The Pre-Christmas
Our Christmas-time festivites began back in November with Kyle's family with the annual Willman Family gingerbread house (actually graham cracker house) building extravaganza.
Here is the most of the family working hard on their gingerbread houses. Anyone not pictured in this photo was on baby and/or toddler duty... there are a few of those around these days!
This is no traditional gingerbread house making experience as you can see:
The Aaron's gingerbread man. I love his hair!
Amber and Raquel's...
What? You can't tell what it is supposed to be?? Haha, the first ever gingerbread Wall-e!
Dallin and Ashley made a tootsie roll covered tee-pee complete with a garden and firepit
Aliyah was able to participate this year and this was her beautiful mini-gingerbread house creation. You can tell how small her house is by the size of the hershey's kiss on top of it. Love the massive mound of yellow sprinkles!
John (Kyle's dad) can always be counted on for the all-out gingerbread log cabin. This man is all about the details: shingled roof, paneled walls, fence, walkway and of course, snow. Having worked in construction his whole life as well as designed and built his own house you would expect nothing less!
And last but not least, our trojan horse
WARNING: The following image is both graphic and disturbing...
We believe foul play was involved.
Putting up Christmas decorations is a very big part of my childhood Christmas memories. Every year, the day after Thanksgiving was spent by my family putting up lights, the tree and putting decorations on the tree. This year Minnette was able to help decorate my parents' Christmas tree, (and by help I mean she kind of helped me hang one ornament on the tree!!) though several weeks after Thanksgiving due to my parents final return from Slovakia in the middle of December.
Christmas Eve
The traditional Murphy Family Christmas PJ's:
Christmas morning
Minnette's Christmas Hair
Aurelle is so excited to open presents!
Minnette opening her first present on Christmas morning! This is about all we got out of her. After one or two tears of the wrapping paper she was out. Kyle and I ended up opening the rest of her presents while she ran around and tried to steal ornaments off the tree! Oh well, maybe next year!
Aurelle helped open one, too!
This present was from Minnette and she even helped color the wrapping paper!
Day after Christmas
We planned a night out with my parents to see the temple lights since we only got to go once and it was the Monday night before Christmas and the temple grounds were insane! I'm thinking that everyone else may have had the exact same idea for the family home evening before Christmas as we did! The day after Christmas was waaay better. Much less chaotic. Much more enjoyable.
First, though, we went to Organ Stop for dinner. If you have never been, go. It is such a fun experience.
Minnette had a blast watching the show. Especially the dancing cats, which I guess she thought were dogs because she kept saying "fuff, fuff!" (her word for dog) over and over again. I think she liked the pizza, too!
Minnette enjoying the show
Aurelle had a hard time with all of the music (which can get kind of loud), clapping and flashing lights and my mom ended up having to work her Grandma baby magic to help her go to sleep.
Our family at the temple lights by the reflecting pool.
By the wisemen which are a temple lights classic
We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas this year!
Big yawn...
This is normal.
I can't believe that she actually fit!
Check out the laser straight precision of that part... I guess I'll have to work on that!
