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!

Happy Thanksgiving..... Top 10 things I am grateful for....

Happy Thanksgiving..... Each year as I think of the things I am grateful for, they usually are the same few things. I think each day the circumstances/trial and experiences of our own or those around us may bump one thing to the top of the list, or make you aware of just how grateful you may be for a certian thing.... so here is my top 10 countdown for today (it could be different even tomorrow) #10... The Holiday Season all together. Thanksgiving and family togetherness the celebration of Christmas and the Savior etc etc....

#9 My job.... The fact that I get to work with all these cute little faces each week!!

#8 My boat.... I know that may seem materialistic, but I love love it. I love the activities being at the lake, and mostly the fun times I have with my family and friends.

#7 Beds..... the fact that all my kids have their own beds(silly but not all children have beds all the time...ha ha inside joke) and the fact that we have warm beds/blankets etc to sleep in........ even if mine is completely outdated and old.... I also love the fact that my dad made some of my kids beds...

#6 My new washer and dryer.... I love that I can dry a load of towels in 40 minutes instead of 3 hours and 3 cycles... I love the fact that even though I told Tom we did not need new ones he bought them anyway.... the fact that he knows that I spend most of my day washing clothes and explained to me that right now in our lives in the most laundry I will ever do, so to wait five years would be silly because the kids will start moving out.... He is a smart one and I love them more then I really thought I would.... wow the other things I may get done now!

#5 Cars that work.... I know it is old, and completely junky inside with all the kids crap. I know that the seat heaters do not work any longer which makes me very sad, but the fact that I have something dependable to drive that doesn't cost me lots to fix all the time.... I have lots of funny stories of growing up with cars that did not have the same dependability!

#4 My health..... watching my moms health change over night has really made me realize how much I appreciate the good health that I have!!

#3 My family my brothers and sisters and parents and in-laws.... I love them all and am grateful for all that they bring into my life!! I love that my kids have their cousins all around them as well.

My kids..... they are beautiful, healthy and I feel I am blessed far beyond what I deserve to be able to raise and know each of them..... I love that we do everything together and are a team!!!

#1 today is Tom I am so grateful for such a nice husband, he works hard for us and loves us. He is funny and fun to be around and I am so grateful for the relationship we have. He is my best friend......

"Mom who do I look like"

Every time Canyon gets out of the bath he wraps his towel around himself with part of his upper body hanging out, and then asks me "who do I look like" Lets see if anyone can guess who he thinks he resembles????? (PS. the drawing on his body has nothing to do with it, he did that right after he got out of the tub last night not sure what he was going for with that, I think a smiley face....) Also notice the supershort hair.... he decided to give himself a scalping hair cut! I am sad his baby curls and long hair are gone! Oh boy though does he look even more like his Granddad....

Ok so your all smarter then me....... The first time he asked me I had no idea where he was going.... but your right it is Jesus..... Oh his little mind kills me!!

Happy "Golden" Birthday Liv-a-love

Today is Olivia's 9th Birthday..... hence the "golden" birthday.... 9 on the 9th.... She has been talking about her golden birthday for years.... I guess it is your special birthday where you get lots of money etc.... I don't know where my kids heard of this but Liv is our first one to celebrate it..... She didn't get a lot of money but we tried to make it special..... She is such a poser..... It is hard to find a normal smiley picture of her.. but it is part of her fun personality which we love!!

She was born on a Monday October 9th... She was our tiniest baby weighing 6lbs 13 oz... and only 18 inches tall. We had been wanting a baby sister for a long time, Madz had talked about her sister Olivia since she was two.... so when she was born we knew we had to name her Olivia..

At around 9months she became the grumpiest little person, this is the face she would give everyone all the time! I was shopping one day and a lady said to me "excuse me ma am your baby is giving me crusties.." Ok..... We laughed she had this face all the time.

She has always been so fearless, and full of passion for life! She loves people like no body I know and is so intense about everything. I think she is much wiser then the rest of us, she loves people for who they are and I so admire that in her! She loved to wear these goggles when she swam etc... this is actually a make do picture I couldn't find the best picture ever of her... it is right before this one was taken, she is on the top of a water slide coming off the houseboat (Nat if you have a copy of it can I have one??) My dad (Grandad) calls her Pecos... for Pecos Bill if he gives you a nick name it sticks and that is all he calls you.... one day he was out at our house when she was only 1 and we were trying to put in our yard.... she would walk around in just her diaper, ride her little bike down the drive way falling into trenches etc... He decided she was just like Pecos someone raised by wolves!! It is so fitting.... she could totally take care of herself... we laugh at her at dance competitions because she comes in the morning and happens to somehow be where she needs to be when it is her time to perform and there when its time to go home.... I don't know what happens in the mean time but she is very self sufficient!! (We call her stinky Pete so she has lots of nick names)

Here she is on her 3rd birthday...

She is such a good big sister and Canyon just loves her~~

This is a typical smile of Olivia's...

She has very many "stupid human tricks" This is her Kiss tongue which she can stick inside her nose....She also can wiggle her ears without touching them and roll her belly just like on "South Pacific" She is amazing!

She loves her friends... this is her with her friend Megan.... she would rather be with her friends than anything... we have to fight her every time we go somewhere over bringing friends... we don't mind most the time but once in awhile we have to get mad and tell her whether she likes it or not we are her family and she will have to live with it!!

Like I said such a poser!! It so shows her personality though and I just love every bit of her!! I wish I could keep her this age forever!!

She loves her American Girl Dolls"

Another thing about Olivia is she always always gets lost everywhere we go.... We lost her right after this picture was taken in Disney World.... we were so scared me and Hayden especially we thought she was kidnapped and she was just out in the parking lot like what is the big deal, I knew where I was.... Another time at Disney World we were with our friends the Reiers, we stopped to take a picture in front of the castle... she kept going, we did not notice we had lost her until Matt was checking the picture on the camera and noticed she wasn't there.... Can you say great parents!! I know she probably needs one of those terrible leashes!!

This is her dance picture from last year... She did her first solo last year and she did a great job I was so proud of her... we don't have a picture in that costume because she wouldn't come up to the studio she wanted to "play".....

Anyway Happy Birthday stinky Pete!! I hope it was "Golden" enough for you!! We are so so lucky to have you in our family and love you!!!