CHRISTMAS BREAK!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Here's the 2021 Skifton Christmas Stay-cation.

Want to go to our ward Christmas party?

Britta finally got to meet the man himself!

SANTA!!!!

And Cora must have missed his big entrance

(I don't know how, 

there was fake snow falling from the ceiling!)

But when she noticed he was there,

she screamed out,

"SANTA!!!!!!!!!!"

As she ran full speed across the floor!

Everyone died laughing!

Then she hopped right on his lap 

without any realization how many kids were in line. 

He politely asked her to go wait in line. 

She did so, 

but was a little less enthused 

about meeting him after that.

She had been kind of naughty at t his party,

and cried afterward that 

Santa probably saw her being naughty.

Mitchell had a lot of logical questions 

about Santa this year.

I guess what I'm saying is he is disillusioned.

He's in the know.

But he told me he sat there

"for the other kids"

Parker isn't here for the kids,

he's here for himself!

He still believes!

😜

The party was so fun!

There was shredded ham and potatoes,

Mickey's Christmas Carol playing on a projector,

SNOW falling from the ceiling,

ugly sweaters,

and I made a HUCKLEBERRY Cheesecake.

That'll push the pause button on any diet.

Our Christmas Eve Garcia's tradition in full force!

We have a little bunny ear train going on. 

Mitchell got the triple layered wish chip!

It's a Christmas miracle!

Cora and her #1 pal, GRANDMA!

Talk about a WHITE CHRISTMAS!

I don't think there was a single day that didn't snow during the break!

Who cares when you can stay in and make gingerbread men!

Christmas joke of the year.

Mitchell buried his in the snow.

My cute little shanty.

Parker's collapsing roof.

(and dead and bleeding animals around the yard)

He's 13.

It's my fault for including pomegranate seeds for the decor.

What else would they be used for but realistic blood?

Britta's very safe padded house.

This was Cora's little house.

With much help from Richard.

From Cora's own mouth she said,

"Dad! You need to come help me because

I can't do it and you do it perfectly!"

Colette's vision:

just cover it with sprinkles

Then Richard had some spare time to create this masterpiece too.

  If only finishing our real home 

was as easy as frosting and gingerbread.

We spent our days snowed in,

which means going through storage!

We emptied like 12 bins of old kids clothes.

It's time to let go of that phase of my life.

What to do with all the empty bins then?

The boys will take care of it. 

Mitchell called this "towering."

I guess it's a real Minecraft things to do.

Cora found lots of treasures 

that just never made it into the thrift store pile.

Britta found some cuter treasures from Colette's old stash.

She's got the fashion sense in the family!

Mitchell doesn't have any sense at all.

Remember 3 pound Parker!?

We'll hold on to these tiny pants.

I'm dying that he's taller than I am!

We had a quick visit from Tess, Ty and Summer.

So we decided that was a good night for sugar cookies!

Going back to my roots.

Rolling your eyes at my Texas shaped cookies cutter,

is a definite sign of jealousy.

That's a bright Christmas tree!

Colette's fluffy red tree.

Can I just eat her up!?

Summer celebrated her FIRST birthday in December.

Cookies galore!

My mom used to bake over a 100 for Christmas time.

They were delish.

I just can't duplicate it.

But I'll always try.

It's the fun in the kitchen with these sweeties 

that is really the point of it all!

Richard brought home this 

beautifully delicious chocolate bar from work.

It was enormous, but I managed it.

One bite at a time.

NOW, ZOOMING ON TO CHRISTMAS MORNING!

Britta whizzing past in the new hoverboard!

We made sure to get one with a chair option,

so we don't all break our tailbones.

Richard got a 3D SETTLERS OF CATAN!
In the words of Parker Skifton, 

"LET'S GO!"

We played with the boys about 19 times.

Mitchell finally won.

Parker received some snowboarding gear.

He finally got to try out the "new" snowboard he bought himself this summer.

The kids all got HUGE sleds.

Perfect time to try those out too!

NOW, let's ring in the NEW YEAR!

Parker went to his first New Year's party with friends.

They were playing Left, Right, Center with dollar bills...

He came home broke.

Cora didn't make it past 8:15 pm.

As for the rest of us...

THREE...

TWO...

ONE!

HAPPY  NEW YEAR!

The best bubbly Ikea can buy!

It was delicious!

Full disclosure...

I HATE Martinelli's sparkling drinks.

So tart and gross to me.

Mitchell discovered a new weird tradition.

Eating 12 grapes 

at midnight

while wearing red underwear 

you received as a gift

brings good luck for the new year.

After his broken bones,

he was ready to try anything.

Sweet rest Mitchell.

2022 won't hurt you.

NEW YEAR'S DAY

We took a stab at making tamales!

It was a FAVORITE tradition at my house,

growing up in Texas,

to eat authentic tamales

that your Mexican friends would bring over

made from their own goat.

You can't buy memories like that.

Here in Idaho we are seriously 

lacking in pet goats and Mexican friends,

so we are trying it out ourselves!

Britta made up a Nutella and marshmallow version.

Do I look like I know what I'm doing?

Good--I'm trying to fool everyone.

Colette is in a "don't take that picture, mom!" phase.

So cute.

(you know I don't really think it's cute, right?)

I'm being sarcastic.

Let's tie these babies up!

A perfect tiny Cora sized one...

And Mitchell's....
HEY!

Nice Photo Bomb Cora!

Mitchell is the KING of photo bombing!

I'm glad he got a taste of his own medicine!

OK,

here he really is with his tamale.

We did it!

(OK, FULL DISCLOSURE AGAIN--

they were super gross)

The meat was good...

the sour cream was good...

the salsa was good....

but apparently corn meal is NOT corn flour.

Now I know the difference.

Not even the Nutella ones tasted good.

I'm coming back next year with a VENGENCE!

I'm going to slam the sugar cookies and tamales!

Just you wait and see!

I will be the Mexican friend everyone wants to have!

And now the sun sets on Catan,

and on the Skifton family holiday.

It was unforgettable,

spiritual,

relaxing,

quiet,

and cold.

Merry Christmas to everyone!