Christmas 2011

Christmas morning before coming downstairs!!!

Santa found us for sure!!!

He stuffed our stockings and found Nate and Shanntel too!

We had a great time opening presents. The kids got what they were dying for! Ipod's and nintendo DS's and clothes, and video games and more!

Then we headed to Maria's for more festivities and Christmas dinner!

My handsome husband handing out presents!

Ornaments for the grandkids tree!! It is fun to see what Oma finds every year!

Christmas Eve!

And the whole family was back again for Christmas! We have had them here for more holidays than we ever have and it has been so fun! Curtis and Colette stayed in Idaho Falls, but everyone else was here. So we put my dad to work making eggnog shakes (he makes the best shakes ever).

Megan and Kenny were here from Denver. It was great to have them around!

I always have fun finding some decorations!!

The girls loving their dad-that deserves a photo for sure!

Russell is always good to entertain the kiddos-and let the little boys climb on him!

Here we are playing Santa Bingo! Thanks Dana and Russell for bringing it every year! We love our candy bar prizes and the chance for some cash! We are so glad Ann could come after finishing a round of chemotherapy. She brought her mask to not get sick, but I think it got annoying to wear the whole night. We are so glad she felt up to seeing us all! (and we are especially glad we didn't get her sick!)

We also played a little holiday Pictionary!  It turned out pretty good-better markers would have made it great! It was so fun to have Jean, Jane, Ann, Laurie, Reed, Nate, Shanntel, and the Eyrings  join us for the first time for Christmas eve. The Liston's have been coming for several years. We had fun adding to the crowd!

Jean and Jane stayed for a while after the festivities to watch the kids open their Christmas present from them. They got the kids awesome wands from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The kids were so excited to have them. They felt pretty special. Thanks aunties!

And the traditional Christmas Eve present from mom and dad- jammies!! I sure love my cute kids!!

Abbie gets baptized!

Abbie's got baptized the week after Thanksgiving. It was so fun (and so nice of them to do the drive again) to have all our family come back for the baptism.

Abbie got her beautiful dress from Oma for her birthday. I can't believe my third baby is old enough to get baptized!

Here are all the cousins from both sides of the family (except the youngest Makia-who was around somewhere). Abbie loved having them all there!  I love having such a great reason for us all to get together.

Thanksgiving 2011

 We had our biggest crowd yet for Thanksgiving. I think the final count was 20. We loved having everyone over for the festivities.

We borrowed some tables from our neighbors, and we bought some new decorations.

I think it turned out nice. Everyone contributed to dinner, and brought some delicious dishes! It was so nice to have everyone help. Everything tasted so great. We had so much fun.

Look at all the fun Jaussi's

We also love having Maria join us!

I sure love my family and I love that they would want to come to my house for Thanksgiving. We went for our traditional trip to the bowling alley after dinner, then back to our house for pie. What a great day!

Ears Pierced!

An important day for Abbie arrived. Going to get her ears pierced. She had been waiting to turn 8 so long. So to Claire's in the District we went.

Then the reality and the nerved hit!! 

The finished product! Such a cute girl!! She realized it wasn't nearly as bad as she thought it would be! What a grown up kid!

Abbie Kate is 8!!

Abbie turned 8 and was so excited. For two reasons. To get her ears pierced and to get baptized!!

My cute girl with her new scriptures!

Here is her cupcake 8. She didn't have a big party, because we were going to have everyone over for her baptism, but we did go to dinner where she wanted that night. Where did she pick? "The place with the Jello."  Yes, we went to Chuck A Rama for her celebration dinner. Shane had to work, so Jean and Jane and Ann and Laurie joined us to make it extra fun!! I think she had a great day. How could you have a bad day on 11/11/11!!!

Halloween 2011!

The Toponce Kids and the annual Pose in front of the fireplace!

Natalie is a Gallagher Girl. A character from one of her favorite books. (and no, not very many people knew who she was, but she and her friend Jenae did it together and had a great time!)

Hallie was a nerd. We found the pants, shirt, and bow tie in the basement at Shane's dads. We saved it for a costume and we thought it was funny that, without knowing we had the stuff,  Hallie said she wanted to be a nerd!

Abbie the cheerleader. We had two cheerleader costumes here that would have fit her and couldn't find them anywhere! I love that I asked on Facebook and found one to borrow right away. I didn't want to buy one when I know we have some. I can't believe we probably gave them to D.I. when we had a little sister that would fit in them one day. Anyway. . . I have been in the Toponce family a long time, because I always have a background story now. . .

And Jace was Batman, and the best looking one yet!!  Love the pose he did on his own. I also have to add, that it took FOREVER to trick or treat with him. He had a something to say to everyone! Complimenting their costume, reminding them when he had been to their house, telling them he liked their banister (true!), or some other thing he had to share. This kid is as social as they come!

My beautiful children just before heading out for some treats. I am a blessed lady to have these great kids!!