau feels the same way:)
