One more tradition

Todd had two more days off that we werent expecting - so he was home Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon and Tues! It was great!! We went to the rec center to swim and also went to Garden of the Gods and had lunch at Souper Salad with Todd's parents.

Monday we did our yearly sleep by the Christmas Tree night. We really dont fit very well, but we always make it work. We read Christmas stories and visited. It was very fun.

Catch up on December activities

Trevor in his school play

Brandon's band concert

Ward nativity/party/dinner

Christen with friends and Santa

Christen as Artemis

The kids had all sorts of stuff before school ended. Brandon had and awesome band concert. Trevor had the leading part in his winter performance. He was "G. T." - glad tidings - and somehow was convinced to wear green tights and a green tutu for the outfit. They wanted him to wear a green leotard but I didnt want to buy one. The tights were a dollar at Target and I actually made the tutu.

Christen had her school winter performance - seperate from Trevor's and she had Greek day with a greek play the day before school let out. She was Artemis - goddess of the moon. Oh and yeah, her class party for which I am the room mom, was that same day too. Brandon also had a part in the ward Christmas nativity at the ward party and he had a small speaking part in the Christmas ward program. Todd and I were both in the choir and ensembles. Busy times!!

Todd has been busy with his new calling as 2nd Counselor in Young Men's. They had a temple trip with the youth to do baptisms. It was a great experience for Brandon. I was put in a new presidency in the Stk Primary. I am still 1st counselor with a new president, Shanna, who I have known from living here so long and a new counselor who I didnt know. The secretary stayed the same. It will be a good growing experience for all of us.

Merry Christmas!!

Nativity Play with the neighbors and visit from Santa!

Christmas morning - Traditional kids on the stairs, Brandon got a huge lego set, Trevor a hi tide/ rip stick, Christen an mp3 player and webkins, Todd and I a GPS - I am so excited! We also got a Wii. So Fun!

When Todd's parents came for Christmas dinner they gave each of the kids a special CTR ring. However, before they knew what it was, Grandpa had wrapped them up in 1000's of plastic bags and newspapers and then in big boxes and packing peanuts. It was funny watching then unwrap, and unwrap and unwrap. Gpa was having some fun! - It was a mess to clean up - especially those staticy packing peanuts!!

Christmas aftermath

I made hats and scarves for all of us -- learned that at enrichment!

Doggie Party - Angus and Odie

Angus and Misty

Cake!!

Ok -December flew by and the blogging just didnt happen. Since my kids have been home from school I have to fight for computer time. Today was wonderful. We hung out and had Todd's parents here for dinner. Unfortunately, our children are not old enough to want to sleep in, so we were up at 5 AM!! Crazy. At least the day always seems longer - more time together. I did take a nap by 9:30 AM. I had to or I would be bad mood mom for sure!! Last night we had two sets of neighbors over to do the nativity play and have hot chocolate after. It was nice. They had not done this as a tradition, so it was fun to share what we do as a family. Then we watched the dvd Joy to the World. As that was finishing up we had a special surprise visitor --Santa! It was great. our kids and our neighborkids thought that was the best!!


By the way, yesterday I did two things that I never have before. I tried roasted Chestnuts - you know - like the song --Chestnuts roasting on an open fire -- and at the same place I tried the chestnuts (our neighbors Dave and Denise) we were invited to a doggie 1st birthday party. They are really into their dogs - and they dont have kids - so they had a party for Angus. We have gotten to know Angus because I have help by letting him out during the day time as he was being trained. He really is the best and most friendly doberman that I have ever seen. I am not really much of a big dog person, but he is a good dog. Anyway, there was doggie ice cream and cake and then people ice cream and cake. Wow!! I also really liked the chestnuts. You have to score them before baking them and they come out soft. Two new experiences in one day!!

A Joyful Noise!!

He is way in the back middle.

Another concert for Todd. -- and a good noise coming from him!! see post below. It was a great Christmas concert and was just down the road at a local church - which is good because the snow has been really coming down! The kids think it may be a snow day - or at least a late start.
Anyway, It was just Todd and I for this one. It has been fun to watch him enjoy himself so much as he has picked up his trombone again. He has been in the band for 2 years now and it has been a great stress reliever and "out" for him.
If you are interested in listening scroll down to my blue playlist and pause before listening to the concert.

noises at night.

