Quick Week

Josh lost a tooth Tuesday morning. He was bent to make sure he didn't go to school with a loose tooth, so he tried to  take it out with the nerf dart method. That didn't work, but he ended up prying this loose in no time!

Dad was in CA, and I was leaving Wednesday so I brought the kids into my bed Thursday night. I love their sweet snuggly faces 

This is our job in CA. We're building that overhead power line and I think it's so cool. 

This is one without the wire on it, almost done but not quite. 

Mike and I were in California together, so we took advantage of the situation and went for "the best dumplings on the planet." Mike had these dumplings in China last year, and so we just had to try them. This "mascot" was easy to spot and I think it's so funny that there is a chain that has restaurants in LA and Shang Hai! 

We had Lucky Buddha beers, because why not? 

Sunday morning traffic jam, Bridger Bowl Style.  I took us 45 minutes to go 15 miles, which is a travesty in MT!

We had a great day skiing and just as we were leaving, we saw Ty! Josh showed him all the runs they went on...they're so cute poring over the map together. 

Football Party

Our friend Emily invited us over for a football game watching party.  She had a pile of dress up clothes ready for the kids, so this is Luke's creation.  He's a beaut. 

Josh looks stunning.  They later got high heels, which really *made* the outfits. :) 

There were a lot of kids there, and they all seemed to get along well. It was really fun! 

Luke got Darth Vader PJs for Christmas.  I love the cape so much!

A visit to Hoth...but First

Luke took this picture with his Photo Booth, and I can't stop laughing at it.  

The boys got remote control flying Tie Fighters for Christmas from Gramma and Grampa Wright, and we waited for a warm enough day to try them out.

For my first trick, I'll show you a Tie Fighter

Can you hear him saying zoom?

I love these boys and their smiles.  I love that this field was untouched before we got to it. Look at all of those foot prints!

So serious!

Good thing that they're water resistant. :) 

They worked out a plan where one person would throw it, and then control it!

It was a bluebird day!

Happy 2016!

At the strike of midnight the kids blew their noisemakers like crazy!  This is posed, but they were nuts!

My girls.  So grateful for these friends. 

Derek was a master of the group selfie.  Keely's kitchen has wonderful lighting, phew. ;) 

Kalispell Visit!

Look who was waiting for us!  Sweet Rylan! He was all smiles!  He so cuddly with Josh immediately, that alone was totally worth the trip!

He played like crazy with the boys 

We tried many different ways to sled on John and Dacia's hill.  It was super fun!

Sprinter hands up the hill, can't wait for another try!

We broke a few plastic sleds, so we relied on the game hauler and the inner tube.  Lovely!

Luke learned to chop wood this trip.  He was pretty darn good! 

Josh is a maniac -- he chopped for hours!

We took a trip to Big Mountain for night skiing.  A pre-run selfie while it was still light out. 

Some how I like selfies with helmets...pretty sure a shrink would love this little tidbit. :) 

The boys loved the terrain park and we hit it nearly every run! Josh called it the training park, which I loved!

Chair lift selfie. 

This is Powder Jesus, which we saw twice.  I LOVE this.  His little snow hat and Josh's halleluiah expression just make me laugh to my toes. 

Fleece Navidad!

After the church wardrobe fiasco, I just asked them to go change into comfortable clothes. They came down like this. We called it Fleece Navidad, because who knows what inspired Josh to put on a sombrero.  He wore it for approximately 24 hours straight. 

They tried their first bit of Egg Nog.

Josh pondering his first sip.

They're not big fans.

Twas the Night Before Christmas, a family tradition.

Their big present from Santa was a telescope!  How fun will this be? 

They passed out the gifts according to their rehearsed locations, but first had to stop and see what Santa brought up all wrapped and under the tree. 

Then they created little gift forts.  I loved seeing them work their way through their piles. 

Big smiles and big stacks of presents.

LOVE this face. :) 

Pre Week

The kids were out of school for three days before Christmas Eve -- we had to fill our hours with fun outside with friends, we just had to!  The kids worked on a video and a snow fort. :) 

When they were inside, they decided to shoot suction cup arrows at the highest window in the house.  Of course!

We took a drive to look at lights, and I loved watching them take in the details.  They're only young once. :) 

Christmas Eve morning was amazing.  The boys had a grand plan to arrange the gifts for all of the people in the house (all 8 of us!) and so they did a rehearsal in the morning.  Serious stuff. 

It took a few hours, and allllll of the living room!

When Gramma and Grampa Wright came, they brought light saber gifts for Luke.  Josh and Daddy quickly began fighting with them. 

Looked like a pretty intense battle, judging from Josh's face.

Christmas Eve church came before Luke was ready to get dressed in his fancy suit.  Last year it was Josh that caused an hour of wardrobe drama, this year Luke. Sigh.  He buttoned his own shirt and would not take off his nike tee shirt, and I don't care. 

See the patience in my tired eyes? 

Wrights and Jenkins together for a joyful portrait. Ha ha