McCall Winter Festival

We love going up to McCall, it's only 100 miles away form us. We've gone there plenty in the summer (2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007 ) and a couple times in the winter, but we've never made it to the Winter Festival. So glad that Scott's OM gave us her cabin to use for the weekend.  On Friday, the first night up there they start out with these AMAZING fireworks.

It was crowded... more people here at this time than I have ever seen before. People came up in droves, probably since Boise's been having this winter aversion and it's been overcast for a couple weeks straight now... and it was beautiful sunny skies there ALL WEEKEND!

 Saturday morning is the Mardi Gras parade.  The people on the floats throw out tons of candy and bead necklaces. My kids loved this, and Papa kept catching necklaces and giving them to the kids. It was great, we all got into it.

Through half of the parade, Brock got tired and laid down to make himself comfortable... with a sucker of course!

It was almost ridiculous how many bead necklaces they caught from the parade... and how much candy!

After the parade, we walked around town to see all the ice sculptures. They were all so intricate, I was amazed.

There was the leaning tower of pizza, with the bear, under the sea, the Great wall of China...

The Samurai, the ginormous cupcake, the hockey players, the beached animals...

 Then there was this interactive park for the kids (seen below). You weren't supposed to touch any of the ice sculptures, just stand by them, but as you can see the guy who's inventing the wheel is missing an arm!

The interactive park was great for the kids to play in. The ice slide on the Great Wall of McCall was fun.

There was the Scandinavian Ice Palace, where they got silly in and drew their name on the walls...

But the Egyptian pyramid with the Spinx, mummy and hieroglyphics inside was my favorite, so detailed and HUGE

Then we walked out ON the Payette Lake.  It was so weird to be actually walking where we usually were boating in the summertime. Crazy!

No trip to McCall would've been the same without a trip to the Pancake House, with the most amazing and ginormous cinnamon rolls ever, our family favorite.

That night we were all exhausted, and had a nice movie night at home with pizza. I'm so glad my mom and Fred could come with us, since they've never been. Love my family!
What a great weekend!

A Family First: Ice Skating

 There's this new shopping/attraction area in Meridian that we L.O.V.E. to visit. It's brand new and not completely finished being built yet, but the center/plaza area is amazing!

The guy who designed the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas also designed these, on a much smaller scale, but still really cool. They move and have different lighting that goes along with the music that's played. It's a fun show. There's tons of outside fireplaces,  propane heating lamps and beautiful white lights everywhere. They have a play ground next to the fountains and ice skating rink. I love it because it's rubber bark bottom.

 We tried to go ice skating during the day, but the freezing maching under the ice wasn't working, so we got free coupons to use later that night.... so the pictures are either really blurry or dark, but my camera died and these are all off my iphone :)

The kids were glued to the edge for support for the first 30-45 minutes or so, but then they got brave and went around enough with dad that they eventually had the courage to go out there on their own.  

 

I refused to even get out there on the ice. First, somebody had to watch Brock since he was too young to even be on the ice. And second, I broke my ankle really bad in high school when I was ice skating on a mutual activity.... so I was a little weary about trying it again.  The kids had a blast and are already asking to go back.

 

New Year's Eve Week: LG

A couple days after Christmas, we went up to La Grande, OR (aka LG) to visit my mom and step-dad and my sister and her little family, and Bonnie.  But before my sister got into town, we went out to breakfast one morning at Joe & Sugars Cafe for breakfast and got these amazing homemade blueberry waffles, the kids loved hot cocoa with whip cream, and Scott said they had the best biscuits and gravy he had ever tasted.

 The next day Fred took all of us and his 3 4-wheelers up

 to Mt. Emily where we HAD. A. BLAST!

First we let the kids take a ride and have some fun,

and then I rode around for a little bit with my mom.

But the real fun was when I hopped on the back of Scott, Ella on the back of Fred, and Bonni behind Tanner, and we rode for an hour around the trails, going high and low.

Then when my sister, Kyle and her adorable baby came into town we had a huge family dinner, so nice.

New Year's Eve we always had a tradition of making homemade hors d'oeuvres.  We made homemade meatballs, little individual ham, bacon & spinach quiche, bacon wrapped water nut chestnuts, I made the oatmeal fudge bars, oreo truffles, and lil' smokies.  Delish!

 

 My brother surprised us all by showing up the day before New Year's Eve.... best present ever! He's single, busy working and traveling all the time, so when we get to see him it's a real treat! Plus, he's so fun, the life of the party, and growing up as the only boy with 4 sisters, he's kinda a favorite.

 We ate hors d'oeuvres, played the "things" game and watched football, I think and stayed up until midnight watching the ball drop on tv.

It was a great night just being able to visit with family that I don't get to see very often.

 

 Had to post one of my brother and my cute little niece. 

Love them!

{Christmas 2013}

For Christmas Eve, we were lucky to have my mom and step-dad spend the night with us! We had a nice glazed ham & lobster dinner with all the extras.  We went on a drive to see Christmas lights, and then came home to decorate cookies for Santa! Brock had frosting all over his face and forehead! That silly boy!

 Christmas morning at our house is pretty chill.  There's nobody waking up before sunlight, or kids digging into their presents before we're up....

My mom had them open one Christmas book (a new tradition of her's now) and she read it to them, they loved this.

 The many gifts... too many to name. But my mom got Ella a memory book and towel for her baptism, coming up this year. She also got us a nice big framed picture of Christ, "In Thy Constant Care" by Greg Olsen.

 Scott's parents came over to watch some of the action.  How lucky were my kids to have both sets of grandparents there with them on Christmas morning??!!!

Fred helped Brock open all his blocks, and Robbie helped Ella with her huge horse.

 I'm always sad when it's all over and you're looking around at all the mess... but kids were happy and busy playing all day. Santa brought us the tv series of Bible that was aired on the history Channel. I love it and it was so well made, and my kids loved it too, so that's what we were busy doing in the afternoon.

On the night of the 26th, we had our annual Thompson family gift exchange. Each family rotates each year who they have, with Scott's 2 siblings, it's easy and fun to do.

 Kassie & Steven had us this year. She made my kids pillow cases, which they used to jump in.  Ryan and Kiley got us a Vitamix, which I have enjoyed using. Scott's parents gave us a HUGE framed picture of Christ, "O, Jerusalem" by Greg Olsen which now hangs on our wall and we are set. Love it. Thanks so much!  A great Christmas, one to remember!

Scott's Birthday & December Events

Scott turned the big 35 in December. Can't believe it. He was 23 when we met. I love him even more today than I did then.

We celebrated the weekend before by going to Tucano's Brazilian Grill... totally his kind of place where all you can eat yummy meat.

Then the Sunday after we had his family over for a birthday dinner and dessert.

On his actual birthday, his staff put together this lunch party for him.

The cake was fantastic. Raspberry filled? Yes, please!

Have you eaten the "Man Cave" pizza from Bono's yet? Delish!

 

I was on the committee for our ward Christmas party. We did "Breakfast with Santa." It turned out great! French toast made with French bread, sausage, bacon, fruit, juice... my favorite.

 

We wanted to have a spiritual theme at our ward Christmas party as well, so we had a live nativity with a couple and their 3 week old boy. So perfect!

 

 

 Of course, Santa made his appearance.

  

 Then at Cole's preschool, look who showed up at his Christmas party?

How cool is that?

 I love this preschool, have I mentioned that before? I really do.