nothing says Christmas like high 60's degrees

Happy Birthday to my mom on the 21st!

We had a warm Christmas..with Bryce asking when is it going to snow every morning. Maybe someday we'll have a white Christmas..but I am happy with what we have. It was so great to celebrate with family and enjoy this miracle of Jesus' birth. I love this nativity set my parents passed down to me a few years ago. Some of the pieces belonged to my papa {my dad's father} and he gave it to my dad. My parents used it while I was growing up and I loved to help my mom set it up. Now I have the honor of setting it up in my house. I still laugh at how Bryce used to say baby cheez-its.

Right before Christmas we had the kids' annual Christmas party with Walter, Ava, & Addi. Here is Bryce & his BFF Walter posing for me...
Then up late trying to finish wrapping gifts & off to Julie & Paul's dad's house on Christmas Eve. Connor, Bryce, & Jacob unwrapping their presents. The boys play real good together... Avery liked the princess "cd player" she received.

Next down to my parents' for mass & then dinner afterward. Oh it was so yummy. Do try Chateau Ste. Michelle riesling if you have not yet...I fell in love earlier this year. The kids opened a few gifts & Uncle Ryan (& Guinness} and Avie played sleepy. She is a pro at it!

I love driving by this house in the neighborhood next to my parents....I wonder how much their electric bill is.

We put cookies & carrots out, sprinkled reindeer food on the grass..somehow I threw it in the downpour...kids to bed & then whoosh! finished Santa's presents & made spinach dip and finally off to let visions of sugarplums dance in our heads

Hooray!!!! Christmas mornin' the babes slept until 8:30 and then opened their goodies from Santa. Santa was sure good to me as he always is. Bryce was happy with his million Bakugan toys & video games.

Avery sporting her "pretties" from her stocking while on her new tricycle (pink & purple of course}...,


my dad was happy with is own brew..

We love Christmas...& now it's gone already!

ahh it feels so good to be off school and sleeping in...& eating cookies in my pajamas all day. I have a feeling this week will go by too fast.

Merry Christmas

...to all!

more Christmas cheer

Saturday we went to see Twas the Night Before Christmas children's puppet play and had our Christmas with Paul's grandparents at his dad's. Then straight to my parents for cookie decorating {love making those butter cookies} and my mom's birthday dinner Sunday...with Ryan & Ashley too. So much cleaning still to do, grocering, ....& wrapping left to do. will do it while watching the Christmas Carol with the babes in bed . Looking forward to the kids' Christmas party tomorrow hooray!

{enjoy the holidays!!}

the pink pig

An Atlanta tradition is taking a ride on the Rich's pink pig.  Although Macy's took over.  I rode it for the first time last year...along with Bryce & Avery's first.  Paul is a veteran, riding it since he was Bryce's age on the original.  The 2 minute ride is worth the long wait in line.  Well do it again next year...

here is the original behind us 

 I like this photo from last year... 

our tree is starting to droop now...I put some presents underneath to make it happier!

hooray the Polar Express party kept the kindergarten kiddos calm & the ice cream the other day was a success..& learned to use 2 baggies for containg the ice cream mixture instead of just one. Also the dancing queens went without a hitch for our holiday show. But bestest of all....Christmas VaCaTioN has started!!!!!!

Nutcrackin

My friend Tiff & I took my two crazies to the Nutcracker last weekend, a local one that I had never seen and it was really good! They even had the lady in her big dress like Atlanta Ballet's. Avery enjoyed it & at times was trying to dance...so cute. I'll keep that vision in my head rather than her yelling at Bryce to not share with Tiffany's i-phone.

after 130 photos of ones like these..

I got
one that will work. Maybe next year bribing will work with Avery.

...it's gonna be in the 60's this week. Snow next perhaps? We are going to make snow ice cream manana. remember rolling the cans? Well....we are going to try in baggies. Hopefully it will turn out okay.

wishing list

I thought if I could have a wish list, I mean a wish list...then I'd write

Dear Santa,

I have been awfully ever so much good {oh tried to sound like Lola} so I think you would love to give me....
a second honeymoon back to Negril...

a new perfume, or five
this ~but with minus the 1400 calories....

this lens..

tickets to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Walk-in closet, pre-filled of course. While you are at it Santa, why not one for each season?

...plus a new house to put it in


trip to a cabin Flagstaff with all my family together..including airfare for everyone.

~Ok I am so not a gold person, but I really like this necklace for some reason. I don't even like hearts that much, except in February...



ok, so for real I want some boots and a new lens....and peanut butter soap too maybe


~k

baby it's cold outside

Too cold for me outside! A few snow flurries swirled down Monday, but that's all.
So, I made semi-homemade chicken soup...Sandra Lee would be proud {maybe}.
I used~ Weyer's chicken soup starter to 10 cups water..and added a quartered onion, 2 bouillion cubes, & 1 lb. chicken breasts. Cook for only 45 minutes, shred the chicken and finally add separately boiled egg noodles at the end {in your bowl}.

Bryce said I want Shrek soup and Avery slurped it up...& a third of it went on the table..

...can't believe it's really December. Though we have been listening to the Elf soundtrack since October! We cut down our tree this weekend and still need to decorate...shop...clean...order Christmas cards. I need another one of these....