Sunday, December 27, 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

These are my favorite Christmas decorations. Last year Dallin said he didn't want to put the nativity away. So it staid out all year. I think it's always going to stay out from here on. We even added another nativity that my Mom brought us back from the Germany's Christmas markets. I love it.
I love these stockings. The elves will come and turn them if the kids have been fighting, or disobeying to, "I've been very very very naughty." If they have been very helpful or kind to each other the "Elves" will come and flip them to "I've been very very very good." I love these stockings. I have been on the hunt to find one for Spencer. I checked Pottery Barn , where I picked up the other kids. They don't make them any more. Then I tried ebay, but no luck. I will try one more year and hopefully I will find one, if not I will have to come up with something else.
This was my favorite center piece. I made this for Christmas eve dinner. I bought white carnations and cranberries. This is what they make. I loved them.

Dallin and Eliza Christmas morning before we let them come out and see what Santa brought them.
Uncle Erik came to stay with us and look what he got from Santa, a Money Tree. I want one! Of course my kids want one next year too.!

Dallin has finally been saying he wants to snowboard. Steve and I got this for him along with lessons while we were in Utah over winter break. Eliza got ski lessons.

Eliza also got some stuff for her American Girl dolls. She got some clothes and a hair salon chair.
Dallin and Spencer in there matching hats. Dallin loves it when he and Spencer have the same clothes. He told me he has always wanted a little brother who looks just like him. "Pray answered."
Spencer playing with a play doom we got for him.
Since Eliza got a salon chair we spent about 3 hours Christmas day, playing salon. We did our hair and make up. Along with her dolls and horse. It was the best 3 hours. :) The boys went and saw Avitar. Glad I missed that one.

This is Christmas eve right before we started reading the nativity.
This year the kids acted it out, because this year we had a baby Jesus. I was the funniest thing. Eliza put a soccer ball up her shirt so she looked pregnant. They used Leia as the donkey. She took Eliza right into the Christmas tree. They couldn't get Leia (the black lab) to cooperate. It was the funniest thing, we have it all on tape. Well that was our Christmas. It was tons of fun and I'm glad it's over.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

POLAR BEARS

Uncle Erik is in town for Christmas. That makes me very happy. Erik and Dallin had just come home from sledding when Uncle Erik had a great idea, "Let's run through the snow in our underwear." I just took the pictures. They are CRAZY!!!






Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Christmas Party

The kids had a Christmas party this year. I told them they could each invite 3 friends, but lots of people where out of town for the holidays. Above they are sitting in a circle to play a game. I don't know what it's called, but I read the story Polar Express. Every time I said the word Christmas or Conductor they had to pass the gift to the right. At the end of the story they get to open the gift they are holding. We also played Christmas Jeopardy. I asked questions like, "What movie says, you'll shoot your eye out", "What is the traditional Christmas ballet", or finish this song. Dallin and Blake are competitive so they loved this game.
The girls all cuddled up watching "ELF" I had to pick a movie I could watch too. I think "ELF" is funny.

Dallin and Blake watching the movie and putting there cars together.

I told everybody to get together for the picture. The girls put there arms around each other, while the boys pretended to punch each other. Jason had to leave a little early.

Sweet girls and the boys did not want anymore pictures.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

All in a Weeks Work!!!

First of all Merry Christmas. I did not get my tree this week. I got it 2 days after Thanksgiving. We picked the biggest tree they had on the lot. However, when a lady went to pick it up, to put through the netting machine she snapped of the top of our tree. Almost, 2 feet worth. Not to happy. Then when we got home and put it up in the front room, we realized when they where shoving it through the netting machine they also broke some of the bottom branches. Again NOT HAPPY. Steve fixed the branches by ducted tapping them back up. Duct tape fixes everything, also they gave us a discount for busting up our tree.

