Christmas Around Our House...

Even though we didn't go full out for Christmas this year I loved the way our house looked and felt for the holidays!  Here's to feeling better the month of November & December next year and going all out once again!!!

I really love the tree this year!

A close up...

I liked the red & white for the cabinets!

Love whipping out my holly branches every year!  Kevin got me this santa and he is a new favorite!

I consider this xmas art!!!  So many cute cards this year!  I vow to do a card next year since we've moved now!

Manger scene... by Maddie!  She even hung the star!!!

Art work by Madison and Lauren!!!  I'm going to keep all of the kids art made during December and keep it to hang together each year!

Christmas Eve 2010...

Us... relaxing and watching ELF after girls were tucked away for the night!

So... Kevin and I are solidifying xmas traditions we want to carry out for our family and I think we've pin pointed them finally!  Well, at least for the years we have the 2 little girls only.  We spent the day together doing last minute stuff.  We made sugar cookies in the shapes of stars and sprinkled them with yellow sprinkles after they were frosted.  Beautiful!  Lauren was a crack up during the whole cutting out process.  Emmy did not participate!  Then we fed the girls and they got baths and got to put on their xmas jammies!  Emmy gave me a huge hug & kisses when she got hers put on... they were very cozy!  They looked cute!  They came in and snuggled up for cookies and we watched the retro xmas movies (Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, etc.) and then got cookies and milk put out for Santa and water for the reindeer!  We took a family pic by the tree... not an easy task... and then put them in bed!!!!  It was a fun day and kudos to my sweet husband for making our xmas a little more like we're used to in AZ by doing Italian sandwiches for me!!!  I have had a hard time with holidays over here without extended family and he has put up with my cruddy attitude about being far away from them at holidays!  I know it's what you make it even when you can't have all your family around and he helped me remember that!  He made excellent sandwiches and it felt like xmas!!!!!  I love him for SOOOOOOOOOOOOO many reasons and he's my hero!!!  We missed all of the kids tonight for sure, but are happy they are having fun with their other families!!!  All in all it was a really good xmas eve!!!

Lauren getting ready to bake!

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling...

Cutting with her new star cookie cutter...

look at all of that flour on her knees!  She was having a blast though...

After baths eating their cookies and watching retro xmas flicks...

Emmy sneaking just one more...

Italian sandwiches stuff!!  I love this tradition that my Mom & Dad have done all of these years!

Mine... just the way I like it!

Kevins... his way!

Mini Family!  Emmy revolting!



Santas Cookies...



Taking water outside for the reindeer...

Goodnight...

Sleep Tight!!!

Sitting with Santa...

Lauren talked about going to see santa a lot this season... and finally we saw him!  The ward xmas party planners invited him to some to our ward party!!!  Way better than going to a mall!!!  Lauren ran right up and told him what she wanted... Emmy not so much.  She wanted nothing to do with him except for the candy canes he was handing out! 

FFG Santa Barbara Solution 1st Xmas Lunch...

Kevin wanted to do something nice for his agents in his region it being their first year together and everything, so we hosted a nice lunch for all of them.  He had scheduled for a VP of Aviva (the company they write through) from Des Moines, who was going to be in LA, to come speak at their last sales meeting of 2010 and incorporate a nice holiday lunch as well.  It was fun to cook for them and see Kevin with his sales force!  He is such an amazing leader and really does have a good rapport with his crew!  We made smothered steak, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, salad, arrowhead dip and warm bread and peppermint ice cream with hot fudge for dessert!  We kept it small, but still made it nice for them as we appreciate how hard they all work!  Next year we plan to do a dinner with all of the spouses as well and I look forward to meeting all of them and becoming friends!!!

Johnsons Christmas Party!

