Christmas Party Utah Style....

Started our "Gma Vicki Snowman" Party by meeting at

Soldier Hollow to go tubing.  One of the only 

things I like about winter is going to this place!! It is the

third time we have been here and it never gets old!

LOVE IT and love being with these kids!

OUR GROUP... 

Back row.... Stacey, Danny, Clay, Cortnie, Me, Jaxon, Bryan

Front.... Brandon, Jordyn, Lexie (hiding in her tube) 

Not pictured..... Kme and Ira and Ty...

 Just finishing my run..... I giggle like a girl all

the way down the hill......love it!!!!

 Ira couldn't go on the big hill but Daddy took him on the little hill.

 Kind of blurry picture of the two little girls... Lexie and Jordyn.

 Claymee

 Lexie.... her first time tubing.... last time we went..

she was in Mommy's tummy!

 Jaxon, Brandon heading for another time down.....

 Jordyn.... her first time here.

She loved it!!!  Daddy said she looked scared on the way

down but as soon as they got to the bottom she yelled "AGAIN!"

 Ty had to hang out at the bottom too.... not old enough

to go down the big slides..... He is such a sweet, happy child.

I had fun playing with him and Ira ..... Kmee and Stacey and Cortnie

and I rotated watching them and tubing.

 Gma and Ira ..... hanging out.... Ira didn't like it much....

But Gma liked playing with him...

 My boys..... Gavyn didn't really wait in line.... his expression

told me that he couldn't figure out why people were just standing

there and not getting on with it... so he just went to the front of the line

and "got it done"... he went down more times than anyone!

KAIMEE..... such an adorable girl!!

Being pulled up the hill is as fun for me as going down 

because you just get to relax and listen to the music,

chat with your loved ones in front of and behind you...

and enjoy the amazing scenery around that valley.

 After tubing.... we headed back to my house for food! 

and games and crafts!!!!  I had so much planning for this party

and putting it all together..... I wish I had taken more pictures..

but was too busy organizing and running around!

Above..... I made a "hot chocolate bar" complete with

whipped topping snowmen (pictured above), chocolate dipped spoons 

for mixing, a variety of creamers to mix in, and marshmallows of course!  

I made pulled pork BBQ sandwiches with rolls from Shirleys.

We had olives, carrots and pretzels..... (get the connection to 

snowmen..... eyes, nose, arms) and a frozen salad with 

raspberries and cool whip... YUM!... For dessert I had made carrot

cake and got vanilla ice cream (snow balls).....

 We played a game where we had to dress someone up like a 

snowman..... the "Johnson" team above got points for 

using all the supplies given them..... even the sack their

supplies were in.... Clay is the guy inside the TP....

 The Shepherd team..... poor Jaxon looks like he

is in pain..... But he's a fine looking snowman!

 The Bird team went above and beyond by making

two snowmen.... One even got buttons and a very tall hat!!

Cutest little one is on the left!!

 Then we made snowmen.... Ira loved the attention he

was getting as he sat in the middle of the table...

socks on his hands and head... and spreading rice around

as fast as he could..... Wish I had taken more pictures of

the finished products.... but we did get some cute ones!

We played some other games like Winter Bingo and Roll

a Snowman (roll dice and get to put on the eyes if you get

a "one" or arms for rolling a "four" etc) Pictured above they are

picking up "snowballs" (marshmallows) with straws and

dropping them in cups..... Brandon, of course, was the winner!

He got 43 in on his second try!  About passed out from lack of air

but won the game, nonetheless..... Jordyn... couldn't figure out how

to suck them onto the straw so she pushed them on the end of her

straw and then pulled them off into the cup.  She and Lexie thought

the game was great fun.  Lots of "harshmellows" were eaten too!

It was a fun party and one I hope the kids will long remember.

Last year I gave them money... like most of my friends said they did

for their kids... but I found that to be an empty, cold, and not at all

fun gift.... This year.... I gave them memories.... I liked it  much better

and hope they did too!!!