The Whiting Family

Sunday, January 03, 2010

Christmas in Cedar

Here is Dal with his prized Christmas tree!

He was with my mom when she went to pick hers out and he kept telling her over and over that he wanted a little tree of his own. He tried getting the blue tree, but she talked him into a (cuter) little green one.

When we were little we had our own little trees in our rooms and we LOVED them!

He was SO excited to get it home, decorate it and get it into his room. Several different times we would go in and he would be sitting in the dark staring at the "pretty lights". So cute!

Buddy has loved his magic Christmas pillow case from Grandma and Grandpa Reynolds.

And also loved tucking in his buddies on their little pillowcase too :)

Grandma Whiting gave Dal this little advent calendar that we hung on his window. Every day he would get SO excited to open up another little door to see what was behind it!

One Saturday in early December Teag was skiing and Dallas and I decided to surprise him with our Christmas tree when he got home. Dal LOVED helping me pick it out and was such a good helper getting it out of the car and to the door. We left getting it inside and on the stand for daddy to do when he got home.

So proud and excited about the tree.

And so excited to push it over a few times...we had to have more than one chat about this ;)

We went to a little festival of trees and no surprise, Dallas didn't want to sit on Santa's lap

But we did talk him into giving Santa pounds and getting a candy cane

We had to get his pic by the SUU tree

In mid-December there was an electrical light Christmas parade down Main Street in Cedar.

I had visions of a Disney-like parade...

yeah, not so much

this was the "electrical" aspect...

Dallas and daddy

Santa on the fire truck was a big hit!

Main street was decorated so cute with the lights strung across the road

CHRISTMAS EVE

We went to NINJA for Hibachi and Sushi.

Dallas was a poor, little sicky over Christmas, but he was a good sport and still had fun.

although he wasn't so sure about the chef making big fires

He loves eating with chopsticks!

If he is eating sushi he just stabs it with one chopstick and eats it

then it was home to open pajamas and get ready for Santa to come!

Getting the carrots and cookies ready for the big man and his reindeer

Ta-da!

We read 'The Tale of the Three Trees', 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' and 'The Christmas Story' then went to sleep for a semi-long Winter's nap

CHRISTMAS MORNING

Our buddy was so excited about his stocking and gifts from Santa!

Christmas morning he told us Santa came on a rocket-pack rather than with the reindeer :)

He must have been a very good boy this year!

Poor sick little boy :(

He was well enough to indulge in candy from his stocking, however.

He loved his McQueen tent!

We have been trying to find him a simple pop-up tent and everytime we get one it ends up being something that involves poles, etc.

Apparently Santa couldn't find one either...

After a short time of opening presents he climbed up on the couch with his be-be, baba and gooby and just said "I lay down now"

I LOVE my snuggie!

(when I can peel it off of Teag that is)

Mister LOVED his zhu-zhu pets too!

I don't know many 2-year-olds that would be as excited about a new shower curtain and bath rug as this boy was!

Then we had a fabulous post-presents meal of shrimp, artichokes, crab legs and lobster. YUM!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Thanks to everyone for their generosity and wonderful gifts!

We missed our families, but still had a great Holiday :)

Reynolds Christmas 2009

***Disclaimer***

There are a plethora of pictures, most of which may be boring if you aren't a Reynolds

Christmas with the Reynolds family this year was a bit out of the norm due to crazy schedules, hospital admittance, etc. However, it was as great as ever and just goes to show that it is who you are surrounded by rather than where you are that truly matters :) It was a jam-packed few days, yet as fun and unforgettable as always!

Jay has been in the hospital for over a month now, but he is fighting hard and always amazes us with his positive attitude and big heart despite his difficult circumstances.

More at the hospital later...

Dad and Jay

(Dad had his shoulder replaced about a month ago...he is constantly on the go so this has been quite the adjustment for him to have to just relax! But it meant more time for him to hang with the fam over our Christmas celebrations!)

Jay's little wall of cards and pix in his hospital room

The awesome staff at the U made this tree with words of encouragement for Jay after he got out of his most recent surgery. They are so good to him and we are all so grateful for the excellent care he gets!
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We had the Holt Family Christmas party and Em's baby shower at my Aunt Nancy's house...
always fun to get together with all the cousins!

cousin Kristen with Steph

mom, me and Kim

Jake decided he was going to sport this red bow-tie the whole weekend...and he did, whether it was with a button down, t-shirt, playing basketball, etc.

He is holding up this cutest little sweater that Sister Bowman made for him when he was a baby...the bummer is some losers broke into Scott and Lee's rental car and stole Em's baby shower gifts. Lame.

Lisa and Eliza at the shower

The Reynolds Girls

The cute parents-to-be

Dallie having fun with Uncle Jake

the guys hanging out

Kim and Steve suprised us all by bringing In-N-Out for dinner one night.

Teag may or may not have eaten about 5 double-doubles...

Dallas LOVES In-N-Out, although he usually only eats the fries and a few bites of the burger patty

the two little's watching Dora

Jer, Scott, Jake and Josh with the O'Neil girls at WillowCreek for the Christmas Brunch

Scott being Scott

My cutest parents :)

Mister likes the idea that Santa brings him presents, but doesn't want much to do with him.

Notice how he is clinging to me.

Mrs. Claus gave him a stuffed animal, and as we were walking away he yelled to Santa that he wanted Cars toys.

some of the kiddos exchanging gifts

Due to Jay being in the hospital, some special arrangements were made so we could do our Christmas there. We set everything up in a conference room and Jay was wheeled down to join us for a couple of hours. The nurses were great and came to check on him every now and then. He did pretty well and made it through almost everything!

Kira, Alexa and Isaak

Dallas chatting on his new Cars phone

Jay being wheeled in...he was such a trooper!

He was only 3 days out of surgery and was in pretty rough shape, but we were just happy we were able to all be together!

Josh, Jay and Jer

(with Scott and Jake in the background)

Mom reading the famous 'Christmas Story'

The room was just a little warm, so Teag had to strip down

O'Neil

The whole group

Eliza helping grandma out with the story

We then exchanged the kids gifts...the guys give to the guys and the girls give to the girls

Every year everyone seems to outdo themselves.

It is so fun seeing what everyone comes up with!

Steve put together the most AMAZING Newport DVD!

the guy is so talented and creative!

O'Neil never dissapoints either...he is so creative and comes up with the COOLEST gifts every year...this year was an 'ABC's of the Reynolds Family' book.

So awesome (even if he did forget Emily under E.)