We were good

Apparently, we were very good. We got spoiled rotten this year for Christmas - lots of fun, lots of family, and way too many treats. We had a fun and crazy busy Christmas with family. And since I only took pictures on Christmas Morning (I was a slacker, hopefully the millions of other cameras going off around me will send some pics my way) here we are finding what Santa and other loved ones left for us.

Pajama Family picture.

All the A grandkids with Gangy and Pop Pop (Gangy is really trying to change the name but we are holding on to the dream...)

Going downstairs (sort of out of order) to see the Christmas splendor.

Sage and Emery get their stockings.

Emery super excited to get dress ups. She had to run and put on her Minnie Mouse immediately.

Sage loving her Cabbage Patch baby. She was so fun to watch and gave her baby kisses right away. The girl loves babies and that just melts my heart to watch.

Em and her best cousin Indie, hugging in thanks over their gifts. They are a crack up together.

Sage was a maniac. She loved opening presents and just went after whatever wrapped box that was nearest to her. She assisted many others in the unwrapping. Did I mention it was a bit chaotic?
But it was fun. Emery asked on the 26th if Santa was coming again tomorrow. Sorry kid, we gotta wait another year. Phew!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

And the busiest too. I love Christmas time, even if I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off. So, before I get too busy with the million things I need to do today to get ready to go up to snowy winterland for Christmas I need to report some of the happenings that have been going on during this most wonderful time.

We went to the Bass Pro Shop with some friends Taylor looking at Jolie and Cohen, Ella and Emery (not the best pic but I just love Sage running around so happy)

And we saw Santa and Mrs Claus. Seriously, the best way to see Santa is at the Bass Pro Shop. No waiting in long lines and then the kids can shoot guns at deer afterwards. Or they can just play in a tent.

And they even got to see Scuba Santa.

This month we have been baking up a storm. For fun we made gingerbread men with the kids. Emery loved it.


I forgot to take pictures of the plate of goodies we brought to neighbors but lets just say we baked for 2 days straight and I am still on a sugar high.

We also went to see the Princess and the Frog.
We went to a super fun white elephant party. No pictures from that since it was an adult only party. You know what they say, "What happens in Vegas, stay in Vegas."

We went to Brian's work party at the Encore. It was fun to have an excuse to dress up and watch people I don't know dance around. Yummy food too.
On Saturday we were invited to join in on something that I think will be a new tradition (and hopefully something we can do more often than just at Christmas time). We made 100 sack lunches to bring to the homeless downtown. My friend's dad is a cop and he knew where to go and we just held out lunches out the car window. It was amazing how fast we could hand out those lunches. Emery loved to help. It was really neat experience.

And finally, one thing that has been taking up a lot of my time was making these girls skirts. It shouldn't have taken that long but...it did. Let's leave it at that. But they turned out cute and they wore them to church yesterday. And this is the best pic I could get of these two. Sage is so not at the sit there and pose stage.Hope this season has been a good one for you! Merry Christmas!

Crafty List and Tutorials

I have a new obsession. I love looking at crafty blogs and pretending that I will someday make some of these things. The list of things I want to make is never ending. I really should have a system of writing them down because they keep getting lost in my head. So, here is my attempt at listing some of the crafts I have attempted and a fraction of what I want to do.

Please keep in mind, I am not very good at this stuff. I attempt and I forget steps and I hope people don't look too closely. But there is something so satisfying in saying, "I made that." I am addicted to that feeling and I am going to keep copying other talented people in hopes that I will get better.

In order to motivate me to finish some sewing projects I attempted (I think I have almost broke even with how much money I have spent, Brian is real happy about that) to sell a few things at a couple craft shows and boutiques. There were the slings (something I fell in love with when Sage joined the family. That girl still loves to be held all the time).
And the Carseat Tents

And finally the Tutu Onsies.

I used leftover scraps from Sages bedding and glider (I somehow forgot to ever take pictures of the bedding I made and the glider that I covered and she is sleeping now so that will have to wait another day) to make these to go in her room.

You remember Emery's first day of preschool? Well, the legging/skirt combo came from a couple of my old shirts. This fabulous idea came from Make it and Love it. She has a million refashion ideas that I want to do. I don't even know where to begin - maybe here, here, or here.

I bought some women's skirts at a garage sale (for 50 cents) and thought maybe I could turn them into dresses for my girls. Without any idea what I was doing, I made these. Now I just need to figure out if I can dress them up so they don't look like they are going on a Pioneer Trek....

