Rockets away!

One of our favorite family gifts this year was an Estes rocket set.

The Big Guy Lowe assembled the rockets with glee!

 

(J stopped by to help)

 

and after finding a launch that actually worked, we were on our way.  Soccer fields, Here we come!!

Can you tell The Big Guy Lowe was a little excited?

We all caught up though!!  :)

 The Big Guy Lowe was our rocket expert.  He's our everything expert!!  Love you babe!!

 
 Everyone got the chance to launch a rocket.  D started us out!

 

After each rocket was launched, we all would try to find it in the sky and then run to where it looked like it was coming down.

 It was pretty funny as we were all running looking up into the sky!  Catching the rocket before it hit the ground was the goal!


While today was incredibly clear and sunny, it was also extremely COLD!  YIKES!! 

After shooting the rockets so everyone had a chance, we headed back home to warm up.  These were just a few shots of the boys that made me smile from the day.

We love our boys!!

Christmas in our home

We love celebrating Christmas in our home.

There's just something that feels good to us about our little family's traditions, and we look forward to it each year.  We appreciate the Lowe-side of our family understanding how important this time is to us and not being mad at us for not traveling out to other destinations during the holidays.  The Big Guy Lowe and I used to travel to other family's homes when we were newly married and even when G was very young, but as more kids have come and traditions have been established we have chosen to enjoy this time of year from our own home.  Maybe that will change as the kids grow up, but for now we really enjoy being home.

After our Christmas Eve celebration with Cousins, Aunts and Uncles, Grammies and Grandpa and friends, we were looking forward to heading home to start our own tradition.

The boys get to open one individual present (always pjs)

 

And a family present (a book).

We then set out the cookies, milk and carrots for Santa and the reindeers and head upstairs for our usual bedtime routine.

Christmas Eve in the Lowe Home 

We were wondering if the boys were going to be getting up early this year as G is old enough to really know what Christmas morning will bring.  It didn't happen--not that we're complaining!  (I stayed up a bit late that night making the cinnamon roll dough that can rise overnight if you choose.  Truly the BEST recipe I've ever found for Cinnamon rolls.  Click here if interested in the recipe.  You've got to have YUMMY cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning!

When the boys did wake up, they all waited at the bottom of the stairs so I could go in and check to see if Santa had come.

 

Then they were allowed to go in and investigate their stockings!!

Big D anticipating what he would find in his stocking.  Opps, Santa left one of his cookies and some carrot remnants on the table!  Maybe we gave him too much this year...Hmmm. 

The Big Guy Lowe was in the middle of it all.

He was even able to provide a bit of "present-unwrapping instruction" to our youngest unwrapper.  :)

After stockings, we have breakfast.  Grammie Lowe was able to come over and shared our cinnamon rolls and breakfast casserole.  So good!  Then she stayed for the rest of the fun!

There were Legos.

And superheros.

Motorcycles, cars, trucks and books.

Starwars action figures...

 

and bigger items like the AT AT Walker.

Grammy and Grandpa HB came over and more toys were unwrapped...one of our favorites being a balance board for J (and the family).  The balance board is a great PT "toy".

Even The Big Guy Lowe got in on the action!

Daddy received a new set of scriptures too.

and mommy received a beautiful book from daddy with a beautiful letter he had written out mounted neatly inside.

And the rest of the day was spent building and playing...

It was a very nice Christmas and we were happy to share it with so much family.

That afternoon we had a Christmas dinner at our home with all the Lowes.

We have much to be grateful for with all the bounty of the day, but the most important gift we have been given is the opportunity to celebrate our Savior's birth.  Our greatest gifts during this life are because of Him; His teachings, His example, His gospel on the earth.

We thank our Heavenly Father for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve with both sides of the family!

This year we were excited for The Big Guy Lowe's Mom, brother (with his wife and 5 kids), and sister to join my extended family's celebration on Christmas Eve!

We had fun sharing our family traditions with so many others, and it made me feel happy that my mother-in-law would want to share that evening with my family too.  Because The Big Guy Lowe and I have chosen not to travel during the holidays during this time in our family's life, we have made sure to invite Ilene to join us when she isn't celebrating with her other children.  It was fun!

We had the candles!

And of course we had our portrayal of the Nativity as found in Luke 2.

It was pretty fun as many of the cousins on the "Lowe" side of the family were participating.

Everyone getting ready with Grammy HB leading the way.

Time to begin with Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem.  (I remember as a little girl having my dad be the donkey.  We always thought that was so funny!)

Gunnison was a very tender-hearted Joseph.  Look!  There's The Big Guy Lowe and I cuddling on the couch!!  So cute!

Here's a shot of Brett and Cannon with J and us in the background. 

It's important to remember how bright the star was and Ethan did a great job holding it up high! 

G was a solemn shepard.  (Gotta love the Burberry plaid outfit) 

 

Group shot. 

It was a fun evening that we all seemed to enjoy.  Thanks Mom and Dad for opening your doors to extended family and friends.  We always look forward to this evening! 

(PS. Thanks to Laura for taking the pictures!  I didn't bring my camera and was grateful to use some shots that she took throughout the evening!!)