I love Christmas!!

It's true, I LOVE Christmas. I love it even more now that I'm a mommy! I couldn't sleep all night ( I woke up 5 or 6 times - even earlier than the kids). Let me tell you all about our Christmas experience.

Christmas Eve: We broke with our traditional potato soup dinner (because no one is liking it lately) and had chili & corn bread. Then we drove around to look at Christmas lights and finish handing out our neighbor gifts. After getting stuck in some random cul-de-sac, then luckily unstuck, we went home to feed the reindeer (we have a special recipe of oats & sparkles so the reindeer can find our house and then snack while Santa leaves the gifts) and look for Rudolph. Which we saw, as usual, flying North on the East side of our house. Then we ran inside and sat by the tree for the real story of Christmas, this year told by Kylie with the help of the fisher price nativity (which Trey has been playing with for the past 2 weeks). Then we opened our Christmas jammies (I will later write about how this tradition was begun in our family). So Cute!! And went to bed. Then got up again to put cookies & milk for Santa on our special tray. Then to bed again. Then up for drinks, and to bed; then up for potty and a reminder that Santa won't come if kids aren't asleep.

Christmas morning was great! After the kids finally woke up around 7:45 (Ky was awake earlier). Dave & Robyn braved the snow storm to join us for the festivities. We all went downstairs together (as per tradition) and the kids looked by the fireplace and saw empty stockings. Shock and awe would describe this perfectly as they said in unison, "Santa forgot our stockings!" :) He didn't. He just used the old ones and laid them around the room. The stocking opening commenced, followed by Dad handing out gifts one by one to be opened. Everyone was excited not only for their gifts; but possibly more to see others open the gifts they had so carefully selected for them. That was a huge blessing.

We also started a new tradition this year by sponsoring an 11 year old girl with providing Christmas gifts for her. We had so much fun. Especially the girls being so generous and picking out what they would love, knowing she would love it also! It was awesome.

We had our traditional breakfast of nutbraid (to die for - honestly) and potato/egg casserole. Lunch included ham, cheesy potatoes, veggies, fruit salad and yams w/ marshmellows (to which Treyson said at lunch again today, "this food again?!" - He had mac & cheese, which he would love to eat every meal, but cheesy potatoes he's had enough of?).

Treyson got a DS, which he is taking such good care of, transformers and remote control car, telescope, etc. Alyssa got a Zen (mp3/video player), littlest pet shop stuff, jewelry and girl stuff (smelly bath stuff). Kylie also got a Zen, books, girl stuff and 32 pairs of earrings from Dave & Robyn. Mom got a Twilight CD, and gift cards for Olive Garden, Seagull and massages! Dad got a cap bomb, a nerf gun, paintballs and money. Dad & the girls also got massage gift cards (we got a half price deal on massages - woo hoo!)

The best part about Christmas was staying in our PJ's all day and playing with each other. We got a couple of games that we played and just enjoyed being relaxed and having fun, enjoying each other's company. That is my favorite part about Christmas, just being together. I am greatful for our blessings of health, the gospel of Jesus Christ and our eternal family!

And today, we took down the tree and all of the decorations, so it'll be cleaned up when we return from Idaho, ready to welcome in the New Year.

Traveling with Kids

I was thinking today, as the kids were unwrapping gifts, how much easier it is now days for kids to travel (or for parents). Today the family got a portable (read car) dvd player because the other one broke. Each girl got a video/mp3 player and Trey got a ds. This joins the girls' ds, the girls' & mom's & dad's mp3 players (4 total) and the nano dad won last month. So, when we go to Idaho tomorrow (weather permitting) we shouldn't have to talk to each other at all. :) Great when you think of the endless "are we there yets" or "she's hitting me". But, maybe not so good when you don't get to play the license plate game. Of course, I always disliked traveling when I was little: no electronics and I get so carsick that reading was out of the question. Of course, those were the days when seatbelts were optional and we'd lay on the floor of the stationwagon and sleep or dream, or ask "are we there yet?"

Let it Snow!

