12th Day of Christmas...

How Was your Christmas??? We had a great Christmas... I love how excited the kids get and how excited they get for each other... or to give their gifts. Canyon was really into giving his gifts he had picked...He loved wrapping them too. We let him just pick what he wanted which was kind of fun... Maddie got a fry cooker from him, Liv pet shops and Hayden got legos.... It was fun, not all kids get (especially that little) that it is almost more fun to give...

Here is Hayden with his favorite gifts... an Ipod, an air gun and a video game of course!!

Here is Madz, she asked for a Cotton Candy maker..... she loved it!!! (As you can see)
Each year she asks for really random gifts, people even start asking us what is on her list... this year she wanted an English phone booth... Santa couldn't pull through with that one, she got a t-shirt with a phone booth, but he made up for it with the Cotton candy maker, it is a real industrial size machine......... and I think it fits in with her odd gift collection. Last year she got a bow and arrow, she's received crutches, a metal detector..... etc Its kind of fun!

Anyone craving cotton candy come by or give her a call, she loves to make it!!

Here is Olivia with her favorite gifts, she got Rebecca the American girl doll, a sewing machine and Furbees.... I know they are 10 year old toys, but Maddie told her about them when they were talking about Zoo Zoo pets and she decided she really needed one.... after getting it, I think she is a little afraid of it. She asked me to come get it when she was going to sleep because it kind of freaked her out... I think she thinks it is a gremlin...

Here's little Canyon.... he so wanted all the characters from Toy Story and Hungry Hungry Hippos...His age is so fun!!

Here are Madz and Liv with their American Girl dolls... Maddie got Kaya which she has wanted for a really long time....

About an hour after everything was opened Tom told me and the girls there was one more present for us, it was wrapped in a huge box, and for all 3 of us so I thought it must be a chest to store our American girl doll stuff in.... (I have a small fetish if you didn't know).... anyway it was these t-shirts and tickets to Taylor Swift....!!!.... We were so excited we absolutely love Taylor Swift

All in all we had a great Christmas we feel very blessed to have spent it with family....

"through the years we all will be together" right!!

I hope you all had a great Christmas too!

On the 11th day of Christmas.....

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!!

On the 10th day of Christmas...

How do you incorporate more of the true meaning into Christmas?..... In years past we have had the manger out, and then you put hay in it each time you do nice things for each other. We have not done that for a few years, and this year we really should have my kids have been fighting so much lately!! I ask the kids (especially Canyon because he is young) why we really have Christmas at least every other day through the whole season, but this year we haven't read stories or anything..... and today Maddie said it doesn't really feel like Christmas. It was after we finally read Luke 2 and watched the movie on Jesus' birth that they finally felt like it was Christmas, so any ideas on how to spread this out throughout the whole Season and not just on Christmas Eve???

The 9th Day of Christmas

Today's question is what are your favorite Christmas programs?

From dance concerts to school recitals, there is always that one kid that stands out for one reason or another. Check out Canyon in his school program - and yes, he stands out!

Merry Christmas!

The 8th day of Christmas

Today my question is do you still do Christmas Cards?? I love to get Christmas Cards especially ones with pictures.. Tom keeps telling me its a dieing notion... like the Newspaper... so each year I wait until now like 3 days before Christmas and then either don't send them, send them late or find some the next year stamped and labeled that I did not get sent out.... so here are my top picks for the picture this year... as you can see I'm in a dilemma with that too, not one picture that everyone is looking at the camera or not pulling some kind of weird face.....would you give up yet another year on sending out cards? Or ????/

7th day of Christmas.... Traditions

One of my very favorite things about Christmas is traditions....What are some of your families traditions?? On Christmas Eve we have a tradition of getting together with my family and reading the Christmas story in Luke 2, and my parents give everyone pajama's. This year we had to do it earlier, with every one's in-laws and work etc it is getting harder to get everyone there. This year my parents gave everyone these red union suits with their nicknames on the back. It was so much fun...... If my dad gives you a nick name that is usually all he will call you.... so it was so fun for the kids especially...

We were trying to get pictures of everyone, and as you can see we had a hard enough time with just the grand kids... my parents gave 31 pairs (including their own)... Don't you love how the tiny ones are trying to show their nicknames...

Tom's a good sport he put his on for pictures. He said they were made exactly for his body type. (You can laugh)

Me and the girls...... Lila (miss lila), Emme (Emme K.) and Zarley (nanny) with Andrew's butt... (drewby)

Canyon (cotton) and Olivia (Pecos)... Canyon has never liked Grandad calling him Cotton until tonight.... Now he likes it and does not want to come out of his "Cotton" pajamas ever!

