Christmas/New Years 2011

We drove to Utah for all the Christmas festivities...

Which begin December 24 with the Telford's Christmas Eve party.

So, we ask Santa to deliver his gifts to Utah,

And we have the boys open their gifts from us a couple days early.

Happy boys on our "Christmas Eve"

Click on the link below to bring a bit of Barik's Christmas to life...

Barik's Christmas Bike

With endless options including Cotton Candy,

Golden Corral is Heaven for the boys.

(It's nice for me too...

I don't have to prepare a "Christmas Dinner" the night before we leave town)

The next morning, December 24, we hit the road early to make sure we would make it to our Christmas Eve party on time.

I love spending the Holidays with our family!

I can't believe I didn't get any pictures of Christmas morning!

LAME!  LAME!!  LAME!!!

So, let me try to paint you a picture.

The stocking were set in Mom and Dad's living room

On the burgandy leather set.

The sun was still slumbering...

It was dark.

Barik, Cooper and Drake were wide awake and excited!

IT WAS CHRISTMAS!!!

We had to drag Andrew out of bed.

He was SO unimpressed.

I couldn't figure out what was wrong with him.

Drake had a HUGE Imaginex Blue Dinosaur standing near his stocking.

Cooper had the Biggest Optimus Prime EVER fighting the urge to save Planet Earth

(either that or protect the goods in Cooper's stocking)

Barik had a baseball bat and mitt resting next to his stocking.

Andrew got his very own Kindle (except for the case, it's identical to Paul's)

He was so funny when he saw the Kindle.

He looked at it with a wary eye.

Not quite sure if we were trying to trick him.

"So, are Dad and I going to share this Kindle?"

"No. 

This one is all yours...Look. 

Turn it on.

  See the list of books there?

Those are books for YOU."

Still not convinced, he went searching for Paul's Kindle.

It wasn't until he had HIS Kindle in one hand and Paul's Kindle in the other that he believed us.

Finally, the Christmas excitement caught up with Andrew.

I realized the reason he was so moody when he woke up...

He figured he had received all of his gifts in Arizona.

He didn't think he would have anything to look forward to Christmas morning.

Boy, was he WRONG!

Sheepishly, and with a HUGE smile on his face,

He sought out Paul and I to thank us.

"Thank me?!  You need to thank Santa Clause."

Ha.  Ha. 

After breakfast, a fierce game of Air Hockey broke out...

Three (or two) against One (or two, depending on which team Drake played on).

"Hey Mom.  Take a picture of my hockey puck sandwich."

"Hey Mom.  Take a picture of me hitting 2 hockey pucks."

New Years Eve/Dad's Birthday/Dad's Retirement

Normally we spend either New Years Eve or Day sledding.

But Utah had NO snow.

Anywhere.

(which was FINE with me...I really don't like the cold and I like sledding/tubing even less than that)

So, we went to the Rec Center and...

Swam.

Ha. Ha.

Who does that December 31?

The kids had a BLAST!!!

And of course the adults loved watching the cousins laugh and play together.

Barik on the High Dive

Drake

Cooper and his BEST buddy, Ashton

Cooper

Drake

Coop leaping across the lilly pads.

Andrew

Barik wanted to Wish You a Merry Christmas (click the link)

I love spending time with all of our Utah Family.

I love watching the cousins play and strengthen their friendships.

  I never wanted to raise our kids away from their extended family. 

Building upon those friendships is so easy when we're all in the same place.

But I'm grateful that we're within driving distance.

I'm also so grateful for the family that makes that same LONG drive to come visit us!

2011 Christmas Letter

The Boley’s 2011 Christmas Vacation POP Quiz

Answer all questions correctly to win the opportunity of a sleepover with the child of your choice!

1. 
   
   The Boleys, in 2011, have
   a. Traveled extensively, including Mexico, Grand Cayman, Utah and California
   b. Nearly made it as far as Phoenix
   c. Thought a couple of times of walking up to the park
   d. Driven around the block


2. 
   
   The oldest child, Andrew (10) has
   a. Shown a devotion to all computer games, in particular Mine Craft
   b. Taken up extreme cliff jumping showing the adults and teenagers how “easy” it is to jump off cliffs at Grasshopper Point (Sedona, AZ) and upped the ante with the cousins jumping off higher cliffs at Lake Powell
   c. Been comissioned by by the Pope to repaint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel
   d. Excelled in school, earning all A’s


3. 
   
   The second child, Barik (7), has
   a. Been a regular performer in the Choir del Baño
   b. Had a very good year at school earning almost all A’s
   c. Continued to inspire the Mother and Father with his gentle kindness, love and spirituality
   d. Excelled in Coach-Pitch Baseball


4. 
   
