Ward Christmas Party

Today Casey finished part 2 of his national boards exam! GO CASEY! This was the last test/exam he has to study super intense for, we couldn't be more thrilled for this guy. So proud of him and all his hard work!

Well immediately following his test we had plans to drive to Wyoming for interviews and then make our way down to Denver to fly to AZ. Well those darn Wyoming roads are closed due to snow and high winds, HOW ROTTEN! So we are momentarily stuck here in Nebraska, it's s strange feeling not being gone already for break, we'll leave in a couple days to go meet up with family.

We are very excited to be with our families for the Christmas season, until that happens, here are a couple photos of our ward Christmas party a little bit ago. We sure have a great ward and I'm thankful to be in it!

Centerpieces were gingerbread houses by the youth.

We had so many great helpers with our unruly children. This dear man in our ward, Brother Christensen, nearly is ALWAYS holding a sleeping baby during the Sunday School house at church this year. He's always so ready and willing to hold these babies and let them sleep on him, we are so grateful for his willingness to help us constantly!

The Bundy's were HUGE helpers with our kids too, shocker, that family is always amazing at helping with our bunch of kids. So thankful for them inner lives!

5 very talented women played their flutes together and it was pure music to the ears, make me want to go pick up that violin I haven't seen in a decade!

The babies didn't really get that whole santa thing that was going on.

This was as far as Maxson got, we didn't prep him enough ahead of time, he wouldn't even get on his lap for CANDY! Beloved candy! Ha!

Still have a a little Wyoming Thanksgiving and Maxson's birthday to blog about next!!!

(The big) Cutler family pictures

Since everyone was there we took some family pictures before church on Sunday! It is quite convenient being a photographer and we can choose the exact time (15 minutes after the original time we hoped for!) and location (right outside the front door in the street!). It's funny we never say what colors we're all wearing but it works out enough!

From left to right it's Tayli, Derek, Kerri's family, Brad and Nan, Karle, Cody's family, Casey's family.

Pre pictures= crying children.

It was SOOOOOOOOOOO cold outside! The kids were NOT having for the grandkid picture, haha, this is pretty much the best we have, no joke

The Cutler family.

Love me some Cutlers!

Sister Cutler comes home from her mission!

The main reason we all drove our way to Wyoming for Thanksgiving was to welcome home Casey's younger sister from her 18 month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Billings, Montana mission. It was a much anticipated reunion for one and all, those last few months just went so slow! She was such a faithful, diligent, obedient missionary!

The anticipation building at the airport! She didn't come in until 8:15 pm on a Saturday night! It was a long day of waiting!

Everyone was really cure standing there waiting for Tayli and then there was Max, running everywhere, pushing buttons on the vending machines and just being crazy, we all survived, that's what matters.

Waiting...thinking they see her with each person going by.

And here she comes!

The grandkids couldn't hold it in and ran up to hug her in excitement.

I played photographer all night and got pictures of her saying hi to everyone!

Tayli was very excited to hold a baby after 18 months of not doing so.

The welcoming group.

I'll need to do a comparison picture later but at Casey's high school graduation 10 years they took this picture

We definitely did not get enough with this cute girl that weekend. We stayed up until 2 am talking with her asking her questions about it all. I couldn't believe how much she has grown and matured, she is one super great girl. The next day she reported in church giving her homecoming talk to her ward, it was so wonderful to listen to her speak (for 40 minutes eloquently with no notes! That girl is close to the spirit I tell you!) I felt the spirit so strongly during so much of her talk (of what I did get to listen to with taking the kids into the hallway). She is so beautiful, inside and out. It's already been so nice to text and FaceTime her whenever we want. I can't wait to see what the future holds for her!

Grammies Christmas Party 2015

So while in Wyoming for Thanksgiving Grammie threw her annual Christmas Party while a bunch of the family came in town that weekend for Tayliann's homecoming! All the kids loved it as usual, she spent so much time making it personal and fun, it tires me out just thinking about it, she is such a great grandma to these kids, onto some pictures!

Sitting around as she explains the unveiling of the "Christmas themes!" (My mother in-law's own mother did a special theme for each grandchild where each each year that would get a present that had something to do with their theme. The theme was announced by sitting in a special chair, reading a special book that had to do with their theme, receiving their special gift and getting to ring the special bell for Christmas stations. Casey and all the siblings LOVE it and they were all so excited that this year she began the tradition in their family again!)

 Max very thrilled for his turn.

 Oh ya know, just picking his nose like usual...

 Porter had the best contagious spirit and excitement for each person, it was amazing and adorable.

 Maxson's theme is TRAINS! He received the Polar Express book and a little Thomas the Train set that he is OBSESSED with. This theme so represents Maxson in life since he is on the go go go with much power and force behind his movements!

 One Max received his gift he didn't pay attention at all to the others, ha.

 Some of the Christmas stations included making signs for Tayli's homecoming that night, a paper chain,

 decorating Christmas cups,

 and of course the crowd favorite sugar cookie decorating.

 There was Christmas bingo too when kids lost attention to other activities or finished too quickly.

 Later that evening Cody and Camill's family arrived and received their themes as well as the twins who were asleep before.

 We had Bryson and Quinn go together, it was so stinking adorable, I love their little tummies.

 Bryson's theme is bears (he's kinda the more cuddly twin so I see the bear as fitting) and Quinn is a Snowman (he's always the jolly old soul ;) When the unveiling of themes began Nan talked at how she prayed individually for the children's theme to find one that was special and meaningful to each of them, and it definitely was.

So that was Grammie's Christmas Party of 2015!