Getting to know you...Christmas Edition

I got a wonderful email today and thought it would make the perfect blog.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper
2. Tree-- Real or Artificial? Real, but if the real one dies before Christmas, it will be the last real tree we get. They're just too expensive to die before Christmas Day.
3. When do you put the Christmas tree up? Usually the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend for family night.
4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime between December 26 and after New Years, depending if we leave for the slopes and if the tree's dead and can't stay a minute more in the house of the whole thing is just going to go up in flames. Otherwise it stays up till we get back
5. Like eggnog? Love it, love it. Can't get enough of the stuff actually and the girls are taking after me quite nicely. Dave can't stand it, unless it's half "milked" down.
6. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, quite a few. My favorites are tied between the one we put outside in the yard and one that is silver from Brazil. Thanks to foreign missions where you can get cool stuff like that.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Dave - always has been. Unless you ask him he'll tell you he's easy. All he wants are guns.
8. Easiest person to buy for? Kelsey, what else do you get for a 3 year old princess, but princess accessories
9. Worst Christmas gift? I can't think of any
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail of course!! Who doens't like getting mail - bills don't count.
11. Favorite Christmas movie? Christmas vacation. Always a classic.
12. Favorite Christmas song? I'm not picky. Practically all of them, except maybe the Carpenters. I don't really love them to begin with. I love listening to the Christmas stations from Thanksgiving on. But if I had to pick one, "Celebrate Me Home" by Kenny Loggins. Not a huge fan, but love this song.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually sometime in November (Disneyland) and then hit the stores the beginning of December.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Is that really a bad thing if someone else will use it?
15. Favorite food to eat on Christmas? Peppermint ice cream. They should sell this year round, although this year I bought it early and 4 half gallons later, Dave is "pepperminted out" He loves the stuff.
16. Clear or colored tree lights? White, the ornaments add the color. That's why we need a kid tree so the girls can have color and I can have white with glass icicles. I love that.
17. Travel during Christmas or stay home? Stay home, but we do like to go to Utah for some much needed relaxation and serious snowboarding. It's really the only reason we are in Utah really. Who can pass up the inches and inches of fresh powder. I know you can do without it, Lindsay.
18. Can you name Santa's reindeer? Of course
19. Angel or Star on tree top? Angel. We found one last year that you could remove the wings and Dave doesn't like angels with wings. He says it's unrealistic. But before that, always a star.
20. Open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? We open one gift on Christmas Eve - new jammies so we all look fresh for Christmas morning.
21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Lines at the post office - a necessary evil - taking all the lights and decorations down, not nearly as fun as putting them up. Don't really mind the lines at the stores though. People are always friendly and what can I say, they think the girls are the cutest, and very entertaining.
22. Best Christmas present? Growing up - a new Christmas dress every year. More recently - bikes and Pottery Barn Reindeer plates and accessories.
23. Favorite Christmas tradition? I can't pick just one - making the yummy candy, looking at Christmas lights, family dinners, reading Christmas books. It's all great. I guess it's good the holiday is a whole month long, but when it's over, I'm sure glad it is and that it's another year before it starts all over again.
Okay - I tag all of you!! Please share!!

Not your everyday talent

It's not very often you come across a new found talent, but I think this is too funny. Our piano is not in the best of shape, considering it's been moved countless times and still hasn't been tuned. So I think even if I were to ever play it again, I would think an intune piano would sound wrong. At any rate, Katelyn has found a "new" way to play and actually prefers it to pounding on the keys. She plays with her bum. She turns around on the bench and bounces up and down on the keys. It's a good thing we didn't get the Baby Grand I was wanting. I guess it's pretty kid tough.

Thanks Linds

My good friend Lindsay made this little dress for Katelyn when she was born and I just love it. It fits her so good and it's long enough which is amazing. Well, except when she runs away while lifting it over her head. I'm still not sure why girls do this, but she loves it too. Thanks again Lindsay. We miss you guys

Mini Cinderella

This is one of Kelsey's dress ups and Katelyn has inherited it. She just loves walking around with it and we're often not able to get the whole ensamble on her fast enough. As you can see all you really need is a crown!! It goes with everything.

Isn't she cute?
I'm cute and I know it!!
Look at me. And then off she runs to get the shoes!!