   The third child, Cooper (5), has
   a. Fallen in love with Ms. Susan Bocks Dutter Docks Berklummer Snue (Dr. Suess’s Who are you, Sue Snue?) and stares at her “pretty picture” at night
   b. Maintained a spitfire attitude…crying hysterically one moment then laughing just as hysterically the next
   c. Loved learning to read
   d. Behaved VERY well in Kindergarten (much to the Mothers surprise and delight)


5. 
   
   The youngest son, Drake (3), has
   a. Been drafted straight out of Cooper’s Tee Ball practices by the Arizona Diamondbacks as their youngest pitcher. The Talent Scouts were astounded with the 3 year olds ability to field, hit, catch and throw
   b. Embarked on an international adventure as he took his first field trip to nearby Wildlife World Zoo with his Preschool
   c. Become quite independent and has often been heard saying, “I do MY self!” especially while potty training
   d. Discovered how to mess up an entire room in under three seconds


6. 
   
   Paul, the Father of the family, has
   a. Shown himself to be the same boring, uninteresting, and unremittingly dull person he always has been
   b. Continued to play racquetball, flag football, softball, run, and lift weights (as if he weren’t old with lots of gray hair)
   c. Coached tee ball with an overwhelming group of happy children who constantly run to 3rd base (skipping 1st and 2nd) after hitting the ball
   d. Run a half marathon and broke a personal best time


7. 
   
   Leslie, otherwise known as "the domestic goddess", has
   a. Prepped, fed, entertained, housed, and thoroughly enjoyed 18 people over Thanksgiving week
   b. Immediately missed all 12 guests as soon as they left
   c. Run the Wasatch Back Ragnar for the 2nd straight year with the hubby the sister and some great friends
   d. Lounged about in satin pajamas eating grapes and drinking sparkling water


8. 
   
   In our spare time, we
   a. Vacation in Oceanside, CA where we relax at the beach, spend time at the beach, soak up sun at the beach, play in the waves (by the beach), play with friends at the beach, and think about the beach when not there
   b. Spend long weekends at Bear Lake with extended family where we eat shakes, play games, golf, dance (mostly Barik), roast enormous marshmallows, play at the beach (yep back to the beach again), and reconnect with some of our great family
   c. Enjoy cool summer weather at Snowbird where we hike, build forts, play with cousins, play games, and swim (although not at the beach – Snowbird is a ski resort, after all)
   d. Leave the kids with Grandma, fall further in love, cruise around the Carribean with good friends, and yes you got it – spend time at the beach!!


9. 
   
   Our hopes and wishes for the future include
   a. Your continued friendship
   b. An uninterrupted night’s sleep
   c. World peace, or a reasonable facsimile thereof
   d. Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas

Much love to you all,

Team Boley
Answer Key: 1) a,d 2) a,b,d 3) b,c,d 4) a,b,c,d 5) b,c,d 6) b,c,d 7 )a,b,c 8) a,b,c,d 9)a,b,c,d

Santa Drake

I made this video private, so if you don't have a YouTube account, make one...You'll want to see this...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1utFl1F4xsE

Gingerbread houses and a trip to visit Santa

We've continued the Boley Gingerbread house tradition

With minor differences...

Carol Boley used to make her Gingerbread houses from scratch...

That's right, 

Mix the ingredients,

Roll out the dough

Cut the shapes

And bake.

She's amazing.

I'm not as amazing...

So, I buy the kits.

No mixing, rolling or baking.

This year we invited Luigi to our party...

And his little brother, Mario.

And even Luigi's older brother, Luigi.

Andrew had a "stache" too, but had washed it off before I grabbed the camera.

The finished product didn't have a chance with this guy around.

Guess where we are...

The kids always find great ways of entertaining themselves (and us)

While we waited for our good friends, the Glovers.

Drake

Andrew

Cooper

Barik

After good food, we planned on going to the McCormick Train park

For good times and the annual picture with Santa.

(I HAVE to have this Santa Picture for our annual calendar)

While we were eating, Dan and Becky told us about this AMAZING Santa at Bass Pro.

They went on and on about his REAL beard,

His big belt buckle,

His cottage,

His stuffed Reindeer (the real kind) "grazing" near him.

They were very convincing.

And Bass Pro was just around the corner.

But guess what...

The tickets to see and sit with Santa were

GONE!

Handed out to the 100's of people standing in the line snaking through the store.

But guess what?!

They had a Merry-go-round,

Remote control cars,

Shooting ranges for plastic guns,

And LOTS of stuffed mountain goats, mountain lions, and deer on the walls all around us.

Andrew and Danny look like they could be brothers.

They even made identical funny faces.

Who needs a picture with Santa when you can have a picture with a

Real Life Sized Fake Snowman?

(This one made the cut for the annual calendar)

Thanks for hanging out with us, Glovers!

I wish we lived closer so we could laugh at you more often.