pictures and all

So here are our last few days in pictures!

this one is getting ready to deliver our neighbor gifts. I know it's messy but such is life with 5-right? we gave our some assortments of jam and jelly this year.

THis is delivering the jam.

this is before church on the 23rd.

this is christmas eve dinner. We have a new tradition we started a few years ago. We try and eat what Jesus' would have eaten. To shake it up this year we did fancy pita pockets as our main dish. ANd of course, I had to use the china anyway. 'cause it Christmas!!

Later that evening the kids gave us their version of the Nativity scene. They had worked on it all day!!This is the 'Angel' telling the shepherd's about Jesus.

This is Mary showing her baby with the angel watching overhead!! LOL


THis is some presents they got. These three got Robes!!

JAde opening her gift. SHe didn't need a robe so she got a webkinz.She was ecstatic-finally she got one!!

Miss Alexa looking very tired. She is in her new Christmas dress.

The topping on the cake so to speak. We made the kids wait until late in the day for this one, it was fabulous. They are cheering over the excitment over their new Nintendo Wii!!! Santa brought it and it went unnoticed under the tree for a while. But finally it was opened. YEA!!!! dad is setting it up here. They were so suprised. I think this made Brynlee so happy!!! (oh and dad and mom ,too!!)

Dad setting up the remote control train extensions here!

The kids in the snow. I made them take all the snow off of the tramp. It was bowing under the weight. We were dumped on, I think. It was 2 days of snowing straight. We now have 18 inched of snow I think.

Robert shoveling for the 3rd time in 1 1/2 days.This stuff just kept coming. I don't think I have seen this much snow, since the winter of 96-97. I think it was. We were in RExburg then and there was ALOT!!

HAppy Holidays!!

Home again

We're back!! we had a blast. The roads were great. We were blessed. We actually travelled quite fast and happily.The kids did great. We were in Salt Lake by 2pm and were all checked in and ready to go. The Hotel worked out great. We had two rooms. They were adjoining and I think the kids really liked it.

Here I am ready for the Party. I wish I had taken a better one of my clothes but oh well!

we had fun at the party and then on Saturday we enjoyed a day of shopping with the kids. We also went to see the movie National Treasure. It was really good. We liked it. Well I am off to make cinnamon rolls and and prep for our Christmas Eve celebrations. Merry Christmas to you all!!

getting ready

So I tried out this product with my friend. It was on Oprah. The day she did her stylist and hair tricks. This was one of the 'secrets' they gave. So I decided to give it a try considering that I was going to a fancy affair this weekend with my husband's work. I love the result. I think it did make it a little more 'shiny' and I liked the color and texture. This is not a hair color. Just a shampoo and conditioner for brunette(mine is chestnut to espresso) hair with a glaze to use afterwords.( You of course would use your own hair type) I am going to try it out a while longer. Hopefully I still like it. I also bought shoes for this affair to go with my outfit. I actually hadn't planned on the shoes but realized when I got home that all I owned were boots. (For church) I had wore out all my fancy dress shoes awhile ago, but was content to use the boots, until now. I think the last pair of nice dress shoes I bought was like 7 years ago. SO I was hunting for shoes yesterday and I think I found the perfect pair. I love the way these look.

I'm sorry the picture is kinda poor. But they are super cute on!

WE leave tomorrow and I have to pack everyone today. I never like this part. It seems that their is always alot to get done. I have to get to the post office before I go and the car also is getting an oil change. SO much to do and so little time!! Wish me luck!!

3 year old Business

I think everything I do today is being undone by my 3 year old. Brock is busy pulling the couch cover's off, getting into cupboards and crying uncontrollably when he doesn't get what he wants. Today is tough. On another note, Robert may have to work some of the days after Christmas, But they will pay him time and a half. So that's nice. I was counting on him being home, But between the young men's and work calling, I think he will be gone alot. But I guess, I'll survive. Having a head's up on it helps. I think I am really ready for him to be around and so I'm just a little disapointed. But I do think the break will be fun. The kids are so excited for Christmas. They are guessing their presents and counting down the days. They can't wait. And I think it is infectious. Because now I am getting into the mood. We scored on some of their gifts though. And I can't wait for them to get them. have a great day all!!!

the girls

Ok Alexa climbs up here and then cries because she can't get down. She's cute, but this is getting old! I'm not sure what the temptation is to be up there. It is fairly high, but nothing to do when you get there! (If anyone knows how to rotate the pic let me know)

This is Brynlee posing with Alexa. I thought it was cute. It was a brief moment before Alexa was off. I think I even caught a hint of a smile!

New Table

We got a new Table!!! YEA!! It actually sits 10 people. So we are loving all the space. We don't use all the leaves daily -but we CAN!!! It has butterfly leaves and they even store inside the table. This picture is not actually our table but it is what ours looks like.

