Christmas and New Years... and I'm caught up!

Ok, because I can't blog out of "sequential" order because I'm a control freak like that (but not about anything else... well- laundry too) here is a little about our Christmas and New Years-- and then from there on out, I'll get to blog regularly, because Dante is getting baptized tomorrow. YES- for all you crazy fans out there- I HAVE an EIGHT year old- and that is just INSANE to me! Where does the time go?? EIGHT!!

Back to Christmas morning:)


Dante got this awesome red ryder bb gun! He's super excited and you can tell from this super picture!

Erin got lots and lots of girlie stuff, like these cute boots! And she got her ears pierced for Christmas too:) (I recommend going to a place where they will pierce both ears at the same time. After she got the first one pierced, a few tears came, and she asked if she "had" to get the other one pierced too.) It is all better now!

Ethan got this fun power ranger helmet because he is in LOVE with power rangers! I can't believe they are still around- and they have like 25 different kinds. I can't tell you how many mornings Ethan would want to watch power rangers, and I would find it- just to hear.. No MOM- this is power rangers operation overdrive, I want power rangers mystic force (and there are seriously like 10 different power ranger teams!) This helmet allows you to do power ranger missions and he LOVES it! He is our power RANGER!
Chet showing off his mad skillz at shooting a bb gun.

Dante taking his turn.
Ethan wasn't going to let the big boys have all the fun without him-- and he didn't do too bad either. Erin playing with one of her other new toys, light brite. I used to LOVE doing this as a kid-- but they were HUGE honky tonk things back then, now they are cute enough to keep out:)

And, while the kids and Chet were having fun with their gifts.. I had fun clean up duty. The JOY of after Christmas morning glory!
I would have been playing with my new toy- my brand new singer sewing machine--- but I was scared I would break it... but you'll see very soon my first project:)Chet got some cool stuff too- but I'm bummed he bagged my coolest gift idea- just in case he wanted something else. I had offered to get him stand-up improv classes (that lasted 6 weeks and an opportunity to get on the improv troupe) at our local comedy club- and he was all for it at first- and I was so excited I FINALLY came up with something that he LOVED-- and it came and went. Maybe next year:)

After we settled down, we went over to have a late lunch at my moms house, where I made this adorable cake, on my new Christmas cake stand. I have TOTAL skillz!

Then it was New Years! YEAH-- and boy was it fun! My dad put together a game night- where we played family feud- for PRIZES- and some of his prizes rock-- and others you are like, "what??" So, if you are someone who gets a prize early on- and you happen to get a good one, then someone can take that prize from you when they win one- instead of drawing a different prize, and so on and so forth.

Here is Chet and I (kid free!)

Here is how the game works... there were 4 different teams, and you spin the wheel for money and prizes! My dad is Pat Sayjack and my mom is Vanna White (if they were the hosts for Family Feud)


And here is what everyone that came (minus Gabby and Mi-Mi, who had left a little early) showing off their AMAZING prizes! There was also an HP photo printer up for grabs, 1 FULL box of Cheescake Factory Tuxedo cheesecake, and 1 full box of Cheesecake Factory banana pie cream cheesecake, 100 bucks, and then you had the silly gifts like stuffed animals, a wizard of oz mug(that was actually pretty cute) a wierd vegetable that looked like a decrepid hand.. that NO one wanted to touch!

I can't wait for next year!!

I've been a bad, BAD girl!

I'm not sure WHY I haven't been blogging- I think it is one of those things, where I have so many pictures for this next post, that I was dreading up loading them, and then I had to crop some of them and fix some of them, etc... (AND heaven forbid I blog out of order- I don't know what mental block I have that makes me have to blog in sequential events) but-- alas-- my hard work has paid off... AND ELISE'S wedding is FINALLY here:) I was thinking about saying something like- I was giving Elise the chance to start her own blog and give her the honor of blogging about her wedding first... but then I realized I would be lying- and honesty is the best policy.. and this way my lie of Elise starting a blog won't turn into a web of lies that I can't get away from... but do know I'm working on her to set one up!!:)

Until that happens- ENJOY her beautiful wedding pictures. They are in no particular order and I didn't comment on them, so you could have easy browsing capability. :)

It was absolutely beautiful, and Elise and Marshall are such a cute little happy couple!:)































And this was our family Christmas picture taken at the wedding reception by the traditional Christmas tree!:)
Christmas Day will be next!

Oh Christmas Time, Oh Christmas Time... you

ARE so much fun, but seem to set me back TWO we---eeeeks!

I finally have all my pictures up to blog about! YEAH!! :) So, this post will cover everything in order over the last few weeks, including my kids Christmas parties at their schools, Elise's wedding, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Years Eve, and any other outings in between!

Enjoy my post - chalk full of wonderful pictures and riveting captions;)

Ward Christmas Party

This year was a GROUND breaking year at our ward Christmas party. History WAS made with my kids. I could hardly believe that Ethan AND Erin actually sat on Santa's lap! Yes, folks, Erin and Ethan were 3 and 5 last year-- and still deathly afraid of going anywhere near that jolly man in the red suit... but this year, I'm not sure what changed... maybe because the guy playing Santa was a much smaller version then the normal Santa? I dunno? But it worked, and I captured the moment!

