WARNING...long post...but follow along if you care...
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Christmas Eve at Grammy & Papa J's. We call it "chips, dips and dorks". Fun presents, too!!
Through the eyes of a 3 year old and her world. This is what happens when she gets your camera. Some pretty good shots though ey?

Getting ready for Santa. Carrots, nuts, toffee, caramels, couple of cookies and a good 'ol Dt. Coke.

The big kids on Christmas morning!!

L's Christmas. He received LOTS of surprises, though most NOT on his Christmas list. He got "hooked up".

Christmas was so fun this year with a 3 year old. Her expressions were priceless. Before opening every gift she excitedly asked "what is it"? She was maticulous at peeling of EV.ER.Y piece of paper and tape. M received LOTS of fun stuff. Her most favorite was her pink and black soccer kleats.

The FAMILY gift surprise was a trip to DIS.NEY.LAND!!!

It's very rare to get ALL five kids together...so this is the best family shot we could get.

We took out our Christmas gifts and went shooting together. It was pretty cold, but fun to be together. M was hooked up hanging out in the Suburban watching a movie and a buffet of snacks. She even took a turn at shooting with Daddy's help. A friend loaned us their AR15...WOW, did that have a KI.CK!!

My sister and her family came in to town the day after Christmas...so we were NOT done partying...it only got started. We had a progressive dinner with our families, since we normally hang out at Grammy & Papa J's house. We had appetizers and a "message" at my house. Along the way to the #2 house we had to sing a song with whoever was in the car and then had a salad and played a game. At #3 house we had delicious cheesy potato soup and played another game. It was fun to see their homes and the holiday decorations.

These are all the faces I love the most...good lookin' aren't they?? The cute kids in the bigger ones, my siblings and their spouses along the sides and then Grammy & Papa J, too. My Hubby and I didn't make the cut.

We got to have cousin McK spend the night. For fun we got up early and went to Hagerman's Bakery for french toast. The kids thought it was great and YUMMY.

While waiting for our "next activity"...this is what kept the kids entertained for almost an hour folks...PIPE CLEANERS...everyone should have a stash of these for the car, church bag or the kitchen drawer. They kids were so creative and had lots of fun.

We took the whole clan to see the "Squeaquel". There were these cute figurines, taller than the kids and of course had to take pictures.

It was SO.MUCH.FUN being together, the cousins playing together and hanging out with my brothers and sister and their spouses. I'm so grateful we could all be together and have fun. We created so many memories. Though it's so crazy loud and busy with all the kids together, I cherishe the time we have together and look forward to the next time.

Happy New Year (and thanks for hangin' with me). xoxo-m.e.

We've been talking to M over the past couple of weeks about getting rid of her "passy". She is 3 now and we still have some "baby-ish" things going on...but she's potty trained and sleeps in her own bed every night...so we're good there. I decided that involving Santa on this occasion was the right way to go. We started talking about it and she wasn't going for it. She insisted Santa was going to given them back to her. We tried to convince her that Santa would give them to the "baby elfs" at the North Pole (cause they need them right?).

She had her fist visit with Santa at the mall. That went well, she loved him. We didn't have the "passy" with us cause it was a totally spontaneous moment to see him. But as we kept "running in to" Santa over the past couple of weeks, we talked about it and kept reminder her she was going to give them to him. She seemed okay with it.

Well, we heard Santa was going to be stopping by the Babysitter's house to check in on her and see if she was being a good girl. This was it...it was the time to give 'em up. She seemd excited but I don't think she really realized they were going to be gone for good. We put them all (6) in a baggey and she headed out the door for the day.

Apparently, she anxiously waited all day for him to come and as soon as he walked thru the door she ran to him with the bag of "passies" in hand...

She's still holding on to them with Santa...but they didn't come home with us.

We did let her keep "1", her favorite...and when that one is "lost"...it's lost. Christmas Eve is still in a couple of days...she might give the final one up then. Baby steps...