Bonus

So I am really Jazzed that Robert got a BONUS today!!! YEA!!! Very exciting for us. It is always nice to get 'extras'-especially this time of year. Robert has submitted all paperwork and is set to take tests in March. (we hope)So alot going on here. gotta go, bye

House work

Tonight Jade asked me if I loved to clean. I answered, "No, not particularly, Why?" Well, she went on to ask if I liked it when I was little. I answered, No, I even liked it less then. So I ask again, "Why?" And she says, well, it's all you do. So now you know what have been doing all these years. ANd the funny thing is, if you dropped off at my house at any given moment -almost guaranteed, it won't look like I did a darn thing that day. Brock and Alexa have taken to pulling all of the wall hangings down and piling them in the middle of the floor. Now, I am not sure of the point of this, other than they can reach the stuff from the couches. It sure drives me crazy though. I am not sure some days that I will survive my cute 3 year old and his 21 month old sister!!! They tag team lately. I don't quite know what to make of them. Brynlee and Jade were 22 months apart and they were not busy like this. They played together way more, Brock and Alexa are 20 months apart, but they seem to really, really have a love hate relationship going on. Alexa has real attitude and has taken to telling me to "Go Away" -Let me tell you this doesn't go over really well. I actually think she is just repeating to me what is told to her by the other kids on a daily basis. But this little girl has got to learn who she is talking to in her very snotty voice! SO ****sigh**** I guess that's one more thing to work on!! On a completely different note, I am holding cub scouts tomorrow, AT MY HOUSE. I am not sure what kind of death wish I was hoping for, but tomorrow I will find out. I'm sure it will be ok. Or at least that is the mantra I keep telling myself. We are decorating sugar cookies and caroling with the WeBeLos. So I guess we will see how all this goes with the boys all together. I am a bit overwhelmed I think. I need to bake a couple dozen sugar cookies tomorrow. I think that is the one cookie I can't bake very well. Almost anything else I can conquer. But luck would have it that I have to do this one. LOL! I guess that's life.

messes

So, Alexa just took off her diaper and pooped on the floor. I can't wait until she is potty trained. I think I am starting to count down until she is 'old' enough. This makes me more than ever, happy we have tile and hardwood floors! Way easy to clean up this mess. Anyway, just thought I would let you all in on my doings!!! gotta go, I think I hear a fight brewing!!

clothes

I was able to go shopping yesterday and get me some 'party' clothes for Robert's work party. It is in Salt Lake again this year and I can't wait. We reserved two rooms at the Red Lion and I think it will be a blast. We are planning on letting the kids do their shopping for each other while we are down there. I was excited because Lane Bryant had 40% of their store yesterday, and for those of you who care, they are having another 40% off day on the 12th! Yup, very cool! Anyway, I am happy with what I got. Robert went with me and helped do the shopping. He was a pretty good little shopping buddy, he held my purse and other items I wanted to try on, and he actually gave input about the clothes. Not bad-I think!But I do think a girlfriend would have been the best. The gal who was going to tag along, couldn't come after all, so Robert had to come, It was quite funny though, There was 3 other men in the store and in the dressing area when we were. They ALL looked somewhat ashamed, and wouldn't make eye contact. I think I got a good ol' chuckle out of it!! SO I will have to post pictures of the new duds, when I go to the party!! We just got a new digital camera. A new little present to us, for christmas, I'm so excited to use it! anyway, hope all of your holiday plans go well!!

shopping

I'm excited. I went shopping today to finish up the Christmas stuff, and In Porter's I found the new Mary Englebrect calendar for 2008. I have always wanted one, and by the time I was getting it together I couldn't find it anywhere. Usually that happened sometime after the new year. So this year I decided to start early and go for it and get what I want now.
Ashley, (my cousin) I read an exert from your book "Book of A Thousand Days" And I can't wait to try it. I think it looks like a great read. Thanks for the heads up about it. Apparantly, there is quite alot of buzz about this book on the web and I hadn't even heard of it!! I'm really out of it. Anyway, I can't wait to read it and possibly, (if appropriate) Brynlee can read it too!
Thanks!

wandering thoughts

Holiday Business, why is it when I don't have it I want it, and when it is here I don't like it? I wonder if it is that 'grass is greener' side of me. That part that is just slightly convinced that others may have it better? But then, The other part of me snaps to attention and is like, what are you thinking you have it great. You have a nice life with lots of great blessings. I am not talking material goods here, I seem to covet things like organizational skills or talents of decorating. Mostly what I find that I want is
1.) great HAIR (this hair that I want is almost impossible. it is a quest I have been after for awhile. I want hair that looks like I stepped out of a romance novel. The kind that's long and BIG. It would multi-tonal, it also would have an awesome cut. I know that it sounds bizarre!!!!!!
2.) home organizational skills. you know, everything in it's place, kind of thing. So easy to maintain that even my KIDS could do it, but alas, I wonder if that to is impossible.
I do have a somewhat organized home but I find that I am always throwing 'stuff' out. that I like to dejunk it. But sometimes this dejunk phase comes after a hording phase. Right now I am so dejunking everything. I'm sorry this post is so random. Just a bunch of thoughts that are wandering around in my head, I thought I would just throw them out there!