2009 Family pics - Merry Christmas to all!!

We did family pics this year, which is always quite the fiasco, so enjoy :) We love you all and hope you had a wonderful year!!

Christmas is here!!

The kids got scooters for Christmas and have been on them ever since.

Opening presents Christmas morning. Stephen on the left, Jack in the middle.

(L to R) Stephen, Jack, Christsia, Liberty

Christsia and Stephen

Wearing new Pajamas on Christmas Eve

Dumping "magic reindeer food" on the lawn

Making the magic reindeer food with cereal, choc chips, nuts, oats and sprinkles.

Setting out the presents from Grandmas

Making bows with ribbon for the homemade salsa jars

The Nativity Scene for Family Home Evening at the Cook's.

Decorating the tree

Still decorating the tree

Cutting out sugar cookies - it isn't Christmas without sugar cookies!

This is a nativity I made out of wood.

Putting the presents from both Grandma's under the tree.

Liberty turned one!

She opened her presents. Thanks Grandma's for your contribution. She loves her gifts.

Darling Christmas dress from Grandma Jo

She opened her baby doll from Stephen and kept giving the doll hugs and kisses.

Shrimp Boil

This is our first shrimp boil. I think we are now true Texans. It tasted great!

Stephens Preschool

Stephen loves his school and all his friends there. You can see why!!

100% Chance of SNOW

What are the odds of snow in December in our climate?? Next to nothing. So when the weather man predicted snow I was a non-believer. Until I saw it...sure enough.

In fact, enough snow to make this life-sized snow man! It was so awesome. There were probably 30 cars that drove by and took pictures of this because it was such a sight to see. The snowman required all of the snow in our yard and probably the neighbors too, but it was worth it.

Here it is...somewhat blizzard like...for us. This would just be laughable in UT, but here they closed the school, my work, the temple, etc. (which was all fine by me) We got cozy and watched some movies at home. Hooray for snow!

Nutcracker

We went to the Nuctracker put on by the Houston Ballet. It was soooo fun.

They had a gingerbread house on display...Mike couldn't help himself. I hope they don't notice the bite taken out of the roof

Family pics

Mike and Liberty on Thanksgiving

~ A - D - O - R - A - B - L - E ~

Making mac n cheese, she is such a helper

NYC here we come!

In NYC we went to the Empire State building

Here is the view from the North

Here is the veiw from to the South. This

main buildings in the back is Wall Street. There are two islands on the right, you can sort of see the Statue of Liberty.

Here is Times Square. We stayed in a hotel right on Broadway overlooking Times Square.

Shopping at Macy's

More Macy's

Gyros from the street vendors (behind him, behind the railing)

M&M store

Can't walk the streets for too long before you succomb to the cartoonists. The picture turned out pretty good and serves as a good memory. It is hanging in Mikes office now.

This is Mike wondering if he wants to join the ranks of the NYPD when he grows up.

We went to White Christmas on Broadway, it was awesome.

Ground Zero memorial

Street fish markets

Shopping for a scarf in China Town

We rode the subway everywhere and actually got pretty good at not getting lost.

Central Park

Still Central Park

A spontaneous bubble show in Central Park

We ran into Rocky Anderson (former Mayor of SLC) in the restaurant Dallas BBQ (of all places)!

Rocky invited us to a party for his organization "High Road for Human Rights". The owner of Nu Skin was hosting the party in her apartment which was the entire top floor of the Time Warner building (seen below). It was a very interesting party.

St Patricks cathedral, very beautiful. Don't be alarmed by the greeter at the bottom of the pic(or her hair). She was actually very nice.

The temple!! That we have always heard so much about. You can ride the subway to it which has a stop right across the street from the temple. It was awesome.