A New Year

I think it's time to start thinking about what we want out of the new year. First let's reflect, last year I wanted to get organized. 

My 'magic file cabinet' didn't exactly do it's job - all those papers are still laying around the house waiting for someone to put them away. 

My huge desk calendar that I mounted on the wall did not do it's job of recording all engagements to be sure that we never forgot a date (or a bill payment for that matter). To tell you the truth the file cabinet still has one completely empty drawer and a stack of papers shoved into the top one. The calendar just recently got the July - November pages torn off and believe me, I've missed many an engagement and bill payment!  If I remember correctly part of getting organized was to complete all the creative projects that have been started but never finished. Well, I still have several boxes of half complete projects.  I learned that 'get organized' is not a good goal. 

This year I'm thinking  more along the lines of read more books, go to dinner & a movie dates once a week or become independently wealthy. I still have two days to work on it though so I'll get back to you on what I come up with. 

Some Christmas Highlights

Before it hits 2009 I better talk about our Christmas. We had such a good time, lots of gifts and fun and family. I'm being too lazy to upload all those Christmas pics here as well as myspace so you can check it out there if you really want to see our pics! Kolbi got a little video recorder, it's supposed to be super easy to upload videos to the internet so maybe we'll actually have some video on my blog?! I think that was her fave gift. Riley's fave is probably his mass amount of Star Wars Legos - he's been building and building and building. Although a close second is the Magnetix set that came from Nichole and the gang. Justin's fave - the Encyclopedia of Punk book that we got him.  My fave? hmmm, there are so many! I LOVE my Slice and my luggage and my super cool red purse and the Bettie Page Movie absolutely everything! We decided to buck tradition a little this year and have a steak and potato dinner - which turned out yummy!

There was lots of snow, as you can see from all my daily December pics. It was so different having a white Christmas. Even though this is our third year here it is the first time we've had this much snow on Christmas. A big change from sunny Phoenix! We loved it. 

Daily December Catch Up

Ok - I slacked on the posting but I did get the pics! Here they are:

23rd - Riley and the neighbor girl were working on his snow fort when the girls stopped by. They were dressed up so cute I snapped their pic - the other two couldn't be bothered to stop and pose!

24th - well, really, really late on the 24th - this is the pic after Santa came.

25th - A shot of Kolbi and I on Christmas day (I totally asked her not to wear those jeans!)

26th - Lots of snow here! This is my front porch, shot from the comfort of my doorway.

27th - The snow fort that Riley & Justin keep working on.

28th - The snow fort is starting to melt so Riley decided to make an indoor fort. 

Do You See What I See?

I can't believe it.... one, two, three, FOUR smiling faces?! No weirdly inappropriate clothing... eyes open, no tongues...any bad fingers?? NO! This may very well be the best family snapshot in the last 3 years. It's a Christmas miracle. 

We Elfed Ourselves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Get A Video From SANTA!

Go check out this blog and see the instructions to make a very personalized video to your kids from Santa. It's super cool and you should do it tonight :)

Click Here

Daily December 22nd

Kolbi's masterpiece - a snow monster

We LOVE Paper Snowflakes

Our Elf, Minty Tinsel Toes, had the BEST idea on Saturday night. He made about 50 paper snowflakes and hung them from the ceiling fan in the living room and the light fixture in the dining room...like it was snowing, INSIDE!

Riley was very impressed with the snowflakes and asked me if I knew how to make them. Luckily, I remember even though I haven't made them in 'forever'. ;) 

I wasn't sure if this was a project he could handle but he insisted on trying every step himself. He did pretty good. Eventually we did get a good routine of me getting the little triangles ready and he would just cut the shapes out then unfold. Kolbi even jumped in and made some even though she didn't pose for pictures. 

This is what he decided to do with all his snowflakes. Hang them in his room.  This window shelf is right above the foot of his bed and he keeps all his most special things on it. Now it is snowing in his room too.

Lots O Snow

We woke up to snow on the ground and then it just kept snowing all day! Finally around 4:00 Riley couldn't stand it anymore and wanted to go play in it. Justin was out shoveling the driveway and sidewalk so they decided came up with a fort idea.  It is still up this morning - they want to make it bigger if the weather allows. 

Daily December 21st

I took a ton of pics yesterday and had a hard time picking just one for the daily photo. Here's what I chose though. Pumpkin bread all wrapped up and ready to give.

Gingerbread Men

If you have these ingredients: 

1 Plate of Gingerbread People (we are so PC)

6 Kids (technically 4 kids, 2 teens)

1 Tub of Icing

LOTS of Sprinkles

Here's what you will end up with: 

some cookies just asking to be decorated (Carol made a whole plate full of naked gingerbread men!)

Even Tanner wanted to join the decorating fun.

Preston did a little more eating than decorating.

*NOTE* Riley insists on taking off his shirt if he will be doing something 'messy'. This includes eating waffles, coloring with markers and as you can see decorating cookies. 

He's not sure if he actually wants the cookie or just the frosting.

"I'll make his face like O!"

So busy decorating. 

Lexi's not messin' around - right for the head!

Must taste the work! Also note those super sprinkled cookies next to Lilly!

I think that cookie has a bathing suit on?! 

Daily December 19th & 20th

Here's Riley reading The Twelve Days of Christmas. This is, by far, his favorite Christmas song. I often hear him singing it at the top of his lungs - "And a AAAARCHridge in a pear treeeee" 

Paper snowflakes. I would love to have these hanging from every fixture in the house. They are soooo beautiful and simple. If you go here there are detailed instructions on how to make them. All these years and I was never doing it right. My snowflakes were always square, I didn't know to fold it like a triangle!

Bake Day '08

Our bake day deserved a whole post. We baked alllll day Wednesday and came up with about 15 overflowing goodie trays. I think we ended up making 12 different treats.

All these pics were taken with Nichole's new camera and it does really good close ups - dont-cha think?!

Christmas Spirit Comin' Out Our Ears

Our elf is pouring Christmas Spirit all over our house. He added his own special touch to the tree with some pj's and undies. Then made some sort of clothes and gift fort in the middle of the living room.

On this day, Riley woke up to find that Minty had found his hidden baggie of carmel corn and was trying to eat it all before anyone got up! Riley quickly hid it again.

Daily December 16, 17 & 18

Sorry, I got behind again but here I am catching up on the last few daily photos. 

our cold crab-apple tree in the back yard on Tuesday.

an army of marshmallow snowmen for bake day on Wednesday.

Finally, a decent photo of Riley on Thursday. I had to sneak up on him though.

Mamma Mia!

Just in case you didn't know (I can't believe that could be anyone!!!), tomorrow you should go buy Mamma Mia! I love it, love it, love it and everyone should be like me and buy it tomorrow so we can all watch it and sing the songs all week long... over and over and over again!

That Crazy Minty Tinsel Toes

Minty has been a fairly non-mischievous elf the last two nights.  Sunday morning Riley woke up to find a nice little selection of Christmas pencils, rings, decorations and cookies waiting for him. He was so excited that the elf brought him presents!

This morning Riley opened his eyes to see Minty sitting on the table beside his bed. During the night he had built a chair out of legos. He only made a tiny bit of a lego mess.

Daily December 13th, 14th & 15th

home-made chocolates on the 13th

our first snow & Riley playing in it on the 14th

a ton of gifts to box up and ship off on the 15th