Christmas 2011

We visited Boise for Christmas this year!!! Family, food, and so much fun. Get ready for pictures!

Rayna finally decided to be friends with Grandpa! She's been uneasy around him for a year and a half, which is sad, cause he's such a nice guy! I'm so glad she finally came around. They had a great time bonding while watching dog videos on youtube. 

Bowman cooked up a Korean feast one night. Yum!

We went to this huge Christmas lights display. It was totally magical, and also absolutely freezing!

We got out of the house one afternoon and took Rayna to an indoor playground with a big climbing area and inflatable slides. She was in heaven. 

My mom and I wanted to make a gingerbread house with Rayna, but after licking each candy and biting the head off the gingerbread lady, Ray was pretty much done. She came back at the end to admire it and take a picture. :)

At the beginning of December Rayna got it in her head that she needed a pink bracelet. She followed me around the house one afternoon, begging for "pink beads," until I realized that one of us was going to have a nervous breakdown if we didn't figure out a solution, and fast. Since Christmas was just around the corner, I told her that Santa Clause would bring her these "pink beads" of her dreams. That seemed to satisfy her, although I don't think she had any idea who Santa was.

So when we took a trip to the mall in Boise to visit this Santa Clause, giver of the pink beads, we explained that she could sit on his lap and tell him her heart's desire.

 I think she might have gotten the courage to whisper, "Pink beads," but he had to have been listening pretty closely to catch it.

 She carefully avoided eye contact the entire time, haha. But she sat on his lap and didn't get upset at all! This is totally brave for Rayna! I was proud of her :)

Christmas morning came!

And Santa came through! Pink beads at last!!!

We could have stopped right here, but where's the fun in that? Haha. 

Rayna is such a lucky little girl to have so many people who love her. She was "smiling" for the picture here. Maybe blocking out all the craziness. It was getting to be a little much for her at this point.

 Danny was just so happy to be constantly held. Cute little Christmas jammies!

By the end, she had had about enough of the Christmas business. This picture cracks me up every time. Naked except for her new hair clips and boots. Surrounded by toys and wrapping paper. Completely overstimulated. 

Danny kept it together a little better. :)

 We went to church that afternoon and had a lovely meeting! It's great to have Christmas on a Sunday. I loved being able to hear the choir's beautiful songs and hear the bishop's Christmas message and remember why we get to celebrate the holiday all year long.

Then we came home to a turkey dinner and a phone call from Elder Ohsiek! 

 We ended our stay with another trip to the indoor playground. Even though she loved it the first time, Rayna was a lot braver the second time around.

 Danny, being a good sport, as always. :) He is getting to be so big, I cannot believe it.

 She and Megan hiked to the top of the huge inflatable slide multiple times. Climbing up with a little kid in your arms or on your back is a lot scarier than it looks, especially when ten million other kids are trying to pass you on the stairs!

 She went down the little kid one by herself and loved it!

Thank you, Ohsiek family, for a fantastic Christmas vacation!!!