For Ashley

My sister Ashley couldn't join us for Christmas this year and she keeps asking me when I'm going to get my Christmas post up. Since I still haven't taken down a single Christmas decoration, I was inclined to forgo the Christmas post (doesn't the word "forgo" remind you of the Bachelor?--which starts Monday by the way--set the DVR!) But I'm going to do it for Ashley. Everyone else probably should bail now. This is pretty long and tedious!

We did a ton of Christmas stuff this season and unfortunately, I forgot to haul along my huge camera for most of it. Thanks Sam for my new tiny red camera that I will have in my purse at all times from now on.

We rode the Polar Express with my mom and Ashley and her kids over Thanksgiving. It was so fun and I definitely recommend it. My kids favorite part was receiving a bell from Santa that belonged to one of his reindeer. The elves would come around and listen to the bell and tell the kids which reindeer their bell came from. Pure magic for a 6 and 4 year old.

Not my kids (I pulled this pic off the net--but you get the idea!)

The kids wore their matching pjs on the train. Here are the pjs for this year. I could really embarrass myself by telling you how much I stressed over finding the right coordinating pjs for the kids but I will spare myself the ridicule.


We also did our annual trolley ride with our neighborhood friends at Thanksgiving Point. We ride the trolley through the lights and eat ice-cream in the soda shop afterwards. I thought I was being so frugal by having my older kids eat the 25 cent cones. Well, they finished those in about 2 minutes and insisted on getting shakes as well.


My kids were out of school the entire week of Christmas so I tried to do something fun with them each day, such as swimming or the Dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point. It was fun to spend that time with my kids but it also completely wore me out. I feel guilty that I consider taking all three kids somewhere a major effort.


The reward for me is taking my kids out to lunch. I've gone on record in the past saying how much I love the fries at T-Point. Still do!


The night before Christmas Eve, I made cut-out cookies with the kids for Santa.




Christmas Eve day, I took Sammie to a matinee of the Nutcracker at Capital theatre. We had just as much fun getting ready i.e., getting all dolled up and curling Sammie's hair and putting on lipstick, as we did actually attending the ballet. I'm so excited to do this every year with her. Afterwards, she chose to go to Kneaders for lunch. She has good taste! As a funny side note, there was some dude in the audience yelling "Bravo" about every five minutes and cheering so loud. He was up on one of the little tiny balconies right over the stage. I was so embarrassed for him.


Christmas Eve was spent at my parents' house.


We had amazing food and the yummiest chips and guacamole. I definitely think the chips and guac should be a new tradition. The kids were so cute in their nativity costumes:


And of course, they loved opening gifts from grandpa and grandma:


Isn't it weird how old kids look in pictures? This little man is my baby:


This is the last Christmas we will spend in my mom's house because they are building a new home and will move in the spring. Here is my dad telling Luke that he just heard on the tv that Santa was spotted over Canada. Luke eats that stuff up:


Christmas morning was fun. Each child with their favorite gift:



Sammie and her perfume.


Even our unborn baby boy got his own little pile and did pretty well:



The kids holding some of the new baby's presents.

Christmas Day Sam and I have a policy of not leaving the house. We eat a huge breakfast, hang out in our pjs, nap, watch movies and basically do nothing productive. I love it.

The day after Christmas, Sam's parents treated the family to a great brunch at Little America. Of course, I don't have pictures, but it was delicious and so great to see his family again.

There you have it Ashley. We wish you could have been here!

Christmas Home Tour

The Nester is doing a Christmas Tour of Homes this year. Basically I gravy train anything she is involved in. So here is a peek inside my home at Christmastime:

The Family Tree:


This tree is in the (wait for it!) family room. I actually let the kids help decorate it--and then I fix it once they go to bed. It is mostly Santas and snowmen with a few random things mixed in. This is where we put the ornaments that the kids make at school. I also have a tradition of buying an ornament whenever I go on a trip. These go here as well.







I tie ribbon on everything that isn't moving:




Mom's Tree:

I almost get teary-eyed telling the story of how this tree came to be. My kids and I were at Thanksgiving Point two years ago riding the trolley with a group of people from my neighborhood. It just so happened that TPoint had put all of their Christmas stuff on sale half price that day. I fell in love with these red and green balls. I called my husband and asked if it would be okay if I bought a few things for a tree in the living room. He was distracted with some game and mumbled a yes. I came home with all of it.

I'm pretty sure I had this tree in the pre-existence--I love it that much. The kids aren't allowed to touch it or help decorate it. Ignore the lamp cords and the fact that I cut off the top of the tree in the photo.

My favorite red lanterns that stay up through Valentines Day:

Sammie's Sweets Tree:



There is a tree under all those ornaments, I promise. I collected ornaments for this tree over a couple years time from Taipan and Roberts. I love this tree. Sammie understands that she can help unwrap the ornaments but not help decorate the tree because of the flocking. I am very anal about some things and Christmas brings it out in me.

This pink velvet Santa stands next to Sammie's tree. It is over 50 years old. My mom had it when she was a little girl and I had it when I was a little girl and now it is Sammie's. She plans to give it to her little girl.


Luke's Sports Tree:

Luke decorates the entire thing himself and I don't touch it. My mom sewed the bball tree skirt.

That's it folks...Join the tour. I'm headed to your homes next!

Red, a Litte White Trash, and Blue

I love the Fourth of July and I love it even more when it falls on a weekend. We started celebrating on Thursday and didn't finish until Sunday (when we couldn't wake up for 9:00 church!) Here is how we celebrated our red, white trash and blue Fourth of July:

Sam left early Thursday afternoon to take the kids camping. He did it all--prepared the food, packed the jeep with the gear, kid's clothes, etc. I am a huge fan of camping--as long as I don't have to go!



Ryan and I met my Aunt Pandy, cousin Kelly and her darling little girl, Bailey for lunch. Ryan and Bailey were born three weeks apart:

Bailey putting the moves on Ryan:


That afternoon, Ryan and I hit the outlets in Park City where I blew the wad at Hartstrings and Gap outlet. We then enjoyed dinner at McDonald's. I eat at Micky D's a lot with all three of my kids but somehow it feels trashier when it is just you and an toddler enjoying a ten piece nugget and fries.

Saturday morning we headed out to the East Millcreek parade. Every year my mom and 90-year-old Grandpa build a float for the kids to ride. My brother Rex and his kids were in town and they rode with us.





My dad bought these babies just for the parade!


My cute grandpa--he is a WWII vet and survived the Bataan Death March. He got to ride in a convertible during the parade:


Sammie petted every dog in the vicinity:

We came home and Luke and Sam played the wii for about 5 hours straight, (which thrilled me--let me tell you--that is another post.) Finally, we went up to my mom's for a BBQ.


My mom goes all out on the food. Ashley don't be jealous. Even the jello was all pimped out:


I love this picture of Sam laughing and probably telling a lewd joke:


Ryan got dirty at dinner and we pulled his shirt off. This is where things really go white trash:


My brother Rex pulled out the fireworks. We got in a debate about whether firecrackers are trashy or not. I just loathe those big stands they put up in parking lots with all the fireworks. I especially hate the idea of driving to Wyoming to bring home the big daddies. So hessian. Anyway, I digress.


Rex light'n it up:

Rex admiring his handiwork:


The kids in awe:


Of course, the sparklers. Miraculously, no one got burned this year:

It went downhill from here. We headed out to see fireworks and waited and waited and waited. Finally at 10:20, we left and went home. The kids were exhausted. Can't wait for next year!