Snow

Thanksgiving was a great snow storm but it was our hunt and we didn't get the chance to take the kids out to play.  It snowed the day after Thanksgiving and so we were able to take the kids out to play.  Our stinking luck, the Tahoe (4WD) was out of gas and we only had 5 gallons in the garage so we couldn't go as far as we wanted but made the best of it by pulling them behind the vehicle instead of getting to the hills further down the road.

There was a big hill just a mile from the house but the snow wasn't very deep so after a couple of times we couldn't go anymore.

Presley really enjoyed playing in the snow.  

Aydon making a snow angel while we were getting the sled tied up behind the Tahoe.

It was too hard to get pictures but here's one. 

Christmas

Last year, we had a hard time doing brithdays, Christmas, all of the craziness of end of the semester at school along with the business.  I told Preston this year we should simplify Christmas and just go to Disneyland.  We asked the kids and they were fine with going to Disneyland and not getting any presents under the tree.  We originally wanted to go in January or February when it wasn't so busy but we figured since there wouldn't be presents under the tree that we really ought to go in December.  Preston couldn't get days off during the break that we wanted so we ended up skipping the last week of school.  They boys loved that too, it was like two presents in one.  :)

Preston couldn't stand the thought of not having even one present to open on Christmas morning so we decided to let them draw names for each other and spend a certain amount.  I think they enjoyed thinking of what their sibling would like, wrapping the present and keeping the secret until that morning.  

We did our annual Sullivan Christmas Eve at our house (Preston was at work :( )  We had gumbo and opened presents and played games.  

Presley got lots of books and she was so excited about them.  I'll find her in her room by herself reading books quite often.  

Zack got gift certificates to the movie theatre, a liquid chalk board that lights up that he loved, led lights for his room and wireless ear buds.

Presley LOVED opening presents.

Puppy dog pals books and more books

Drew got a really cool duck shooting game, a nerf ball and some socks.

Presley got an Elena of Avalar doll

and a Personalized Puppy Dog Pals blanket.

Junior High and older people all ought one $50 gift to do a gift exchange game with.  We had asked the boys to make sure they'd be ok with only getting one gift and play the game and they were all for it.  Aydon ended up with the gift idea he gave his dad...a projector.  He has wanted one for years now and he ended up with it and was so excited.  

Ty bought a black pair of wireless ear buds that he wanted, wrapped a box inside a box, inside a box, inside a box.  He picked his own gift and basically hid it so no one could steal it and was so excited that he ended up with what he purchased that he wanted for himself.

Since Preston wasn't home Zack played for Preston and tried winning him a gift card for Texas Roadhouse so we could have a date night but we ended up with gift certificates for a date night here in town...dinner, movie & ice cream.  

It was a fun game and everyone seemed happy with what they got.  

Preston got home at 6:30 on Christmas morning so we woke the kids up to see their Santa gifts and open their present.  

Presley's gifts

Aydon & Ty's santa gifts were paintball accessories for their guns they got a couple of months ago.

Drew got lots of baseball stuff and Zack got lots of Swim stuff along with more gift certifcates for the movie theatre like he wanted.

Zack drew Presley's name and got her more Little People princess toys. Presley drew Drew and got him a new basketball.  Drew got Ty and bought him a new knife, toothpaste and a basketball.  Ty had Aydon and bought him a generic of a Go Pro for his upcoming trips.  Aydon got Zack and bought him Sonic & Rootbeer Stand gift certificates because he never has money but always wants to eat out.  I think they really enjoyed getting to think of what their sibling liked.

The Baca's got us the movie ET, popcorn, hot chocolate and candy.  They are always so sweet and thoughtful to think of us.  

This was as close to Santa as Presley would get.  She didn't mind talking to him but she didn't want to be any closer than this.  Aydon helped her ask Santa for a puppy.  

Drew was the only other one that wanted to talk to Santa and asked for a Go Kart.

Disneyland

Our idea to just spend time together as a family at Disneyland for Christmas was the BEST!  We all had so much fun!  We literally stayed across the street and were there before the gates opened each morning and had ridden all the big rides that we'd wanted to by early afternoon everyday (twice for the kids thanks to the parents swap).  Presley did soo good and took a nap in her stroller and never had a melt down.  The first day she was a bit wild and had to wear the "leash" but she hated it so she was pretty good the rest of the time and didn't try to run off.  We took pb&j sandwiches for lunches and snacks but absolutely loved buying Churros (regular, berry & pecan pie), ice cream (Frozen Lemonade Parfait & swirl cones, dole whip, popcorn & coke too.

Presley rode every single ride she was tall enough to ride and wasn't afraid of any of them.  The second time she went on Mater's ride she did get a little nervous at the end but I think she might've gotten smashed from Daddy sliding.  We decided to do a character breakfast and the plan was to send all the boys to go ride rides but Drew loves breakfast and wanted to come just for that.  They got to see and interact with the characters the entire time as they just walked around to the tables and she loved getting their autographs, stealing their nose and giving high fives/pounding it.  It was absolutely worth every penny to see her interact with Minnie Mouse.  She was jumping up and down, clapping, hugged her, kissed her, stole her nose, went back for more high fives.  I don't know what it is but she has always been drawn to Minnie Mouse and never afraid of her.  She DID NOT like Captain Hook and kept saying I'm scared.  It was really funny.  She really liked Pooh Bear, I think that's because Preston's Aunt Judy had given her a little stuffed Pooh Bear during fall break and she must've remembered that.  We watched the Disney Junior show and saw a couple of her favorite cartoons, Vamprina & Mickey & the Roadster Racers.  She was most impressed with the confetti that fell from the ceiling though.  lol

The parks got busy every afternoon/evening and because Presley was waking up at 5am we were all exhausted by 8 every night.  I think one night we made it past 9 so we didn't ever get to watch the fireworks show.  Aydon did get out of bed when he heard them go off on our last night and watched them from the parking lot of our motel.

Aydon & Ty have gone to Downtown Disney with Student Council and asked if we could the night we got there.  It was soo crowded that we didn't really enjoy it but the morning we were leaving we walked back over to have beignets.  It was cool to see the lights at night and the Lego Store.

Drew was finally tall enough to ride every ride in the park and he loved the Incredicoaster, Guardians of the Galaxy, & Matterhorn that he got to ride for the first time.  

It was a good time for all and a fun Christmas gift.  We had lots of laughs (Hanukkah Matara=Hakuna Matata on the trivia book for the drive) and so many smiles/screams from roller coaster rides, singing along to the Christmas music and seeing the pretty lights.  

There are nearly 200 pictures and I am not going to put them in order.