Christmas Cookies

We had fun decorating cookies this year. There was lots of laughter and giggling and lots of singing ----Myshel's new favorite Christmas song ---Baby It's Cold Outside by Dinah Shore and Buddy Clark----It's a classic!Vance--working hard. McKaylie trying not to smile . . . Myshel's hanging with her peeps . . . . Noah--decorating a cookie while eating another cookie The evil side of Vance She looks sweet . . . but it's debatable!

Christmas Cookie Decorating

Every year we decorate cookie for Christmas. The kids save some for santa and others are usually given to friends. I'm not sure if I should be concerned at some of the cookies that were made this year, though and I'm really sure that they wouldn't be appropriate "Christmas" cookies for friends. I'm blaming their dad----that definitely must have come from his side of the gene pool!!!

Gingerbread Village

For Family Home Evening last night we made a little gingerbread village. It was actually a kit that I bought at the store. There were suppose to be 5 little houses, but apparently we weren't smart enough to figure out exactly which pieces went to each house and so, it didn't quite work out for the fifth house. Myshel and Vance took parts of it and added on to theirs, though. We had a good time and they all turned out cute. It was a fun night.

Christmas Tree Decorating

I've never put up our Christmas tree this early before. I think I'm just wanting to get the holidays over with. They're no fun during deployments! McKaylie had the holiday spirit, though. And Noah, too. He even put a shirt on for the pictures! Myshel was sort of in the mood. She did decorate . . . what she could reach from her "seat" Vance was very helpful, but his excitement fizzled out early. Image that from a 15 year old boy! My camera wasn't taking great pictures, which was very disappointing. We used our artificial tree this year. I didn't want to have to worry about getting a real tree. ----the tree looks small, though----but then we don't have a whole lot of extra room for it either. Maybe it will help get rid of my "bah-humbugs", anyway! Hope so!

Christmas 2009

Ok, so I know I'm a little late posting these, but here's some pictures from Christmas this year. We had a really nice Christmas. This is my Santa Bread. It's made from frozen bread dough. He was delicious! The kids in their Christmas Eve pajamas. McKaylie in her new hat . . . Myshel got her Twilight journals . . . Vance with his new jacket . . . Noah got a "Maine" moose . . .

Christmas Tree 2009

Chad and I decided that we would put up our artificial tree this year instead of getting a real tree. Last Friday we got out the tree from our storage and brought it inside, only to realized that a mouse (or some little critter like that) had chewed off all the lights and needles form the metal branches. It was very sad looking and it obviously wouldn't like either. So, we decided a real tree would be nice this year. The one we chose really is pretty and boy does it smell wonderful! I'm really enjoying the Christmas season so far. We had our ward dinner last night and all the singing really added to the Christmas spirit.

Christmas, Christmas Time Is Here.........

This was on Christmas Eve. The kids always open one present and it's always pajamas that I've made. This year I made the pants/shorts and bought the shirts to match. Then, I added the penquins/snowmen to the shirts. I thought they turned out really cute. The kids really liked them too. I always love to see them in their Christmas pajamas!
We had a great Christmas. We looked through our stockings and then made breakfast. We had eggs, bacon, sausage, muffins, and juice. I don't remember the last time I ate that big of a breakfast. I also don't remember the last time our whole family ate breakfast together! It was really nice and I'm so glad that we decided to do that. After breakfast we went back to opening presents. It was a nice morning and so fun to watch the kids.

We spent the day playing games (santa brought us a lot of games) and playing with new toys, etc. It was just a great day. We made ham and potatoes, but it wasn't a formal dinner at all. We spent the 26th pretty much the same way. Just laying back, chillin', playing with the kids and enjoying the time we had together. It was so nice and peaceful, whilch is saying something. I would rarely describe my house as peaceful! I loved it, though. It was the perfect Christmas for me! (My Christmas tree is even still up! Amazing!) I hope you all had as great a Christmas as we did!

Merry Christmas, everyone!
From our house to yours!

Secret Keepers

My kids exchange names for Christmas. Last week I took Noah and helped him pick out his present for McKaylie. Actually the only thing I helped with was paying for it. I told him on the way home that he couldn't tell McKaylie what it was. It was suppose to be a surprise. I really expected him to tell, but I thought I'd at least try. He surprised me. He didn't tell her.

