A Special Christmas Night

Matt went to Las Vegas the weekend before Christmas to meet some friends for the BYU Football game. I decided to do something fun with the kids instead of feel sorry for myself that I was left behind. My good friend Ryan was singing with his Acapala group at our downtown promenade. We decided to make a night of it and call it our "special Christmas night!" We first went to Old Navy and I let them pick out a hat and gloves. (I think our skin is thinner from when we lived in Idaho because it feels really cold here!!) Luckily for me they were 2 for $6. Then we walked around and looked at the christmas lights and decorations, sat in Santas chair, and then danced to the carolers. Afterwards we ate dinner, got hot chocolate and then drove over to see some insane christmas lights in a subdivision close by. We had such a fun night and it helped us really get into the christmas excitement!!

Breakfast with Santa!

Saturday morning we had our Ward party. It was really fun and pretty amazing! Full buffet spread breakfast with everything you would want! Santa walked around and would sit with each kid while they were eating their breakfast, let them ring his bell and then his elf would give them a stuffed animal penguin holding a sucker! (its nice when their is only 20 kids in the primary!)

They had cute crafts in the back of the room for the kids....
I was called as the primary chorister a few months ago. I taught the kids a dance to frosty the snowman and also a ribbon dance to let it snow. Eliza is on the left with her back to the camera. They were doing a spin. She was so cute and so proud of herself that she was big enough to do it with the older kids!
Porter is the cute little snowman in the far left hand corner! He was all business when it was time to shake his jingle bells. He loved it and afterwards asked me several times "Did you see me mom? I danced so good!"

LINDSAY LU-HOO!!!!

Lindsay is my friend from Boise. Boy do I miss her! She was my sanity, my go to girl, my friend, my babysitter, my girls night out girl, shopping partner, encourager, self esteem builder, cruise goer, frozen yogurt/chocolate lover, and so much more! Yesterday was her birthday and I thought I would give her the much do shout out!! Lindsay and I became immediate friends once we met. We have kids close to the same age that are the same gender. We both had baby boys when we moved to a new town with no family. What was a very hard time for both of us was made easier with eachother. Lindsay is the sweetest, most bubbly girl I know. She has such a way about her that makes people just cling to her! Making friends comes easy for her and I admire that about her so much. She is great at giving compliments to everyone! She is a great mom and is always striving to do better and give the most to her kids. Lindsay is the type that will always make time for you. I know many days she has been busy with her own to do list but dropped everything to be there for me! I am such a better person because of her and I am thankful for our friendship!
Happy Birthday Lindsay!! Love ya!

Getting the Christmas Tree

Eliza told me that her new friend Pauline from preschool told her that when people take a picture of you, your suppose to do "this"...


For family night last week we went to get our christmas tree. The kids were pretty excited. Although I think they were more excited about sweeping up the pine needles with broken branches then actually deciding on a tree. It was a fun night and we are happy that the season is here. Eliza asked me this morning when it was going to snow so that we could make a snow man. I had to break the news to her that it doesn't snow in California. She told me "we should probably go back to Boise Mom, it snows in Boise!" We were able to go to Disneyland though and see it "snow" on main street. It was fun to have the "snow flurries" fall but not have to bundle up my kids in their snow suits!

LIFE CAN RESUME....FINALLY!

Christmas cards are done....finally! I decided this year to not make my christmas card as I have done in years past. My life just felt too crazy. But for some reason finishing christmas cards still took a week! My mom is probably happier about it than I am because she can now have her kitchen table back! Hopefully I can now get to the 4 loads of laundry, a messy car, a messy house, wrapping presents, christmas shopping, make dinner, and not neglecting the kids? Hopefully? I realized everytime you move it adds more and more to your christmas card list.
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE!!!!!

Meet the Family!!

So this is my family! I love them alot! My Parents had 8 kids. 1-Scott, 2-Ben, 3-Christy, 4-Nanette, 5-Me, 6-Sam, 7-Heather, 8-Harrison. I couldn't imagine life without any of them. Thanks Mom and Dad for not giving up!!

Biscuit

Eliza is still just so in love with this dog. I was waiting for the "newness" to wear off, but so far it hasn't yet. Eliza is really good at remembering when to take him outside to go potty, when to put him in his kennel, when to feed him, hold him, dance with him, etc....Its pretty fun to watch my kids be so in love!