So this week it all started with Eliza getting her tonsils out on Wednesday, December 9th. When we got home after her surgery, I had Dallin put Lucy and Leia out on the back deck till I could take them to the bathroom. However since it had snowed 28 1/2 inches over the last 2 days the gate was frozen open. So when we went to let them in they where gone. I went out to look for them and left my daughter who was on morphine on the couch watching TV, Spencer asleep on my bed, and Dallin in charge to see if I could find them. I looked for about 15mins and then said, who cares if there gone I have to go home. I arrived to Dallin in the driveway asking if I found them? I went in and Dallin went out to the deck and started calling for them. All of a sudden we see Leia coming running across the frozen lake in the back of our house(we live on 2 big lakes), but no Lucy. My stomach dropped. I knew what had happened to Lucy. I quick ran in and put on Steve's snow boots, and went running through over 2 feet of snow till I saw what I already knew. (Leia actually led me right to Lucy. And then just stood there between the two of us, looking at me like, "What are you going to do?")Lucy had fallen through the frozen lake and couldn't get out. I yelled for Dallin to bring me my phone, but he couldn't hear. I ran all the way back home and called 911, on my way back to her. While waiting for the firetrucks to show up I called a neighbor to see if he could come out and help. Mark showed up right after the firetrucks with a ladder and ropes, He is great. So the firetrucks got there. One of the firemen went out on the ice, slide a ladder all the way out to Lucy. He had to scoot a good 30 feet to reach her. Lucy hooked her paws onto the ladder and pulled herself out. Once she got out she froze, she was scared to death. She would not even look at me, she was so ashamed of all the trouble she had caused. They picked her up and threw her in the firetruck and drove us home. I had to put her in the tub to warm her back up, she had been in the frozen water a good 40 minutes. I asked the firemen to not call social services on me, luckily another neighbor had come over and taken great care of the kids. (Thanks Cindy) Well Lucy is fine, she ran around with her tail between her legs for about 2 days. She has some good cuts on her front legs, and her belly is all scratched up. We will see what the summer brings, and if she will get in the water. Here's Lucy hiding under the stairs after her big rescue.
Later in the week we had Dallin's and Eliza's piano recital. Dallin is doing great with the piano, he played a 6 page duet with his teacher. Way to go Dallin I am proud of you. Eliza played a song by memory and is also playing the piano so well.










I finished Spencer's crib set, Finally. He is so wonderful. Seriously the happiest baby. He will smile at anyone ,as soon as you give him the smallest amount of attention. He has been sleeping from 8pm-7am for about 3 weeks now. He just started this week batting at things with his hands. Also I caught him on video camera having a huge conversation and laughing at a Nutcracker that I had put in front of him. I took the kids laundry upstairs. While putting their clothes away I hear him start talking and laughing, so I ran down to see what was going on. I quick grabbed the camera and recorded the whole thing. He is heaven sent.
Dallin and Eliza also had there Dance recital. Yes, Eliza is my hero. She danced in her recital 2 days after her surgery. She is such a women. They both did a great job. Eliza is in a Jazz group and Dallin is in a Hip Hop group with 4 of his best buddies.
Eliza is on the right. This is the opening when they were all on stage doing the Miley C., "Lock it Pop it" dance.




Dallin is the one in the middle in the blue hooded shirt.

Dallin doing the coffee grinder.

The Finale. They love to dance. It makes me laugh, the dance offs they have when all there friends come over. It reminds me of all the concerts, plays, and performances we used to put on as kids. So there is a peek into my life. I should add in, the b-ball practices Dallin's and Eliza(I am coaching Eliza's team), also I am teaching every Friday a couple of ASL sign language classes at the kids school, we had 2 Christmas parties to go to, I had a presidency meeting and taught sharing time. Scouts for Dallin, Daises for Eliza(but we did keep her home this week from that). Lots of sleepless nights. Eliza, has had a rough go with the tonsils. I think I covered it all, kind of. Oh yeah, and I helped save a life, all in the Life of a Stay at Home Mom. I want a raise!!!!
Tomorrow morning we are leaving for the weekend to Scottsdale. We are going to hang out and go see the "Nutcracker", at the symphony hall in Phoenix. We are going to leave Spencer here. I hope I can handle it, I miss him already. Then home for Christmas. Uncle Erik is coming to celebrate with us and we can't wait.
The kids on the deck before Thanksgiving dinner doing, "Marble Art." So much fun and messy.

Dallin's school play


Dallin was the ant for the school play. He also subsituted for the grass hopper on parent night. He did a great job.