Maddie, was so funny after about the 3rd person getting the exact same pajama's she said "are we all getting the same?" "I'm getting some of those?" She then started crying really crying because she was so excited to get this kind of pajamas she's always wanted them I guess... and the fact that we were all going to match with our nicknames on the back was too much for her... really real tears!! She's cute and easily pleased and I love that about her. The other thing that started last year is everyone chanting your name when its your turn, it is so funny to listen to the tiny ones join in or keep it going.

"Peace Good will toward Men"!

This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions... and this year was all the more fun, matching with your fun names to boot!! What are your favorite traditions???

6th day of Christmas

On the 6th day of Christmas....... I want to wish you all a "Merry CHRISTMAS" Does the whole Politically correct thing bug anyone else???? Why is it offensive to wish someone a Merry Christmas, and why in the Sam h*** does 80% of the country have to bow down to the remaining 20%!!! It drives me totally crazy... It is totally fine to wish someone Happy Kwanzaa or Happy Hanukkah, but for the majority of us it is pushing our beliefs on to the rest to say Merry Christmas??? Seriously this kills me, a few years ago I went to help with reading groups at the school, we read a book all about Kwanzaa. I found it very interesting and was happy my daughter was learning what this holiday was about. Yet the very same year we are told we can not have a "Christmas" party because we can't use the word Christmas at school because it may offend someone what the crap?? Really what is the difference? Oh that's right the majority celebrate Christmas!! and really if someone said Happy Hanukkah to you would you be offended because you are not Jewish?? I will not ever bow down I will not send out cards that say Happy Holidays even... I make sure mine always say Merry Christmas.... at the end of my recital I had all the kids yell Merry Christmas. (that's what they said if anyone couldn't hear) and I certainly do not think it is offensive!! Remember a few year ago when the girl at West High sued the school because they sang Christmas songs... really! Ok I could go on forever, what are your thoughts on this??

12 Days of Christmas #5 (A Dash of Tom in the Blog!)

On the 5th Day of Christmas my question for you is...what do you put in your eggnog? Just kidding, the real question is what is your favorite Christmas food/treat?

Christmas Balls anyone?

On a less nasty note... I (Tom) loved the homemade suckers (cinnamon especially) my Mom would make at Christmas time. I love eggnog now, but think I hated it as a kid. I loved See's Candy butterscotch and chocolate lollipops and Almond Roca.

And to add a little more nostalgia to yesterday's post...here are a couple of my best Christmas presents received back in the 80s. Stomper 4X4s and Superman Underoos!!!!

12 Days of Christmas #4

On the 4th day of Christmas my question for you is.......
What was your favorite toy you got as a kid??
Tonight me and the kids were watching Santa Claus 2, in the movie he was giving adults presents that seemed to be their favorite childhood toy.... so I started trying to think of what would be the toy I would want from my childhood...... The first thing I thought of was "Baby Sneezy" as I called her, I got her twice I liked her so much. You would push her belly and she would sneeze oh man she was so cute. I tried to google her to post a picture, but couldn't find her. I did find out she was really called Bless you Baby tender love.... I found one or two that I thought looked just how I remembered her but they were plain Baby Tender love and did not sneeze. My other favorite was Rub-a dub dolly... I did find a commercial for her click here to enjoy it.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8J39BJiIB0
Watching this was so fun, I could remember all the words to the song, I had forgotten about the tug boat that came with her.... I got that same oh I want her so bad feeling....I can almost smell that new doll/toy smell that came with her. It was a total flash back you should try it with your old toys...... I wanted Rub-a-dub dolly in Kindergarten, my brother showed me her in my parents closet.......duh!!
Anyway my mom lucky enough was very quick witted and told me that because there had not been a lot of snow that year that Santa had asked all the parents to get the most important gift just in case he didn't make it his sleigh has a hard time without snow you know..... Way to go Mom!! ( amazingly I don't feel even a little bit lied to! I feel like good one I'll remember that)...
Here is my brother Troy, my dad, me and my mom.



Check out the sweet cardboard fireplace did anyone else have one of these?? Funny thing about this picture I had always thought the red tricycle was my brother Josh's.... if you look under the tree though there is the little school set, I remember that now looking at the picture, it had a little part that opened and it had chalk in it.... It was pretty cool.
Check out spirographics too good times..

Do you remember baby beans too?? That is a pretty cute little buggy I don't even have a small recollection of that.... Nice green shag carpet though...