Speaking of refashioning...I love this idea and I am so sad that when I moved I gave all my old clothes away. So, I have bought some men's shirts at garage sales to make all sorts of shirt dresses. So far all I have made with them is the shirt I wore on Thanksgiving. Got the idea from one of my favs, My Mama Made It - tutorial here (I added sleeves and messed it up a whole bunch by not measuring it right, maybe one day I will figure these things out). This girl has about a million other refashion ideas. She is a little more brave than I am with the stuff but I love to see what she can do with some ruffles. I keep thinking I will dress up some of my old tee's that are oh so boring.

I also got crafty at my ward Pajama Rama (our Friday late night version of Super Saturday). I made some holiday blocks, these Countdown blocks,

and these silhouettes. Brian likes to make fun of Sage's profile but I just love these.
Emery has been loving her Ariel nightgown that I thought she might also like a Fancy Nancy nightgown to mix things up. I made this and we'll just pretend the arms are the right length. She loves it anyway since she is only allowed to wear characters to bed.Now I am working on making this skirt for my girls for Christmas. Let's hope it turns out half as cute as when Dana MADE it. She is kind of my hero.

In addition, my crafty friend (this is a crafty person that I actually know, not just stalk on the internet - and she is fabulous) is doing a week of tutorials. Fun ideas for gifts or to keep. And to top it off she is offering a giveaway and all you have to do is comment each day or the tutorials. Check it out here.

Happy Crafting. And Merry Christmas too!

Thanksgiving happened...

...and it was wonderful. However, I forgot my camera and since my husband refuses to go back once the garage door is closed (but really, I realized this by the time we were almost to Kingman and after 45 minutes of dam traffic neither of us wanted to go back. I think it would have taken forgetting a child to go back after passing the blasted Hoover Dam), I had to rely on others to take some pictures and send them to me (Thanks Steve and Chante!)

I love Thanksgiving in AZ. The weather is beautiful (77 and sunny), my family gathers (2 families were greatly missed this year - but our numbers were still almost 40),

we eat way too much good food...outside, the kids play together,

Sage was loving some chocolatey goodness and playing with the kids outside.

the boys watch football and play on the computer,
and the girls chat and map out our Black Friday by looking at the ads.
Who could ask for anything more?

Another one of my favorite things to do in AZ at Thanksgiving is go see the Mesa Temple lights. Not as chilly as the SLC lights and just as spectacular.
Emery was invited to be in a picture with us to complete the family but she was too busy having a meltdown over the color of sucker she wanted. I gave Sage the yellow one with the idea that it would stain less. I was so wrong.
I love Thanksgiving for all it represents. Food, family, and most importantly gratitude. There is so much to be thankful for and I appreciate this time of year when everyone pays attention to that a little bit more.

Jingle Bells and more...

I have waited long enough...the tree is going up today and the Christmas songs are going on the ipod. We are getting ready for Christmas!

And just so I don't forget...Emery started singing Jingle Bells yesterday and this is her version:

Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells
He is so Brave
Jingle Bells
How are you?
Good good good good good

We laughed. Who's so brave? She said she didn't know. After listening to us she now sings it like this:

Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells
All through the way
It's fun to ride
fun to ride
and say, Hey!

I love her singing and if I could sneakily record all her little songs she sings in the car I would. She usually shuts down for the camera. But she does have some pretty awesome versions of songs. A couple months ago, after a visit to the dentist, she sang this version of "I know you"

I know you
I have a big cavity.....

(Don't worry, we got that fixed and now she has a big silver tooth)

Ok, now I can't think of some of the other ones. I better write these down faster. Funny funny girl.

Now, back to setting up Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Overdue TV Review

You might think by my lack of TV talk on this here blog that I have put a handle on my addiction. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In fact, maybe my addiction is worse because I still watch a lot of shows even though I am not feeling much love for TV in general. Sad, I know.

Anyway, here are a few thoughts on some of the shows I am watching.

SYTYCD - Don't get me wrong, I love this show....but....I don't know if I just didn't get enough time in between seasons or if it is the changes they have made or what but I am just not as excited about it this season. I don't like the new stage, I miss the stairs. I like Adam fine but I kind of miss the alternating 3rd judge (like Lil C and his big words :). I feel like we were jipped with the first few weeks of the top 20 where they didn't even have a results show. I am not sure which dancers are my favorite yet because I am just not in love. Sad to say it but it's true. Do the judges feel obligated to say "this is our best top 20" because I am not sure I agree. And Mollee bugs.

New Favs

• Modern Family - Hilarious. Phil is awesome. He is like a less annoying Michael Scott, but just as clueless. Manny rules. I think one of my favorite moments on this show thus far was when the whole family was singing Dylan's song.
  
