A Very Disney Christmas

When Santa makes arrangements in July for a trip in December, he cannot see the future weather and/or the potential sicknesses contracted before said trip. We left for or Disneyland trip on December 17th with a short sleep over in SLC and a trip to the doctor's office. Earlier that week Caleb displayed some very impressive distance barfing skills at the RS Walmart. He was feeling better by Friday, but we stopped in at the dr.'s office for a quick check. Her words, "he can be miserable here or at Disneyland" So we were off!

The weather didn't cooperate much either. Rain, rain, and more rain. Usually, I believe it's a crime to wrap your kids in plastic, but this time it was for survival. I am happy to report that despite the unexpected...we had a great time. The kids were especially thrilled, and seemed very unaffected by the adverse weather. I have many many more pictures to post, and several bits of hilarity from our vacation that I would love to document for posterity, so stay tuned!

Green is the New Black

After checking my blog and seeing an apron I made last Spring for Carter's pre-school teacher, my friend Ashley asked me if I would make six aprons for her to give as Christmas gifts. I picked up some really great green, gray, and black fabrics and went to town. Each apron was a different variation on this theme.

I thought they turned out very cute, but more importantly, so did she. So, if you want to get your hands on one of these, I suggest you make friends with Ashley...she give great Christmas gifts!

It Must Be Genetic

I don't know if it's nature or nurture {I could provide a pretty compelling argument for both}. However, regardless of the origin, this kid has a love of all things Oreo. He knows where they are, he knows how to get them, he knows how to pull back the sticky tab and open them, he even knows how to writhe in pain on the floor if he can't find them. This day, as you can see, he found them!

Deck the Halls

And with muscles like that, Cali just may deck you! Good grief look at those guns!

We decided to put our big tree downstairs this year, and decorate upstairs with some smaller trees. I am happy to report that, for the most part, Caleb has not caused any damage to himself or Christmas decorations.

Christian set the tree up on Saturday night, but we got distracted from our decorating duties by Ralphy and the leg lamp. That show NEVER gets old, and is ALWAYS funny! We finished up the decorating on Sunday night before the kids went to bed.

And by "we" I mean, they. I took Caleb upstairs to get ready for bed, and when I came back down...The tree was DONE! That's Santa's helpers at work. So, I made them pose for these obligatory pictures, and even staged one of them fake hanging ornaments.

Getting in the Christmas Sprit

It's no big secret that Carter is full of spirit. Which spirit? Well, that depends on several factors, but spirit, nonetheless. Right now he's filled with the Christmas spirit.

Last week when Christian returned from working in Utah he brought the kids their own little Nativity set, courtesy of Grandma Vicki. We started putting up our decorations little by little while he was gone, so the kids were very excited to have their own Nativity. Cali set hers up right away on her desk, Carter on his bookshelf, and Caleb tried to eat baby Jesus...so we put his where he can't reach it.

Christian overheard a little fight between Cali and Carter because she didn't think it was fair that Carter got two lambs in his set, and she only got one. Christian told them that there was a Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, one lamb, and one cow. Cali argued and insisted that Carter got two lambs. Christian went into Carter's room to stop the arguing, and check on the lamb situation.

Sure enough, Carter's Nativity had two lambs...and no Baby Jesus. Christian offered to put the whole set back in the box and see if Grandma Vicki could get him a new one. To which Carter replied, "No, it's fine, Jesus is the Lamb of God, so I'll use this lamb for Baby Jesus."

There you have it. It's as simple as that!

Caleb's Signature Face

Totally My Daughter

It's interesting to see little glimpses of myself in my daughter. In some ways Cali and I are so different, in other ways...so similar. For example, this Saturday at our ward Christmas party Cali opted not to sit on Santa's lap. Her exact words {as if they were my own}, "I am fine with the idea of Santa, and I really like the Christmas spirit, but sitting on an old man's lap, not gonna' happen".

She saw smiling children holding their goodie bags and asked, "Do you have to sit on Santa's lap to get a candy sack?" Yes, I told her. To which she replied, "Let's go, we have plenty of candy at home."

This girl is totally my daughter!

Shutterfly is My Favorite

Over the past few years I've used Shutterfly to make Christmas cards, photo books, posters, calendars and movies. This coming year I think I am going to try out their birthday cards too.

I love the quality of their products, and the user-friendliness of their website. They also have great customer service. One year for Christmas I ordered my in-laws a video I made using pictures from our vacation. When the DVD arrived it wouldn't play, I called the customer service phone number. They sent me another DVD that day, no questions asked, and it still arrived in time for Christmas.

Shutterfly is my favorite! Earlier this year my mom was looking for some photos for her scrapbook. When she realized she didn't have any pictures from some very important family events, I browsed all my uploaded Shutterfly photos, made her a picture CD and had it sent directly to her. So easy!

Our family has changed quite a bit over the last two years, but what hasn't, is me making Christmas cards using the Shutterfly website.

Christmas 2008

Christmas 2009
So, what will our Christmas cards for 2010 look like? We already have our new family photo, so the hard part will be picking only one of Shutterfly's great designs.

In the past I've used the flat photo card. But, I'm really liking the new designs for the folded Christmas cards this year.

Check out their website, it will surely be one of your favorites too!

Mom and Tot Swimming

We've been having a great time in our mom and tot swimming class. Caleb has no fear, and would prefer that I don't hold him at all. He's been working on blowing bubbles, back float, and big arms. He is dying to dunk his whole head under the water, but not until I get those ear plugs I ordered online. Those pesky {yet blessed} ear tubes.

Carter takes his real swimming lesson before our class, and then joins us for the mom and tot class as well. We're hoping that all this exposure to swimming and water will help him overcome his irrational fear of having someone, {his words} "more than three steps away" He is a great "helper" with the tots.

The results of a successful swimming lesson. You know you're tired when you fall asleep mid-chew.

Rub My Balls For Luck

Bowling is so fun. We don't do it very often, and I'm not very good, but when we do we have a great time. On Saturday evening we went with Brittany and Vicki to the Helper bowling alley....Ahhh the memories!

This was Carter's first time bowling and he took it very seriously. He also insisted on rubbing my ball for luck before each of my frames. He would watch intently as the ball rolled down the lane, lean to one side, jump up and down, pump his fists, and encouragingly clap for himself.

Cali, on the other hand, was less serious. She was happy to roll the ball and then dance to the music, most of the time she didn't stick around long enough to see if she hit any pins or not. She just loved being there.

Caleb was confined to his stroller, so we all took turns entertaining him between frames.

I try to make Christian pose for pictures all the time, the results...well, he's not that impressed. But I had to snap this picture since many of our dates when we were engaged ended up at this very bowling alley in Helper, Utah. Now look at us!

Carter was thrilled with his performance and his score. He can't wait to show those bumpers who's boss again very soon!

More Holiday Family Bonding

Hope you family bonding this holiday season is less violent than Carter's and Parker's