Had soooooooo much fun at the Johnsons christmas party last week!  We took Frances Mowers yummy Lake Arrowhead Cheese Dip and bread and made enough for left overs here!  They had us bring a fun gift for a white elephant gift exchange and I found 2 great crowd pleasers.  The first was a pair of black velvet boxers with a huge santa face and hat right on the front in traditional red & white attire... but the best part is when you pushed a button (under santas nose) a xmas song would play!  Actually Kaitlin found them, but I decided they'd be a good game gift.  Second was a "you know you're a Red Neck" 2011 calendar for a desktop.  They were stolen and fought over so they must have been good choices!  Here is what we ended up with...

I am... aren't I?????  :)

Kevin got this purse!  The next morning was Sunday and Lauren ran out and saw it and assumed it was for her.  She packed it for church and off we went.  In the car on the way home she said, "look Dad... my purse has boobs"!!!

An extra gift from our friends the Paulsons... all of us wonder what's in there... vinegar or red wine???  I like the bottle to add to my collection!

And, these freaky folks were strapped into kevins seat belt when we got out to our car that night!  Can you say... "CHUCKY"!  We will be passing them along... :)

So, we had SUCH a great time and love getting to know all of the peeps here!!!  Thanks to the Johnsons!

Froggy Friend...

OK... so it has been raining here for 8 straight days and this guy decided to visit and get some much needed shelter!  Kaitlin... he's setting up house in your boots, so when you get home you'd better check before sliding your feet into those puppies!!!

Christmas Lists & Cocoa...

The night before our 3 oldest left for AZ to spend the holiday with their other families we had them draw their xmas lists and we had some yummy cocoa!  We are working on making traditions for our own family for theyears we have the kids for xmas and the years we don't... out big family xmas, and our mini family xmas!  So... this is what we'll do the night before they leave on our off years!!!  After we were done we packed them up and watched a Christmas movie together...

Kaitlins List...

Darons List...

Maddies List...

And Laurens List... (we glued ads onto paper for her!)

Laurens Christmas Concert...

She was a crack up and didn't necessarily understand what she was supposed to do.... but, she was super cute!  We were glad to get to go to this cute little concert and I am glad Kevin was with me and took Emmy out so that I could watch!

Darons Christmas Concert...

Our handsome son!

It took me forever to get these pics and video downloaded off of my cell phone!  Sorry Daron... but cut me some slack for being sick as a dog that night and forgetting my real camera!!!  Daron did awesome as usual and I was so proud of him.  His band sounded great and he was also in a trio which played "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".  He is SUCH A NATURAL!!!!  So sorry about the blurry pics... but the videos where you can hear him and the band are really what counts!



Pre-Concert... I thought they made it look festive...  and the two videos below are #1 Daron in his Trio group and #2 the whole band doing Jingle Bell Rock!



This was a fabulous way to start off the holiday season and I wouldn't have missed it for ANYTHNG Daron!  Kevin was out of town in Des Moines, Iowa on a business trip but got to attend his school performance the next week and loved it! 

M.I.A.

Missing our oldest 3 already!!!  They took off from LAX to go spend time in AZ with their families for Christmas.  It is very quiet in the house, which is nice... but I will miss them lots!  Looking forward to New Years with them all!!!!!!  :)  Love you guys!!!!!!

Kaitlin ...

On the way to a baptism last night in the car...

"My hair is leggy"... instead of  "My legs are hairy"...

Good Stuff!!!  :)  Have a good weekend everyone!

Activity Days...

Madisons group went to a home and visited this sweet older lady.  She had all kinds of stories to tell the girls and they laughed and had a good time with eachother!  Each girl took her a little card, gift, poem or something and she was so happy to receive them and for the visit expecially.  Madison beamed when she got in the car and told me about what she had learned about the woman (like she was originally from France... and was in the war... and had been ill for 8 years... and had no family in the area, etc.)  and how much she liked the candy and card she took her.  It was good for her to learn to do this kind of service, which didn't feel like service at all to her!  She loved every minute and wants to go back soon!

Maddies Field Trip @ La Purisuma Mission...

She had such a great time and was all smiles and stories that day after school!  One of the other moms was awesome to send me all of the pics as I didn't go... Thanks Gretchen!  I love that she loves all of her friends and school and is a likeable chick!  She is always up for fun and a new adventure!  :)