Thanksgiving!

Great Grandma Betty Potter and Aunt Deanna

Deanna and Mariella and Sterling Potter at Thanksgiving dinner.

We hosted Thanksgiving dinner this year since we won't be home in Utah for it for a few years.  It was our first time to ever have Patrick's family to our house for Thanksgiving.  My parents and my Grandma Potter came also.  It was a fun large group...with Janelle's family, Lavell and Steve. 

Langstons and Steve

After dinner we were looking at Black Friday ads and trying to decide if it was worth it to go out shopping...we did drive up to Best Buy but then turned around and went home after seeing the line wrap around the building.  So we went to the Gallivan center and went ice skating instead. 

Mariah and Kristen Langston

Patrick, Steve and Kaden

Kristen and Jase Langston..the newlyweds.

Ice Skating at Gallivan Center...remarkably on Thanksgiving night there aren't to many people out downtown.  I guess everyone was shopping!  Todd and Janelle did go out shopping later and got lots of good deals once the crowds had lessened. 

Dillan ice skating

Janelle and Patrick watching us ice skate!

Unlike the other adults I went ice skating!

Daddy on the sidelines!

Mariah ice skating

Jaren and Tiffany Simper, Carrie and Devin Simper and Julie

On Friday night we meet up with Julie and her boys to tour temple square and see the lights.  The place was packed since it was the first night the lights were on.  We lost Jackson for a moment but thankfully found him quickly.  After walking around and looking at the lights we all got hot chocolate and visited.  I felt crummy so we went home soon after.  

Tristan, Janelle, Jaren, Tiffany, Julie and baby Savannah

Julie, Savannah, Carrie, Jackson, Devin, Dillan and Kayla

Shaylee, Steve, Lavell and Mariah

Lavell, Janelle and Brandon/ Derek

Saturday we all went to Hale Theater to watch a play called Brigadoon! 

Following the play we all went over to Lavell's for a family dinner.  It was delicious and great company. 

Devin and Carrie

Pat and Melissa

Jase holding Savannah and Todd

The kids played card games for hours

Shaylee, Janelle and Carrie

Everyone loved the BABY! 

Savannah and Jaren...practicing for when his little one gets here.

Christmas Celebrations from Beginning to End

It all started by decorating the Christmas Tree!

All Done!

We were lazy this year and didn't go down to Price to get a tree at the Potter family cabin.  We just went over to Lowes and picked out a nice tree!..Of course no Christmas season would be complete without a trip to Temple Square...we went three times.  This the first time over Thanksgiving break with Patrick's family. 

Gates in front of City Creek Christmas Tree

City Creek Downtown

Melissa, Dillan, Tristan and Kayla...Temple Square.

Temple Square Dec 2013

Temple Square 2013...Kayla, Tristan and Dillan

On our next trip we took just the younger two kids and we went on a horse drawn carriage ride around temple square!

Patrick and Melissa post concert!

On our last trip to Temple Square to take the youngest two on their promised horse drawn carriage ride.  Patrick and I got unexpected tickets to the Christmas Concert at Temple Square.  Grandma Hardy came and got the kids while we went to the concert  at the Conference Center downtown.  It was an amazing show as usual. 

Renowned soprano Deborah Voigt brought humor to the performance with a rendition of "The Twelve Days After Christmas."

The Dickens Christmas story took to the air over the audience with actor John Rhys-Davies during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's annual Christmas concert.

Clearfield 23 Ward Young Women...ok so on the third trip it was me and the Young Women of our ward!

We also went ice skating at the new shopping center in Farmington called Station Park.  It was a very lovely place and the Christmas tree was real!  The ice was not to great and hard to skate on.  When ever I bring up ice skating they all say as long as it isn't the one in Farmington. 

Daddy watches ice skating since he can't seem to master staying upright on thin blades!

Kayla and Dillan

I was in love with the real Christmas tree!

Tristan, Dillan and Kayla...ready to go home!

That night we had our Clearfield 23rd ward Christmas party.  Tristan was Joseph in the ward Nativity and Kayla was an angel. 

After dinner and the program they had Santa come to visit.  They had the YW/ YM play games with the kids while they waited for Santa.  I think Dillan is playing/supervising at least two games if not three.  He loved it....he is our board game guru. 

Tristan visiting Santa!

Kayla and Tristan visiting Santa at the Base Christmas Party.

Hill AFB held a huge children's Christmas party at the club on base and had toys donated for Santa to give to each kid.  It was amazing:  they had a magician, food and cookies to decorate.  Carnival games to play and bingo.  The kids loved it.