'Twas the Night Before Christmas. . .

On Christmas Eve some little 2-year-old boy could sense the excitement. Brody was super wound-up and played with, hugged, and kissed many of our Christmas decorations. 

Then he gloved up, and it was time for some rodeo bucking horse action right in our living room.

Not sure where he came up with this, but I must say it made me laugh. Love him.

That evening Kourtney, Brody's birth-mama, was in town, and she joined us for dinner, games and we opened a few presents.

We tried our best to get a decent timer picture-- looking though the series of photos was pretty comical, and this one was the best, by far.

Brody's new Christmas PJ's- a tradition to open each Christmas Eve.

Brody passed out "hats" to each of us.  Mine was the bottom half of a snowman.

I believe my face was saying, "Enough pictures already!"

Christmas treats for Santa, and his reindeer.  It's a good thing Santa isn't too picky because the cookies I made were. . .odd tasting.  Not sure what happened, but something definitely went wrong. I'm thinking maybe the flour was bad???

Christmas Preparation

We started our preparation for the Christmas season by making ornaments for Brody's birth parents.  Brody helped me mix the salt dough, and roll it out.  Then we traced his hand on a piece of cardboard and cut it out. We then used the cardboard cut-out to carve the shape of his hand out of salt dough.  The finished product was a Santa (hand) ornament with a poem about always remembering how small his hands once were.

Brody was a good helper, and looks like such a big boy in these pictures.  He's sure growing up in a hurry. 

After Thanksgiving, it was time to put up Christmas decorations.  This year Brody got to have his own little tree in his bedroom.  He thought that was pretty sweet!

We made our annual trip to Rock Creek to see the Christmas lights and feed the camel some carrots of course. We went this year with our friends, the Matthews family.  Brent and Broden were practicing near Rock Creek that evening for the upcoming World Series Roping (which explains Brent's not-so-cleanly attire), so after they were done with practice, they met up with Angie and I, and our kiddos for dinner, then the lights. 

Check out the string of slobber. Wowzers!  Brody's gloves were still wet and slimy by the time we got home.

The final item on our Christmas preparation list was a trip to see St. Nick.  

Brody wouldn't go near him, and wanted me go with him to sit on his lap.  This was the closest thing we got to a smile. 

World Series Team Roping

Mid- December we headed to Las Vegas where Brent competed in the World Series Team Roping.  It was a huge event, the stakes were high-- The payout was $6 million to be exact.    

Brent and his team roping partner roped 3 times, and they were shy of luck all 3 times.  

Although they didn't take home any of the winnings, it was a big deal to even qualify to rope in the event, and I'm proud of Brent for making it there.  

My parents came to support Brent and met us in Vegas, and it was fun to have them there as well.

I was feeling under the weather (actually, I don't recall ever feeling this sick, or remember being this sick for this long. Whatever I had was a NASTY bug), therefore, I didn't take many pictures.

Here's Brody waiting to board the plane. He really was excited to fly even though the picture says otherwise!

Brent and Broden (Brent's roping partner) drove to Vegas and hauled the horses there, and Brody, and I flew down and met them.  We rode home with my parents and I was nervous about the 9 hour drive for Brody, but he was  THE best 2-year-old little traveler we could ask for.  He did amazing, and didn't whimper or whine once the whole way home.  Not even ONCE.  We were so proud of him.

Ready to take off!

Helping Daddy get ready to rope.

Here we go! Headed to watch Brent and Broden rope, with Grandma and Grandpa.

Brent is entering the arena at the back of the line-- black shirt and hat. He was a basket full of nerves!

Warming up.

Go Dad!

Ready to roll.

And they're off. Broden was the header, Brent, the heeler.

Almost!

While in Vegas we ate at, well, lots of good restuarants, but one of Brody's favorites was a place called Steak and Shake. We also went to the aquariums at Mandalay Bay, and spent some time in the hotel's arcade playing games.

Thanksgiving with the Joneses and the Jones Family Christmas Party

We spent Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa Jones'. I didn't take many pictures, but the highlight for the grand kids was when Grandpa Max took them for a tractor ride after dinner.

Then in early December we had our annual Jones Family Christmas Party.

There are so many of us that we hold it at the church so we can all fit.

We had a yummy dinner, then played games, exchanged gifts, and Grandma read the nativity story from the scriptures while the kids acted it out.  

Our sister-in-law, Sheena, and niece, Tess.

Brody, and the other cousins his age were mostly a distraction on-stage during the nativity story.  A comical distraction.

At some point Brody tried to bail off the stage, and gave me a heart attack.  Grandma caught him.