Happy Birthday David!

Ever since I have known Dave, he has always complained about his birthday being the day after Christmas. He says that his family always just kept out one of his Christmas presents and gave it to him the next day. I have tried to make his birthdays a little different every year, but truth be told, I usually end up keeping one of his Christmas presents out and giving it to him the next day.

This year I discovered that one of my friends, is a cake artist. Without consideration of my entire family staying at our house over the holidays, or our pre-pre-pubescent boys, I ordered a sweet cake for his surprise.

It was a success, and totally worth posing in my camo bikini for 3 hours while Heather crafted a perfect likeness of me into sugar porn.

Christmas Day

We had an awesome Christmas. It was so fun to have my family around for the holidays. The kids had a great time opening presents and were happy with the stuff they got, even though we fell short on the booby traps, magic, and other various weaponry.

It was a very relaxing day filled with naps, and Wii, and Karaoke, and my personal favorite, The Office. My grandma really liked watching, The Office, and admitted to having a crush on Jim.



Emma got a doll with some doll size accessories, but that didn't stop her from kicking the doll to the curb, and trying to force her enormous body into the high chair, stroller, and play pen. At one point during the gift opening, we went looking for a pair of pipe cutters, to free her from the high chair, but my dad managed to get her out without any damage. She then just folded herself into the tiny play pen, and that is where she stayed all day. Every time I tried to remind her that it was the doll's bed she would squint at me and say, "No! Emma's bed!"

We Put The Fun in Fundue.

Christmas is so much more fun now that our kids get really into it. They opened their p.j.'s and managed to sit a nanosecond for a picture in front of the tree.


The Santa that comes to our house must have Mountain Dew and Fudge Covered Oreos before leaving any presents.




Every Christmas Eve since I can remember, we have a fondue dinner. This year was no different other than we got to share it with my entire family. It was a great night filled with steak, and cheese, and fudge covered cream puffs.

We had to come home early from our little Christmas shopping trip due to Dylan having a terrible bout of croup. So today I headed to Wal-Mart to finish up a little shopping. I had Dyl and Emma with me, which is the perfect for Christmas shopping. I picked up a gift for Emma and let her play with it throughout the store, and she will still be surprised Christmas morning.
Dylan is a lot like me. Easily distracted, and doesn't care to know more about anything than he absolutely needs to. I bought several things for him while he was hanging on the side of the cart. A couple of times he asked me who the presents were for, and I just said, "a needy family." And then he was on to something else. He picked up a Cars tool box thing and really scrutinized it. He asked me to help him remember to write it down on his Christmas list, because he really liked it. I agreed then said, "Hey, look at that Santa." He looked and I stuffed the toy down into the cart. A little while later, he noticed the toy in the cart and asked me who it was for. I told him, the same needy family, and he looked at me funny. Finally he said, "Oh, they will really like that." I was glad to finish up the shopping, and was glad to know that he will still be surprised on Christmas morning.

Indirect Approach

This morning Dyl and I were headed into town, when to my pleasant surprise I saw flashing lights in my rear view mirror. I pulled over, got all my documents ready, rolled down the window, and assumed the position. Dylan realized what was happening and started to holler, "I smell bacon, I smell bacon!" That would be a total bad on my part, and have since educated my children on the appropriate way to alert me to possible law enforcement. When the cop walked up to my window, he was extremely nice, and joked with me about what a nice day it was. He asked me if I had ever had a ticket, I answered in the affirmative. He asked me when I had my ticket, and I said I didn't remember exactly, but it had been in the last year. He then asked me for just my license and proof of insurance, which was a good sign. He wanted to know if I had more that one ticket, and I said, "I don't think so." He smiled, and started to walk back to his car. I leaned out the window and said, "Officer, I might have had two this year."
After a very long time, he reappeared at my window, and gave me the official update, that I have actually had 3 speeding tickets in the last 6 months. I was a little surprised, and asked if that counted the one I was getting from him. He said that obviously I wasn't learning from the tickets, so he was going to try the "indirect approach" and give me a warning. I gave him a "God bless you," and crept along with the posted speed limit all day long. I think I have learned my lesson.

Today is my 10th wedding anniversary. My heart is to full to adequately express how happy my sweet husband makes me, but he knows.

The first weekend in December, we always have a little Anniversary/Christmas Shopping getaway. This morning I helped the kids with their Christmas lists so that if we bumped into the big man, we could show him what they wanted. Santa is a little boring at our house. He generally brings the low interest items such as clothes and small toys. Dave and I take credit for the big ticket items so that we, #1, Rock. #2 Don't hear the bullcrap about us not being the boss of the toy, because Santa bought it, and #3 because we fricking bought it, not Santa.
This Christmas, I am afraid we might have some dissapointed children. Topping off the lists were, booby traps for Dylan, and "magic" for Dawson, but he said he would settle for a rifle, (over my dead body), or an IPOD. Emma is just going to get some extra vaccinations, so that she can continue to safely lug around her moose, which I swear is glowing green.
It should be a great time. The kids are so excited to have Aunt "ShannaHannah", stay with them. They are already counting how much junk they can fit into two days, and are actually using soap in the shower, so that all the temporary tatts will stay on better.

Lesson Learned

Ah, the Christmas season is upon us. I desperately want to have a heart warming December, and have been trying to come up with ways to show the boys the true meaning of Christmas. I must say that the December issue of the Ensign is especially touching. I swear, everytime I get off the crapper, I am crying. I hope this doesn't deter Emma from potty training, since the last several times she has come into the bathroom I am teary from reading Christmas stories.
Anyway, I have been meditating for inspiration on what I can do to help the boys get into the spirit of giving and looking for tangible opportunities to show them.
This afternoon, at the grocery store, we followed two elderly ladies out into the parking lot. They had two carts loaded high with groceries, so I pointed them out to Dawson, and to my excitement, he suggested we help them load their bags. I could already hear the Christmas Carols in my head, and got a warm feeling in my heart as we walked over to their car. The elderliest of the two women was already in the car, so we walked around to the other lady and offered to help her load her things. My warm feeling came to a screeching halt when she all but jabbed at us with her umbrella and said she could do it herself. Merry Christmas.

House Progress

After a nervous breakdown, we are getting closer to being done with our house. The outside of the house is almost complete. We have to leave the Hardy board striped until next summer, because they can't paint until it is 40 degrees overnight. That means in our area, it might be done by August.