My Besties

I am so grateful to have meet and continue to know my two besties friends in the world. I met LR in Highschool and she thought I was going after her boyfriend, but in the end she found out that I had a boyfriend and we became friends.

LC I met through LR and it took a crazy, excited, police filled night for her and I to bond. Between the three of us we are the L Musketeers!

Usually after christmas the three Musketeers get together and have a christmas lunch and gift exchange. 

This year for christmas was a little lonely as our bestie LC moved away. So it was quite different not having her join LR and I for annual Christmas Lunch. However I had to mentally make sure that I got her present off to her on time and from the sound of it, it arrived just before Thanksgiving.

Just like clockwork I received a gift in the mail. I waited to open the gift until christmas and when I opened it I was completely surprised as to what it was....

A blanket of pictures of my cute family. How precious and special is that. I LOVE it. 

I was able to meet up with my other bestie LR and we headed to this place that serves homemade ramen noodles and those noodles were DeLiCiOuS! We ate Noodles and Sushi. After chatting we finally exchange our gifts and she got me ths beautfiul gray scarf with gold through out along with earring and a long necklace. LR always does a great job of getting me items to add to my wardrobe. 

I love these two ladies so much and I am so grateful and lucky that we all became great friends. I can't ask for better sisters and my kids couldn't ask for better Aunties!

Love You Ladies, you know who you are! 

Christmas Day Part 3

After visiting the South Parents, we headed over to Mom's house for the Heinrichs Christmas Party. I was worried we were running late, but we were technically on time and the first to arrive. As soon as all of us got there we rolled up our sleeves and dove in to help.

I had to sneak in some pictures of Mom's decorations. Her home always makes it feel like Christmas with her festive decor.

After the silly pictures it was time to eat. This years feast consisted of:

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Prime Rib

Jumbo Prawn Shrimp

Green Beans

Pear, Spinach, Pomegranate Salad

Roasted Potatoes

After stuffing our faces again and cleaning up the fest, we headed down stairs for a little Naughty or Nice Plinko.

Grandma H really thought out how to play this Plinko game and her ideas turned out to be so cute and fun. She first had the grand kids start. Each of them took a turn headed up the step ladder, they each had three tries to get the plinko ball into the nice section at the bottom and she gave them 2 out of 3. 

If they got naughty they received a bag of coal and a gift out of a basket. If they got nice they received a flying animal slingshot and a gift out of a basket. When Jack went he ended up getting Nice.

When it was Abigail's turn I was a little worried about the Naughty part due to the look on her face, but in the end she got Nice as well.

After the kids went one more time each, it was apparently the adults turn. It ended up that all of the adult except Jeremy was Naughty, my hubby was the only nice one in the bunch.

After playing Plinko it was time to open presents. We started with the little kids first, then to the adults and then Mom opened her presents last. It think in the end we all got what we asked for...Family, Laughter and Love! It was a great night spending it with family. 

My favorite holiday of the year is Christmas and although I tend to forget the true meaning, I know deep in my heart what the true meaning of Christmas is. The birth of Christ, I am so thankful to be born into a family that believes in Christ. The things he has done for us especially sparing his life so that we can return to him again. I know that Jesus Christ loves me and wants me to go through my trials to become stronger. I know he loves me and I love him and can't wait to get back to him. That is the true meaning of CHRISTmas.

Christmas Day Part 2

As long as I can remember since Jeremy and I have been married on Christmas Day we head over to the South Parents House for breakfast. This year was no different.

After the kids opened their presents we all got ready for the big day, which meant that our first stop was the South Parents House for breakfast. We had blueberry waffles, eggs, ham and bacon. 

After the filling and delicious breakfast we cleaned the table then headed into the family room so George, Joyce and Jennifer could open presents. 

From us, we gave them a gift card to any of the restaurants downtown through Temple Square. It was nice enjoying their company, watching them open presents and watch the kids tease Corn Dog (Jennifer's dog).

Thank you George and Joyce for always having us over Christmas Day for breakfast. We love you both and hope you had a great Christmas Day!

Christmas Day

I was starting to get kind of bummed that for Christmas we wouldn't have any snow, especially since our December has been very dry. Slowly but surely white snowflakes decided to hit the ground through the night and my wish came true as to having a WHITE CHRISTMAS! Abigail woke up first from our bed and ran into the family room yelling "Santa Came!" We told her that she shouldn't touch anything and to go get her brother (who was still asleep downstairs). She comes running into our room holding a new Wii game. We had to tell her to go put it back and to go get her brother.

In the pile of presents the kids both got suitcases, board games, Lego's, Clothes, Church Clothes and a new Wii Mario game. Abigail also got a glitter glider castle and princesses.

Christmas Eve

This year Christmas Eve was pretty quiet. I decided to make my Sisters Clam Chowder (that she introduced us to and is very easy to make) for Christmas Eve Dinner. We decided to invite Grandma H over for a little dinner and a movie which ended up being National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Ever since my brothers and I were little, especially when we were a little older to know the true meaning of Santa Claus, we would have our very fancy 5 course mean, clean up, watch the traditional National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, wait until midnight and then open presents. So to keep this movie on Christmas Eve a tradition going is a must!

Mom, Jeremy and I laughed through the whole movie and even mom jumped from the squirrel jumping out of the tree. 

Just before we started our movie we decided to have the kids open their Christmas Pajamas, which I started and have continued as a tradition since Jeremy and I have been married.

In the end it was a perfect, small, quite Christmas Eve.

Christmas Gifts from Grandpa H

With Dad living in another state he will send us some money to spend for our gifts from him which is very generous. SO this year was no different and the kids wanted to head out and get what their little visions were in their heads.

Abigail was able to get a Froze Elsa (big surprise) and a Periwinkle from the Disney Fairies.

