So I have been in a blogging slumber for too loooong and decided I really needed to get this post about
Christmas done. We had a great Christmas with family and work parties to help celebrate. It's definitely a busy time of year but I love the season and being able to spend it with the ones I love most.
Below is a picture of Taytum ready to go pick out a Christmas tree. Kyle and I prefer the real thing so we headed to the local Smiths and got a great tree.
Christmas done. We had a great Christmas with family and work parties to help celebrate. It's definitely a busy time of year but I love the season and being able to spend it with the ones I love most.
Below is a picture of Taytum ready to go pick out a Christmas tree. Kyle and I prefer the real thing so we headed to the local Smiths and got a great tree.
We got it home and in its stand but decided to hold off decorating it until the following night since it was getting late and a certain little girl pictured below needed to get to bed.
The decorating begins. It was a lot more fun this year with Taytum as she tried to put ornaments on the branches. She was really good about not taking them off once they were on but would go and touch them and just look at them.
The finished product. Beautiful and it smells good too.
Pike Christmas PartySo we celebrated at my parents house on Saturday, December 17th. We decided to go up the night before and stay over. When the kids were awake they all watched cartoons in Grandma's bed. Then just before we ate breakfast, the deer showed up out on the lawn so the kids had fun watching them eat and walk around.
The grand kids. Mom and Dad sure go out of their way to spoil these little tykes each and every year. Now only if Brian and his little ones were closer, it would be even better.
They all have their own stocking and were ready to start opening.
Taytum also had no problems unwrapping presents this year either and had more fun ripping paper than what was actually inside them.
A new hat
Cooper was the lucky duck who got to start this year, this kid has the best facial expressions.
Happy Boy!!
Luke was next in the lineup.
Taytum got her turn next. She was so fun to watch
She loved her new book and we have read that book a gazillion times since.
Grandma and Grandpa gave her this doll, complete with bed, diaper bag, and bottles. Mom made the bed, diaper bag and blanket. We had one as kids and she has made each of the grand kid girls one. Lots of work that is greatly appreciated.
Sitting with Grandpa, they are pals.
Coloring in her new coloring book. Check out the tongue action.
I must not of got pictures of Kennedy and Jacey but here is Emree with her new dollhouse from my parents. This was my old room downstairs and no I did not decorate it that way. Mom added all those pictures of our engagement and wedding after I was away.
Santa ClausLater in the afternoon. we went over to the Morgan County court house and met Santa for the first time. I've never really bothered to take her before and was curious to see if she would sit on his lap or not. She wouldn't say anything but she sat there, I was proud of her.
Here he is asking her where her "mom" is so that we can take a picture and that is why she is pointing.
Even after her turn was done and we were waiting for the other cousins to have their turn, she just stood and looked at him with awe.
As is with tradition, after meeting Santa Claus you get to go on a hay ride pulled by some beautiful Clydesdale horses. They have done this for as long as I can remember and it is still the same couple who is driving the horses. I believe my mom said they were in their high 80's or early 90's and they still do hay rides every Christmas.
Getting ready to go so I snapped a quick picture.
We tried to get a family picture before the next group got on and this is what we got.
Grandma and Grandpa MacBefore heading south we stopped at my grandparents for they had a few things for Taytum. Grandma didn't do her traditional Christmas party due to having surgery just a few weeks earlier so we decided to give her the year off. Taytum got a shirt, crayons and a coloring book.
We got this family photo with my grandparents before we left. I am sure glad we did as you will see in a later post, my grandpa in the picture passed away a few months after this was taken. He never likes to smile for pictures but he has always put up with us crazy, loud grand kids and I love them both very much.
Paxman Christmas PartyAfter visiting with my grandparents, we headed to Layton for the Paxman Christmas party. Kraig and Nevon were the hosts and we had a yummy dinner, fun games, and great conversation. The girls trying their luck at arm wrestling.
Content and Happy with Grandma Paxman
Dylan is her buddy that she doesn't get to see as much as she would like.
Playing the game where you roll doubles and try to unwrap the present with oven mitts. Taytum thought this was lots of fun, though they let her do it without the mitts.
Dylan is her buddy that she doesn't get to see as much as she would like.
Playing the game where you roll doubles and try to unwrap the present with oven mitts. Taytum thought this was lots of fun, though they let her do it without the mitts.
She decided it was much easier to just get in the box to find the presents.
Finding more and gathering up the loot we just won. It was a fun day full of fun parties and we did have one tired girl on our hands but she did fabulous!
CHRISTMASChristmas Eve we had to open our new jammies and since she loves Elmo I couldn't resist these cute pajamas. You can really see how curly her hair is in this picture for we had just taken a bath.
Daddy's fake cheeser. Taytum really wanted to take a picture so we focused in on dad.
Christmas morning. Although we had 9:00 church and had decided to open presents after we had to get her next to the tree first thing to snap a typical picture of bed head on Christmas morning.
I then made breakfast candy canes and we were on our way to church.
After church we had to get back into our pajamas and the celebration begins. I think Santa spoiled all of us again this year.
Giving me a smile as she starts to open presents. 
Playing in the wrapping and throwing paper at daddy.
We had a great Christmas morning and their were hugs and kisses for everyone.
I wanted to point out the Elk behind me. Kyle spent a long time building the base and doing the taxidermy work on this big fella and it finally made it home to our living room. That hunt still brings back great memories and we our very proud of this bull.
I have the best hubby ever. He always spoils me way more than I do him even though I try so hard but he always wins. He got me a lot of great clothes (since I absolutely hate shopping) and a corner Kitchen display shelf thingamajig. We had a good day!
Spending the rest of the afternoon just playing with her new toys. We did go visit Grandma and Grandpa Paxman and Koreen and family where we got spoiled even more.
Taytum did well Christmas morning and got many new things to play with. She got a little pad of paper that came with 4 little pens and that was probably her favorite gift she received. 
She got this great doll house from Grandma and Grandpa Paxman, along with another little one from Aunt Koreen and she loves to play with these little dolls and furniture that comes with it.
Brushing the hair of her new barbie type doll.
She also got this aqua doodle and she was drawing on it and I came in to hear her say eyes, nose, mouth, and hair and I believe this is her first attempt at making a face. I had to get a picture. Its hard to see as it is done by a 2 year old but I can see it since I saw and heard her make it.
Well our family has been truly blessed this year and I have many things to be thankful for. I have a great husband and a beautiful daughter who our my everything. I don't know what I would be without them and I am so happy that they bring me so much joy each and every day. May the year 2012 bring about just as much joy and happiness.
