Merry Christmas

Our Christmas season was merry, bright and packed with memorable events that make it the "holidays". Lucy tried to plant a big kiss on Santa's lips at the local library Christmas party. Needless to say she was NOT afraid of the jolly old man. Canyon got a Christmas miracle when he woke up to a upgraded i-pod from the one he asked for.At least that is what he called it "Ellie this is a Christmas miracle". Ellie as been rockin out to Band Hero all the day long. Her Choice Love song by Taylor Swift. Christmas has went by WAY WAY to fast this year. My house is still trashed with Christmas paraphernalia strewn about and I haven't done much to remedy that because it makes it still seem like Christmas a little longer.I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas season as well!

p.s. We were Christmas card slackers once again 2 years in a row....kind of pathetic. Hopefully next year we will be one the card wagon again. So Merry Christmas to you from us!

if only it were Christmas carols I got to listen to

Lately I get hear the sobbing cries of a 2 year old kicked up a couple of notches through a fisher price microphone. It is just her way of trying to outsmart me. She must know I send her to her room so the door and walls will somewhat mute the unpleasant noise that is pouring out from her little body. So she tries to makes it impossible to ignore by amplifying it with the good old fisher price. And sometimes if she wants you to feel really bad for her she gets her microphone sits in the same room as you facing the wall with her and cries away. You know she is faking it when her cries are half songs and you can make out some rhythm. It has been far to entertaining for the whole family to take the Fisher Price away. Little does she know her crafty plan is backfiring on her.

Christmas lights

I think Christmas lights are about the best little things in the world. The only reason shorter days in the winter time make since...to plug the Christmas lights in sooner. Can you imagine celebrating Christmas time without those glittery lights in the backdrop? They make everything better. I need more.

*photos out of the our archives of Christmas past 2007*

all that white stuff

When all that white stuff falls from the sky for the first time of the season.

A nine year old has big plans.
Did Canyon want his after school snack? NO!
He wanted to put on his snow gear as quickly as possible.
Then he disappeared into the snowy streets and fields to find the biggest snow bank around.
When it got dark, I begin to worry a little. It is dark. It is bitter cold.
He little bones must be frozen. Why isn't he home yet?
Maybe he is wondering around the dark streets delusional from hypothermia
or maybe he is waiting for help with his tongue stuck to a pole.
Yes, those answers are both much more logical and likely than having to much fun
in sub zero temperatures to notice it was getting very dark and late.
Eventually, he and his winter pal were tracked down by the headlights of a car.
(and it was not mine. I could not muster up the will to leave the warm house.)
They were found playing on that "biggest snowbank around" lit up by street lights without a care in the world.
When he found his way home I told him I was worried he was freezing to death.
He informed me that his body is a "winter body" and does not get cold easily.
Then in the next breath he asks for some hot chocolate and hot tub.
I guess to warm up that not very cold infamous winter body of his.

Cheers, The winter season is officially now upon us.

the great Christmas give away.

There is a great Christmas give away out there in blog land. I love this idea! You enter for someone else who could use the gift more than yourself. To enter you leave a comment describing who you would give the gift to and why. Be prepared to be truly humbled and feel extremely BLESSED as you read the comments of others describing who they would like to win the gift for and the hardships they face (I know I did). If you know someone out there who a simple gift could make their Holiday extra special go here and enter for them! There will be a new give away every 2 days. Tis the Season!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Thankful for Zions

We spent our Thanksgiving holiday in Zions with our cox side family. Man, I love that place! Beautiful hikes during the day followed by a big turkey dinner at night. Lots of hot tubbin underneath a star filled sky and UNO until it was so late your vision blurred and you had to wear a home-made saucer anti-itch dog collar and act like a bull dog. (that was one of the winner makes the rules...rule.) On the way home the holiday season was in the air with the roads packed with cars filled with families. I was a little jealous of the lucky families that had Christmas trees tied to the top of their car. It just seemed so festive. The perfect thing to bring home from a Thanksgiving holiday.
**note to self: Next year don't come home without a tree tied to the top.**

lonely gangster

I'm thankful (it is almost thanksgiving) that my kids have a new found love for the basement...I am. Even the girls are on board. They love the ramp. But I have to wonder if that finished basement I had envisioned in my head will ever happen now. The other day when I told Canyon he had to stay in his room until it was clean he responded. "When you make me do this... you make me feel like a lonely gangster." What!? For reals. I couldn't help but laugh. Now it makes perfect sense why all the new tagging in the basement looks totally pro-fess-ion-al and shockingly gangsterish. My lonely gangster has been busy. My visions of "finished" don't stand a chance. This isn't my hood anymore. I hardly recognize it.

in all the universe

A couple of days ago Lucy threw the most epic tantrum I dare say the universe has ever seen. When every trick in the book failed to calm her little soul, I could tell it had escalated past the point of no return. So I did what any good, wise, mature mother would do. I walked away and hid in my closet hoping to not be found. I know...I know, best mom ever. I sat on my closet floor with the door shut with one headphone in and flipped threw the entire Crewcuts catalog just staring at all the beautiful pictures, blocking out sounds of terribleness and dreaming of all the clothes I would want to buy for the child making me hide in my closet (it must be love). I wanted it all! Every bit of that winter wear, but seriously that won't happen. When I finished my catalog it seemed safe to come out. She was asleep and I had survived. It is down right amazing how on occasion she can switch from such a dreamy little thing to big terrible thing so fast. It is miraculous...it is.

