Wow, I thought I had already posted the pictures from Christmas… However I had not. So for Christmas we went to HSB for 5 days and then to Orofino for 2. The spirit of Christmas once again comes alive when you have children…However this year I would have to say was by far the best we have had with Kiersten. She really got into the Santa experience, and it was truly FUN for George and I.
While we were down in HSB we got to ride the train to the North Pole to see Santa. When we got to the North Pole, all the kids got out and Carson and Kiersten went and sat on Santa’s lap and got their photo taken. Once we boarded the Train back to HSB, Santa boarded with us and came around and asked the Children what they wanted for Christmas from Santa. Kiersten’s reply, “A gun to shoot the elk.” She is def a daddy’s girl…while dad was proud, I was a little embarrassed as there were many uppity people from Boise and the surrounding area all around us, looking at us very funny. She always surprises me with her answers, and gives me great stories to tell others!
We spent actual Christmas Eve and Christmas in HSB. We followed Santa online all day on Christmas Eve as he delivered gifts to people all cross the world. The kids, all 4 of them, absolutely LOVED finding out where Santa was all day. Christmas eve, all the children get together and decorate Cookies for Santa. This was fun, although more frosting went in the kids’ mouths than got on the cookies, I’m sure of it. Christmas eve night it is ritual for the kids to get to open one gift….the gift is always pajamas. This has been Cody and Jeni’s tradition, that we are officially steeling. 
All the kids got into their new pajamas and then Uncle Cody reads them the store “The Night Before Christmas”. While all the kids were huddled around Uncle Cody, Kiersten interrupted in the middle of the story and said, “Uncle Cody, We must go to sleep, Santa is going to see us!” That made me laugh and it will be something I will remember forever about the first Christmas Kiersten learned about Santa. After the story was over, yes we got through the whole thing, we tucked all the kids in at Jeni and Cody’s house…Kiersten tucked in with her little buddy Carson. Before leaving the room, all the kids made me check on my phone to see just where Santa was….he was officially in the USA and they got really excited and knew they had to go to sleep soon! Kiersten tucked in with them didn’t last long and before long we had to take Kiersten back up to Grandma and Grandpa’s. While walking back up to the Grandparents house, Kiersten looked up at the sky and informed us that “Santa is up there!'' Children just amaze me with their eyes about Santa, she just had a spark in her eyes, I think they call it magic!! Definitely could see it! Christmas morning Kiersten and Carson woke up to new battery operated 4-wheelers from Santa. She really wasn’t sure about it to begin with and then she was even less sure about it when she went to go get on it and accidently hit the accelerator before she was really on it. After lots of convincing she did get on it for a little bit at a time but she still wasn’t sure about it. We ventured on to Orofino and had a great Christmas there as well. Kiersten got tons more gifts and we got to spend time visiting with my brother and sister in law which we don’t get enough time with. While we were there though, we got lots of gifts and we were unable to bring the 4-wheeler home from Orofino. Since then, Kiersten tells everyone Santa got her a 4wheeler, however she hasn’t seen it in a month. It will be coming up with my parents this weekend and I’m excited to see if she will ride it again!
So now that I’ve told ya the stories behind our holidays… here are some photos…
