Christmas recap

this Christmas brought -

simplicity in all things. not a single purchased gift was handed out between sisters.

grown up adventures for growing up girls. (a new bedroom all to herself, complete with decor.)

art supplies for the artist who feels walls are her canvas. and a "real" baby doll.

a real china tea set. "because, you know we can't make a tea set mom, so do you really think I will get one?" ah, Christmas miracles.

Christmas morning with Grandparents to visit, everything on our lists and then some. not to mention a grand early Christmas surprise for mom and dad. can you ever go wrong with new seating? this was a Christmas for the books. on to New Years and new adventures!

adventing

Christmas is here with a vengeance and I love it.

this year we have opted to do things simply.

we are taking advantage of this year of change and making it our theme.

our focus is on investing ourselves in Christmas, not the other way around.

and to shake things up we have added a new tradition. last year I spent the bulk of my December making paper chains to add some festive to our rather blank walls. all year I have lamented that I sunk so much effort into something that by nature just wouldn't last. this year I put my efforts into this. and I rather like it. this is our new advent calendar.

last year I read my sister in laws plan to make December focused and fun. I have shamelessly implemented this great tradition for our own. and dragged my sister along with me.

each morning we gather at the advent and read the planned activity for the day.

so far it is a huge hit. we have counted down the days until Christmas with much gusto. the girls like it so much they have been known to read several days in advance. regardless they still look forward to it. we have gone elaborate - leaving school early to attend the Festival of Tress for a dance performance. but mostly simple; looking for ways to serve others, making our gifts for family and friends, watching a new Christmas flick together. to add to our holiday we are doing our best to make what we can to fill our stockings and gift boxes. another new to us tradition.

and now we are up to our elbows in Christmas making. can't wait to share!

happy advent-ing!

Breaking for Spring

our Spring Break began a little early with the arrival of some California Cousins and celebrating the birth of a local cousin. the party was done up just right. complete with a Star Wars Cake,

plenty of games like stomp tag (don't know what that is really called, but you have to step on the "tail" of the person to get them out) bingo, musical numbers, and of course

a good old fashioned game of Pin the tail on the Donkey. perfect fun for everyone involved.

the next day for our viewing pleasure the kindergarten put on a spectacular Animal Program. we are still hearing these songs drifting around the house, in the car, any old place a girl can sing.

the the Easter Festivities began.

multiple egg hunts, and way too much candy consumed in too large amounts.

note to self: it is unnecessary to BUY candy for this holiday. it just seems to appear.

and it wouldn't be Easter without a bit of cold weather.

that is where the picture trail ends but the list continues.

Mom and Dad make it to the Temple and an enjoyable dinner that took way to long, but resulted in an amazing and unplanned "late over" at Tami and Dan's - so gonna make that up to you!

Lovely new Easter dresses and an amazing Easter day filled with reminders of Christ's Sacrifice and Family that we are tied to forever.

Mom gets a hair cut then totals the family car. yeah, I know fun times. all is well and car is getting fixed up, hopefully good as ever.

sleep overs, cousins, play dates, cousins, new shoes, cousins, rainy weather, cousins, modeling gigs, cousins, swimming fun, saying hello to a far from home aunt, and saying good bye to cousins.

it was a grand and wonderful week, just what we needed.

a staycation where the fun practically met us at the front door every day.

Spring Break was a wild success and I think just the thing to sweep out those blues and welcome sunnier days! hello sunshine.

and the cherry on top - Mom runs thirteen miles all on her own without quitting!

