Santa says "HO HO HO"

Ben is still making requests for Santa songs, Frosty songs, "gingle bells" , and holding up Noah from his Little People Noah's ark and saying "Santa says HO HO HO" haha. Needless to say, Ben was at a fun Christmas age and next year is only going to get more fun!

This year our Christmas season was so different. It was our FIRST Christmas spent just with the LBBergeson family. It was different and we missed our fams/traditions/2 week break:)! The trickiest part was having it feel like Christmas, other then our many trips to/from the airport to pick up and drop off our friends visiting family, we were working/usual routine. In fact, LB & I both worked fri the 23rd and mon the 26th (fortunately, opposite schedules:) so as opposed to our two week trips to WA or living in WA the last 6 years....Christmas was just a quick weekend, then back to reality:)

On a positive note, it was also nice. It was fun to start traditions and have the time with just with our little family. We kicked off our Holiday Season with a trip to Bass Pro Shops, weird I know, but we heard "Free Santa Pics" and we were there:) Turned out to be a GREAT idea...both of my boys were in HEAVEN!

Ben wanted one of these, we forgot to ask Santa:)

After pics with Santa in the Winter Wonderland section. Ben (&Lance) played with stuffed gators, looked at the fish, quail, turtles, stuffed animals of all sorts, guns, Camo EVERYTHING (Lance's fav joke of the day was that he couldn't even see that whole section of the store:)--love that guy) tents, boats, climbing walls, shooting games, etc. etc. It was a fun, free, family day to say the least:)

Christmas Cookies

He's a little young but I wanted to do some fun Christmas stuff with Ben this year too. We read lots of christmas stories, sang LOTS of Christmas songs (including the whole CHS Swing Choir christmas medley:) haha ) and Christmas Cookies was just a given:)

It was a mess and wouldn't have passed any food handler tests but Ben loved it!

We fish-sat Gill for the Tafoya's and Ben LOVED greeting and feeding Gill every morning! so cute--but not quite cute enough for this mom to be ready for any pets of any kind:)

We set the tree up right after Thanksgiving and enjoyed the yummy smell all month. Ben loved the tree and thought the lights were "so pretty". He seriously was amazing as far as not touching any ornaments or present underneath--seriously not more than 1-2x and we said "Ben, don't touch bud" and he didn't ever again--he's a wonderfully peculiar 2 yr old:)

One night a week or so before Christmas there was a knock on the door. Our friend Brittany who was over looked out and informed me "It's Santa"--I didn't believe it till I looked out window myself! I quickly called for Lance and our surprise made it even better for Ben. He was convinced and was a little nervous that Santa was at his house. IT WAS AWESOME. He told Ben he was here to check on him, bring him a candy cane, and remind him to be nice all week. (dont worry by then, Lance had recognized his eyes, voice and we were safe letting him into our home--we heard lots of Santa horror stories this year:(--Thanks Greg for such a fun surprise!) If Ben didn't get the whole Christmas thing before, he did now!

On the 23rd we went to Lights Under Louisville with the Sonicos. Scott and Cassie are our good friends who were also staying in the Ville for the holiday vs. going "home" and we wanted to do something holiday-ish with them. There are these caves/tunnels under Louisville (why? I dunno) but each Christmas they fill them with Christmas light displays and charge people to drive through and look at it:) Because $25/car is a little steep for us poor students, we all piled into one car at the entrance sans car seats (the 3mph speed limits weren't super intimidating) and I'm so glad we did. The kid's were enthralled and it was even more fun for them to see it together on laps right by the window:).

Ben LOVED the lights and Santa on the motorcycle was his favorite!

I dont have a fancy camera so my pics leave a lot to be desired but tried to capture the idea:)

The Sonico's treated us to some yummy homemade hot chocolate after that was fantastic--Ben thought so too!

Ben & Riley enjoying some hot cocoa:)

and then a post-cocoa wrestling match. Ben is ALWAYS down to wrestle and can typically hold his own with any kid:) Thattaboy! Ok to wrestle girls at this age only:)

On Christmas Eve some families in our ward got together at the Parker's for some appetizers, christmas carols, and the nativity. We had a good time and were glad to have some festive activities with friends:) Ben played Joseph in the nativity and was very reverent:)

(*didnt take too many pics:(--story of my life lately!)

after we enjoyed some yummy peppermint hot chocolate at home and watched the Nativity with Ben. The Nativity movie is now termed "Jesus Show" and Ben loves it and daily requests to watch "Jesus be born" . I love that he loves it so much! Its pretty cute to hear him say "Oh its Mary", "they're almost there mom" (when Mary & Joseph go around the last bend on the donkey before Bethlehem) and "Be nice Herod" or "Herod is mean" --love it!

After Ben was all nestled all snug in his bed....Our front room became Santa's workshop. It was really fun for Lance and I to put together the train table for Ben. It took a good 2 hours but having kids makes the holidays so fun and we knew how much he would love it!!

and love it-he did!!

He was thrilled with all his new stuff thanks to our VERY generous family!!

he especially enjoyed the "canny canes" left by Santa all over the tree--he's easy to please:)

Bergeson Christmas Family photo---all 3.5 of us:)

Ben was a little overwhelmed with all his new, fun stuff and didn't know how to play with it all:) He was a little bummed to leave it all to go to church. While having to skip Christmas breakfast tradition and rush a little--I loved escaping to Sacrament meeting as a reminder of the true meaning of the season. Our ward had two beautiful talks about our Savior, Jesus Christ and some beautiful musical numbers.

We are so grateful for our testimonies and relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ,

for his living example and saving atonement. We know he LIVES and we KNOW Him and

LOVE Him and are grateful for His hand in our lives.

After church, we headed home for a loungy day, cozy in jammies, talking to family, and enjoying Ben's new toys:) and a yummy Christmas dinner--if i do say so myself:)

We read Jingle All the Way about 5000 times:) and memorized all the key lines that make Jingle bark or sing, Ben quite enjoyed it:)

a week or so later our beautiful tree was dry dry dry and we were ready to be rid of the "neenles" that Ben requested we vacuum up daily--this kid LOVES to sweep and vacuum!--He was all over sweeping up the mess dragging it outside left and we are still finding needles hiding places:)

We skipped Christmas cards this year as we are anticipating a baby announcement in a few months so consider this our Holiday greeting and know that we wished a Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight:) from KY!