Webb Party in Salt Lake City

We had the greatest time last weekend. My awesome parents sponsored the funnest party at the Hilton in SLC. All of us Webbs were there except for Jeff, Jill and Will, who were in Florida for some training for Jeff's job, and were very very missed! Pretty much gally-vanted and ate and laughed from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon...it was perfect. On Saturday, while the boys hit Crown Burger, my mom took all the girls to the Grand Christmas Tea Party at the Grand America (minus Preslie, she is way too destructive for that fancy place...). We went last year and it was such a hit, we did it again. It is just way too fun describe. We wear fancy clothes and drink fancy hot chocolate and fancy food at the fanciest place that we know of. It's so great! This year they had a story-teller there to entertain the little girls with Christmas stories while we lingered over our hot chocolate. They were enthralled! After that, they enjoyed twirling to the beautiful piano music in their fancy, matching dresses, courtesy of Grandma. So adorable.

Grandma and the pretty girls...

The dessert tray was gorgeous and loaded. It required much concentration to make our choices...yum!

After the tea party, we changed, and the girls hit the Gateway while the little girls and Jami made a Gingerbread house and the boys went to some surplus store for some very manly gally-vantin'. My mom even got matching shirts for the older girls to wear. Who cares if people thought we were in a singing group? It was fun!

Once it was dark, we headed over to Temple Square to see the lights.

It was so awesome. There really is nothing like Temple Square at Christmas-time.

It was snowy, so the idea was brought up to maybe skip it this year, but I fought, and it was worth it. I LOVE this tradition. Walking through the lights, seeing the nativity and the Christus, its just so inspiring. I remember being at the Tabernacle Choir Broadcast once when I was in High School, and there was a little girl there who had come to Temple Square at Christmas as her "Make A Wish." How can we not go every chance we get? We take all of our close temples, and just living here in "Zion" (Idaho counts!) for granted way too much!

Tayler, Huddy, and Kennedy Jae

After Temple Square, we went back to the Hotel to have a pizza party, talent show, do "Favorite Things" (tell about and give away an example of your favorite thing of 2008 - a treat, book, etc...can you tell mom loves Oprah? still, very fun) and exchange gifts.

Here are the highlights of our talent show:

Grandma accompanied Kennedy on Away in a Manger and Silent Night, and on very short notice. Nice Job!

Grandpa Jay gave the girls some artist lessons...

My mom will probably kill me for putting this picture on the blog, but seriously. How many people do you know who have moms / GRANDMA's who can do this? Nice talent, mom!

Cortnie also played an excellent piano number, and Jenna and Nate did a Dancing-With-The-Stars-inspired lift routine...very impressive. An awesome time was had by all. My favorite part was when we presented my parents with a huge, personalized temple picture - and Mom sort of giggled, and said "you'd better open your presents from us." We did and guess what? Smaller personalized temple pictures for each family. I was so thrilled! I was totally jealous of the one we were giving my mom...

On Sunday morning, we went to Tabernacle Choir Broadcast at the Conference Center. It was really fun, despite the parking fiasco and getting separated...
We ended up having to sit in the "Little Theater" because of having so many little ones, but it was fine, we had tons of room and the babies didn't have to worry about being too quiet. The guest soloist was a broadway star, and he sang "The Friendly Beasts" in the neatest way, doing different voices for all of the animals, we all loved it.

This was the closest we could come to getting a group shot in the matching outfits from Grandma. Can you tell where I get my love of matching from??

Later on Sunday we went to the Museum of Church History. I haven't been there is a while and it was great. There was a really fun kids room that everyone enjoyed...I mean everyone.

We even had our own little nativity. I think this picture is hilarious...aren't our guys good sports???

All in all, a most excellent party. Thank you so much to Mom and Dad, we had such a blast!

Kennedy's Christmas Program

Kennedy's school had their annual Christmas Program last week, and she was so excited to be in it! They sang lots of songs and did some dancing, too. Kennedy's class were little lambs and did a cute little routine. We were very proud! I was actually a little choked up during the whole thing, especially when they had the live nativity and a teenage boy sang a beautiful "Mary Did You Know." It was so beautiful and touching, and all of my other emotions about how I just couldn't believe how old Kennedy was getting, and I was feeling her excitement and nervousness about the night...it all combined to make me a little teary...jeez!

In this picture, she is straight down from the red fire thing on the back wall, on the second row from the back...

Cute little lamb!

Kennedy with her school buddies Bailey and Savannah.

Keeping Hudson by our seats was a full time job...we switched off on wrangling and camera duty...

Anyway, she was adorable, and insisted on accessorizing her required white shirt-black pants combo with a wide black belt. Yes, I was proud mama that night. :)

Catch up time...

