December in Parts

December has been so busy!  I love it.  But also wish I had a clone that I could split my responsibilities with.  

I'll post more after Christmas, but here are some pre-christmas shenanigans that I got into!!!

Our Annual Relief Society White Elephant gift exchange!  This was the first, and most hilarious gift of the night.  

Cherie was thrilled to get a Santa head!  

See.....

Graden participated in his preschool Nativity Program.  It's always amazing!  He was Joseph.  This was his list for Santa.  

Mary~Joseph~Baby Jesus

Do to the boy girl ratio, we had wise girls instead of wise men.  I love their costumes!  Very flashy ladies! 

On the same day I had the girls party at school to do.  I made a bazillion sugar cookies for them to decorate.  They had an art project and ate a huge feast of snacks too.  It was fun! 

The first day of vacation the girls were invited to a Gingerbread making party.  They had a terrible time......can't you tell?????  

Not sure what happened in Taylor's chimney, she says Santa exploded.  Ew. 

Nattie's says BSU on the door!  Kinda like our house!

I've enjoyed this time of year.  I don't always.  I know that it's because I started Christmas shopping in August.  We are on a tight budget, so spreading it out like that took a huge weight off my shoulders.  

We even added our own little family gift exchange into the mix this year.  It was tough all going out with each other, but we made it happen!  

Tappin' away!

The girls started dance the beginning of the school year.  It was a tap/ballet/tumble class.  A friend in my ward teaches it.  They had their first recital on Saturday.  I think they were more excited to wear make up.  I told them they cannot wear it for real till they are in middle school.  Natalie quickly did the math.  She was not pleased.  

Here they are all ready to go! 

Taylor was super excited! She posed herself.  Should I be worried??? 

Natalie!  She was a little more unsure of how to pose!  But did great!

There were little girls as young as 2 dancing in another group.  It made me sad I never did it with the girls when they were younger.  Ugh...  Oh well.  This is the only "extra" thing they do.  But in March they will turn 8 and have activity days and start taking piano.  I may have to figure out if it's too much!  We'll see!  

Some "Ketchup"

Last Saturday was a busy one for us.  

Jason and I went to the Wyoming/BSU game.  It was beautifully sunny, but as soon as the shade hit us, I was more than grateful for the $1.24 I spent on 4 hand warmers from Walmart.  To say that I molested mine is a total understatement.  Like if I rubbed them more they would get hotter???  LOL! 

We came home for a moment of quiet, and then rushed off for a birthday party at Wahooz.  It was really fun, and I know it cost the parents a lot of money, so we blew our bedtimes out of the water and let the kids stay and play till 10!!  (If church were earlier than 11, I would have easily crushed those dreams.)

Our kids got to ride to Go-Carts.  

Have you ever thought for sure your kids COULD NOT do something only to totally blow your mind?  That is what the girls did.  I thought there was no way they would be able to drive.  By themselves.  Alone.  Without Jason or I.  Did I mention they would be manning a go-cart ALONE? 

Well they rocked it!  Did a great job!

Graden however was a wee bit too short to ride alone, so in the 30 degree weather, he and Jason hit the track!  

Burke and I spent a lot of time walking the arcade.  Burke touched every button, lever, handle, blinking light he could find. (And reach)... :)  We ended up on a bench waiting for Jason and the bigs' to get done with their second round of laser tag.  We watched videos on my phone, sang Once There Was a Snow Man.  It was darling.  

Then this kid sat down that looked somewhat like my nephew Mason.  I COULD NOT convince Burke is was not Mason.  He kept saying "Matin, Matin.."  And he was going to touch him!  I caught him just in time!

We all came home exhausted.  Totally.  But it was a great day!  

{Especially when Jason and I got on the WRONG shuttle back to the car....}

But I won't mention that!  Ha!

Breaking.....

DAWN YA'LL!  

1.  I had no intention of going to the mid night showing.  It was pure peer pressure from one Tamra Lords.  The queen of Twilighters.  And all the shenanigans that follow.  

2.  I was being a brat cause I was not going with Candace.  WOMP.  So kill me.  

3.  As it turns out we were broke when the movie came out.  Go figure.  

4.  I go to buy a ticket with some spare change I scrounged together.  THEY ARE SOLD OUT.  Another go figure.  

5.  Text my friend Jared who is the manager of the Edward's in Nampa.  He hooked me up.  Saweet.  

So the night begins~

I had stake auxiliary training that night for YW's.  It was delightful.  But I begin to feel a scratch in my throat!  WOMP!  

