Have a Very Merry Christmas!

From our family to yours

Charlie's Pre-School Christmas Program

Perfect Christmas Trees

I love the look of perfect Christmas trees, but I doubt I'll ever have one.  I love all my random ornaments too much.  Like the one I bought in Germany at that amazing Christmas store, the ones my dad sent from Alaska, the ones my mom gives to us every year with our names on them, the ones I made from a kit that one of my favorite roommates gave to me, the ornament set that we got for our wedding and the homemade ones my friends and I exchanged at a girls night Christmas party  when Mike was still in school.  They all make me so happy when I'm decorating the tree.  And that's what really matters.

Lovin' the Holiday Season

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday! We sure did.  This was my fourth turkey and I think I finally perfected my method.  It was moist and oh so yummy.  I've decided the key to making anything good is real butter.  We were sad that my dad couldn't make it, but also relieved that he wasn't out on the roads in the awful weather we've been having.  Thanks to Skype, we still got to spend some time with him.

After dinner, we all went to see Tangled.  It was such a fun movie!  Go see it!  And while there, we saw this poster.  The boys got so excited.  We'll be there opening day . . .

Picture of the Day

This kid did NOT want to come in for lunch.  And yes his mittens are pink.  We borrowed them from his aunts and haven't gotten around to giving them back.  They are just so soft!

I need some new crafty blogs

I've noticed lately that quite a few of my favorite blogs for craft ideas have stopped posting, or only post once a month with a few pictures.  Not that I blame them.  Blog burnout totally exists.  I've switched to mostly pictures, but I never have desired to have a following of more than just friends and family.  Trying to keep a blog interesting to thousands of readers would completely wear me out.  

Anyway, my point is that I need some new ones.  Blogs with beautiful crafty-ness that I can copy because let's face it, I've never been one for original ideas.  I'm just great at copying others' creative talents. ;)  So if you've got any current favorite crafty blogs (for moms or for kids), share with me please!  

By the way, if anyone isn't using google reader to keep up with your favorite blogs, you're missing out.

And here's a picture, just for the fun of it.

Halloween 2010

Once again, in SOOC pictures.  I think I'm going to have to ask Santa for PSE for Mac . . . hint hint . . .

The End

Just some pictures

I love this time of year.

Family Photos

We took family photos last night.  And there are a few that turned out really good!  This one, not so much.

And definitely not this one, where I'm telling Mike he has a zit.

I do love this one.  I think I might blow it up and frame it for my room.

So you want to see the good ones?  The ones we're using for our Christmas cards? Too bad. ;) When you get it in the mail box, I want it to be something you've never seen.  That is, if I get them sent out...

My grandma was a school teacher

My brother and I reading with Grandma E

I've been working on a few family history projects lately.  Scanning pictures mostly, but I've also been listening to my grandma read Ramona the Pest on cassette tape.  She originally made the tapes (and three others) to help us stay entertained on the LONG drive to see her.  We lived in Northern California and she and Grandpa lived in Southern Colorado.  Finding the tapes now though, is much more than entertainment.  They are an absolutely priceless.  I love that I can hear her turning the pages of the book.  I love the different inflections she uses for Ramona, Beezus, and their mother.  I love when she makes a little mistake and corrects herself.  She passed away in 2003 and I miss her terribly, but what a wonderful gift.  Something that took so little money, but a lot of time and a lot of love.  I'm putting them on CD so they will last forever.

Picture of the Day

I love Charlie's pre-school.

Congratulations Kylie

This is Mike's little sister

She's one of my boys' wonderful aunts.  (They have quite a few.)

She was elected homecoming queen.  You should have heard the roar of the crowd at this moment.

And here she is leaving the field with her parents, my wonderful in-laws.

Kylie, I can't believe how old you've gotten and what a beautiful person you are inside and out.  

We love you!

I feel a "wonderful aunts" series of posts coming on...

