Grandma and Grandpa's Tree

 Each year, usually the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, my parents (Grandma and Grandpa Luke) invite the grandkids over to decorate their Christmas tree. This is a tradition we look forward to every year.

It begins with dinner, then the grandchildren get busy hanging 100's of ornaments and other various knick-knacks (some new, most old from when I was a kid) onto the tree, ending with dessert and usually an uplifting Christmas message.

This year we watched THIS VIDEO and committed to 

Follow Our Savior Jesus Christ. In 25 Ways. Over 25 Days.

We even came up with our own plan to Light the World, which I'm super excited about.

Thanksgiving 2016

  Ahhh Thanksgiving!!! My very favorite holiday. 

 There are no gifts to wrap, no eggs to hide, no cookies to make, and no candy to buy.

There is however pie! and rolls, and turkey, and green bean casserole, and. . . .well, you get my point.

(Speaking of pie, HERE is my family's traditional award-winning 'pie' recipe)

I just love Thanksgiving Time. 

 I love the decorations,

 the snow,

 olives on fingers,

spending time with family,

  and our annual game of Thanksgiving Bingo.

But the thing I like most about Thanksgiving is counting and focusing on the thousands of things God has given, and done for me.

There's just something about focusing on these blessings that makes me so happy.

I love that we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday first which gives us a chance to focus on the millions of little things God has blessed us with; and then immediately after, we head right into the Christmas season where we celebrate the Greatest Blessing of all, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

My Favorite Time of Year

 I love this time of year.

 What time am I referring to? I'm talking about the Fall/Autumn season.

 I love the colorful trees, the bright sunflowers, the crisp chill in the air, the smells (pumpkin chocolate chip cookies), the crunch of leaves under your feet, and most of all, I love the Autumn holidays - Halloween and Thanksgiving.

 Last week, we took some time to decorate the house for Halloween.

 See that bucket of leaves on the piano?  Clint and I went on a 4-wheeler date up into the mountains to cut those, something I hope to make a yearly tradition.

All the pops of orange and black around the house has me giddy.

So does this skeleton, Mr. Bones.  Not only is he cute, he's entertaining as well. Each time I walk by, the children have given him a new pose to hold. Sometimes he looks like a ballet dancer, sometimes he looks like Buddha, rarely ever does he look like a plain ol' skeleton, and I love it!

L-O-V-E!

Wordless Wednesday:

Christmas Day in the Morning

Wordless Wednesday

Holiday Peak

Last week was rough on my nerves, and I can honestly say that I'm glad to be done with it.

The kids were out of school the entire week, which was great and awesome except for the fact that they were ALL "jacked up on Holiday Dew".  They were bouncing off the walls with Christmas excitement - even my teens.  Combine that with a husband who was very busy working super long hours being Santa's helper at work all week- Saturdays and Christmas Eve included.

It's a wonder I made it.

All week long I was like the 4th Destiny's Child chanting:

I'm a survivor

I'm gonna make it

I will survive

Keep on survivin'

Last week we had a jolly-holly good time at our local water-park turned North Pole.

Here we are riding along on the lazy river.  We went sledding down a waterslide and saw Santa.

It was really weird being at the water-park at night in the middle of winter wearing our snow gear instead of our swim suits.

We also went to Temple Square with my parents, Gram, and my sister and her boys.

I love Christmas at Temple Square. It's beautiful and the Christmas Spirit can be felt everywhere.

"The spirit of Christmas is something I hope all of us would have in our hearts and lives—not only at this particular season but also throughout the year."

-President Thomas S. Monson

Christmas Time is Here

Christmas is in full swing over here at the Collins' house. There are only two days left of school for the year, and I'm scrambling like a mad woman to finish all the shopping, the wrapping, and the neighbor gifts so I can spend the week of Christmas just hanging out with my kids.

We've made a list of treats to make, movies to watch, and activities to do, and I can't wait.  I just hope everyone sleeps in cause I could sure use the sleep!

"I invite each one of us to find, during this Christmas season, a moment in the quiet of our souls to acknowledge and offer heartfelt gratitude to “the Generous One.”

Let us consider the compassionate, beloved, and boundless mercy of our Father in Heaven.

As we shop for gifts—as we give and receive them—may we also take time to quietly contemplate the bountiful gifts God has showered upon us, His children."

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

This is our Christmas Tree this year.

See that cute red tree skirt?

Take a good look at it, because it's normally not there.

Normally, it can be found. . . . . .

here, around the waist of either #5 or #6.

These two take the term "skirt" literally, and it becomes a Christmas Show skirt.

Out come the umbrellas (or excuse me, the parasols), and the show begins.

There's singing, dancing, and a whole lot of jabber (or um. . . entertaining).

If you're ever missing your Christmas Tree skirt, better come check at my house!

Thanksgiving 2015

Thanksgiving is always a fun day. There's nothing better than gathering the whole family together around a nice, big, delicious meal.  This year we celebrated up at Heber Valley Camp with my missionary parents.

It had snowed the night before, and the fresh snow was perfect for playing in. 

After the feasting and waking up from our turkey-induced comas, we (when I say we, I mean everyone except for me) went sledding. 

Everyone took turns sliding down the hill and then being pulled back up by the side-by-sides.

(That's my kind of sledding -where there's little to no effort involved.)

It was one of the most fun Thanksgivings yet.

Happy Halloweenie!

Are you getting excited for Halloween tomorrow?

My children get to wear their costumes to school today.

(I'll post photos on Monday)

This is the last of the Halloween photos.  If you missed any of the previous posts, you can view them here, here, and here.

Legos

2001

2000

 1999

 1999

Baby Superman #3 with GG. 

 1999

This year we had our indoor costumes and our outdoor costumes.

These little Swiss boy and girl were definitely for inside.

Okay this photo is also from 1999.

See this mask? We bought it on an after Halloween clearance right before #2 was born in 1997.  Clint's been wearing every Halloween since! 

1997

And this is where it all began. . . .my first Halloween as a mom.

1996

Halloween Memories

 Are you ready for more Halloween pictures?

Good, I thought so. . . . 

This was 2005 at my sister's Halloween party.

Up until a few years ago, she would host an awesome annual Halloween party with yummy food, and fun games like "Wrap the Mummy"- what you see above!

2004

This was the year I decided to make alien abduction costumes for #1 and #3. 

They looked cool, but they were very awkward to trick or treat in.

 2002

 2002

 2002

Can you tell we recycle costumes a lot?

This next photo is also a fave.

Wait for it. . . .

Wait for it. . . . 

Are you ready?

Ready Now?

okay, here it is!

hahahaha!  #4's face!  I love it!

2002

Halloweens Past

Yesterday, instead of cleaning the bathrooms, I spent hours looking through my scrapbooks (remember when you use to scrapbook all your photos. . . yeah, glad that went out of style) and old digital files looking for old Halloween photos.  I spent more time taking cellphone pictures of pictures and texting them to my family members with the message:  "Awww, remember this?"

Anyway. . . .

continuing on with our Halloween walk down memory lane:

 Here's #5 an #6
2010 

Cruella Devil 2010

2010

Rock Star (#3)!

2007

I'm dying over bball player #3!

It's Spidey!
#4 loved this costume.  He wore it everyday until he couldn't fit in it anymore.
 2006

Jedi 

2006

to be continued. . . .