Here is Dante with his classic "thinking finger" asking for who knows what... but probably a math book that actually challenges him or something along those lines!

Here is Erin... (yeah!) and she is asking for more polly pocket pieces that she can lose!
And little Ethan, asking for Kota, who he would no longer be interested in after the first 3 months of having it. Silly kid, Kota is for babies! ;)

School Christmas Parties

I love school Christmas parties! Especially when the little ones put on a program! Ethan is the only one who did a little program this year at his pre-school, and he was so cute! And, I think he was practically the ONLY one not wearing red that day... hmmmm.. I'm a genius! Easier to pick him out in a crowd! Can you see him??

After his fun sing-a-long, we went and had a fun Christmas lunch in his classroom! I liked the Chic-fil-a nuggets they had at the Thanksgiving feast personally, but maybe the kids prefer kolaches? I dunno... but I think I'm going to give my input next time, since we get to eat the leftovers! (the picture turned out funky-- but he had fun!)

Then I took him to Dante and Erin's class parties. Dante made a cute little ornament with his picture inside, and he got to decorate the outside! I couldn't stay for the other project, or the food part... because I had to run off to Erin's party before school let out. We'll see how it goes next year, when all 3 of them have parties at the same school. (I still can't believe Ethan starts kindergarten next year!)
Erin got to make gingerbread cookies! The kids LOVED doing that... and they even had fruit and cheese to put on top too. Something about school regulations, and the kids needing balance in their diet. Call me crazy- but it's Christmas:) I guess they were still good- because the kids ate them. (I think?)

(insert Elise's wedding here, but I will make that post tomorrow as their are about 1,000 pictures!)

Christmas Eve

My family usually throws a big Christmas Eve bash, but due to Elise's wedding, we decided to scale it all down and just do our own family things. Since it was a last minute cancellation, we decided to hurry up and invite some good friends over for BANANA SPLITS!!

But first my family came over to drop of their presents to us and sing Christmas carols! How cute are they?

Here is the yummy banana split bar. I would recommend bluebell, but since it wasn't on sale, I opted for the on sale stuff. But it was still good:)

Here are some of our good friends, the Robinsons, who were nice enough to come at the last minute!

Here is Ethan, Erin, and Rechelle downing their banana splits. Isaac and Dante were playing video games, as expected! (They came out later for splits)

After the kids had finished their ice-cream, the adults got to play a game of Sequence before heading out. Chet and I won, which always ensures another invite to our house, for dinner and games! Way to go guys!:)

After they left, it was time to open the presents dropped off on our front door step from the pajama elf! (which I was so cool, i didn't get pictures of til' Christmas morning)
I think that is pretty good for now... I'll continue Christmas tomorrow and Elise's wedding on Monday!

Random Musings of Erin

I know that I still need to put up a few posts from Christmas and New Years, and Elise's wedding. AND they are coming... but I had to write down the last few conversations I have had with Erin, before I forget!:)

1st conversation:

Elise got married a couple of weeks ago, and yesterday when I was driving in the car Erin was pouting, and I asked her what was wrong. We then preceded to have this conversation:

Erin: (folding her arms across her chest) Why wasn't I in Elise's "real" wedding! She said I could throw flowers! (like a flower girl)

Me: Oh! You mean, her wedding, wedding! Like, where they pronounce you man and wife? THAT wedding?

Erin: Yes! The REAL wedding?

Me: Well, her real wedding was in the temple and you have to be old enough to go inside.

Erin: Well, how old do you have to be?

Me: Well, you actually have to have gone through the temple and have garments.

Erin: (thinking.... REALLY hard, and a little confused) Oh, BUT, I thought my purple jammies WERE garments.

She has a pair of silky like pajamas that are panteloon style.

Needless to say- I was CRACKING up!

2nd conversation:

One of Erin's Christmas presents is going to get her ears pierced. Last night, we were sitting in the hot tub talking, and Erin asked me if we can go tomorrow. I said, yes, and then I jokingly turned to Dante asking him if he wanted to get his ears pierced too. (which he, of course, said no to) Here is the following conversation with Erin:

Erin: Dante, why don't you want to get your ears pierced?

Me: Erin, because then he will look like a girl! Only girls get their ears pierced.

Erin: But it looks cool.

Me: When a man has his ears pierced? It looks cool? What boy do you know that has his ears pierced?

Erin: I don't! But, when I was at that pool.. you know THAT pool? There was a man with a really big gold earring and it looked cool.

Me: The pool at the gym?

Erin: NO! You know.. the pool!

Me: The beach??

Erin: The pool by the beach.

Me: The one at Christie's apartment?

Erin: No!!

Me: (thinking really hard about a pool by the beach that she has gone to.) Oh! Schlitterbahn?

Erin: YES! That one! There was a man who had an earring and it looked cool.

Me: No, it doesn't look cool.

Erin: WELL! To me, it looks cool.

Me: Erin, did you have a crush on this man too?

Erin: NO! I just liked his earring. It looked so cool!

(and I thought I could be so impressionable to this age! Like if I say something is dumb, then she will say it is dumb too) Dang it! :)