All Things Anderson: 2015

Merry Christmas 2015!

Waiting on Mom and Dad's bed before going into the front room to see what Santa left.

Gavin was thrilled with his add-on train set.

He couldn't believe Santa had a Bullseye! (Gavin had been looking at every store for one, but all the Toy Story toys had been replaced on the shelves with Minions or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.) Santa left a note telling Gavin this was the last Bullseye in his workshop.

Laynie loved the candy cane.

"You know I don't read yet, right?"

And of course she loved the wrapping paper.

Daddy's stocking didn't seem that full...

It's because there was only coal in it!!

Yep. Coal.

Luckily Gavin looked in Daddy's stocking and found a note that said, "Just kidding! I like to play a good joke now and then. Look in the piano bench. Love, Santa"

Sure enough! Santa had tricked us all and put Dad's stocking goodies in the piano bench. That silly Santa!

Gavin loved the playhouse.

Laynie loved the two little eyes that blink, blink, blink.

Exploring!

Comfy!

Cake anyone?

And to end all this crazy gift giving - Gavin got:

not one,

not two,

but three pair of Minion underwear!!!

Christmas Eve

After the family picture fun, we all headed to Carl and Danny's home for a nice meal and a party. Mrs. Claus and Santa came for a visit. Santa asked the children, "Who would like to be the first to sit on my lap?" [silence] Then Gavin belted out, "I do!" He was up on Santa's lap before everyone knew it. (Seriously - whose child is he, anyway? Both Matt and I would have shrunk back in our seats in a similar situation. Not Gavin. He's "full speed ahead" and always has been!)

Gavin asked for "a surprise"

Laynie didn't cry, but was feeling apprehensive.

Naughty or Nice?

After dinner we played a few Minute to Win It games - complete with reindeer antlers.

Braydon gave Gavin a Lego set - which he absolutely LOVED.

Bailey gave Laynie a darling little outfit.

We all pitched in and gave mom and dad supplies (log carrier bag, log rack, ash bucket with shovel, and a fireplace set) for their new wood burning stove. Then our family drove back to Woods Cross that night. Matt and I set everything out - just like Santa wanted us to.

Gavin got more track and trains to add to his train set Santa gave him last year. He also got Toy Story's Bullseye (the last one in Santa's workshop), and a pair of shiny boots.

Laynie got a CD player to help her sleep at night, a "Laynie Bug" dress, a "Quack, Quack" duck, and a new kind of slippy cup that hopefully she can use without having to suck.

Matt and I gave the kids a little playhouse under the stairs. I had so much fun planning, painting, drilling, sewing, and finding most of it at thrift stores and yard sales.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Sorensen Family Photographs

We gave Mom the gift of "us" for Christmas. (Family Photographs) It's been somewhere around 8 years since we last all posed together. If you've ever tried to get my dad, Brian and Carl to cooperate for pictures, you'd understand the huge time gap. But since Mother requested this gift, the boys were forced to oblige. (Also... I told my dad, Carl and Brian that we hired a professional photographer and that she charged by the minute so they needed to arrive on time and be ready to cooperate. It worked. The menfolk came with cheery attitudes and on time!)

There is an awesome old rock wall that was once a fort about a mile and a half away from my parents' home. I think it was later turned into a barn of sorts. Everything was so rustic, and I loved it for our backdrop. Plus, this land is where we were raised: the arid desert, amber weeds, fields in the distance, snow-capped mountains, blue sky, and a scent of sagebrush - it's our home.

Grandsons

Granddaughters

All the grandkids

Mom n Dad

Bridger, Danny, Carl, Carly

Bailey, Braden, Tyler, Landon, Amber, Rachel

Cindy, Gavin, Matt, Alayna

Tanner, Brielle, Karen, Brett, Brian, Sadie

Let the Christmas Festivities Begin!

Ward Christmas Party - This little boy BELIEVES! After Gavin had sat on Santa's lap and received a candy cane, we were in the church foyer on our way out when Gavin exclaimed, "I forgot to thank Santa!!" To which he ran back, interrupted the man in red, and said "Thank you, Santa!"

We got dumped on. Gavin had to help "hoe" (shovel) the snow.

Winter Wonderland

The snow was so dense that it broke 6 branches off the trees surrounding our home. I also wrenched my back shoveling the snow and had to go to the chiropractor 3 times because the muscles in my back were spasming. It was sooo painful!