I do need to mention roller skates and the barbie Star(and her friend Tracy) as well they were my all time favorites when I was like 3rd 4th grade age...... Star came in Roller skates in fact.... You know I was like one of the 2 best roller skaters on the East bench....
At least my friend I were convinced... they were having some kind of skating marathon contest one time that we didn't want to enter because we would beat everyone so badly... we wanted to spare every ones feelings....

Anyway here I am with a baby doll just like I said yesterday that little girls should want....

Tell me your favorite toys... then google them its pretty fun!!

12 days of Christmas Day 3

So I like getting all your comments, Christmas stories, ideas and opinions so I have come to a conclusion, I will do 12 Christmas Questions... so....
On the 3rd day of Christmas my question for you is......
What happened to asking Santa for regular old toys? You know baby dolls, lincoln logs etc. Do you ever wish we could go back to a simplier life??

At dance this month sometiems we play Santa's bag which is just a way to stretch, but we fill Santa's bag with our wishes. I am shocked by some of the things the kids this little ask for. I would say one of the top things I have heard people want including several 3 year olds is an Ipod.... 2nd a DS... I don't think anything is wrong with Santa bringing this, for my 13 year old, but don't little girls want baby dolls anymore?? One little girl who was about 6 is even asking for Call of Duty a fighting game that I don't even like my 13 year old boy to play(he does anyway). So really I have only heard a baby doll maybe a few times. What happened to barbies and make-up being more for the tween age, this is what most girls who are even asking for somewhat of a toy want. Don't get me wrong, I like the technology we have> I love blogging and shopping on line, and reserved movie tickets like everyone, but I love baby dolls, little girls should want baby dolls. When Mrs Claus makes you clothes for her and everything and even sometimes pajamas for you that matched the doll. Better yet that is all you asked for not this 14 page list. What have we done to our kids??

I myself would love especially at this time of year to go back in time. Where life was more simple where gifts were from the heart and not a gift card. Where little girls asked for Baby dolls!!

2nd day of Christmas...

Getting the Christmas Tree......

Ok so yesterday's debate was fun.... I like to hear peoples thoughts even though no one disagreed (that would have been too). I know some of you are out there!!

So today's question is real or fake?? (not boobs either your Christmas tree??)
If you have a fake tree do you have traditions still in decorating it or putting it up, or is it just something mom does while the kids are at school?? We always go as a family. I like to go for my Birthday usually, which my mom thinks is funny, because she always felt she had to keep Christmas and my Birthday separate... not me I love it so it's the best way to celebrate. This year however the older kids were still in Disneyland. So we went the next day. Hayden was super thrilled to do it, but wouldn't be left home either..... This year we all picked the same tree at the same time it was easy, like it was screaming our name. It must have been used to screaming something because once we got it home we realized it must have grown on the side of some hill totally crooked. (we love our little tree anyway Audrey!!).


So here she is... decorated and all.....

J/k we look like the Littles....



Don't the kids look great!! They had just gotten home from Disneyland, and I could wait no longer....
anyway, are traditions are... getting the tree together, Tom puts on the lights oh ya and puts it in the stand cutting it etc to try and straighten it out. This year we got a S. O. B..... which was a must every year in my home growing up, it was so nostalgic!!
Then the kids and I decorate it. Madz and Liv fight over the angel but this year Maddie remembered she did it last year and freely gave it to Olivia. They do still however try to get their own first year ornament the highest....
I think it is always fun and I like the time spent doing it together. We like to watch Christmas movies while we do it too.....
So lets hear your traditions or thoughts...

12 Days of Christmas....

So... Last year I did a 12 things I love about Christmas, one each day for the 12 days of Christmas. This year I have been trying to think of what I can do, 12 Christmas memories, 12 days just something we do that is celebrating Christmas each day.... my brother in law Mike said to do 12 things I hate about Christmas, but I love love Christmas I can't put a negative spin on it.(I mean love like making chains when I was younger that started at like 88 days left). So I have come to no conclusion and will just do 12 different Christmas posts.

"Yes Virginia There is"...
This is my post today, a question? a debate? What is all of your take on the Santa Claus thing? Do you lie to your kids? I follow this blog of someone I don't know, but I love her blog and she posted about this whole thing, I do believe we have opposite opinions however so I truly hope I did not or am not offending her. I have some very strong opinions and this is one of them. People say if you tell them there is Santa even though they can't see him and then they found out it was a lie will they question God? Blah!! There is a Santa right?? anyway here is my long long comment on her post.

