Santa Came

After a very late night we had a really fun morning! Santa was so very good to us this year.

Abby got a broom and dustpan! Dan and I sing Carie Underwood's song Undo-it throughout the day as Abby follows us around un-doing what we are cleaning! She loves to help me sweep so I think Santa was spot on with this gift!

Tess got her pretend dog to take on walks!

And Jake was super excited about his light sabers!

Jake got a whoopee cushion! It is hilarious to see Abby playing with this!

Aunt Liz bought us all nerf guns!

Playing with our new Wii!

I promised those who shall not be named that their pictures from Christmas day would not go on the blog so you'll just have to use your imagination to see Cara following a mile worth of string to one of her presents or our nerf war or Liz and Aimee doing treasure hunts to find their gifts! The best part of Christmas was just being together!

Once again it was hard to say goodbye to Aimee and Liz. Jake told me that Liz is his new best friend! And the girls well...

this is where they wanted to be the entire 5 days Aimee was here. Aimee was lucky enough to "buy" a new puppy, Tess, about 20 times a day! And Abby chose to go to Aimee while she was sick (SICKNESS, a post in and of itself!). It is hard to have them leave!

We had to put Christmas away early this year since our tree died a week before Christmas! However, I think I might just keep one item out all year round...

Too Cute!!

Christmas Eve Nativity

The silly narrator, with our dead tree in the background!!

The angel

Mary hitch'n a ride on her "wise" donkey!

The 3 Wisemen!

Abby sitting on her favorite persons lap, the shepherd.

Christmas Company!

Christmas would not be complete with out my sisters, Aimee and Liz. Because they are such fabulous sisters they once again came all the way from Utah to celebrate Christmas with us. We also had Cara Gilbert, a friend from High School, with us this year (we hope to make that a tradition too)!!

After a day of shopping we left the kids with our home-teachers the Mathews (who Tess wishes were a part of our family!) and headed downtown to the National Cathedral. We met up with Cara and then went out to eat at a Thai restaurant. If was a fun night!

National Cathedral

Helen Keller and Anne Sulivans ashes are here.

Display of nativities from around the world.

"HEAR no evil, SEE no evil, and SPEAK no evil."

Preschool Christmas Program

Tess did a great job singing and signing her songs in her Christmas program. She was so cute to watch! I am so glad Dan was able to be there this year. She is one special girl who we adore!

The BIG 30!

(I'm the baby)

Dan did an incredible job making this a special birthday. He contacted all my siblings and in-laws asking for memories, pictures, and advice for me. Mom scanned a bunch of pictures and mailed them on a cd with Dan's favorite fudge! (I wondered why mom randomly sent out some fudge for Dan:) Then he put together a "How to survive your 30's" kit. The kit included something for health, energy, support and memory. For the "memory" part of the kit he put together a book of all the emails he had recieved from family, as well as an interview with the kids:

Interview with Jacob

Dan: "What do you love about mom?"

Jacob: "I like it when she let's me stay home from school. I like her because she lets us decorate the Christmas tree. That's all I want to say about that."

Dan: "Mom is turing 30 years old. What do you think of that?"

Jacob: "30 years old is old. When you get old you have to use a cane and then die...But mom's not that old. That's all."

Interview with Tess

Dan: "What do you love about mom?"

Tess: " I love mom because she feeds me breakfast...but she doesn't feed me, I do that myself, but she gets me the food. I love her because she makes me feel better when I am sad and she is so nice that I can't believe my eyes. I love her because she lets me watch Christmas movies and play on PBS Kids Island. She let's me go downstairs when it is almost morning time. Ummmmm. I think that is it. "

Dan: "How old will mom be on her birthday?"

Tess: "Mom will be nine on her birthday."

Dan: "Actually, she's turning 30. What do you think of that?"

Tess: "What??? That's really not old. But when you turn 30 you'll be dead."

And then, to explain all the very late nights recently, he played a movie he made for me complete with pictures from the time I was a baby up to now with tid-bits of what my family said about me. It was so fun to watch! Thank you to all my wonderful family and my thoughtful husband for making it a special day!!

I have tried to upload parts of the movie but can't figure it out...here is one of my favorite pictures...Liz and Me.

Me with a whole lot of "tude" in a favorite outfit, I think I was about 7 years old!

Frankfurt airport picking up Brad from his mission. (Notice Lizzy and I holding hands;)

The beginning of my gymnastic years...go ahead and laugh!!

Reading scriptures as a family in Germany.

Brigadoon as a Junior in High School

Cara and I with Suzanne and Markie.

Hill Cumorah Pageant with Aimee

Megan and Brian Isrealson visiting while Grandma and Grandpa served with us in Rochester.

Liz, Me, Cara with Dan when we took our engagement pictures...I think.

I will cherish this gift forever!! Thanks Daniel!

"The lying about your age begins" ~Dan

GINGERBREAD HOUSES

Thanks Kate, Madi, and Brooklyn for joining us in our tradition!

Elle and Abby playing amidst the sugar-fest!

Santa's Lap

Letters to Santa

I just wanted to document the kids letters to Santa this year. Jake did his completely on his own; I love how he sounds out his words! Tess told me what to write for her letter to Santa. We have a cute felt envelop addressed to Mr. Santa that we put on the Christmas tree and on the night of December 5th (which is when St.Nicholas comes in Germany) one of Santa's elves comes to pick up their letter. Jake checks every morning to see if his letter is gone yet!

Jacob: Dear Santa,

I want a glownuh the dark litesabrh

Jacob

Tess: Dear Santa,

I want a walking pet, not a real one but just a pretend.

I gave Daddy hugs and kisses when he came back from anything so,

I've been a good girl. Oh, and I want a fire truck with Blueberry,

so Strawberry Shortcake has a friend.

Have fun at the North Pole. We will make some cookies to surprise you!!!!

Tess

P.S. Abby has broken 4 ornaments so far, the tree has been decorated for a grand total of TWO days!! I thought we put the ornaments up high enough. One day I will have a beautiful (evenly) decorated tree, but for now I am enjoying a tree that is partially decorated.

P.S.S. I love Christmas! And I LOVE being a parent of small kids at Christmas!!!

A Happy Birthday on Thanksgiving...

Six years ago Dan and I decided not to go to the beach to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and ended the day with a beautiful baby boy, Jacob.

We started his special day off right...

Here is what happened when Dan sat down to help Jake build with Legos. Everyone wants Daddy!

We watched a bit of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and made Jacob's birthday cake amongst all the dinner preparations. This year I wanted to try a new recipe for the turkey, Alton Brown's recipe that a bunch of friends recommended. One of the steps in cooking the turkey was to roast it at 500 degrees. Well our fire alarm kept going off. So, for the entire 30 minutes we had to do this...

All windows were open and we fanned the alarms with pillows. Poor Abby had quite a rude awakening from a very short nap!

The Warner family joined us for dinner and a fun cousins sleepover.

Dan "conquered" the turkey!

Jake's birthday festivities continued into Friday morning at CHUCKY CHEESE...squeels of delight as we turned into the parking lot. Jake was grinning from ear to ear the entire morning.

Happy 6th Birthday my sweet little man! We love you so much!