Our "little" tree

We have had our tree up since December 3rd (we have to wait that long because the tree lots usually don't have very many set up after Thanksgiving) and we are just loving the smell throughout the house. I can't even smell it anymore but people that come over say they can. With 27' ceilings, we've tried to get a small tree, but it just looks dwarfed in the room. As you can tell, the bottome is a little less decorated than the top and we're amazed it's still standing because it's a bit top heavy and very tipsy. After the first couple of days Katelyn has left it alone, but now it's the presents under the tree she is more concerned with. Over the years, it's kind of become a disney tree because for the past 3 years we have been to Disneyland over the Thanksgiving holiday (just before, rather) and so we have picked up a few each trip. But the girls love it and their favorite is the princess ornaments. I think I need to break down and just give them a little fake tree that they can decorate themselves, because the tree is one of my favorite parts about the whole season. I love seeing everyone else's tree and how they decorate it.

Bring on the lights

I just love our house at Christmas. We've had lights up since Thanksgiving weekend, but it just took us a little while to actually get pictures of it. We had to break it up in two weekends because it was just too much. First we did the roof (posted earlier in November) and then we did the rest the next Saturday. Here's our finished masterpiece. We even got our neighbor to put up her lights. A little help from Dave and she was all about it. Her icicles blink so it's not out, just flashing at the moment. And yes, we had to spread it out just like Halloween. We had to take a panoramic shot just to get it all in. Our house glows from the end of the street. But hey, we're in Vegas, you either go big or go home, right?!

Storytime with Kelsey

I went upstairs to check on the girls playing today and it was so cute to see her reading to her dogs. Alyson, do you recognize the white one? She named it "White Dog."

Pictures with Santa

I took the girls to the mall to get a picture with Santa and although I knew this is how it was going to go, I just about died laughing. It was instant screaming as soon as I placed her on his lap.

Exactly how much weight can a crib hold?

So the other morning I was doing the dishes before Katelyn woke up. Kelsey was upstairs playing in her room and evidently she heard Katelyn playing in her bed long before I did because when I heard them playing together, I just figured Kelsey was reading her stories like she does every morning before I get Katelyn out. It's kind of their little thing they do together and I love that they are both happy to see each other in the morning. However, on this particular day, it went a little different. Here's what I came up to.

So yes, while she was reading stories and playing with her, she was the crib with Katelyn. No wonder it was a half hour before I heard any cries or complaints and realized exactly how much time had really passed.

Now they both want out but can't get out so I figured I'd just leave them in there. Kelsey didn't figure out she was trapped until she was in and had no way out. We should have kept her in there as long as possible. Oh well. Hind sight is 20/20

Christmas Card photo shoot

While down in California for Thanksgiving I had Alyson (my brother's girlfriend) take some pictures of the girls for Christmas so I wouldn't have to have another photo shoot fiasco. And because this year I've decided that we wouldn't send out of family photo, it would just be of the girls because that's all people care about anyway. There were just way too many to decide between. I guess it's good for my kids to know the photographer, because we just get so many cute, candid photos, not just general poses that everyone does either. This was close to becoming a fiasco because I just don't think Katelyn can sit still long enough for anyone to take her picture. She never really walks, it's always a run, usually running away from you. But fortunately Dave was there and helped tackle her and put her back in place. Thanks Alyson, I love all the pictures and here's just a few of my favorites.

She just sat down this way, no posing necessary.
She loves twirling, and this dress didn't disappoint either.

Add a little snow and you've got yourself a picture perfect setting.

This horse has a little story behind it. Last year when we went to the studio for the whole family photos, Kelsey saw this rocking horse and let's just say that after she saw it, there were no other photos taken of her without being on it. So this year when we went back, she walked in and immediatly went looking for it. She didn't have to go looking very far and it was just as big a hit as last year.

I am torn between these 2. I just can't decide which one I like better. I do however know we're gonna be in trouble when it comes to the boys. So put in your input as well.

Katelyn is in mid scream here and it turned out to look like she's smiling. In reality she couldn't want anything more than to get out of her sister's grasp!! The necklace was nice added touch, Kels. She's all about the props!!