(she's our last one and we'll stretch it as long as we can get)

Here's your holiday greeting!!

L graduated from the N.O.V.A. program this week.
Nurturing Opportunities Values and Accountability

All 6th graders participate in the program.

This little girl LoVeS to draw...anywhere.
She will soon LeArN how to clean the walls, too!!

I'm so going...just booked our "luxury suite"...2 more spots available in our room...Anyone??

http://www.digitalscrapbookmemories.com/default.asp.

One of our family holiday activities this year was going to a live nativity in Alpine. We bundled up and headed out to brave the cold. There were soldiers riding horses and we walked a lit path to a barn. The barn had live animals and people dressed during the time of Christ. Some of them were working, baking and playing as the people did. We walked another lit path to another barn. There we saw the setting of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus in a manger. It was the most sweetest, reverent feeling. There were about 10 adults and 6-8 children at the time...not one of them made a "peep". M stood at the little fence and just stared...not saying a word (shocker I know, she is my daughter). As we left she whispered to My Hubby..."that was baby Jesus".

(click on each picture for a closer look)

After the nativity we went back to Grammy & Grampa's house for a wonderful meal. G&G had a gift for each of the grandkids...yep...jammies!! They loved opening their first Christmas present of the year. They all looked so cute, warm and cuddly.

Thank you Grammy & Grampa for a wonderful evening of food, family and fun!

We had a Holiday Reindeer Party at work for the folks I work with. My boss' family raises actual reindeer and brings them over for them to reside at a well known place here in Utah for the holiday season. The reindeer were beautiful and amazing. Apparently, they only bring over the best looking ones, that still have antlers. The reindeer left at home had either broken ones or they had fallen off. While we watched these beautiful creatures get unloaded from their trailer and check out their new holding place we kept hearing a "clicking" sound. We learned the reason for "up on the house tops click, click, click"...it was their ankles. WOW!!

L was a HUGE helper and helped me set up the arena for Santa, our singing entertainer, hot chocolate and donuts. It was ABS.O.LU.TLY FrEeZiNg and he stuck it out the whole time. At the end of the night when someone handed me a pair of gloves I gave a funny look as to "why are you handing me these"...I found out L had given them to our entertainer because he didn't have any and his hands were freezing. I got a little choked up. He did it all by himself.

M loved the reindeer and Santa. She was totally giddy and excited...and totally freezing, too.

Our Thanksgiving Day started out going by going "shooting" with some friends. Not for a turkey for our dinner, but just some good 'ol fun. I've never been shooting before, nor have I E.V.E.R. held a gun. So this was a new experience for me (and Megan in tote); I was going to shoot for my first time. I watched the guys all shoot and was especially impressed with Ls maturity and responsibility. I was very proud of him. M loved being with "all the guys" but wasn't too crazy about the noise of the shots. She started out wearing her ear protection but it soon was worn by the guys who came unprepared. M was very happy in the back of the Suburban organizing and playing with the bullet casings.

It was quite a rush shooting a "Glock 23"...whatever the heck that means...it's a black gun for all I can remember; the "22 caliber rifle" was pretty easy.

The best part was that it was...just some "good 'ol family fun" being together.

We didn't wake up "crack of dawn/middle of the night" to go shopping, but did head out too see the remains of the destruction the next morning around 10am and still wound up with some great deals on what we were looking for.

L and I decided we needed to be part of the exciting celebration of ReAL Salt Lake winning the MLS Championship. We bundled up and headed down to Rio Tinto Stadium. They offered free hot chocolate and popcorn! It was so fun to be there and hoot n' holler for the players. We got to stand in line to get a picture with the actual trophies in a "special" room. I'll post that later once the photographer posts it on his website. It was a fun night just me n my 'lil guy.

(can you see the trophy there right in the middle?)