Before I even start I would like to say how much I dearly love my husband.

OK - A few months ago my friend Suzette wrote in her blog about having a fire alarm chirper go off in the middle of the night. We had just recently had one too so I could totally relate. Why is it always in the middle of the night anyway? There are other noises that you just wake up to hear - like an ambulance or your kids being sick in the bathroom, babies crying etc.

So last night, I woke up multiple times to Todd SNORING --LOUDLY. I would tap him or make him roll over but it never really stopped and he could not hear himself. Just as I was drifitng off again at 3 am I heard him get up. Unbelievable. I had not heard it - nor do I EVER hear Misty, our dog whimper ever so quietly to go out. She is all the way downstairs in the family room in her kennel.

We have gone through this alot lately because he always says he hears her and cant ignore her until he goes down to let her out. Go figure - he sure does sleep through all of his noise. Then sometimes he even says that the noise he thinks is Misty wimpering is actually me snoring. - It is possible.

I took a nap today. We will see how tonight goes.

Today I Have a Teenager!

Brandon also recenty won an award at school for Belief - not sure what that entailed, but we are proud of him!

I know we already had the party and all that but today is the actual day. I cant believe he is so old - which also makes me so old!! I made him pinkie promise that he would be a good teen. He really is a good kid. We had a big breakfast at home today and then we all went to see Bolt at the movies. We all thought it was really cute! Brandon was excited that we got him that new JK Rowling book. I cant remember what it is called. He got a couple of shirts but the main thing was the party last month. We went to Target and got a few things then went home and finally got our outdoor lights up. They look pretty good - except for one very large exposed orange cord. Now it is to dark to deal with it.

Brandon had to go to speak at a Priesthood Preview tonight. He just got home so I will post pics later. Its time for cake!! Speaking of cake - or too much thereof - I have made a big decision that I want to write it down to make it official. I am joining Weight Watchers this Tuesday. YIKES!! It is a necessary evil Im afraid. I dont seem to have the will power this time. I've been so disapointed with myself lately.

Well. . . wish me luck.

Missing - glasses

I really know that I am getting old because I keep losing things --alot -- This time I am not totally blaming myself. Brandon's glasses have been missing now for 6 days. Usually when something is lost it shows up in a day or two but this is really rediculous!! We have turned our house upside down looking everywhere -the obvious places and the not so obvious. It is driving us all CRAZY. Todd put out a bounty to the the finder out to Sonic for lunch and that helped -but still to no avail.

Today at dinner Brandon said," I think we should have milk." It wasn't on the table but when he got it out we were all laughing because at some point he had put a missing -wanted sign on the milk like they do for missing children. The funny thing us that we rarely ever get the cartons of milk because we get the gallon jugs. Anyhow, it was funny.

In the meantime he is going to take his old glasses that he really dislikes until we either find them or - Feb when we can get him in for his next insurance paid visit to the Eye Dr. We thought about getting glasses at say, Walmart, but as soon as we do that they will turn up and then in Feb when he goes in for the yearly check up the perscription will have changed and we are out again some - but not as much.

Oh Well. . .

Oh Christmas Tree

A few weeks ago we were amazed as we watched our neighbors putting up their outdoor lights. Now we are wishing we had been as wise. It snowed 7 inches all day on Sunday. Light may have to wait awhile. Of course, it was clear and 50 degrees today! Typical. Anyhow, we have been working on the inside decorations this weekend. It is always a major undertaking because we have a big tree in a small front room. It is worth it even if we have to move a chair out. One funny thing that happened was that when we moved things around I decided we might as well vacuum, getting the edges and dust everything. I had Christen use the duster that we had just gotten at the dollar store. She said, "Mom, why are we doing this?" (referring to the dusting) It came out funny I guess because Im not much of a duster. I said, "well, most people dust monthly - or more, but we dust less than that!" - quarterly - or yearly in some spots when we rearrange to to the tree. My bad!

To top it of fthe next day when Todd was helping to put the tree up he kept on sneezing. I asked him if he was ok and he said,"Oh it is just the dust." Guess who picked up a new job?! Kidding.

Anyhow, even though we are still in a bit of a mess it has been fun preparing for Christmas. Today for FHE I shared the White Envelope story and we will do that as a family.