Surviving Christmas

Do you think me Scrooge-ish that by 3 pm on Dec. 26th all our Christmas decor was packed and put away? Even the tree? I just can't help it---it feels as if we have twice as many new toys in the house that have yet to be broken and sneaked away into the garbage, so I need to de-clutter somehow.
Moving on to the small sample of Chritstmas pix that I will share with the public...
Here is the Christmas Eve snow activity before moving on to the pizza/program/white stocking/cemetery visit with the C fam.



Christmas morn around 7:45 am: Here is Ethan's derriere, Mitch appearing to be standing on him, Ike's excitement at wearing new clothes, and Hub figuring out how to work a toy.



Christmas night in our new pajamas (this is only the second year of new pajamas. It seemed like everybody gets new pajamas for Christmas so we quickly caved into peer pressure). See what good little thespians they are? You would really think they were sleeping if you thought Noelle actually sleeps with her eyes open and Mitch sleeps with a constant smile.

My Gift to You

I hate the cold weather. I hate having to bundle everybody up and then try not to lose any of the layers. I hate tracking snow and dirty slushy yucky stuff into houses. I hate getting in a cold bed. But Christmas time is not about me telling you my hates. It's about me sharing my coping mechanisms with you. So here you are and you may thank me later.
First, buy yourself this for your bed:It is a mattress cover warmer thingie! Like an electric blanket, but cooler because you can't see it. It warms your whole bed. I seriously turn it on at 3 pm so it will be nice and toasty hours later. (Can you tell how I really look forward to bedtime?)

Then I warm up the classic corn bag in the microwave and toss it in my bed. Two minutes and it's hot enough to fry you and make your bed smell a little like burnt popcorn. Who doesn't love that? (So Hub is a little tired of the burnt popcorn smell, but that's just cause it makes him hungry)


And finally the traditional cup of hot chocolate. Warmed in the microwave for a perfect 90 seconds. You shouldn't be able to gulp it. That means it's not hot enough. Hot chocolate is for sipping only. And as soon as Stephen's Gourmet Mint Truffle goes on a better sale I will be in heaven literally.

These three elements, a book (in addition to your scripture study and journal writing of course), and you are now a happy camper. Of course, about 20 minutes later you are throwing covers off and sweating a bit, but that is all part of the experience. Merry Christmas!

And as a bonus, here are the kiddies in front of the tree. Sending out Christmas cards is about #451 on the list right now and we're only on #2 (finish shopping already), so this may be the closest thing you get. Ciao.

Special Sister Post and Other Things to Make you Cry With Joy

It is Cold Cocoa's Birthday today! She was a little upset that I hadn't done a special sister post in her honor, but that would just make us seem like we're the kind of sisters that hug. And we're not, so instead I will show my love by revealing this about her: She has always been one of the people who makes me laugh the most. I can only say that about maybe three people so props to her. Plus she shares a lot of my vices and that makes me feel not so guilty about them. Props again. Hurray for sisters!

Moving on so everyone stops thinking about sisterly feelings and gets back to the exciting things of my life.... Look at our garage! Hub installed some cabinets from his parents' kitchen and put them in our garage to make us look fancy-pants organized. I can't wait for the kids to start playing in them and messing up whatever order exits right now.
And here is how Ike earns his room and board. Don't you love having kids who are finally old enough to do REAL labor (not the haphazard shoveling of clothes away and playing with wet rags) and not require your constant supervision?? I'm sure that his enthusiasm to help shovel had nothing to do with the novelty of the snow and he will be the first one out there every snow storm.
And we did get our Christmas tree so you can stop worrying about that. Hub and the kids decorated it while I was at YWs and I was OK with that. Why mess with ornament placement when it gets changed by the kiddies about 45 times a day? That is all.

We Party Hard Yet Again

This happens every year. After the first week of December we are all partied out. Between Hub's work, the ward and extended family parties we are mostly done with the festivities. It doesn't help that 4 of them were planned on the same day. Anyway. Here is some evidence of the good times.

Ethan telling Santa that he wanted a monster truck and a transformer. Both of which he already has and Santa Mama has some 'better' ideas.

Mitch telling Santa that he wanted a baby doll and a remote control car. He loves the attention he gets from saying he wants a baby doll. Last week it was a Barbie. Next week it'll be a HSM sundress. But for the record: he will not be receiving any gifts intended for females.This was as close as Noelle would get to Santy. She couldn't even look him in the eye. We're OK with this because it is really a strange custom to have people sit on a costumed man's lap.

Ike has never been into sitting on Santa's lap so this is the picture I captured. He corrupted Noelle by getting her to pose in this horrible cheesy manner.

Party #2 was w/ my siblings, our super loud offspring and my parents. There were several different kid crafts going on.

Ike and Mitch painting some Christmas decor. And below is Ethan with the favorite edible craft of all:the Christmas tree that is an upside down ice-cream cone decorated with green frosting and M&M ornaments. There was way too much finger licking involved in this craft and if I wasn't in such a great Christmas mood I could have gone postal (pet peeve of mine--finger licking. Now you know)

We closed out Saturday with a huge family party at DGs. Only one ariel photo kind of turned out.

With those major parties out of the way I was thinking we should have some evening openings to actually go get our Christmas tree (Hub insists on a live one) and to maybe get some shopping done. Somehow, our calendar has filled up again and I'm not sure when it will happen. So thanks for all the tree shots on everyone else's blogs. We may just have to enjoy yours this year!

We never waste a minute here at our house. Since there is no snow on the ground we decided to still pretend like it was summer and do summer things like take the training wheels off Ethan's bike. He was trying to do crazy things like pop wheelies and go off ramps and that just doesn't work when you have those two extra wheels hampering you, so it was high time he learned.
We went to the track where there was lots of room to steer and no cars to compete with. He loves feeling like a big kid.


We also decided it was time that Noelle learn some more important skills in life. So we taught her how to show her muscles. This is a rite of passage for all children. She is very good at it and does it with sound effects to boot. Sorry those grunts are not included.


As for the older two boys...Ike talked himself into believing in Santa for yet another year (so far) because, as he put it, "There is no way mom and dad would buy us that many presents!" So true, dear. And after another session of helping in Mitch's 1st grade class I am shocked at how much all the little girls love him. They want to sit by him and talk to him and play with him at recess. Maybe little first grade girls find hyper, loud, goofy boys very attractive. I think he's cute and all, but heck, I'm his mom.

What else? Hub finally finished putting up the Christmas lights. At ten o'clock at night. With his headlamp on. I tell you if your hubby doesn't have one of those put it on his Christmas list. Hub has accomplished lots of outside work after dark because of that handy tool.
We also had our PC crash and die. May it rest in peace. It no longer connects to the internet and so what is the point of existing, I ask you? Good thing I have a really old laptop to blog on. And That's All Folks.