So, this is a total catch-up post. I feel like I have spent the last week non-stop on the computer (CHRISTMAS CARDS! whew... love 'em. I won't post any, until maybe after Christmas, wouldn't want to spoil any surprises), but not one minute on my poor little blog. So, here is the rest of our Thanksgiving weekend.

Since we were all at my mom's that day, we decided to try and get a group shot. Not easy when a) there are 4 babies 2 or under, 2) you have to be in the shot, and d) your brothers do not realize the importance of gorgeous, natural, outdoor light, and show up at DARK. oh, well, I did my very best:

Here is what gorgeous, natural, outdoor light does look like: Could they be any more photogenic?

The day after Thanksgiving, my dad was working all day by himself so we decided to take him lunch, so he could also enjoy some of the delicious leftovers...

He is an operator at a hydro-steam (???)plant west of Ogden. He took the boys and Jami and Kennedy up to the top of the...something...to see the...something. I'll have to update this when Dustin gets home with the right terminology...

Anyway, it was huge and high and loud, and Kennedy did not like it. She needed a little comforting when she came down...

Here I am trying to distract Preslie from the many disaster-causing buttons she desperately wanted to push...luckily, Hudson slept in the truck most of the time we were there...

We spent the rest of the weekend in Smithfield with the Chambers' clan. Kennedy had a no-sleep-sleepover with her cousins, and this is all she did Sunday...even at lunch! Poor girl...

Hudson had a really good time with all of those crazy little boy cousins. They definitely taught him some new tricks. But how could you resist those faces???

On Saturday, I pretty much did pictures all day, and loved it! Wes found me an amazing place right there in Smithfield, with leaves (still!) and a barn and everything, and I was in heaven. Here are all the cute little Chambers cousins. This is one of my all-time faves, I think!!!

Saturday night, Dustin's mom Marcia took all of the girls to "The Forgotten Carols" in Logan. I had never been, and I loved it. It was such a neat way to start off the Christmas season, and such a fun girls' night out. Thank you Marcia! Also, thank you to the guys, who took all of the kids and let us have a fun, child-less night. Wes and Megan, sorry about your house. You are always the best hosts and look how we re-pay you...by the way, WES, ARE YOU ENJOYING THE NEW MUSIC??? that is for you from Dustin, NOT ME...

Shelli, Trina, Cristen, Megan

Marcia, Delaney, and Kim

(my "other" sisters - love ya!)

So then, after we had all recovered for a few days, My mom, Jenna, Nate and Preslie made the trek up here Thursday night. Yay! We love company. We shopped and played and then they came with us to watch Kennedy dance on Friday night. She was so happy to have her daddy, Grandma, aunt, uncle and cousin there to see her new dance. Thank you for coming, guys!

*See my big smile in this photo? It's because I didn't know that at this very moment, Hudson was working on the worst diaper-blow-out in history. I'll just say 2 things: I hope they emptied the garbage cans at the high school that night, and he rode home in a diaper. Nothing he was wearing survived.

Jenna and Kennedy - this is where she gets her dancing talent!

Ok, last thing to tell: On Saturday night, Kennedy and I went to the Nutcracker in Idaho Falls. It was so fun! We had a total "fancy girls night": dinner, the show, ice cream afterwards. So fun! I just love that she is getting old enough to do these fun, girly things with. She is my little sweetheart!

Can I just say that WHOA, I've never sat this close (5 rows back) to professional MALE ballerinas (or is it Ballerinos?). There is nothing left to the imagination. I almost covered Kennedy's eyes at a few parts... :) Sorry. Just being honest here.

Kennedy was so fun to take to the ballet. She is doing her first Lyrical at dancing this year, and she pirouetted all through the intermission and walking to the truck. My little prima!

Thanksgiving!

Ok, So I had a major picture weekend, I filled about 7 GB worth of memory cards...WHOA-A!

And, I'm not even close to done playing with them, so this weekend will have to be done in a series of posts...

Anyway, Thanksgiving! We were with the Webb side this year, and let me tell you, my mom knows how to do Thanksgiving! The table was gorgeous, the food amazing (probably enough for 80, and there were only about...18) and great company! We were all there, and we took many photos. Thank you, Jeff, for the many wardrobe changes... :)

My mom's amazing hand-made centerpiece!

The hostess with the mostest!

Me with my one contribution, delish spinach salad, which I was very proud of...

Although, Dustin did the rolls, so that counts, too...

The Adult table...notice I didn't say "the GROWN-UP table"...

Jami, ever the good sport, with the nieces at the kids table...

While everyone else was cooking, I got some cute pics of the kids...Aren't Preslie and Hudson adorable???

On the way home on Sunday, we stopped to visit Grandma Webb, and while the kids were playing out on Jenis and Brent's fun new swingset, I got this cute one of Jacer...Love that little guy!