I think she has an angelic look to her, which doesn't show up very often. She's known in the ward and here as Our Little Ball of Fire.

I just love this smile

And a great one of all her teeth. Yep, only four for now.

She knows she's cute.

We pulled this stump away to try to get her to sit on the floor and she put it right back. No pictures without the stump.

For those of you wondering, here's Jesse and Alyson taken last year. I absolutely love this one of them. So cute guys.

Relaxing in the hotel

We took the kids back to the hotel for a little R & R and just snapped a few of the girls sharing their popcorn and having a great conversation amongst themselves.

Always a smile for the camera. This time Katelyn even got in on it.
She hates being left out of anything, especially when it comes to Kelsey and anyone else she plays with.

So cute, girls.

Just some downtime in Toontown

The boys went to ride Space Mountain so we took the girls to Toontown. Chanel wanted to see Mickey and on our way, we ran into Minnie. She was the highlight for Katelyn. After they visited with eveyone and we were getting ready to meet up with the guys, Kelsey asked to go on the roller coaster. I was shocked. I dragged her on it last time because she was finally tall enough to do that and the Matterhorn and this time she asked to go on it. So we went and she loved it.

And then they had to get their wiggles out in the little playground.

She wouldn't get off the pumpkin until I took a picture of her.

Lunch with the princesses at Disneyland

This trip we tried to do different things that we haven't done before, just to change it up and have it still be fun. We even staked out our spot on the parade route and sat for over 2 hours just so the kids could see it. Well, at least my sister-in-law Heather and I did while the rest of the group went and rode some more rides. We also had lunch with the princesses and her cousin Chanel came along. It was a great time had by all. Even Katelyn got in on the fun.

Kelsey would have nothing to do with her picture being taken but Katelyn like it. That is, until Cinderella came along.

Cinderella was the first to come around and the girls just loved it.

Just look at that smile.

We left Katelyn in her seat during the whole thing, but she was just amazed at the dresses they were wearing. I think she was in awe and overwhelmed at how sparkly and beautiful they all were.

Katelyn was very upset when Sleeping Beauty wouldn't share her crown. More like give it to her.

I think that's a princess in training right there!!

Help with the lights, anyone?

Do you ever feel like what you do is completely in vain? One step forward, two steps back? Our little helpers as we'd like to call them. Our help usually comes in the way of a missing toothbrush or comb, keys or cell phone. But most recently Dave's alarm clock, which we found in the trash, headed out to the street and now the thermometer. We've looked everywhere, virtually torn the house apart for it and have come up empty handed. I'm not really sure how many things we've had to replace because of our little helpers, but I've lost count by now. Anyway, here are some cute pics of them "helping" with the Christmas lights.

The candy canes were so nicely laid out so all I had to do was come along with a stake and pound them into the ground. But the girls had other plans for them!

They're just conversing on what do with them firstWho's up for a game of hockey?This one's my favorite, because one minute she's down in the garage, again "helping" and the next she's hanging out the window trying to get up to help Dave on the roof. I think she would've been out had I not looked up at Dave just at the right time.The finished product ... Well not really, we've only just begun.

We're outta here

We're leaving for California today for a little Disneyland trip and some yummy Thanksgiving food. Hope you all have a safe and fun holiday and I'll be posting more pics when we get back. See you in a week!!

I've been tagged!!

Tag, you're it! Here's how to play: Once you've been tagged, you have to write a blog with 10 weird, funny, random things, facts, habits, or goals about yourself. At the end, choose 10 people to be tagged, listing their names.



1. My sister is one of my closest friends. It hasn't always been that way for us. She was always the "annoying" little sister that I always wanted when I only had brothers. It's only been recent since she went off to college and now we talk more than we ever have before. It's great.


2. I have a room full of fabric and scrapbook supplies that I will never get to. I have good intentions of getting to it someday, but frankly, I just have too much stuff and it's very overwhelming. But I love it anyway.


3. I'm an ebay finatic. Buying, selling, love it all.

4. I hate the park. I go for the girls, but I just don't like it at all. They're either so busy that I get paranoid immediately upon losing sight of one of them or they are empty and they get bored just playing with each other.

