R* Family Christmas Visit

My parents, my brother, Nate, and his girlfriend, Jessica, were able able to come up from Phoenix for a day-after Christmas visit!

I love stretching holidays into multiple days of fun.  ;)

Last year, I sent my Dad an email after seeing some beautiful handmade, wooden toys on a blog, and told him I wanted one of each for Christmas for the kids.  I know that makes me sound like a mean daughter.  But, my dad is seriously talented and I knew that it would be sooo special for the kids to get a homemade gift.

He worked really, really hard and spoiled me (and the kids) with some beautiful handmade toys!

He made Josh a rocking snail:

Pictures don't do it justice.  It is so darling!

He made Adam a Pinewood Derby box.  Which is perfect because Adam has talked about little else for weeks, since getting his Pinewood Derby car earlier this month:

He made Grace a bunkbed for her dolls (and my mom made the bedding), which was just a perfect place for Hannah to sleep:

Uncle Nate also gave each of the kids a gift.  He is leaving on his LDS church mission to Korea in February, so this is the last Christmas we will have with him for 2 years.  It was so sweet of him to spend some of his hard-earned plumbing money on them!

We also opened up stocking from my parents.  My mom works all year to do a stocking for everyone; stockings were always my favorite gifts at Christmas growing up and I love that she kept up the tradition!

After gifts, we had leftover R* family Christmas Eve (pulled pork, beans, stuffing, veggies, salad, olives) food.  It was so yummy!

After dinner we convinced them to come see the Bellagio Christmas display/fountains with us.

It was such a fun and special day!  I'm soooo glad that they were able to come up for a special after-Christmas visit!