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

I know I say that every year, but it really is true.  Thanksgiving is overrated. The Christmas season is just too busy and expensive.  Halloween is perfect.  Fun decorations, pumpkin carving, warm autumn foods, and a "magical night of make believe."  I saw that written on some scrapbooking paper once, and it perfectly summed up the way I feel about the Halloween season.  Yes the candy is nice, and some people would tell you that candy is the point of this holiday, but I'd have to disagree.  Candy is just an added perk to all the wonderful goodness of the season.

More to come . . .

My Soap Box

Things I don't understand . . .

• My boys' inability to take a bath without getting water EVERYWHERE.
• People that seem to be actively looking for things to get offended about
• Mormon culture.  Seriously.  I am a Mormon and proud of it, but there is a big difference between Mormon culture and Mormon doctrine.  I kind of think those "and I'm a Mormon" commercials are for the members just as much as for the non-members.  There's no doctrinal reason to "fit the mold."
• 3D movies.  It's cool, but does every single movie have to be made in 3D?  And is it really worth the extra money to see it that way?
• People that get married a month after getting engaged.  I'm not judging those who do it and I know there are many who are happy they did it that way, but I just don't understand it.  
• Glee ruining a perfectly entertaining musical number with that obnoxious guy's inability to control himself.  

Okay, I'm done for today.  

Yet another pic of the day

Peter's new favorite game- bringing me a pack of stickers and making me put them all over his face.  You should hear the giggles that come out of his mouth with each and every one.  

Pictures of the Day . . . well yesterday

Too bad he wasn't happy or excited about his first day of preschool . . . ;)

Peter was determined to not be left out

Seriously, this kid was just happy to be surrounded by other kids.  

It's going to be a good year.

whatever

I've been kind of blocked on what to blog about.  It's been a while since I actually posted something that was more than random thoughts or pictures.  Part of the problem is my fear of being boring.  And part of the problem is that my favorite part of anyone's blog is the pictures, so I have a hard time getting motivated to do much more than that.

So in honor of that thought, I'm going to post more randomness.  But if you find it boring, feel free to look at these pictures and leave it at that. ;)

I got to spend some time this weekend with two of my brother's kids, Elsa and Jax.  I've missed them since the month I spent in San Diego.  We had a blast together.  I love that our kids play so well together . . . about 90% of the time.

Charlie starts preschool tomorrow.  The countdown is nearly complete.  We bought him a new backpack and some new Fall clothes.  He's so excited!  Every morning the first words out of his mouth are, "Do I get to go to preschool today?"

Charlie is determined to be Sora for Halloween.  He's a character on an old playstation game that Charlie played like three times back in February when we were running out of indoor things to do.  I thought over the last 8 months, I'd be able to change his mind, but he's as determined as ever.  I've finally decided to give in and although it made me terribly sad to do it, it's also a little freeing to let go of the control over what he should be for my favorite holiday.  Now I just have to figure out how to make the costume . . . and decide whether I'm still going to have matching costumes for Mike, Peter and I, or to just go random for this year.

Peter is now tall enough to turn on the light in his room.  We spent two nights scolding him, turning it off a million times, taking away his toys (both at bedtime and at 2 in the morning . . . then again at 2:30 . . . and again at 3 . . . you get the picture), before I had the genius idea to take the lightbulbs out.  Now we can't turn the lights on even in the day, but we've been sleeping more soundly ever since.

Mike is currently designing a freeway overpass at work.  He's pretty excited about it, but a little stressed as well.  The design needs to be done in the next month or so, although in true fashion of a state job, it won't get started for another couple of years.  Still, this is a great opportunity for him.  And may mean a more permanent position for him here in the area.  Right now he's an EIT.  This could mean a staff engineer position for him when he takes the professional licensing exam.

Anyone have any amazing cupcake recipes?  My mom and I have decided to perfect the art of making cupcakes.  I know, kinda trendy right now, but what can I say.  My mom got into watching Cupcake Wars on the Food Network and we decided it would be something fun to do when she's in town. Oh and frosting!  Got any amazing frosting recipes?

August