Love the SNOW

December 2015

We LOVE snow at Christmas.  And this year we had a lot of snow.  We dug snow caves, we sleighed down the hill and we even got Sunny to give us a little ride around the yard.  It was just a fun time to play in the snow!

Kalli and Kira

Caitlin on Sunny

Hannah, Chalice, Titus and Kalli

Here we go...

We Love Everything About Christmas

Christmas was a little different at our house this year.  Everyone didn't stay at our house on Christmas Eve like they usually do.  But everyone came at some time during Christmas Eve and Christmas and we loved every minute we could be together.  It was fun to watch the sparkle in the littles eyes at the magic of the season...in fact I think I saw sparkles in all the kids eyes...from littles to the big kids to the adults.  

Christmas is just a magical time of year. The music, the decorations and the gifts.  It brings out the love, good will and kindness of the Savior. We missed having Grandma Seppi here with us for Christmas but we know she was having the first Christmas in a long time with grandpa and Kathleen and that made us happy!  I hope that we can keep that Christmas feeling all year long.

We love EVERYTHING about CHRISTMAS!

Kira with Santa and Mrs. Clause

Kira, Krayton, Maddie, Skylar and Whitney opening their Christmas Eve Jammies.

The traditional Christmas Eve Nativity...Mary (Kalli) and baby Jesus (Titus).

Two Mary's...Kalli and Hannah and one baby Jesus, Titus.

Kalli, Ryan and Chalice

So cute in their Christmas Jammies...

The traditional Christmas morning picture...Daddyo, Josh, Jordan, Austin, Minnie, Erin, Krayton, Kirstin and Brandon.

Krayton didn't last long....

Jordan and his millennial falcon blanket.

Josh got a Go Pro....

Austin and Brandon got Apple watches...

Awe...best Christmas present ever....a baby hug.

Hannah with her rainbow dog from Santa and her rainbow care bear from us!

Everyone enjoying opening gifts.

Cait and Titus

Group hug...

Skylar and Maddie

Two rainbow care bears...

Daddy-o opening his present from Caitlin and Ryan....be careful.

It's a stylish robe! (He likes to run around in his garments a little too much!)

Apple watches for Whitney and Griff

Cousins....Krayton and Titus

Las Vegas Bowl....Utah vs BYU

December 18, 2015

Nobody would have dreamed that Utah would play BYU in a bowl game this year.  But that is just what happened.  I was glad they were playing before Christmas though because the other bowl games would have been the day after Christmas and then Griff and Whit wouldn't have been able to be home.  Austin, Bill and I flew down and then we rented a car and drove back after the game so we could be home for Sunday.  We had a lot of fun with Griff, Whit and the girls.  

The game was crazy....BYU had 4 or 5 turnovers in the first few minutes of the game that Utah scored on.  The second half was calmer.  The Utah defense came through and held BYU at the end and the Utes won 35-28. 

Bill wanted to take this car out for a stroll along the strip.

Maddie wanted to go to Cinderella's Castle....

Maddie and the hershey's kiss.

Me, Maddie and Austy Cheering on the Utes.

She's such a Ute football fan.

Coach McNabb warming up the players.

Whit, Skylar, Me, Maddie and Austin happy with a Ute win.

Let the celebration begin....

One of Our Favorite Things....

December 2015

One of our favorite traditions at Christmas time is our family Christmas Open House.  We started it many years ago......instead of giving neighbor gifts we invite all our neighbors and friends over to eat and visit.  A couple of years ago when Griff was playing football for SUU, he had a playoff game in December and because of other commitments we didn't have our open house.  We found out that everyone missed it and in fact some of our friends thought we were mad at them and just didn't invite them.  Most importantly, we missed it and it just didn't seem like Christmas.

We love our McNabb Family Christmas Open House!

Christmas Means F.A.M.I.L.Y

Since everyone came for Thanksgiving we decide we should take a family picture for the Christmas card.  Whitney's sister, Casey, was nice enough to bring her  camera and take some for us.  Bill is not a fan of family pictures and agreed as long as we only took one picture.  I promised him we would if he could guarantee that everyone was looking at the camera and smiling in that one picture.  

Ya...not gonna happen.

So we took a bunch and had a great time.

A couple of days before we took them, I came up with the idea to take one in Woodland's barn if the weather was cold.  Cait and I went over to the barn and checked things out.  Brother Woodland said that we could use their sleigh that they pull behind the horse.  We got it all cleaned up and had Bill and Austin pull it out into the middle of the barn.  

The night before we were going to take them, Brother Woodland called and said that he would teach one of us how to harness the horse so we could have the horse and sleigh in the picture.  Ryan and Cait were willing to learn so we sent them.

It worked out perfectly...it snowed and they pulled the horse and sleigh over to the house.  We all ran out and had a picture taken.  It turned our wonderfully and Bill said it was his favorite family picture we have ever taken.

Christmas means so much to us...the Savior and what he has done for us.  Most importantly he made it possible for us to be together forever.

Christmas means F.A.M.I.L.Y

Oh how I love these littles...Maddie, Krayton, Kira, Skylar, Hannah, Titus, Kalli and Chalice.

Our arms are filled with Love and so much Fun!

Here is our Christmas Card picture....don't you love it!

The Benedetti's....Kira, Brandon, Krayton and Kirstin

Krayton and Kira

Krayton and Brandon

Kirstin and Krayton

Titus.....he is getting so big!

And one more of the littles...