I hear that a lot, but my question is did you believe in Santa as a kid?? and if so do you now question God??? There is an article written by LeGrand Richards on the whole reason why we should allow our children to believe in this magic... That it is for our benefit to learn to give with no recognition to do something anonymously without credit. I am completely devastated when my kids stop believing and go to great lengths to drag it on one more year. When asked logical questions like how does he go down the chimney etc I just answer with if you don't believe he won't give you anything. Have you ever seen the book I believe in Santa Clause? It is by Diane G Adamson, you should check it out, it makes comparisons with Santa and Christ the last page of the book says " Psychologist have written of the healthful benefits of encouraging children to believe in a kind and generous Santa. Strong beliefs in Santa Claus in the tender years are said to foster traits of goodness, helpfulness, and the desire to bring joy and happiness to others. These are all attributes of the Savior and espousing these traits in our own lives not only contributes to healthful living but also helps us to become more Christlike."......

I truly believe in Santa (or the spirit of Santa Claus) so I do not feel like I am lying in anyway....There truly is a spirit of Santa Claus that exists and is real, the giving to others etc etc and that’s how we (my older children and I believe forever in Santa)
I have my kids read the I believe in Santa or the Yes Virginia there is and if they are old enough to understand the "Spirit" of Santa they get it and we never talk about "no" Santa.....otherwise we keep dragging on the magic...

.the letter says...Virginia, your little friends are wrong, they have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished........ (skipping a little) Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. No Santa Claus! Thank God, he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times then thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Too much??

Let me know your thoughts, just know I will still love all of you even if your thoughts are completely wrong! j/k kind of!!

DiSnEy LaNd.....

I have been trying for 2 days now to upload pictures.... anyone know what the problem is or how to fix it??

Day 2 on our Road trip..

Day 2 of our trip ended like this...... I post this first because until I posted the pictures its all I could remember. I have heard from Tom's brother Brian that you do not drive from Vegas to California on a Sunday afternoon, that you should leave before noon.....uhh I definitely should have listened!!! This is a really bad picture, but I was trying to capture the lights of cars going as far as the eye could see. We were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic going an average of 5 miles an hour for almost 6 hours!! The kids were so great believe it or not, we did not stop at all for 6 hours. When we finally got going at a normal speed we pulled over to go to the bathroom in who knows where but it seemed like a scary area, that was totally crowded with all types of folks, I had kids get done buying treats and using the bathroom quick, then I had Hayden who wanted to just let people keep getting in line in front of him. So I am standing outside between my car and the gas station watching both the car and Hayden just completely sure a drive by of some kind is going to take place at any moment..... but hey we were out of traffic so....... We figured out that we could plug the computer into the speakers of the car and have surround sound for the movies we watched over and over! It really wasn't bad considering.

This is Tom and I at In and Out crazy thing there was no line up around the block to get in! Stopping at In and Out is a must right?

We met up in Vegas for the night to stay with Tom where he was on a work trip.....

We did a little shopping at the outlets, before we ate. We also stopped at Walmart to get ponchos for the water rides.... I found the Walmart where all those pictures passing around the Internet were taken!! It was very interesting...

While getting ready in the morning I smashed the crap out of Maddie's fingers, she had them in the crack of the bathroom door and I shut the door, I heard a snap oh it was so bad!! She now has a little ball thing she says that moves around in the top of her finger.... can you say mother of the year!

Honestly I don't remember what this picture is even about, but great hair anyway!!

We swam in the morning for awhile, the kids loved it, Zarley kept saying the whole trip "When are we going back to Vegas? I want to swim"

Anyway very boring post!! Fun day despite the driving... Good thing it was on the way there and not on the way home!

California Here we come.....

Today we left for a little Road trip..... Me (myself) and six kids...... Disney Land or Bust!!!

here we all are stuffed in the car.... Me, Madz (not showing in this picture), Zarley binks, Canyon, Liv a love, Winter and Hayden.....

We drove to Vegas this afternoon and will drive the rest of the way tomorrow!!! (Hey baby lets go to Vegas....) We came upon a little snow storm through Cedar City, which we anticipated. It was actually really pretty. The car ride was not too bad, I put on Olivia's ipod so I couldn't hear anyone and rocked out as I drove along.... The kids got a pretty big kick out of my singing and dancing as I drove... I didn't know I was entertaining them at the time.

This was the highlight of today..... we saw this young couple driving down the freeway with their Christmas tree stuffed in the car with them.... It totally reminded us of Tommy Boy when they have the deer in the back seat, we laughed pretty hard..... I guess that is a way to freshen up your car. They looked so funny with this tree all smashed behind them and around them. The picture does not do the scene justice..... Until tomorrow!