Saturday I ran the Salt Lake Half Marathon finishing in 2 hours 16 minutes. not bad for my first time and being under trained. two days later I can make it down the stairs with less pain and am pondering the idea of maybe doing that again. SOMEDAY. but for now I am ready to move on to some biking and focusing on that pesky Ragnar race. this year the mileage is higher and harder, but this year the cars will be full of family to cheer and support.

looking forward to good times to come!

belated

happy hearty homemade valentines.

love burritos from daddy for breakfast.

and a spring garden of rosy posies for the valentines receiving.

mom in both classrooms for the fun, a tea party with neighbors,

the return of a beloved aunt and uncle. a temple trip and sushi for the mommy and daddy;

what better way to say I love you?

well, there was the flowers in the form of a new bike jersey for mommy,

and enough candy to keep Ruby on a candy high for a week, not to mention her sisters who show a little more self control. all in all a happy, successful, and fun valentine's day for all.

and, of course, our wishes of happiness and love to you all.

happy to you valentine.

happy new year.

happy Chinese new year, that is.

we celebrated the new lunar year, the year of the ox, with a little flare.

decor for the occasion.

colorful head dress and the sharing of fortunes;

after a special line up of home made Chinese food, of course.

although we share absolutely NO Chinese heritage,
who can resist a good fortune and
the chance to wish your loved ones a long life and good health in the coming year?

wishing you all a happy and prosperous year!

recapping Christmas 2008

in the past six years or so I have been less and less prepared where Christmas is concerned. last year was a particularly bad year for me - way too much running around and needing to get too much done, when all it should be is a celebration of the Greatest Gift mankind will ever receive. more and more I feel sad I haven't been organized to be more focused.

this time 'round I set the bar lower and still didn't rise to the occasion - but I think that is really why we have New Year Resolutions, because so much can fall through the cracks around Christmas. I have been longing for a simple fulfilling Christmas for a long while, and this year almost hit the mark. plenty of gifts, and promises of more that lay unfinished at the sewing table. but, I feel happy to look forward to those during these quiet afternoons while the littlest angel learns to nap again.

when it comes down to it, I look forward and am grateful for those second chances. to try anew to make the holiday what I want it to be for my lovelies. and I have all year now to begin to make it so. a refreshing thought but not a new one - we are all given a second chance, or third or twentieth each day of our lives. and Heaven knows I need it not just at Christmas.

some high lights of our Holiday include, playing hookie from sewing to run errands with that good looking fellow I live with. an "adult" memory maker for her, in lieu of that requested lap top. wonderful Christmas musical performances. family pictures and Christmas Cards, well wishes from friends and loved ones.

roller skates for the budding ice princess, to practice balance and control.
live nativities - public and private. family dinners, Grandparents attention and love. new treats to bake and traditions to add. trying our hand at luminaries for the neighborhood.

dollies and strollers galore.
craft boxes, crochet books, games, cousins, the promise of MORE cousins. at the insistence of our daughters watching Mr. Kruegars Christmas on Christmas Eve along with a realistic enactment of the Reason we celebrate the season.

skiing on Christmas Eve with friends. breakfast with the entire family in our home Christmas Morning was my favorite; look for this tradition to last a long time, I hope!

a Nutcracker performance for the older dainties in new Christmas dresses - notice the little one realizing she isn't invited... a few more Christmas' to wait. memories of snow and goodness and a reprieve from the daily pressures that cloud our existence. it has been a nice pause in the regular.

and lots and lots and LOTS of decorating and celebrating inspiration. time to make a plan so next year I can implement the myriad of ideas swimming in the back of my mind. this year it was paper chains, a fun activity during a movie or two. or three. and if I can make and keep a plan (oh, brother.) lots of fun projects to accomplish before next years festivities begin - stockings that will hold a CD, a tree skirt that's complete, and an advent to keep our celebration focused. here is to keeping Christmas in our hearts all year long.

hangin' around

what I wish we were doing right now....

the perfect Saturday morning activity.

when there is no snow in sight, and it's definitely supposed to be winter.

so dad stays home and encourages lots of crazy good fun.

aunts uncles and cousins only add to the goodness.

but it has snowed a gazillion inches in the last five days. and there is no end in sight before Christmas. that means when the snow addict in our household isn't at work he will be at play mountainside. my list is still ubber long and the car decided to go ca put. (grrr.)

on to the Christmas Madness. will I ever learn to start earlier?

I'll share my dreams of a more handmade Christmas with you on a more happy day.

right now my dreams are for an extra week before the big day - Santa can you hear me?

didn't think so - at least someones having fun; enjoy those powder shots John!