Jack was able to get a Star Wars Lego Set. If you can't tell he LOVES Legos.

Thanks Dad for your love, gifts and thoughtfulness. We Love you!

South Family Christmas Party

This year we got together over at Jason and Tawnie's for the annual South Family Christmas Party. It is always a treat to get together with family and see how crazy we can get. We had a lot of good food and dessert as well as good company.

This year for the little ones we decided to draw names and I think that was a big hit. Before we had the little ones exchange gifts we circled together as a family and read in the Bible the story of Jesus, which has been a tradition since being in this family. It was nice to bring in the spirit and the meaning of Christmas before the chaos began. 

Jack got a Nerf gun and Abi got a Lego Friends kit. Each of the married kids got a survival kit, which Joyce is always so thoughtful in giving. You never know when you will need to survive. 

All in all it was a nice evening until the kids decided to dog pile on their Aunt Jennifer. Always good times with the South's.

School Christmas Program

This year marks the first School Christmas Program. They had each grade perform and although it was hard to hear the music teacher speak (due to no sound system), they still put on a good show. Jack's kindergarten class was the first grade to perform and they did awesome.

After they performed the morning kindergarten class was done for the day, so we decided to head home while the other grades performed. From what I understand or heard was that the program lasted until 3 pm due to having each grade perform. Glad we were at the beginning.

Christmas Candy Treats

I need to be more of a baker or cooker or whatever you want to call it, s I was excited to when mom called me up and invited the kids and I over to hangout but to also make some candies for Christmas. I picked up lunch for all of us, got the kids organized with their movies and off to the candy making mom and I went.

We made toffee (above) then we decided to experiment and make some Oreo balls.

They were good, very sweet, but good. Lastly mom made caramels.

The kids had fun watching their movies and eating popcorn and mom and I had fun making the candies.

2014 Christmas Card

Fotofly Santa

Every Year for the past few years we have been making our way down to Thanksgiving Point for the pictures with Santa. This year was no different except Jeremy joined us. It wasn't as busy on this cold Saturday and in the end we got some pretty good pictures. Hope you all enjoy!

Christmas Day

Was laid back. Jeremy and I were slowly waking up when all of a sudden we heard heavy footsteps and sure enough our cute early riser was creeping out of her room and on the way from her room to our room she spotted some items in the family room. Abi suddenly came into our room and sad, "Why is there a doll house in the family room?" Jeremy and I chuckled and told her it was because Santa came and delivered some gifts.

Jeremy, Abi and I headed to the family room and Jeremy then went to wake up slumber sleeper MR Jack. Jeremy told Jack that he needed to wake up because Santa came and delivered some gifts. He was awake and headed straight for the family room seeing that there was a Hot Wheels Track waiting for him. Giddy with excitement he headed straight over to it and was smiling with his hands in his mouth.

It was a really nice morning. Abigail recieved Monster High Dolls 4 Pack and Jack got Micro Drifters Cars Race Track from Santa. From Mom and Dad the kids got clothes which they weren't too excited about and Abi wanted to just continue opening more presents.

The Kids and I got Jeremy and picture of Jesus and Jeremy got me a gift card to Lowe's to hopefully help with the remodel of our bathroom.

After opening presents we got ready and headed to the South Parents for brunch. There the kids opened more presents - Jack got transformers and Abi got a mixer and toaster for her kitchen.

Jeremy and I recieved a storage list and some home made lotions and healing remedies.

We then headed back home to have a little something for dinner in which Mom came over. After dinner we sat down and watched Despicable Me 2. Such a nice and relaxing day.

A Visit from Santa

As quickly as the man in the red suit came he was gone in a flash leaving a few things behind.

Abi's doll house.

Jack's Hot Wheels race track.

Outfits and stockings.

In the end Abi woke the next morning at 7:40 AM qnd Jeremy had to wake our little man Jack. Abi got her doll house and a 4 pack of Monster High Ghouls. She also got some cute clothes and a Christmas dress.

Jack was super happy about his Hot Wheels race track as well as his Micro Drifter race track. He also got some cute clothes and a nice Christmas suit. 

Jeremy received from the kids a picture of Jesus and I got from the kids and Jeremy a gift card to Lowe's (2014 will be a big year as we are going to remodel our master bath - the gift card will come in handy.)

Santa left some movie in our stockings... Jeremy got Red 2, Abi got Turbo & Ice Age 3, Jack got Planes and Ice Age 4 and I got Despicable Me.

It was a nice little Christmas. After present opening we headed to the South In-laws to eat some breakfast and open some presents. We the headed home to then get ready for a small little dinner. A nice guest that joined us was Mom. After dinner we watched Despicable Me. After a very eventful day it was off to bed.

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

An Early Christmas Dinner

This year we held the Heinrichs Christmas Dinner earlier than normal due to my brothers heading to visit with their In-Laws.

So Saturday was the night. I always love going to Mom's for Christmas. It might be her decorations, how the table is set, the sparkly tree or even just the Broccoli Cheese Soup, who knows, but it is always nice and fun to spend an evening with my mom, my brothers and their wife's and their kids.

This year we planned on eating at 6 however we ended up eating more about 7:30/8 due to some apples not cooperating.

Starters were delicious with a Relish Tray and an Artichoke and Crab Dip.

Soup - Broccoli Cheese Soup

Main Course - Pork Tenderloins and Fish along with roasted mash potatoes, cooked apple slices, pomegranate with feta cheese salad.

Dessert - Peppermint Ice Cream Cake

After a delicious meal we cleaned half way up then hauled the presents downstairs to then unwrap.

The kids couldn't contain themselves any longer and went first, followed by the parents and then Grandma.

Thank you all who helped bring this wonderful night together.

Hope all of you have a Merry Christmas!