5. I've been to France twice and it's over rated. Of course you have to go there, but I didn't love it.

6. I'm a reality tv junkie. My faves are Survivor, Amazing Race and Next Iron Chef. Not so much, Next Food Network Star.

7. I secretly love Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. I have to be because Dave calls it my nighttime soap opera. Ok so maybe it is a little but who doesn't think Patrick Dempsy is hot?

8. I don't call Las Vegas home. I love the snow and want to live in Colorado. We will eventually and we're only here temporarily.

9. I don't like BYU. I know, I know, I'm not a true Mormon however, I just never got into that whole meat market scene.

10. I have a feet fetish. I can't stand them. That's why I have to have my toes painted at all times just to tolerate them.

Sorry, guys I was tagged twice, my brain hurts to come up with anymore on a whim.

I tag Debi, Micaela, Susan, Brianne, Kaylene, Stephanie, Camille, Jessica, Rob, and Nikki.

A mother's intuition

You can call it whatever you like but I think I'm finally getting better at this mom stuff. Some of you may know, I'm not one to rush off to the doctor for a stuffy little nose or the slightest cough. No way, they're not getting my copay just for some prescription they think might clear it up. But I think I deserve a pat on the back for this one (well, sort of).

Katelyn has had a runny nose for a week now, and her pour little face is just rubbed raw from always wiping it away. She is teething (6 coming in at her 1 year appointment) so I just figured it was a side effect of that. However Tuesday it turned green so I promptly made an appointment for yesterday because we are leaving for Disneyland in 10 days and don't want anything like that for Thanksgiving at all. Sick kids are hard for holidays, but traveling with them is almost unbearable for me.

The doctor walks in the room, and Katelyn immediately tugs at her ear and coughs. Neither of which she has been doing at home. It couldn't be more on cue at all. That never happens, the symptoms usually go dormant at the sound of walking into the doctor's office. Anyway she gets done doing all her inputting and starts to check her over. She discovered she has a slight ear infection (which she said has only been about a day or so) and her cough is not in her lungs yet, but gave me a prescription for it if it dropped any lower. Since she had RSV last February the slightest cough goes straight to her chest which she said will happen till she's about 2.

So for once I got it right. She will be done with her meds just in time for the trip, hopefully with a clean bill of health. It was more of a precaution visit than anything but it finally paid off. And the best thing is that I was in and out and back home in an hour. That never happens either!!

Sidebar: At her 1 year she weighed in at 17 lbs 12 oz. And at this visit, 18 lbs 2 oz. That's a whole 6 ounces in 6 weeks. Just a tiny petite thing. Oh well.

A night of tricks and treats!!

It's that time again, when Dave takes a day off work to get our yard ready and looking like an old cemetary with things jumping out around every corner. There are quite a few updates and additions from last year.

She was just fascinated with this rat!! So cute.

She kept poking it to see if it would move. Why not, everything else was!!

The usual carving of the pumpkin. Kelsey just sitting there looking cute and wouldn't have anything to do with putting her fingers inside and pull the guts out. And Katelyn was nowhere to be found. Oh well, there's always next year.

She wouldn't even hit the bottom of it to dump the loose seeds out!! But she'll crawl around in the garage and out in the dirt and get filthy!! Go figure.

Yes, that's right. This is not even our yard. Our neighbor has been asking for a few years now for us to bring some stuff over to her side and this year it just got too big that we took her up on it. She got the coffin, some tombstones (with pop-up skulls behind them) and the bleeding guillotine. Oh yeah, you read that right. I was bleeding!! That's Dave for ya!!

Our yard (one side).

The hang man kicked and the grim reaper came out at you after leaving the door!! Wahaha

The toxic waste dump.

His eyes glowed red, with a fog machine in the bottom.

This guy was stuck under this barrel. The lid opened and shut and he sat up and laid back down.
This was the highlight of the whole set up. Well, this and the blast of air at the front door that shot at you as well.

This was the only photo we were able to get before Katelyn quickly jumped off the bench and ran away. But I think she made a pretty cute little pumpkin. And that hat only stayed on for pictures. Then it was gone.

I love this face.

Her cheek is bulging with food, teddy grahams, I think.

Checkin' it all out. And she couldn't be scared because Kelsey wasn't scared. The competition starts already.

Hmmm, what's in here that looks good?