Holidays 2010

We had such a fun Christmas. Not even Ammon's getting laid off a few weeks before would dampen out holiday spirit. We had already bought most of our presents before that happened anyway. Below are our 2010 ornaments (a yearly tradition). Elmo is for Kaleb, the guitar is Ammon's (he's been really wanting to learn to play the guitar since we started jazzing on Rock Band a few months ago) and mine is the little wooden Nativity. Kaleb loved taking ornaments off of the tree, but if he ever saw his Elmo up there, he would whine, quickly rip him off and give him a big hug. Below is Kaleb squeezing the stuffing out of his little Elmo ornament.

The week before Christmas we delivered some holiday goodies to some family and friends then drove out to the Christmas lights. You couldn't have asked for better weather, but HOLY SHMANOLIES!! I have NEVER NEVER been to such a crowded event since Disneyland. We are definitely going to go earlier in the season next time.

Christmas was a little rushed this year. Ammon's brother Rylan was calling from the Peru Mission at 9 am, so we had to make sure we were at his parents by that time. However, Kaleb usually sleeps till 8:30 or 9, and we all had a bunch of presents to open. SOOO, Kaleb had three gift-opening sessions this year. The first was Christmas Eve, he got a VTech Learning Giraffe Bike, Elmo Chair (just his size), Nerf gun, Mr. Potato Head, etc. Then we went to his parents house for the yearly Christmas Eve Navajo Fry Bread Fry. We make a bunch of Fry Bread and deliver it to family and friends with a little carol. It was kinda hectic this year with Landon's new baby and making sure we got Kaleb in bed in time to wake up early enough for Rylan's call. Still fun though. That night, Ammon and I opened our presents (again, to lessen the hecticness of Christmas morning). Ammon got me a new set of kitchen knives, non-stick skillets, socks (yes, I asked for them), Shape-Up sneakers, warm brown hoodie, an MP3 player, and Hungry Hungry Hippoes. I got Ammon some videos, a comforter, office chair (the secret present I got up early for on Black Friday), and the 11th Tennis Shoes Book. The really big surprise was that my sister and her husband gave him their XBOX 360 (since they got themselves a new one... long story), and I got him 3 new games to play on it. We had all been hiding it for so long it was a relief to finally get it off my chest, and Ammon was SOOOOO surprised. My sister had dropped it off earlier that day saying that it was a gift for me. Poor Ammon thought he was in on this big gift for me. GO FIGURE!!

Anyway, Christmas morning, we made it Ammon's parents in plenty of time. Kaleb woke up pretty early, so we even made it for orange waffles and buttermilk syrup!! YUM!!! Rylan called an hour late, so we ended up opening presents early. We had brought more gifts for Kaleb to open: Whack a Ball, some books and trucks and an RC Truck. Plus, his Aunt Katie's parents gave him an adorable Koala Backpack from Australia. He loved it... obviously!

Kaleb's second favorite thing about opening presents at the Teller's house was throwing away each piece of wrapping paper as he would open his gifts.

Ammon's mom had made Kaleb an I-Spy quilt. Basically a patchwork quilt that is fun to play I-Spy with.

Then for lunch and dinner we went to my parents, and Kaleb opened more presents. Another truck and mini-tent and tunnel. The Grandparents Reed gave him some scripture movies and a set of Jesus board books

Another funny thing that happened at my parents house involved another surprise for Ammon. Since he had wanted to learn to play the guitar, I had asked my sister to let him borrow hers along with a beginner's book. Well, she had forgotten to bring it to my parents house Christmas evening, so I told Ammon, "Well, the gift I thought would be here won't be here today." Long story short, Ammon kept asking me all these questions about this mystery gift to try to get me to blurt out what it was... and it worked. I ended up saying something like, "Well I don't know when they're gonna bring the GUITAR!!" and I kinda yelled guitar since I realized I was saying it (Bryan Reagan reference "When is the BABY DUE?!") Anyway, we now have a little joke about it.

The best part of Christmas was playing with the toys for the next few days, watching Kaleb discover everything about them... and maybe Ammon had some fun too!!

New Years Day was a blast, even if it came a little too early. My brother Devin (who is in the Navy) and his family stopped in AZ between San Diego and South Carolina where he will be doing training for the next year or so. They have three kids whose birthdays are all around the holidays, so they decided to have a birthday celebration for the two boys, turning 3 and 5, at Chuck E.Cheese's. They provided all of the adults... ahem I mean kids with 100 tokens, and so super-fun times ensued.

Here is the proud 5-year old. We will call him Iron Man (since that was the costume he chose for the day).

Here is the distracted 3-year old (Batman) and his gorgeous mama!

And the proud Daddy with their youngest (she had her 1-year b-day party a few days before.)

Then they had subs and cake at my parents house to top everything off. Overall, a great way to start off the new year.

And what would a Teller holiday celebration be without some headaches.

That's right, a flat tire on BOTH of our vehicles.

Plus, almost everybody on my side of the family, siblings and their children alike, have come down with a 12-24 hour flu that makes "your entrails become your extrails." It really has put a damper on things, but hey, it also gives us something to laugh about. Happy Holidays!!