Week of Christmas FUN!

What a week! We've had a ton of fun, a ton of snow, we're full, we're exhausted - I'm so sad that it's over! On the 23rd, all of my family came over for dinner, the kids put on the nativity and exchanged presents. The 24th was busy getting ready for the Holbrook Christmas Eve party with ALL of Vaughn's extended family. There must have been 70 people there that night. We got home and the kids were so excited to open their Christmas pj's, put their stockings out and get Santa's treat ready (a slice of Swedish bread, of course!) Cole woke up bright and early at 4:45, came in and asked if it was time, when I told him no, and to go back to sleep one more time he said "dangit" and went back to bed. By 6:30, we were all awake and heading downstairs. I think I was just as excited as the kids! They were thrilled with the gifts that Santa had left them. We started opening presents, got about half way through when we got a call from Vaughn's mom that Matthew, his little brother on his mission in Argentina, was calling home in 15 minutes. Vaughn took off to talk to Matt (since he can only call twice a year, Christmas and Mother's Day) and got back an hour later then we finished opening presents. We then went to Vaughn's moms house and opened presents there, then went to see my parents and opened presents there, then home for a 2 hour Christmas nap! It was a great day, Christmas this year was a success!!

Peck Christmas dinner


Jenna took her job as "Mary" very seriously!


Annette, Vaughn, Birgitta

One full house!

While everyone was in the family room listening to Grandma June talk, Jenna had made her way into the kitchen, pushed a chair up to the bar and got some more to eat!
3 excited kids!
Sweet dream~
All lined up and ready to see what they got from Santa!
YEAH...he came!
Although they asked for a Transformer set with all of the Autobots and all of the Decepticons, Santa brought the boys Wiggle cars this year. (He must have known that they were getting Transformers from cousins and mom and dad...smart man!)

Jenna is having SO much fun with her new dollhouse (so is mom!)
If it's pink, if it has anything to do with princesses...Jenna loves it!
Mom and dad had a great Christmas too!

Happy Birthday Grandpa Durrant

Today is a happy, but sad day. Happy because grandpa is happy, healthy and with grandma again. Sad for us that we're celebrating his birthday without him with us this year. My grandpa passed away a week and a half ago, just 9 days before his 96th birthday. He spent the last week and a half of his life in bed, knowing that it was his time to go. It was such a neat experience to go listen to what he had to say to each of us, giving us advise, telling us how much he loved us and bearing his testimony. He is one of the greatest examples I have ever known. We will miss him. My kids loved going to visit grandpa, especially Jenna. The last week of his life, we'd go in his room and he'd see Jenna and his face would light up, he'd put his arms out say "there's my girl" and she'd lay down next to him and hug him. He passed away on Jenna's birthday. We've had to deal with death a few times since our move back to Utah. First Vaughn's dad, then Grandma Durrant and now Grandpa. I'm so glad that I know that they are in a better place now and that one day, we will all be together again! Happy Birthday Grandpa!



Ashton and his cousins Devin and Braden with grandpa. This was taken last month.

They loved each other so much!

Grandpas viewing

At the cemetary


Many of the grandkids and great grandkids took ornaments earlier that week to decorate the tree next to grandma and grandpas grave. The kids were excited to see their ornaments.

My mom and her siblings. Stephen, mom, Vicki, Olani

Tis the season...

18 loaves of Swedish Bread down...about 30 more to go!!

Happy Birthday Jenna!

I can't believe that my baby is 2! We had so much fun celebating Jenna's big day. My sister asked if she really "got it" that it was her birthday and she sure did. She woke up asking to open presents. She sang Happy Birthday to herself all day and when everyone came to the house for her party, she'd drag them into the kitchen to show them her princess cake which she requested weeks ago! She totally got it! :) Sorry about all of the pictures, I couldn't help it!

She LOVED breakfast in bed - or in this case, breakfast in the boys club that they had slept in the night before!

Opening her birthday dress

The requested princess cake!

Her favorite part of the night...opening presents!

She got lot's of princess dolls, a pink castle, a magic wand, a princess cell phone, princess pj's, 2 babies and princess bubble bath...it's so fun having a GIRL!




Playing princesses with grandma!

Here Comes Santa Clause...