Christmas Is Really Coming!

Okay, so it seems real now. We decorated our tree yesterday and our stockings are hung. We are enjoying yummy treats from good friends (I can feel a couple extra pounds already). Christmas music is playing in our home. I am lovin' it!

Christmas Tag

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. The lazy side of me would like to do bags and I guess I do sometimes for adults, etc. But, the kids have gotta have wrapping paper....way more fun!

2. Real tree or Artificial? We did artificial for years, but last year I got Todd switched back to Real. woohoo!

3. When do you put up the tree? Ummm, too late, unfortunately. It was put up last Sat, and it's still waiting to be decorated.

4. Do you like eggnog? Oh yea. Anything that is fattening is guaranteed to be good!

5. Favorite gift received as a child? Have you not heard that I have NO long term memory? Well, I do remember a sweatshirt that a cute boy gave me as a teenager with some jelly bellies. I must've liked that sweatshirt an awful lot cause I ended up marrying that blonde stud!

6. Hardest person to buy for? The previous mentioned hunk of love. He always buys what he wants...even if it's two weeks before his bday or Christmas. argh!

7. Easiest person to buy for? All my kids. There is always something they are wishin' for.

8. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, my parents bought it for us a few years back.

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. But, now that you mention it, I gotta learn how to email 'em. great idea!

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Really?! Like I'd mention it even if I did remember it. The giver might read my blog. But, I really don't remember one.

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Grinch, I guess. It's hard not to get emotional when they start singing at the end.

12. When do you start shopping? Middle of December.

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Hope not.

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? All the goodies everyone drops off:).

15. Lights on the tree? Colored and white. Love the lights!

16. Favorite Christmas song? I love Christmas music :) It's one of my Favorite parts. Mary, DId

you know? O, Holy Night, O Come All Ye Faithful. Handel's Messiah. I could go on and on. Love all the fun Santa songs too.

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home.

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Probably not. Maybe if I started singing the song.

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Growing up it was one on Christmas Eve night at my Grandparents' (and now it's at my parents' house) and the rest on Christmas morning.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? nothing. love it all.

22. Favorite ornament theme or color? I stick with the traditional red and green. (I'm too cheap

to buy new colors/decorations every year).

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I can't think of something specific. I enjoy it all.

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? I'd like to say "nothin' ". I got it all. Cause I do -as far as family, friends, health, and happiness, etc. But, I always have something on a wish list too. Maybe that's where my kids get it. So, this year, it has to do with my photography:)

Awesome Date Night

Last Thursday night, we had a good ol' fashioned date night. It was a blast! Five couples headed out to South Mountain for some horseback riding and dinner. It was a full moon and so we rode by moonlight up in the mountains, seeing some beautiful views of the city lights as we went along.

We rode to the Tbone Steakhouse where we enjoyed a delicious cowboy dinner while the horses were tied up to hitching posts in the back. When we finished, we got back up into our saddles and headed home. It was so fun and there was such a beautiful view. Plus, we had great company. :)

Jason, Megan, Randy, and Arloa (with horse Baylee).

Todd, Catherine, and horse Trigger.

Cindy, Bobby, and horse Roxie. Cindy was our entertainment....singing some Christmas songs until she got them stuck in my head for the entire ride!

And Dusty the horse, Tammi, Clay the horse, and Greg.

We had a wonderful time and can't wait to do it again!

Bare Bums

The 3 Potty trained cousins showed off their newly acquired skills by watering the grass at the same time. Jonathan won the Fastest Pee Job Award. Jackson won the Best Tilted Hips Award. And, Weston won the contest for the Farthest Shot and for the Longest Lasting Squirt. Way to go Wes:). Gotta love it!

A Day to Be Grateful

(First of all....a big thanks to Nora who let me take the pics from her camera since I came unprepared....without a camera.) We spent Thanksgiving Day up in Pine with Todd's side of the family. It was beautiful up there. I was so disgusted with myself for missing such a great photo-op with all the leaves and beautiful scenery and beautiful people there.

Grandpa and Grandma had all these leaves for the kids to come play in....and then it rained:(.

Luckily, kids being kids, they didn't care and still jumped into the wet, soggy leaf pile:).

Here's Megan making the gravy. yummy.

l to r: Lauren, Me, Wayne, and Linda gather around the table....like vultures waiting for their kill.

Well, at least I was.

Sierra and Kalea start filling up their plates.

Can you tell that Lance loves mashed potatoes n gravy. Who doesn't?!

Zane ( the clown with the silly face) and Mason chose to eat out on the front porch. I am not sure why they didn't join us all on the back porch. ??

We had a wonderful meal. All the traditional dishes. Everything was great. And, we all ate too much, of course.

Kalea, Lance, and Lauren share a cousin moment on the couch. How cute. I told Lance that he could share this picture with his friends and then say these girls were his girlfriends....that were in "high school". Who would know they were really his cousins? Is that why he is smiling so big?!

And, of course, Sierra spend the entire time playing with Grandma Nonie's kitten.

The men quickly passed out after eating too much. (l to r: Todd, Jason, and Mike....with Sierra in the middle trying to figure out WHY everyone was sleeping in the middle of the day!

And, then, the real fun began. I suggested getting some fingernail polish and boy, did Grandma Nonie jump on it. Here's Jason getting his manicure while he sleeps. I think he liked his red fingernails.

Weston and Alivia had fun cuddling up with their "baby" teddy bears. How cute?

Overall, we had a wonderful time. We always do, of course. We are so blessed to always have food to eat, work to do, friends and family to play with, and to love. We are so blessed to live in this great country, our wonderful neighborhood, and ward. We are so blessed to have the knowledge of the gospel in our lives. ...To know that our Savior loves us and that He died for us so that we can have an eternal family. ....Cause that's what it's really all about. Family togetherness.

It truly was a day to be grateful. Well... everyday is, thankfully so:).

Our Family Home Evening

We try to be good. We try to hold our family home evenings. We try to have a lesson where all four kids actually sit and listen and participate. But, somehow, it always seems to end up like this.

Somebody's always distracted. Somebody always wants to goof off. Is this because I have three boys? Or is it something in their raising? A lack of discipline? Or is it in their genes? probably their father's genes, right:) Have you heard the stories about him? jk

At least we can claim that we "bonded" ...we grew closer together....literally....during our family home evening, right?!

Sneaky Dog!

Hmmm. Why is Cash looking so guilty?

Double hhhhmmmm..... Why is the recliner mysteriously rocking as we enter the room when we get home? No one has been home....except that dogs that is. Surely, no. ????

Cash KNOWS that he is not allowed on the furniture. Yet, when we feel the seat on the recliner it is warm and Cash is looking very guilty!!

Sneaky dog. He knows to get off before we come in. Smart dog. But, the recliner gives him away as it continues to rock. So, Cash gets in trouble. Bad dog.

Now when we come home, the recliner isn't rocking anymore. Good dog? But, the seat is still warm when we go check. Hmmmm. Very Smart dog. Very Sneaky dog.