Lais Christmas Celebration... New Year's Day!

We headed to my parents for dinner on New Year's Day...after the boys took 5 hour naps!! Yahoo!

Dinner was yummy! Turkey, ham, BBQ meatballs, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, stuffing, fruit platter, (and I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch...?!?) Then, Cecil's Chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert. YUM!

John had missed the iPad while we were gone in AZ...so while the rest of us ate, he iPaded. :/  Poor Gamma...she was running back and forth from the dinning room (eating) to the Kitchen (where John was) every time he had a question or just wanted to show her something.  We did manage to get him to eat in order to open his "presses" (presents)

 Stephen deep in concentration! HA

Yes, my son can do tricks! I am proud... LOL

John and Gamma

Our gift to Gamma and Papa-

They are going to take John to his first movie at the theaters!  John wants to see Alvin and the Chipmunks- DATE NIGHT! :D

 SJ opening my gift from my Godmom, Terri- Gerber goodies and chocolate Santa's ! YUMMY! :) Thanks Terri!!

John un-wrapped this box, and walked away...he thought it was just cereal! LOL

I told him to go back and open the box.... he did, it was a sweater.  In his opinion, better then cereal? Maybe not? HA! 

 It was clearly an opening mess!!

A way cooler remote control car!!! 

This car will be making miles as of 8am tomorrow! ;D

 Wooden beads- gotta keep up on the fine-motor skills!!

 More of an opening frenzie!

Checking out the car again!

It was an evening of fun had by all!! 

Glad Mark and Jill called during dinner- made it feel complete! :)

The boys and Ryan and I were showerd with gifts- and Grandpa Kreuser lives on.... Christmas envelopes were delivered.

Thanks everyone for all the gifts!

Last AZ post... my reflections on our way home

As I sit here on our home from Arizona, both of the little ones are sleeping, Ryan is reading the book he picked up while in AZ (Winning) and I am having  myself a drink and have been looking at all of our pictures.  We will never forget this trip; all of the swimming, stories, playing outside, drives in the car, family shopping trips, Sedona, Beach’s, Christmas and so on……

Stephen and all of his “Puppies” He has been carrying these animals around since Santa brought them.  Oh how the “gear” never lightens….

Ryan, John and Stephen and the Phoenix Zoo. 

We took the boys there one afternoon.  It was crazy busy, but the boys loved running around, climbing the wiggly steps and playing in the Gnome Home.  Yes, I realize I didn’t mention the animals…most seemed to be “sleeping/eating” AKA: most of the exhibits were empty?  But, the boys honestly didn’t notice!

Swimming!!!  We couldn’t get enough!!  We swam in Nana and Papa’s hot tub, Lifetime’s pool, the hot tub at Seven Canyons and the hot tub at the hotel in Sedona.  Enough swimming??  Nope, none of us tired of it! J 

After we finished swimming/showering, john just wanted to make a “nest” and “snuggie” …  Stephen just wanted to be a little elf.  J

More snuggles!! 

Playing outside in the backyard.  We lived outside the whole time!!

Stephen in his Arizona shades – he found them at the park, and instantly became attached… ?? 

 I took the boys to meet Chrissy and her 4 charms at the Phoenix Zoo while Ryan stayed back and did laundry/tidy up. (AKA: smoking a cigar in the hot tub while reading his book.) J haha SO happy he got to have some alone time to relax too!!

.....

Ducks and giraffe watching.  Isabelle was such an angel the whole time.  She played with the kids the entire time.  John and Stephen are just starry-eyed for all of the Beach kids- We will all really miss them while we are home in MN!!

Looking at the HUGE bird… YIKES!! 

Group shot- Love these kids!!!  They make a good group! J

These next three?? This is what life is all about….

 

Stephen’s 9 month sized swimsuit have officially been retired.  They were so tight, but I thought we could get just one more trip out of them… NOPE.  He took them off while in the hot tube and threw them to sea in the big pool.  This is Ryan netting them out of the pool.  :/

Dad and John’s camp!

Our trip rocked!!!

A few of my favorite parts:

~Singing Christmas songs like the Griswold’s while driving through the canyons.

~Our anniversary dinner at Eruo Pizza in Fountain Hills-  we sat out on the patio, enjoyed the evening (all of the 30 minutes we were there!) and chowed our pizza down!

~Ryan and I “getting in the Christmas Spirit” ….shopping for all of the kids gifts, making cookies, decorating the house, fireworks, and staying up late reminiscing about our favorite childhood Christmas memories. 

~All of the snuggles, cuddles, stories and play-doh in the backyard.  We LOVE ARIZONA! 

Thank you again Steve and Jana for putting us up in your Scottsdale home!  We believe we left it as we found it… just a new water heater! Haha!!