• Cougar Town - Sure, I dropped Gossip Girl and 90210 but then I replaced those trashy shows for this one. I think I was just missing Monica. Plus, my boyfriend was on it for a little while. We will have to see if I still like it now that he is off.
  
• Glee - I love high school drama. I love musicals. I love Sue. Obviously, I would love this show. I am often embarrassed about the storyline (I hate hate hate all that involves the wife. Really, she is pretending she is pregnant...ugh.) but love the singing and Jane Lynch is perfect as Sue.
  
• Community - I love Joel McHale and how fabulous that I get to see him twice every week (The Soup, too for those not in the know). This may be my new favorite show. They had me at the first episode when Abed started quoting the Breakfast Club. Funny stuff. I love all the characters, even tiny nipples.
• Project Runway - not really new except to me since it moved from Bravo. I love this show! Makes me wish I could really sew. I can't believe how creative these people are and how fast they come up with this stuff. I don't know who I want to win. Irina might be the best but she is such a nasty person that I hate to see her win. I really like Carol Hannah.
  

Old Favs

• The Office and 30 Rock are still up there. Loved to see Jim and Pam get hitched (wish I watched the YouTube video before that episode, but o-well). Liz and Jack are still my heroes. Even Park & Rec is growing on me.
  
• House - I think this might be my favorite House season yet. I love the disturbed but trying House. Hate that Cameron left. She is lame.
• Heroes - this is where my addiction kicks in. I don't know why I am watching this show, it is bugging me.
• Grey's and Private Practice - Yes, I still watch them. I can't let go of all my Dr. friends. Brian hates these shows with a passion and mocks every chance he gets so I usually watch while I am doing laundry. I hate Izzie for being dumb. Is she ditching the show for movies now or what? Stupid way to kick her off.
  
• Monk and Psych - Sad Monk is almost done. Excited for Psych to come back in January. I don't know why but Sean cracks me up.
• Desperate Housewives - I think this is just a fall back because nothing is on Sundays (except Amazing Race, I love, Brian hates). I just love to laugh at Gabby.

That's all I got for now. Happy TV watching!

Emer Gaga

We've got a very talented daughter. Her talents don't necessarily involve dance skills or fashion. Ok, she has an awesome fashion sense and you can't read her p-p-p-p-poker face.

Time Out for Women

Last weekend I had the chance to go to Time Out for Women for the first time. Some girls in my ward were going and all I heard was no kids were invited and I was in (love my kids, but we all need a little time out even after a recent trip to NYC, right?).

The lovely ladies we went with and NO, I am not pregnant.

It was a weekend of eating, crying, laughing, snacking, bawling, giggling, shopping and most importantly recommitting to be a better person. Loved all the speakers, died laughing at Kenneth Cope and he cheesy gazing to the ceiling, ate at Pizza Factory twice. I got to know a bunch of fabulous women I didn't know before and became better friends with some I did know. All in all it was the best time out ever.

I may not have these friends after this but it made me laugh too hard not to share. So, after not much sleep the night before then driving back to Vegas late at night we decided to entertain ourselves on our drive. We made faces and took pictures ("Ok, do sexy. Now 5 year old smile. Now constipated"....). I felt like I was 12 and laughed 'til I cried. Then looked at the pictures afterward and almost cried at how scary we were. Thanks for the laughs, girls.

Halloween Fun

Halloween is over. While the let down isn't as bad as the day after Christmas, it is sad to put away the spooky. Emery is still sad the cat eyes (neighbor window coverings that we walked by nearly every day for the past month) are gone and I had to explain over and over that we cannot knock on people's doors and ask for candy, again. So, to relive a little bit of the Halloween fun...here are some of the festive things we did this week.

First, we went to a playgroup Halloween party. It was a good trial run for the costumes (Emery a pink monster and Sage was Boo from Monsters Inc.)

They decorated bags

And cupcakes. Sage mostly just walked around trying to snatch everyone's cupcakes.

Then the YW came over and we painted pumpkins (sad I didn't get a pic of all the girls and their pumpkins). Emery was so excited to paint with the big girls.

Emery's preschool had a Halloween party where she got to wear her costume again. They read Halloween stories, played pass the witch, and ate lots of treats.
Then Brian and I went out with some friends to Bonnie Screams - one western town with 5 haunted houses.

Finally, Halloween day arrived. I finished our costumes and we went to the ward party as Monsters Inc family.Emery and Sage had fun Trick or Treating around the neighborhood and we have enough candy to last us all year.

Hope your Halloween was just as freaky and fun!