Treyson, all bundled up. It took about 20 minutes to dress him, after 5 he was ready to come inside & get hot cocoa. Then we found the sled and he went out again for a couple of hours. Alyssa & her friend Jenna.
Jenna, Alyssa, Emily (Kylie's friend), Kylie & Treyson. You can see the big snowflakes a fallin'.

Yes, it is snowing (again). It snowed yesterday (around 5-6" at our house). It has pretty much snowed for the last few days (a week?) here. I look at pictures on my sister in law's blog and they're sitting in their driveway in shorts watching dad wash the car. Ya, I could do that (in a snowsuit if I were nuts or under the age of 10). Our dad would wash the car, except that the water would freeze. (I may be jealous, I'm looking for jobs for TJay in Guatemala - it's warm there. It's my annual quest to move to Guatemala. I'll get over it around April - still 3 more months, maybe a short-term job). My cousin's blog had a picture of them walking in the surf on the beach in So. Cal. Ya, I'm jealous of them too. Envy is one of those things it's ok to have, or not?

Kylie put snow as #8 on her Christmas wish list. So, Santa, mark that one off. :) I am actually liking the snow (as I sit inside on my computer with chocolate milk and a warm lunch in front of me). The kids love it! We went and saw Twilight yesterday with one of Kylie's friends. Then we came home to play in the snow: sled, build forts, make angels. For Treyson, it was just a feat to walk through the snow as it came up to his thighs. Alyssa's friend came over to join in the snow fun and her parents (who are from Michigan) said this is more like Michigan snow than Utah snow. (Great, never wanted to live in Michigan, may not even want to visit).

At least I'm done Christmas shopping (if we don't have it, we ain't gonna get it) and don't have to leave my house (except to go to the gym tonight) again. We are hoping the snow lets up so we can travel to Idaho ( possibly the only place colder and with more snow than us. I don't like cold, why do I always think it'll be fun to go to Idaho in December? I'm nuts or forgetful or both or huh?) I'm going to post a couple of pictures of the kids playing in the snow yesterday.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! I only mailed about half of our Christmas cards, so if you didn't get one, send me your address, and for the half I didn't get mailed out, enjoy a New Year's Card! :) Love to you all!

FIRST

I saw this on TJay's blog, and thought it was an interesting idea. I will attempt to answer these personal questions.

My Firsts

1. Who was your FIRST prom date? Matt Meanea.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? No

3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink? N/A

4. What was your FIRST job? Subway and a pharmacy in San Juan Capistrano, CA.

5. What was your FIRST car? Hyundai Elantra - after I got married.

6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? No one yet. (I'm not a very capable texter).

7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning? TJay

8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? Ms. Silva

9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane ride? Nevada to visit my Dad.

10. Who was your FIRST best friend and are you still friends with him/her? Nope. Can't remember her name. I think it was Danielle.

11. What will be your FIRST thought when you wake up tomorrow morning? Do i have to really get up? can i snooze a bit more?

12. Where was your FIRST sleep over? It would have to be my cousins house with my parents there. My first on my own sleepover was probably at Sarah Dodson's house.

13. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today? Kylie ( I wake her up in the morning).

14. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? My Dad's, with his 3rd wife.

15. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? snoozed my alarm

16. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? UB40

17. FIRST tattoo or piercing? ears, around 10 or 12.

18. Who was your FIRST kiss from? Danny Sims (3rd grade, at school, behind the cottonwoods).

19. Who was your FIRST boss? Ken Virgin

20. When was your FIRST detention? Never. I was a good girl.

21. What was the FIRST state you lived in? Nevada

22. Who was the FIRST person to really break your heart? dunno.

23. Who was your FIRST roommate? Dave (my brother).

Vomit and Candles

Vomit and Candles . . . we've reached a conscensus in our family, that is what our family room smells like. Okay, I know you are jealous. Right now you are thinking, "wow! how do I get my house to smell like vomit & candles?". Well, I'll give you the formula. First start off Saturday evening with a family dinner at JCW's (I LOVE JCW's). Everyone gets a burger, fries & a shake. Fat & happy comes to mind right now. Then you go to a dance recital where, unbeknownst to you, the dancer has a tummy ache. She dances, she visits with Santa, she comes home and lays down to watch a movie with the family. Then she comes to cuddle and says she doesn't feel very good. You say, do you need something? "no" Do you feel like throwing up? "no". Okay, cuddle with said child on dual recliner (note to self: never let a sick child cuddle with you on the new, nice sofa). A little time passes and child sits up and VOMITS. She is a very talented vomiter and a recliner has a LOT of crevices where vomit chunks can get to (you could tell what she had eaten for dinner - GROSS). After spending an hour and a half cleaning the floor, the table, the recliner, remote control, etc. The room still smells like vomit. Of course, it is Saturday night so you can't call a cleaning company to come over. Kylie said the room stinks, so I told her to mop the kitchen floor because the orange or lemon or whatever flavor lysol cleaner we have will possibly over power the vomit smell. It helped.

So today, when we got up and went downstairs, it still smelled like vomit (let me add - just for sympathy- that Lyssa got up and vomitted every hour last night until 6 this morning. At least she made it into the puke bowl or the bathroom). So, it being the Christmas season and Kylie having inherited her father's tendency to be a pyromaniac, There are about 10 candles lit and burning in the family room/kitchen. TJay found a cherry car smeller thing (probably the official name) and set it on the floor by the sofa, so when you're down there it smells like pukey-cherry. YUM! I've cleaned with every product that I have (TJay even sprayed Pledge, thinking it was air-spray) and still we have the puke smell.

Tomorrow, I call carpet cleaners and beg until I can find someone who can come tomorrow and clean the couch and the carpet. Yeah, that will be fun. I guess I'll spend my Christmas bonus on that. Well, if I wasn't expecting it, I can't miss it. Right? Anyway, that is how we have the delicious scent of vomit and candles. To smell for yourself, come on over, but hurry, it's here for a limited engagement (hopefully).

Sunday

I have had such a great Sunday! It began with fasting, which isn't my favorite - but this week I have a personal purpose. There is a little boy in who was in my nursery class who had cancer this summer, got his liver replaced and they thought it was gone. His hair is growing back, he got his PICKU out (feeding tube thingy) and was looking great. He is 2. His mom had a baby on Sunday, on Thursday they found out the cancer is back in his lung. So, tomorrow treatments begin again. Another girl from our ward had serious medical problems on her mission and is home trying to recover, still it's going to be a long haul. So, the ward was fasting for these two youngsters and their families. The opening prayer in Sacrament meeting was beyond inspirational - with everyone crying. It was too amazing to put into writing. Lyssa bore her testimony today, and sometimes sounds more like a 30 year old than a 9 year old. It was lovely.

Then in primary, Trey gave a talk about Jesus being born and the wise men coming and how we can be like him. Then I got to do my calling, which is singing "with" both the nursery classes. The babies (1 1/2 & 2 year old nursery) are so cute! They are getting to know the songs so well and love to sing the last word in each line. :) The big nursery (11 - 3 year old boys & 1 girl) gets a bit crazy. :) Love it! Since I sing in nursery, I get to go to Relief Society again, and that is always a spiritual treat, but with testimonies, it is always better.

I actually made a really yummy dinner (somehow fast Sunday dinners are always better). We had our hometeachers come - on the 1st Sunday no less. And I've read at least 5 articles in the December Ensign. I'm catching up with old friends & their families now through blog posts while watching the old claymation "Rudolph" show with my family. And, I made my favorite treat: sweet Chex mix. (Ok, so it's my favorite treat today). ;) I feel well-rested (I got a nap in also), well fed (physically & spiritually) and well-loved (played lots of games with Trey this afternoon). What a great way to end a great weekend!

Oh, lest I forget, we had the opportunity to see Jeff & Autumn (TJay's brother) and their kids Friday night and again on Saturday. The cousins don't get to play often since the ones from Idaho don't come down much and we don't go up much. They always have a great time together and are looking forward to seeing each other when we go up after Christmas. :) Love it!

I'm ready to start a new week and happily feeling the Christmas spirit which is the spirit of Christ!