Traditions!

Christmas time is full of traditions, and the Snyder family is no different. One of many is the Cannon Christmas Party. Steve's mom's side of the family Christmas party is always full of good food, treats and games. This year it was held at Grandma Cannon's. (You will see in the first picture she is sitting by herself at a card table. she hosts the party and has no place to sit.) We played Christmas Memory Game, where the prizes were yummy candy. And then a take on the Hersey Bar game. I don't know if this is a real game or just a Cannon game. Let me see if I can explain: You start with dice, in a circle you roll them and pass them as you try to get doubles, when you do you start to put on a hat, scarf and gloves, once you have them on, with the help of a fork and knife you try to open the candy bar. If someone rolls a double you must take off your gear and give it to them and they get to try to eat. It is a fun game. This year instead of a candy bar we had a present. And inside the present was candy.

This is just the beginning of our family traditions.

Grandma Snyder, Grandma Cannon and Papa. Jocelyn and Steph.

Papa, Steve and Michelle. The "other"table.

Do you know what "funeral potatoes" are? I bet if you don't live in Utah you don't know. My sister in law had to explain what they are, au gratin potatoes. But for some reason they are always served at funerals. I am not too sure why, maybe it is tradition. Growing up I didn't like au gratin potatoes (sorry mom), but Steve's mom makes some great "funeral potatoes"

Jim and Grandma Canon. Andy, Steve and Ellyn.

Christmas memory.

Here is the Christmas version of the Hersey Bar Game:

Looking good honey.

Snow Days

Now it feels like Christmas. We may have a white Christmas after all. This is our second winter in Spanish Fork, and last year we had a ton of snow. I am not sure if it is always like that, but with this last storm Orem had a little snow, we had 5 inches. I loved it!! I am hoping for a winter like last year.

Festival of Trees
Picking out a Tree
Decorating our new Tree


For our last Family Fun Day we had a day full of Trees! We started out at the Festival of Trees. I have never been and wasn't too sure if the kids would enjoy it. This may be a new tradition for us, it was so much fun.

The Festival of Trees supports Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. For those of you who don't know, that is where Ellyn had here surgery when she was just 8 weeks old. She was born with a benign tumor in her nose that was connected to her brain. She had to have brain surgery. Her surgery was a success! She checked in on a Monday and went home on Wednesday. The staff there was amazing. The nurses are great at taking care of the kids, but I think they are even better at taking care of the parents. So, any time I can support Primary, I can.

There were great decorated Trees and wreathes. Fun things for the kids to do, like making crafts and standing in a huge bubble. There was great food and gift shops. We did do some of our Christmas shopping (shhhh! don't tell my "sisters".)





Can you see that this is a golf tree?



Our next adventure was to pick out a Tree! Each year we trade off getting a flocked (white) tree and a green tree. According to Andy we will not have a white Christmas this year. Here is why, last year we had a white tree and had a white Christmas, so this year we have a green tree we will have a green Christmas. (on a side note, as I write this, it is snowing and we have 4 inches here in Spanish Fork.)

I didn't get a picture of the tree we picked out, because, well after a while they all start to look the same. But you will see the kids freezing. I mean really! What kind of mom lets their kids out in winter like that? I think they did leave the house with their coats, so they must be in the van. Do I get points for getting them out the door with coats?



Andy is not too thrilled with sharing his seat with the tree.


Ellyn decorating the tree. I think she lives in her PJ's now. It is a fight to get her to change just so we can go to the store.

This year was Ellyn's turn to put the andgel on the Tree. She did have a little help from daddy.

Happy Birthday Baby!

Today is Steve's b'day. Ask him how old he is. We have had several conversations about his age, and I still don't know if he knows how old he is. But, I guess that is ok, because he knows our age difference and then he can figure it out. Maybe.

Love ya sweetie!

Day after Thanksgiving Fun

Can you see what time it it? Yes that is 7:44 am, day after Thanksgiving. Now, I am not one for Black Friday shopping, even when I was a kid we never went out. If we did it was after lunch when all the crazies were home. But this year I was one of the crazies out there. I was not about to be at the stores at 5am, nothing is that much on sale to get me out of my nice warm bed that early, but we did get to Sears around 8.

I wasn't looking for anything specific, like gifts for the kids, they are mostly done. But I was looking for some clothes. And boy, did I find some great deals. We hit Sears and then JC Pennys. It wasn't as busy as I thought it would be, but it was still kind of crazy. And then it got even crazier. I lost Andy!! Or he lost me, not sure which. All I knew was he was gone. On a normal day I would have just looked for him, but not that day. There were way to many people around. I found a lady and asked her "Do you work here?" "Yes, can I help you find something?" Oh yes you can. We had an employee send out Andy's description (by the way on most days I can never remember what my kids are wearing, that has changed) and in just a minute here he comes with an employee. He later told me that once he realized that he was lost he went right to a register, stood in line like he was going to buy something. Then just went right up to the lady and told her he needed some help finding his mom. What a good kid!! This just goes to prove that some of what I say he listens to.

Oh, and the interesting part of this story is this: I told my mom what had happened and she went on to tell me when I was a little younger than Andy she and I were shopping in none other than JC Penny's and she lost me. Or I lost her, I went up to the counter and had her paged. My dad always told me I would be "blessed" with children like I was. Well, dad here is another example that you were right.

All in all it was a fun day. It really got me in the Christmas mood. Almost wanted to make me go home and get Christmas out. Almost. I think I need a nap first.

Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we went to Grandma Cannon's. Having only one set of in-laws living close (Steve's parents) makes holidays a little easier. We just go where there is food!


Dinner was great, here are some after dinner activities, sleeping, kids coloring Thanksgiving pictures, playing on the iphone and just being silly.



Ellyn and her cousin Jocelyn.


Tim, Steph and Jocelyn and then Grandma Snyder and Jocelyn.

Ellyn, Joy and Andy just hanging out.

Dinner Time Part 2!

The next night was Ellyn's turn to cook. She picked tacos and scones.


This is Ellyn's way of rolling out and cutting the dough.

She even made menus so we could pick out what we wanted to have for dinner.

Steve picked tacos and scones. Good pick dad.