I took Myshel and McKaylie to get their presents tonight. Myshel has Noah and McKaylie has Vance. I reminded McKaylie on the way home not to tell Vance what she had bought him and then I added not to tell what Noah's present was either. I didn't know if she could keep the secret either.

McKaylie was home for less than 5 minutes and was spilling the beans. Actually, it's worse than that. She told Noah that she'd tell him what his present was if he told her what hers was. Of course, he gave in. So, she gave away Myshel's present! and then told Noah what she got for Vance and he told Vance. I couldn't believe it! Myshel is the only one that doesn't know what her sibling gift is.

I told Chad that next year she doesn't get to come with anyone else when they get their present. He said she'd be lucky if she gets to come at all to pick the present for her sibling gift.

Decorating Cookies

All I've heard for the last week is, "when are we going to decorate cookies?" So, last night we decorated cookies. I love seeing what the kids "create". It's always lots of fun.

"12-Christmas-Things-About-Me-Hoopla"

1) I tend to be a little bit of a "Bah humbug" until about a week, week and a half before Christmas. After that I really get into the spirit.
2) I love that Chirstmas is a time to celebrate Christ's birth. I love seeing the nativities and how they remind us of that special night. That is my absolutel favorite part of Chirstmas. I really wish that all the chaos of Santa and gift giving could be gone and we could celebrate the true meaning of this holiday in the way that we should.
3) That being said......I love Santa. I love the idea that this jolly man has dedicated his whole life's work to bringing children happiness, just for the sake of making them happy. He doesn't gain anything from his generosity, he just does it because it's a good thing.

4) I love Christmas carols. Another one of my favorite parts of Christmas is the music. I just love all the Chrismas songs. I could listen to them everyday and not get tired of them. I look forward to December when we start singing the Christmas hymns in church and I'm always disappointed if they don't sing them on that first Sunday in December.
5) I really enjoy wrapping presents. I like to make them look pretty or fun. I love it when I get presents that are wrapped all pretty, too.
6) I not only want a white Christmas, (which I don't get very often) I want it to be snowing on Christmas. You know the softly falling snow that looks so pretty and makes you feel all warm and cozy. That's the kind of white Christmas I'd like.
7) I love Christmas lights. I love to watch them. There's certain types of blinking lights that I like, but not all of the blinking ones. I love sitting in the dark and watching the Christmas tree lights light up the room. It gives me that Christmasy feeling and I love it. I like the lights people put outside on their houses, too. We used to drive around on Christmas Even when I was growing up and look at all the lights on the houses. It was just such a wonderful feeling seeing them, especially if there's snow. Maybe that's why I like the lights so much now, because it brings back those happy childhood memories.

8)I enjoy making all the goodies at Christmas time. It's fun to make the candy and cookies and breads. And then share them with friends and neighbors.

9) My Christmas tree usually comes down the day after Christmas. I've had enough of it by then and I'm done with it. (maybe it's the bah-humbug thing coming back.....) All the other Christmas decorations stay up until after New Year's, but the tree comes down.
10)I love, no I mean, I LOVE watching my kids open their presents. There's just such an excitment and innocence and awe there. It doesn't matter what the present is or who it's from, I just love watching them. That's the joy I find on Christmas morning.
11) I have tons and tons of Christmas decorations. My house usually oozes Christmas.
12)This year we're going to try something new Christmas morning. I'm hoping that it will become a tradition. Vance gave me the idea the other day (which surprised me) and I really like it. We're going to have breakfast before we open presents. Vance asked for bacon and eggs this year, so that's what we'll have. I don't think it will be the same every year, but I like the idea of waiting until we have breakfast before opening presents. I was surprised that the kids were completely ok with this new idea. We'll see how it goes.

Ok, I'm suppose to tag specific people, so here goes.....Marie (of course), Katy(if you want to), mom2my6kids, and Life ticks on. Here's the rules........

1. List 12 random things about yourself that has to do with Christmas
2. Please refer to it as a 'hoopla' and not the dreaded 'm'-word
3. You have to specifically tag people when you're done. None of this "if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged" stuff is allowed...then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you -- but the more, the merrier to get this 'hoopla' circulating through the blogosphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it and I'd like to get as many people involved as possible.
5. If you want to -- please give me, Andrea, some link-love as the 'Hoopla-Creator'. I love new blog-traffic.