Christmas Fun!

On Christmas Eve, we made yummy cookies for Santa.

Logan was more interested in harrassing the girls than in making cookies.

Vanessa's an experienced cook.

Emily got Logan this Chocolate fondue set. His face reflects the way he feels about chocolate.

Logan got these wood kits from Grandma and he had them finished in about 1 hour.

A familiar site for our family, Scott playing his guitar.

Stefany and Logan (Logan was standing in for his dad who works the night shift and was still sleeping).

Justin and Emily

Mandy and Jared

Sarah and Tom

Who are these clowns?

Logan by the tree with his game-boy. I asked him what the deal was with the pink jammies (hand-me-downs, maybe?) and Stef tried to get him to change, but he could have cared less. I told Stef, don't worry about it, this picture will be great for blackmailing him when he's a teenager.

Bailey got "Elizabeth" American Girl doll and was thrilled.

Cameron loved the tent, but didn't quite know what to do with the sleeping bag until we showed him it was like a zip-up bed. (Not much for camping - yet!)

Cameron got lots of toys, but was especially fascinated with this "spotlight" flashlight his dad got.

Cedes loves the color purple, so she was really happy to get this portable purple CD player. (Say that three times fast).

It's hard to tell from this picture, but Kelsee was really "rocking out" with her new microphone. The foot pedals make clapping and applause noises. Very cute, future star.

Cedes is thinking Kelsee is a little too excited about her Cabbage Patch doll. My girls got their Cabbage Patch dolls in 1984. Wow, I'm old.

We have to learn to be mommies by watching our mommies, but Hailey thinks it's fun to practice.

Hailey loves her new Bitty Baby doll.

Sarah got this Molly doll when she was about 10 years old. She passed it along to Vanessa last year.

Vanessa with Molly in her new bathtub.


Merry Christmas! We had a great holiday. We spent Christmas eve together. We had a taco bar so everybody could eat whenever they wanted (with Peppermint ice cream and hot fudge for dessert). We made sugar cookies and the kids decorated them to take home for Santa. It was a nice relaxing day - we just gabbed and laughed all day.

We opened presents (the ones from Grandma and the cousins gifts - they draw names). Everyone seemed happy with their gifts. I got a new digital camera (I haven't quite figured it out yet - as you can see from some of the darker pictures above), but I'm sure having fun with it. I also got perfume, Bath and Body Works stuff, $50 gift certificate for Michaels, and a book about the Restoration - Joseph Smith History. I really feel spoiled. Jeff and Laura came over sort of in the middle of the present opening and they must have thought it was a madhouse. My house is so SMALL, especially with all those people and presents shoved in my front room.
Everybody left fairly early on Christmas Eve, most by 5:30 or 6:00. Some of them have to go their inlaws, others just went home to get ready for Santa. On Christmas morning, I went to church. Our choir did a beautiful Christmas program and really started my day off right. Our church is at 9:00 a.m. and I will be sorry to see it change to 11:00 a.m. next week. Then I visited each of the kids at their houses to see what Santa brought. As you can see from the pictures, they were all spoiled, but appreciative and excited about what they got. I love going from house to house to see what they got. I remember having to have my kids leave all their new toys at home to go to Christmas parties at the Buonocores on Christmas day and I decided we'd start a new tradition. I'm more mobile right now, anyway, and it's easier to go to them. It's fun for me. I had a 1/2 hour nap in the afternoon and then Em, Cameron, and Mandy and Jared's family came over to finish off the tacos. We had a great time.

I'm thankful for all that we have. I know compared to a lot of people we have such an abundance of everything, but I'm really grateful. And even if we had no presents, we have each other and that's the most important part of any holiday celebration, family. I hope you all had a good Christmas. xoxoxoxox (Time for another nap.)

