Christmas/New YearsI

I am a little slacking on getting to the blog thing for the last couple of weeks. It hasn't been so much busy, I have just been putting it off and a little under the weather for the last couple of week. Luckily, I wasn't super sick though, just a little cold.

The past couple of weeks have been so much fun. I had a great time spending time with the kids and their friends. One day before Christmas me and the kids were feeling not so good, coughing, sneezing, etc. So we had a lazy day where we watched movies, listened to music, read books and played a game on the computer. It was kind of fun. We also just snuggled on the couch.

Christmas Eve we were invited over to some friends house for a 7 course meal (Polish style) and a nativity play. It was so much fun the kids had a lot of fun playing the many different characters of the nativity and did so well being patient with the food and eatting pretty well. We also let the kids open up their Christmas PJ's and then headed home for bed. They were so excited for Santa to come that it was hard to get them to go to bed.

The kids woke at midnight and said that they were ready for opening presents. We sent them back to bed and said that they had to wait until morning. Luckily they stayed in bed the rest of the night. When they woke in the morning we made them wait in the hall until we could put on Christmas music and turn on the tree lights and build a fire. Then they rushed in to see what Santa brough. We found out then they had already snuck in at midnight and so they already knew what Santa brought. We then took turns opening presents. It was a lot of fun! After opening presents we talked about one special present that we were given on Christmas and had the kids open a box with baby Jesus in it. We told them that Jesus was the real reason we have Christmas and is a special present that our Heavingly Father has given us. We then placed him in the manger.

After getting ready for the day we had some friends over for breakfast with our traditional waffles with ice cream (Thanks to the Carricks). It was so much fun. The rest of the day we talked to family on the phone, and played with our toys (spent a lot of time building lego sets) and played our new Wii gaming system. It was so nice to just relax and have fun.

The day after Christmas we decided to head to the hills and do a little sledding. It was cold, but so much fun. We did it for a couple of hours and then came home and had some hot chocolate.

For new years we had some other friends over and played video games. Well we mainly had a golf playoff while the kids watched a movie. We did make it to midnight, which doesn't happen very often for us.

New Years day we slept in, did some cleaning around the house, and then headed to the park to play a little baseball. Poor T got hit in the face with the ball and got a bloody nose so we had to take care of that. He decided he was finished with baseball so J and M played while me and T played at the playgroung. It was a fun afternoon and good to get out and about.

Anyway, Happy New Years to everyone. Wish you all the best in 2009!

Activities before Christmas

This week was really great and fun. It was busy and hectic, but we made it through. We just put all cleaning and chores aside and will have to get to them this week.

Anyway as a summary of the week:

• Helped out at school just about every day with last minute Christmas crafts, gifts, and other stuff.


• Tyler's class made their gingerbread houses, way fun!


• Went to the kids Christmas program at Kern McGee Center and School.


• Class Christmas parties.


• Visited Justin's work -- the kids had a blast throwing paper airplanes from a top floor of an airplane hanger.


• Went to the Los Angeles temple and saw the Christmas lights, as well as did some service for others.


• Went to a wedding at an Old Baptist Church (which was very cool, but I didn't get pictures).


• Visited Justin's Brother in north L.A.


• Wished for snow, but we never got it -- maybe this week, I can still wish can't I. I only want one day, that is it.


• Visited live nativity at church.
  

Our Christmas Card

We decided to go green this year and send a paperless Christmas Card!
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to everyone!

Love of Nativities

I really love to look at all of the wonderful Nativity Scenes that there are out there.Luckily I have several, thanks to my AWESOME mom who gives me a new one just aboutevery year. All have special meaning to me and really help me to understand what Christmas is all about. Thank you mom! Here is a song that I dedicate to the nativity:

(tune of Oh Christmas Tree)

Oh Nativity, Oh Nativity

I really love to see thee

Oh Nativity, Oh Nativity

Thou does set my heart with glee

Just looking at you around my front room

tends to wipe away my inner gloom

Oh Nativity, Oh Nativity

Oh what a sight to see

If we only knew what all thought there

beneath the shining light all shared

Oh Nativity, Oh Nativity

I so appreciate the thoughts you bring to me

This is my recent addition that my WONDERFUL mom crocheted

I love it! It is so fun to see every day and I know it was made with lots and lots of LOVE!

Spirit of Christmas

In the hustle and bustle of this season it seems that the time goes by way too fast and after I always wonder did I stop to think about what true meaning of this season really is. I would like this year to have our Christmas more centered on Christ. In this months Ensign President Monson talks about the Spirit of Christmas. He mentions that if you take the ending off of Christmas the true meaning of Christmas is "The Spirit of Christ". He also mentions that: "true happiness comes only by making others happy...", "giving not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit", we forgive our enemies, remember friends, and obey God.

Those are all great things to think about and ponder this Christmas season. I was really grateful for that article because I want to be happy and also remember to put Christ into my Christmas rather than get all caught up in the commercialism of the season. We have traditions that we have to help us in this, but I would like to know what you blurkers out there do to have the "Spirit of Christ" in your Christmas? So tag you are all it!!!!

Get to know you Christmas

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrapping paper
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial, I'm a little freaked out by in home tree fires from dry trees
3. When do you put up the tree? Already did on Monday
4. When do you take the tree down? After New years
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes,but not alot
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Anything Star Wars
7. Hardest person to buy for? Justin
8. Easiest person to buy for? Tyler and Mackay
9. Do you have a nativity scene? yes, at least 7
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, but am thinking of emailing this year to save money
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Don't Know
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas and The Christmas Story
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? October
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably, but don't recall
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Hot Chocolate and Cinnamon Rolls
16. Lights on the tree? White
17. Favorite Christmas song? Too Many to list
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home for this year
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Of course
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? In the morning the earlier the better
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? That is starts earlier and ealier every year, in a commercialized way anyway.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red and Green/Nativity
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham, Cheesy Potatoes, hot rolls, etc..
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I don't know, I am hard to shop for too!

Freezing Cold Snow

For Thanksgiving we took off to Southern Utah to visit with family. It was so much fun and relaxing. We enjoyed a quiet, rainy Thanksgiving where I cooked my 2nd Turkey which turned out so nice and moist, yay!
The next day we headed up in the mountains to find some snow, we just had to sled. Boy was it cold, there was this wind that chilled us, well me I should say. Everyone else was just fine, I am such a whimp. Anyway, the snow was too powdery so we ended up pulling the kids up and down this road, they thought it was great. They also found a little hill that they were finally able to slide down. I stayed in the truck with my father-in-law towards the end of our adventure, because we were both so cold

Here are the kids enjoying a good ride.

Our Family Christmas Photo. Burr!

The kids attempt at decorating a gingerbread house.

Also while we were there we went out a did a little bit of shooting. I hadn't done it in forever, but found out that I am quite the shot. We bought some cheap pop and shook it up and then shot the cans. It was pretty cool to see the pop cans explode and froth all over when it was hit. I shot several of the cans but in one of my shots I hit one can at such an angle that the bullet also went through a second can just up the ledge from the first. I very lucky shot, but everyone was so impressed with me. I guess I have another talent, I don't know if it is one I am proud of but I can hold my own if I ever had to shoot something, maybe???

Today I spent the day unpacking, laundry, dusting, vacuuming, putting away the Thanksgiving decoration, and putting up the Christmas decorations, whew, no wonder I am so tired tonight.