Christmas Day!

Christmas Day is a hectic holiday. We are only allowed a few hours with the kids on Christmas, so Daniel went and got the kids super early, rushed them back to our house to open presents, then we went to Ted and Kathy's for some delicious breakfast and more presents, then to Randy and Renee's for some MORE presents and some fun looking through vintage Barbie goods and then the kids had to be rushed back home. I think they got some pretty good loot! After the morning madness, I went to my parents for about an hour, then rushed to pick up Daniel and go to the Grow family party, where of course there was more food and more presents! After that, we headed up to Rebekah's for MORE treats and family time. While it was busy, it was a good day and good to be around family. Giftwise, Daniel got a new computer and some clothes and I ordered myself a new compact digital camera (it didn't come in time for Christmas) and Danny got me some perfume and a new karaoke game. Here are a few pictures, unfortunately we didn't take many.

Christmas Eve...

On Christmas Eve, we joined the family at Ted and Kathy's house for yummy food and good times. We ate, talked, played a game of Imaginiff and later, we even got a visit from Santa!

Noelle wasn't so sure about Santa, until he gave her chocolate.

Boo had his own special moment with Santa.

All the sisters with Santa.

The whole gang, in our natural state. I love this picture!
After the party, Daniel and I went home and got into our coordinating Christmas jammies.
Love him!

Holiday fun...

I have a few things I need to catch up on! December went by way too fast, but at least we did lots of fun things while it passed! We had Daniel's company party, my salon party, we went to Desert Star Playhouse with our good friends Erica and Joe (and Andee and Kelly!) which was my first time there and I loved it, we had a Christmas dinner with friends and I got to go to Hale Center Theatre with Erica and her family for their annual trip to "A Christmas Carol". (Thanks Kalie for letting me be your date! I love you guys!)

The only thing that was documented was the dinner with friends. We had a big feast at our house and we played Phase 10 all night after that. Here are some pictures, and for more, you can check out Aubrie's blog here.
Shiloh and Michelle.
Aubrie and Ron.
Koy wanted to play too.
Then Koy laughed at us when he beat us. (He's so cute!)

Holiday Cheer

Just wanted to thank the neighbor children for helping the Christmas deer population grow. Look for a fawn or 2 on our lawn in the coming months.

Movin' on up...

So, I don't know if anyone has noticed, but snow has decided to finally fall across Utah (and apparently Vegas) over the last week. Well, lucky me, I have been able to do nothing. My tires are completely bare, so driving in the snow is pretty much a death trap. After Daniel's company party on Saturday, we lost all control on 2-15 on the way home. There's nothing quite like not being able to control your car on the freeway with other cars whizzing past you during a snowstorm. We were able to make it home, and I have sworn off driving in the snow since. We thought about getting new tires, but since we have upgraded wheels, the cheapest tire we could find was $130 each. We decided that wasn't worth it. We have been thinking about trading our car in for awhile now, because the Mazda just didn't offer enough room for us, plus 3kids (one of which is Daniel-sized). So after some browsing, research and mad haggling, tonight we traded our car in for something a little more family friendly. It's the Subaru Tribeca. It seats 7 but is still in the "mid-size suv" family. I wasn't quite ready to jump to minivan family status, so the mid size is just right for me. We got a good deal and kept our payment right about the same as it was, which was the only way we were willing to do it. It's fully loaded and I love it!

O Christmas Tree?

I have an obsession with Christmas. Truly. I have to literally force myself not to decorate or start listening to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving. That's my own personal rule, since I think its crap that all the stores start pushing holidays before the previous holiday has even happened. Thanksgiving deserves its time. Now that that time is over..it's Christmasland at my house.

Usually I decorate the house with everything but the tree until a few weeks before Christmas. I have had a live tree since I was born and it is a huge symbol of Christmas for me. Daniel has been fighting me on this for the last year. He says he is always the one who waters it and carries it around and then it dies and makes a mess and blah,blah,blah. I recognize that all of those points are true. It just doesn't feel right to call something artificial a freakin' tree.

Well, then came Thanksgiving day when we were offered a really nice, great sized, FREE fake tree. (Thanks Renee and Randy!) Fast forward... I am now the proud owner of a fake Christmas tree. What I love..that I can have my tree up the day after Thanksgiving too. And I have no complaining from the watering husband. I do miss the smell and the uber full branches, but I may not turn back now.

Lovin' is what I got.. I said remember that.

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving. It was also the 27th of November, 2008.

I just want you who matter to know that I have one word going for me.