a Hollly Jolly Christmas...

Ok, I know it's been too long since I posted anything...but if you're reading this, I'm warning you that I am NOT one of those who adds new stuff EVERYDAY! In fact, sometimes it may be weeks before there's anything new...In this new year I'm really going to try to be consistent in journaling (if for no one else, for my family to read back on)...

This Christmas season has been really fun! Some highlights were:

- watching the kids come downstairs and look to see where the little tree elf (thanks Allison) had hidden each morning after reporting back to Santa the night before!

-watching little Avery singing in her preschool Christmas program--she practiced at home ALL the time! For those of you who have witnessed that girl singing, you know that if you try to sing along with her, she puts out her hand and says, "no" and proceeds with her SOLO! Talk about a stage hog! But she is a good little singer--she was the loudest and cutest one up there (so what if she made up many of her own lines).

-taking Madie shopping for Avery's gift and really wanting it herself, but, being the kind-hearted little sweetheart that she is, deciding that Avery would really like to sleep with it (a big teddy bear).

-puking my brains out the morning of Avery's preschool party (NOT pregnant, just the flu), but not wanting to make her miss it, and not wanting to miss that sweet little face when she sang, I sucked it up (not literally) and braved the pot-luck hell that is the Raggedy and Andy preschool tradition at Christmas time! I shocked myself by lasting the entire 2+ hours without tossing my cookies, despite the many ethnic foods that included big, greasy sausage-looking-things. It was worth it to witness the instant high that girl gets from a simple sugar cookie!

-taking our kids caroling for the first time with some families in our ward.

- my mom cooking for and entertaining no less than 20 people for every family event! Go mom! We love your cooking and the fun we have at your house. And dad always wanting to hold little Owen (or ANY of my kids that will let him)

-my sweet father-in-law who INSISTED on personally purchasing individual gifts for each of his 6 kids, their spouses, AND 20 grandchildren! What a grandpa! Next year it might be easier to do couple gifts or family gifts--whatever you want though--we love you.

-my sister Melissa telling her boyfriend, the adorable Blake, and a few other guys that came to my parent's house, that our family has an annual talent show every year and watching as he did hand-stand push-ups for my entire family! THEN...Nate and Blake reading their own version of a poem entitled "uptown girl"--it was hilarious! And of course Golden playing guitar while my girls gawked at him, and of course my sister Coco's solo.

It was a nice quiet Christmas at our house. Little Owen's FIRST Christmas--he didn't eally get it of course, he just wanted the wrapping paper tube and balls to throw and chase! he's soo fun. So here are a few pictures...