We think M is quite the artist. Look what she drew and she's only 3! She says it's Mickey Mouse (the one in the lower right corner). I was sitting at the table while she started drawing it and was absolutely amazed at what she was drawing and watching her little hand move. She filled in the eyes and nose...I love how she drew the mouth...and wiskers to boot! The one to the left of it has a straight mouth; I asked her why, she said he was sad. Is that a sign of something when children draw a sad face...she's the happiest kid I know.

To celebrate M's 3rd Birthday we went to Disney's Princess on Ice.
She L.O.V.E.D. it. Of course, every day after that for the past week she's asked if we were going to Princess on Ice. Good thing I got some video so she can relive it.

Grammy gave M all the plush Princess Dolls, hopefully this is the beginning of "girly".

M just celebrated her 3rd Birthday. Where has the time gone??
She is such a big girl. M amazes us everyday with her vocabulary and word usage.
We, of course, think she's the smartest 3 year old around.
She just gets it.

Thanks to "Nonnie", M got a cake. Check it out. It looks like a HUGE cupcake.

And it wouldn't be a birthday without singing..."Happy Birthday to you"!!

(sorry...we're not MOTAB)

This is L's last year of the "Halloween Costume Parade" at school.
He was Luigi from Super Mario Brothers.
I was impressed we created this costume for under $20 (well, thanks to my SIL for letting him borrow her overalls).
He left his moustache in the classroom and the teacher wouldn't let him go back and get it...but you get the gist of it, ya?

Trick-or-Treating with the cousins. I love getting together with my brothers and their families for Trick-or-Treat night. The Dads take the kids out in the cold and the Moms stay home and warm up the soup and yummies and wait for them to come home. It's become a fun tradition. Everyone had a great time and got plenty of candy. M was way into it this year and knew exactly what was going on. L...I think he's getting a little old for it, but it's fun anyways.

M was a "Garden Gnome" for Halloween. These are her funny faces.

L played on a competitive soccer team this past fall...Grasshoppers FC. They had a pretty good first season and finished 5th out of 11 teams. L had a great personal season. We challenged him that if he scored 5 goals we would take him out to dinner to Texas Roadhouse. It didn't take him long to score 5...and we were off to a delicious dinner of "fall off the bone ribs". He was thrilled. L got a 6th goal in the final game and it was so beautiful My Hubby thought he deserved a trip to TR (anything for ribs)!!! The night of the final season his coach arranged for the boys to get down on the field for the opening ceremonies of the ReAL game. They were so excited!! And ReAL won to put them in the semi-finals!! Gooooooo Grasshoppers!

M likes to sing...here's her latest...enjoy!!

My sister-in-law's and I took our kids to Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point.

They all had so much playing with each other and at the different events there.

My dang camera battery died half way thru all the fun...so this is all I've got.

SILs have all the rest thank heavens...so enjoy these!

Mommas and their babies!!

I know this pictures is a lil inappropriate...but we're soooo proud of M...she's officially potty trained!!
Her sitter started working on it in January but M refused to "be a big girl" at home.
So she was potty trained 8am-5pm, but not at home. Finally it took one day in WalMart when she had pooped her pants and then wanted to go potty (we were in the back of the store with a cart full of groceries.)
I told her too bad go in your diaper (please don't call DCFS on me).
She picked out some new panties and as soon as we got home she put them on and has officially potty trained at home ever since.

My brothers and my Hubby played softball these past couple of weeks.
It was fun to sit in the stands and cheer them on along with my sister-in-laws, parents,
and all the kids (nieces and nephews).
The "Royal Cubs" had a great season. The lost once and then were in the championship game,
which turned out to be a looooooong night.
Unfortunately, the came in 2nd place and walked away with a t-shirt...woot woot!!

The individual photos of my brothers crack me up...I made them pose as they did when they were kids playing little league.
The were eager to do it. They're such kids at heart.

My new Halloween decoration!!

L received a CEO (Chief Example to Others) Award for "Excellence in Math".
M is progressing along with her circles and drawing.
So proud of my kids!!