Christmas Day!

We had the whole Kizerian clan stay with us during Christmas because Jason's brother got married a few days after Christmas. So, rather than everyone going to California for a few short days, then back again, we all just had Christmas at our house! It was fun having a house full of family. The kids had so much activity everyday and got so worn out, that Brooklyn actually slept all night long IN HER OWN BED! She would crash so hard that she did not have the energy to make her way into my bed! Needless to say, I slept very well not having her kicking me all night.

Christmas Eve Monga made her famous and most delicious sugar cookies. Brooklyn of course was right next to her for hours baking right along side her...and covering her with flour!

Christmas Day...I had to capture Grandpa trying to open up the kids' toys because isn't that totally how we all feel? Unpackaging a kid's toy is a process and exercise in of itself.

The hit of the day was Beckam's little swords! Jason's brothers were using them all morning having their own sword wars!

Beckam in his Christmas jammies.

Brooklyn actually gasped when she opened up her doll set. It was one of those sweet mommy moments watching her be so appreciative of something she really wanted.

Wow! some new books! and how appropriate...notice the title

J and his brothers...when they are not sword fighting with Beckam's swords :)

The highlight for little B-Kate was her new camera from Monga and Papa! She took pictures of everyone all day and suprisingly she took some really good ones!

Aunt Shauna, Great Grandpa Roy, and Brooklyn

So, right after opening tons of her new presents...she goes upstairs and finds her old babies, rocks them, and puts them to "sleep".

At the end of an all-day shopping day the day after Christmas, Beckam crashed right there on my lap hours before bedtime.

Christmas came and went so fast for us this year, but one thing we always get to make time for that I look forward to doing every year is giving a special gift to Christ. I love doing this, because although I am giving something of myself to Christ...I also get so much in return. I get to work on becoming a better person and handing my weaknesses over to the Lord. He takes them, and helps me make up the difference...because Heaven knows I fall short all too often. Throughout the many challenges and trials I have had in my lifetime, I have always found the Savior waiting for me with open arms. He is truly a best friend and I realize I am forever indebted to Him. That is why I love having a few little heart to hearts with Him throughout the year as He helps me follow through with the gift I promised to give Him for His birthday.

Baking Cookies

"Monga", which is what Brooklyn calls Grandma (Julie), had this apron made for Brooklyn. Brooklyn always wants to help cook- even if it's just pouring water- so this was a very practical gift for her.
She also likes to taste as much as she likes to cook...that's my girl!

Tasting the final product

Brooklyn frosted all of these sugar cookies...but if you look closely, you can see they all have a bite taken out of them too.

Her very own rolling pin too!

Monga was very brave letting Brooklyn scoop in the flour. Every time she dipped the spoon in, she would flip it out and flour would fly everywhere. It was cute. Now Brooklyn gets her apron out three times a day: once at breakfast, once at lunch, and again at dinner.

Christmas in California

We put on our A-game and did a little bowling. I don't really take bowling too seriously and end up goofing around most the time because I stink at it. I usually get one or two lucky strikes in and the rest I need bumpers for. I've decided it's got to be my weak wrists!! (or something).

Brooklyn kept putting her head in front of the conveyor fan for all the bowling balls. She kept herself amused and occupied. That's probably the same thing I would have spent my time doing at her age. hmmmmm.

I just had to catch Jason at the peak of his game. I would fall over if I bowled like that...how does he do it?!

Brooklyn, Steele, Shalice, and Amanda

Sydney (friend) and Brooklyn drawing pictures together, reuiniting at last. They haven't seen each other for a while and when they do finally see each other, they have each grown and changed so much. Brooklyn kept trying to show everyone her pictures, but the toy she had was broken and automatically erased right after she drew something, so we could never see it.

Instead of riding bikes on the beach, we decided to go on a duffy boat ride this time. The scenery is so beautiful. There are tons of amazing homes and decked out yachts that dot the sides of the bay. We just cruised around for a while, it was relaxing. It was colder here by the beaches than on the inland area, but coming from Utah, we could handle it.

Brooklyn's sleeves were soaking wet by the time Papa was done with her. She had so much fun with the water.

Daddy and Brooklyn driving the boat.

Beckam sitting with Aunt Amanda on the duffy boat. He was so uncomfortable in that life jacket, it was making him really upset that he had to wear it. His face just says,"get this thing off of me!"

Monga compares the kids to the jingle bears every year to see how big they get each year. These bears are so old, like twenty years old, but continue coming out at Christmas time looking brand new. They are the fluffiest, softest bears- they just won't flatten out. Your parents might have some old jingle bears somewhere. Quality just isn't what it used to be.

This is Julie's (my mother-in-law) village she puts up every year at Christmas time. Most of the little houses light up, so Brooklyn would lay down in front of it and just stare at the whole scene. When Papa came over to look at it with her she told him "Don't touch, Papa!" She didn't break anything our entire visit...whew!

Good thing Beckam is not a girl, huh! As Julie has been recovering from cancer, she took her wig off because she now has a good amount of hair that has grown back. She looks beautiful...but, the wig looks better on her than on Beckam.

This is Julie's dining room table for the Holidays. I don't give it credit through this picture, but she could honestly decorate for Holiday magazine covers. It was so beautiful.