Making Caramels and Christmas Crafts

Cutting waxed paper squares without Grandma's rotary cutter and board is a slow process.
Finger Painting with butter.
Grandma says sugar is bad for you, but the calories don't count in caramels.
Corn Syrup? Who's kidding who, that's just more sugar
The secret ingredient is "Eagle Brand".
Mixed ingredients have to be constantly stirred or they'll scortch on the bottom. (Expensive mistake).
Drop in cold water, roll in ball, pop in mouth. That's my kind of testing, better than using a thermometer.
Tastes great, but not quite done. More tests needed (YUMMY!)
More stirring, more testing......finally done!
Only 'moms and grandmas' are allowed to perform this dangerous trick!
Cooled caramels, ready to cut!
Mom says if you want to cook, you have to clean up.
Mom does the cutting, she learned from a pro.
The only thing you need for wrapping caramels is patience and CLEAN HANDS!
The finished product.....only need 2,000 more, hahahahaha
Caramels, YUM! Hailey is an official "taster". The best part of making caramels is always eating them.

Cameron and Bailey loved making these Santas (With Grandma's superior cutting skills) This is Logan's idea of a Christmas craft, trying to see if he can punch holes as fast as the conductor on "Polar Express"

This has been a much better week. I've made about 6 batches of caramels, done some Christmas Crafts with the kids, and got my last minute shopping done. Vanessa had another "University of Learning" project (Flat Vanessa was one of them) and she decided to show her class how to make caramels. Her teacher even gave permission for everyone in the class to "try" one. Usually, homemade things are not allowed. Sarah documented it with the camera and I thought the pictures were so cute, I decided to put them on the blog. I sure hope she gets an "A".

Today, we got the kids occupied and then listened to "The Forgotten Carols". I read the story and we listened to the songs. It was really great and fun for me to something spiritual with my family. It's really fun to have Santa and gifts, but it's nice to be reminded of what we are celebrating. It was a little disorganized, but not too bad, and Logan stuck it out for the whole thing, being in charge of adding the ornaments to the tree when we came to each one.

I feel so much better this week and am so thankful Christmas is so close. LaRay and I actually have Saturday, Sunday, and Monday off (thanks to Julie), so it will be a nice relaxing holiday, I hope. We are planning on spending the day on Christmas eve, eating, opening presents from Grandma, and enjoying each other's company. Christmas day, we have only Sacrament Meeting, so then I will go to each house to see what Santa brought. I'll probably even get a nap if I'm lucky. I hope you all have a great Christmas and we can all remember the Savior and what we are supposed to be celebrating. Love to you all.

It's Almost Christmas

My neighbor's and my condos. Very Festive.
Welcome to my house! Small, but cozy.

My little Christmas Village.......you can't see the lights, they are cute.

I have most of the presents.......

I have my tiny tree......small but very pretty when it's lit up - sorry forgot to move the phone and blanket.

Well, another week closer to Christmas and I still can't really get out of the house to take some pictures of the kids. I've still been SICK this week. I think I must have the swine flu or the bird flu or the Christmas flu. Everytime I start to feel better and get busy doing something, I have to lay down. Really SUCKS. Anyway, it's got to go away sometime, hopefully. Stefany helped me put up my "few" decorations and I'm almost done with my shopping (thanks to BLACK FRIDAY). I've made four batches of caramels, but still have four more to go to cover everyone that wants them. (That may have been a BAD tradition to start) hahahaha. Scott is still doing really well with his not smoking. (I call him nonCigarette-Smoking-Man - that's an X-files reference that probably only Andrea will get). So thanks for the prayers and the names in the temple. If I get feeling better, we are planning to ride down on Trax to see the lights at Temple Square, so hopefully, I'll get some pictures of that.

Otherwise, we are all doing well. I feel like Christmas is coming way too fast. Two weeks being out of it (no comments - like how can I tell?) have made it come even faster. I can't sing, so I had to quit the Christmas program for the Choir. Also, it's really cold here. HAHA I'll bet you guys can't believe that, but it really is. Feels colder here than it has in years. Maybe because I'm sick? I've even turned my heat up to 65! Well, be good, I promise I'll do a better job on the blog from now on. I hope I did this one right, I'm sort of delirious. Take care. We love and miss you.