Merry to you all - it IS going to be a beautiful day of snow capped goodness

and sweet smelling Christmas prep here in our home.

thankful...

for this.

and this.


this one too.

and especially this.

a life full of incredible extended family and friends. a home that is full of joy and learning moments. a happy and relatively painless existence. a testimony of Truth and Salvation. opportunity to enjoy God's green earth, blue sky, red rock, and snowy mountain tops. a body with strength, will power, and sometimes patience. the chance to explore talents and grow personally.

the challenge to enjoy it all every day.

giving thanks for all of you who enrich my life and who I am and want to become.

Happy Thanksgiving.

introducing.....

some very tardy visitors.

this guy. any guesses as to who he is and what he is doing in our living room?

I have to say it was an interesting visit - and a long day of blue skinned adventure.

little miss "refuse to dress up unless I see other kids in their get ups"

and since her sisters had left before she woke up we are sans a costume here.

she waffled between Snow White and Tinkerbell, when she wasn't starring as herself.

and it took a LOT of coaxing to get her to go near the blue guy. that was a laugh.

Sleeping Beauty - all wide eyed and ready for some fun!

our resident Pirate of the Caribbean - Miss Elizabeth Swan - in motion.

I had been occupied getting fun ready for classrooms this day so this is the best I got.

and we were in motion from then on and I wasn't spry enough to try again.

oh well, it was a fun filled Halloween day!

we dashed from one bit of fun to the next and hit the streets early for some treats. it was a blast and we have decided we need to start a movement to have Halloween on the last Friday of October rather than a specific date. no school the next day, ahhh, so nice. I bet the teachers would sign that petition.

and aside from a serious loss of hair and a blue ring in our tub, the blue man's fun was a hit as well. if you're interested in giving this a try we recommend steering clear of latex body paint. especially if you have hair on your body, ever cross your legs or ankles, or like to allow your skin to breath. anybody know who he is yet?

an easter memory or two

I was sifting through all my pictures from these past few weeks and came across these shots. I have been cracking up for some time now - watch the progression on our cousin Addison's face, she is in the easter hat. oh, that was a much needed laugh, I couldn't resist sharing.

this year Easter was a much quieter event for us. we still managed to buy too much candy and hit too many easter egg hunts. but there was less rushing around for giftie items and worry over making it just so. I blame it wholly on the early date of the event itself. but all in all I think I liked the less is more ultimatum I gave myself Saturday afternoon, just as I was ready to dash out and buy a gift for each daughters Easter bucket. gifts that usually end up in the jewlry case in my top drawer only days later for safe keeping. it was weeks later that Grace even noticed there was no easter gift this year, mostly I wager, because we were so distracted by a true gift. time with family. with cousins in town there is no other thing worth distracting us. gratefuly it was Spring Break too! we had a fabulous time hunting eggs, sleeping over, and exploring the town. not to mention doing our part to bring chaos to Grandma's normally quiet and orderly house! it was a happy Easter for all - even if new dresses didn't make it for their designed debut, but more on that later....

Pictures of Christmas

Ruby's Red Wagon

Gracie zips up some merry




Ella dances for joy



























and the Grand Finale - Daddy's new ski's


Just a few pictures to show the fun we had Christmas morning. my favorite gift was finally giving John his. I have learned that I have to go to extremes to try and keep the surprises hidden from him. This year we went on a joy ride, while he sat blind folded in the passenger seat, just to end up in a friends yard around the corner. Then we let him digup his gift; the new skis he has been lusting after for months.
merry merrying to everyone!

The parts I enjoyed, in no specific order

our first gingerbread house

gorgeous snowy days

hearing Grace sing the 12 days of Christmas

watching the pop out nativity grow

hearing Ella explain to Ruby that Christmas is Jesus' birthday

discovering a new favorite Christmas treat

watching John make all the Christmas fudge for our neighbors

curling up with the girls for a show

our first family ski day with most of our own little family

realizing that Christmas day isn't the only day to celebrate Christ