***did i mention I loved every photo and every outfit because I did. ***

dead men tell no tales

This Halloween Ellie had a inner struggle between a cowgirl with pink boots or a cheerleader. In the end the cheerleader was the winner. It helped the cause that her BFF had the outfit to lend us for the night (thanks Jada).

We really had no choice with Lucy remember her obsession with the pirate ride. Well it is still in full swing. She was going to be a pirate and a cute little scallywag she was. She was in full character in her outfit and got to sing her theme song a million times to anyone who dared look this pirate in the eyes, including grocery store patrons.
YO HO YO HO a pirate life for me.

Being that Canyon was "snake eyes" he was a little to stealth for some indoor pictures. I guess nearly 10 year old boys don't care to much for photographs of themselves in full body black spandex...maybe next time.

little wild horse canyon

Every time we come here be it the first, third, or sixth. I come away amazed at how incredible this place is. The tall winding narrow stretches, delicate shapes, soft sandy bottoms, the feeling, the color. I love it all. At the end, I am always, always just blown away at how great it was. It never gets old.....only better.

broken heart

Lucy had her first broken heart.
Her beloved bottle didn't show up like it has every night before.
And when I told her the bad news that it had left and wasn't coming back.
Her bottom lip quivered
Giant tears welled up
And with the saddest voice I have ever heard she said
" ma ma...please. please.. ma ma.. please."
Her heart was broken into pieces.
I felt so bad, my heart was broken too except probably into a little less pieces.
I'm not going to lie. I almost gave in.
But instead I rubbed her little head until her sobs became wimpers.
Then I whispered "I love you" and she said it back.
I am glad she thinks that bottle broke her heart and not me.
And when I packed up all the bottles away to never return.
It made me sort of sad...a little teary.
I still can't explain exactly why.
I think It has something to do with that no diapers and no bottle equals no longer a baby.
A new phase in life.
A part of me is going to miss that baby in her.

goblin valley

This was our first day on our road trip to Southern Utah. The kids kept requesting Thriller over and over again. It was fun at first and then after the millionth time.... not so much. We kept giving into their demands. We were going to Goblin Valley after all so Thriller seemed sort of appropriate.

bathing in a witches brew

A spooky Halloween bath

We were faced with the tough decision of what to do with the dry ice left over from the pumpkin carving festivities the night before. Meanwhile, it sat dissolving the the brown paper bag we brought it home in. When the girls got in the tub we or I should say he had a grand idea. The Dry ice would make a spooky bath perfect for Halloween. For a split second I worried that maybe there would be adverse side effects to bathing in dry ice. Like maybe their hair might fall out or hives would take over their little bodies. In case you are wondering all hair remained intact and Halloween was hive free. Dry ice has always been a friend of the family starting way back in the day when we lived in city house # 7 and dial up to get on-line. "What should we do tonight?" Response...."Lets go get some dry ice". Oh, the things you find to entertain a toddler and Canyon loved it (he still does every time). In Kindergarten when he was to bring something for show and tell that started with a D he talked me into bringing dry ice.. ha ha. I still remember how cool he thought that was. I wonder what else we will do with dry ice over the years. Long live the powers of dry ice.

p.s. For any of you wanting to play with dry ice the trick is to put it in a big bowl and then add some dish soap here and there. Not to much but not to little. Give everyone a cup. Then let fun will begin.

new things to come home to

Upon my arrival home from New York City there were some new things waiting for me.

#1 This new screensaver/picture that was taken while I was gone. How could she look 2 years older? I was only gone for 3 1/2 days. Crazy! I had to go look at her in her sleep and stare for a while.

#2 This skateboard ramp was assembled in my basement in my three days away. I guess the kids pitched in and helped, a team project. I might need to get my hands on some ear plugs. It's kind of noisy. Canyon is pretty stoked to say the least.

#3 This one is probably the most exciting. A fully potty trained toddler. I guess when she says she wants to wear panties she means it.

A lot can happen in 3 little days.

New York City

I loved every second of this trip. It was a complete dream.
Thanks Miki for inviting us to come visit. It was unreal.

Brooklyn

Heather found someone special in Brooklyn....we call him Mr. soft lips.

We wondered around Brooklyn I loved all the old buildings and the character it had.
When we were at the Brooklyn Flea Market Martha Stewart was filming one of her shows.
She was in line right behind us to get a pizza with her film crew. It was pretty funny.
Somehow she got her pizza before us. She is tricky that Martha. :)