I braved it anyway's and picked up my friend Julie, her daughter Maddie, another friend JaeCee and her cousin Nikki.  We ventured out to the theater.  

WHAT???  A line around the block????  Kill me.  :)  All was well.  Tamra was already there causing a ruckus, so we jumped in line with her!  It went really fast!  

We got in the theater and it was not even packed!  Saweet!  We chatted, laughed, checked out Pinterest, made fun of these 12-14 year old girls that were doing cheers on the floor.  All was good.  I was decked out in red, black and white!  And these killer earrings from my friend Cindy!!!  

This stunning picture I took and text to Cindy and Cherie at another theater.  I will be nice and not post the one they sent to me.  For it equals this one in beauty.....wink!!!  

Ok.  Here is the truth.  I have only read each Twilight book once.  Years ago at that.  So I knew the premise of Breaking Dawn, but had forgot a lot of the details.  I thought the honeymoon scene was done tastefully.  Although if I had a teenage daughter sitting by me, I would have rather died.  :)  

The most disturbing parts for me was when Bella became so ill with the baby.  I was totally NOT prepared for the graphic depiction of her.  I was so sad!  And kinda barfy!  Ugh!  

It was bad news when I woke up on Friday after 6 hours of sleep.  I was sicker than a dog!  TERRIBLE!  My sister Megan came and got my kids so I could nap.  I was down for the count till Sunday.  I was awake for 2 hours, slept for 2 hours.  I kept telling Jason I felt hollow.  Ugh.  Thankfully he was home and able to be Mr. Mom.  He did great!  

So this is the start of our Thanksgiving vacation!  

He is all business when we play.  Burke?  Not so much!  

Beloved

Be.lov.ed (adj.)- Dearly loved. 

These are my beloved.  

Thanks to Julie Shepherd for our family pictures! 

this and that

Once again we had a blast at mutual!  We did Zumba on the Wii!  It was super fun!  Then we made smoothies!  The girls danced their hearts out!!!  So did the leaders!!  WOOT WOOT!

Graden has been struggling on not wanting to go to school.  He bawls.  But he always has fun once he is there.  It's just the leaving the house part he hates.  I am worried about kindergarten.  Jason thinks he will go just fine with the girls.  I hope so.  This is a battle I do not want to go through everyday!!

Taylor had a speaking part at the Veteran's Day program.  She did a great job!  I am so blessed to be her mom!  She is a beautiful, wonderful little girl.  Love you bug!

Natalie had one too!  She nailed it! Good for you sis!!!!

Here is dweedle dumb.  jk!  He was holding and kissing these dollies so sweetly.  And for a brief moment I let myself think of what it would be like to have one more.  Then he chucked a doll across the room.  Dream squashed.  ;)

Burke is 2. Like it or not!

I pick not.  

But it's not up to me, so I have to suck it up.  :(

Burke was born on 11-06-09 at 11:06am.  

I knew I was having him the night before, but did not tell anyone.  My c-section was scheduled for the following Friday, but he was ready. 

So was I.

This is what two years will do...

We had a little Elmo party for him on Saturday night.  He helped Daddy spiff up the house that day!  What a great little dude!

Burke was blessed enough to have G'ma Blue here for his big day!  Poor G'pa had to stay home!  :(  My big kids all have a "movie" chair.  So Teri decided Burke needed one too!  She found this black one at Big Lot's!  Sweet!  And boy does he know that it is HIS!  ({insert high pitched scream of "mine" here!}

He is o.b.s.e.s.s.e.d. with motorcycles right now, so he got several of them in all sizes, shapes and colors.  He loves all of them!  

What?  A big one???  Sweet!!!! 

He liked blowing spitting out his candles this year!  Remember last year and the pushing the cake away debacle?  LOL! 

He's 2.

He's loud.

He's loved.

Nuff said....

All Hallows.....

We had another wonderful Halloween this year!  Also lucky enough to have Bailey with us to help with the carving on Sunday!  

A wonderful time was had by all!  My goal was to get the kids in bed by 8:30 and I did!  

{So I treated myself to a pedicure today!}

HOLLA!