Christmas Peace

Alright this is where we begin. GINGERBREAD HOUSES!!!! Or, I should say gram crackers (three packets each) and some hot glue. Mine: Holiday Square is nothing short with Christmas, Halloween, Valentines and Easter! Cassidy made something... like a spanish house or something. Joshua: A Scottish Castle. Leslies (not pictured) as embarrassing as it is to admit on my OWN blog, won, yes her creative North Pole Fire House was a better idea than ours. It took forever to get them finished and I have decided for everyone that next year will be one basic cottage and the competition will be on the decorating! Yes, everything must be a competition if any of us plan to participate!

Christmas morning was a SUCCESS!! Josh and I surprised papa with not only one, but TWO framed photos of his mountain property. Thanks to ALL the fireman who helped us with this project: Robert Hooper Photographer, Clint somebody Frames, and Kelly Larsen Glass.

Papa and I with our brand new chaps! Yay for us!! We are both pretty excited, cant wait to try them out and save my legs!
I accidentally talked Leslie into getting her boys (Jeremy, Treyden, Colten, Lincoln) a NEW PUPPY!!!! I mean it really was a good idea. Jer was surprised and the boys love her! I had so much fun helping Leslie get prepared for this little bundle now named Dixie. She is a heeler/aussie mix and so soo cute. Right Leslie?! Duke hopefully doesn't feel left out, he is getting more attention with her coming over to play or growl at him whichever. :)

We were all smiles all the while. Glad Josh got to come home and visit us for 9 days. Glad we had family here in town that came over for our annual christmas day brunch. Thankful for the gifts we received and were able to give! We have SO MANY christmas traditions (most including food) but my favorite is becoming Christmas Eve or Day GAMES at the FIRE STATION!!! Its not only because I have won the games played (see competition competition) but because it requires and effort, not only on us loading up in our new matching pajamas with games in hand, but on papa to put up with us and our craziness in front of his co-workers ( who usually join in anyways).

As we make our way into the new year lets just remember one thing..... only 361 days till christmas!!!!

National Finals Rodeo

Yes, those are cute American and French Cowboys! No better way to start off a post than with that photo :)
Jer,Les, Me and Laura at the rodeo at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. (dont forget that this venue is FULL of cowboys old and mostly young. Is there a better place to be?)
Laura and I eating some yummy yummy potato somethings or another.
The cutest, most unpractical spur straps I have ever seen! Oh, and probably the most expensive too $85 dollars for these beauties, unfortunately all I got of them was this picture :)

Where oh where to begin. Jeremy Leslie Laura and I went down to the NFR on monday the 6th. We went down early enough to spend the day shopping at two of the three cowboy christmas venues they have during the rodeo. Let me just say 7 hours was not enough time! We'll plan more time off work next year for sure. We drove down and ate lunch in north las vegas Robertos or some mexican place with yummy burritos. Dont worry it was safe, or at least the guy behind the bullet proof glass was safe. We literally shopped till we dropped, dropped into our seats at the rodeo that night that is! We had so much fun checking out cowboys, looking at the endless jewelry racks, and tryin on clothes. Lusting after things we couldn't afford was most of our time passer. Then we cheered on all the cowboys participating in the rodeo, but mostly the UTAH contestants. We decided to check out early so during the "last" bull rider we sneeked down the stairs, turns out there was a few more than "one" more. Which turned out to be a good thing, because standing right next to Jeremy was Tuf Cooper. I didnt believe it was him and I offered Laura five bucks to ask him she got star struck so I pocketed my five dollars and went and asked myself. Turns out it was him and I just made my best effort to flirt with this famous 20 year old calf roper. Got a fun picture and laughs to get us home! Laura was the best date a girl could ask for too! So thankful for good friendships and my fun brother and sister! And of course thankful for all them good lookin cowboys coming to vegas!