Christmas Gifts 2008

I was a slacker and forgot to charge my camera's battery over night, so we missed the majority of gift opening. The charge while opening gifts was good enough to take pictures of the kids' last gifts opened: the big one from Dad and Mom.

Yakko got the coolest electric train ever: Hogwart's Express from Harry Potter 1: The Sorcerer's Stone. (Thanks again, Grandpa! You saved the day!)Dot got a refurbished laptop computer that Dad worked really hard on to make special for her. She's loving it!Wakko's been asking for a Red Rider BB Gun for the past 4 years--he finally got it.
Dot's loot: books, jammies, clothes, Cleveland Indians stuff, Bratz design station, Littlest Pet shops, Webkinz, a Nutcracker, a blanket, organization supplies, etc.
Yakko's loot: Ohio State shirt, cool books, rockin' games, Webkinz, MP3 player, 20 Questions, flashlight, jammies, a doctor Nutcracker, books, books, books.
Wakko's loot: cooking tools, a cook book, jammies, books, Webkinz, MP3 player, a hockey Nutcracker, Star Wars figure, books, a football, mini flyers.

Dad got some cool Cleveland/Ohio clothes, a scarf, a Nativity ornament, a bb gun, games, tools, pruners, a boat trailer thing-a-ma-jig, food storage items, and books.

I got a beautiful necklace and earrings, a fabulous book, a jumbo griddle, a massager, a teddy bear and book, gum, and pink fuzzy slippers.

Our family was given a bunch of fun decorations for our house and some games!

A big THANK YOU to all the friends and family that helped to make this Christmas special! We feel so blessed to have you in our lives!

p.s.
Even "Peanut" got a gift: his/her first onsies... Go Cleveland Indians!

Christmas Morning 2008

Christmas morning was loads of fun! We heard the kids up and about around 6:30 a.m. We made them wait for everyone to use the bathroom and to have Dad check to see if Santa had come. They were bouncing off the walls!

Once the kids were upstairs, they immediately found their stockings and posed to get the photo session over with.Dad looked super excited.
Yakko was just dying to get pictures over with so that he could attack his gifts.
Wakko gave me his best "look, I'm smiling already... take the picture and be done with it" look.
Dot was uber ready to go!Wrapping paper--beware!Even the dogs got treats from Santa.
Wakko was quite happy with his gift from Santa.

Christmas Eve 2008

Christmas Eve was a wonderful time (as it usually is) for our family. We were blessed to have dinner with Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Z and T, and K. It was super delicious (ham, funeral potatoes, Christmas Jell-O, rolls, and desserts galore)! We came home and opened our traditional Christmas Eve gifts: what could they be?Pajamas! What a surprise! (or not...)

After putting on their new pj's, the kids went right to the task at hand and took writing a "thank you" letter to Santa very seriously.
Wakko then took his newly crocheted blanket from Grandma and tried to hide.
We said our prayers, snuggled, gave kisses, and sent the little darlings to bed. They were so excited that it took over two hours for them to settle down enough to sleep!

That's a Wrap!

I wasn't great about taking a ton of pictures backstage, but here are those that I did. Yakko had a brilliant time, and made memories to last a lifetime. Enjoy!

Eating... again
Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and Mrs. Cratchit

Scrooge and Tim

Playing card games to pass the time away

Mrs. Cratchit (Katey) and Tim

Hanging out with Charles Dickens

Tim and his new found "bff"

Posing with the crutch

Playing another game with the kids

Playing the dradel game

Hanging out with his buddies

Young Boy Scrooge

Our Family's Christmas Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

This year has been one of first, miracles, and unexpected joys. The year started off with us deciding for sure that we are very content living where we do: we know there's a reason we should be here. It was my honor in February to accept the position as choreographer for Taylorsville City's "Bye Bye Birdie". Little did I know that this would be one of the most fun experiences of my life! Our family has been touched by the wonderful friendships forged from that whole experience.

In March, our family went to Disneyland for the first time. It was the most fun it could have been! The only down side is that we fell in love with it so much that we're all itching to go back. Easter time was beautiful and wonderful. Our garden and yard produced so much wonderful food that we felt it was a great blessing.Wakko and Yakko participated in Little League Baseball this year. Although it wasn't Yakko's favorite thing ever, Wakko discovered new talents and abilities. His confidence and talents really grew this spring.My sweetheart changed jobs this summer and is so happy! His commute is five minutes--on a bad day. Work is 1/2 mile down the road, so that's been a great blessing. He feels very needed there and is learning so much every day.

Dot was able to attend her first Girl's Camp and Beehive camp. They were great opportunities for her to grow and step towards being an independant woman. Her self esteem blossomed and her confidence grew to a new level!Yakko did a great job earning awards in scouting and loved his scout day camps. He developed new skills and friendships there.All three kids had a blast learning a ton from their wonderful swimming teacher. They are already asking about swimming lessons for next year! We also developed a new love: archery.
August was a month of miracles and big changes for us. Our lovely boarder moved in: this was such a new and fun adventure for us! We were blessed tremendously to have my awesome brother come for a surprise visit for our dad's birthday. Memories to last a lifetime were made that weekend! It was great having all the siblings together: the only thing that would have made it better would be if my brother's darling family could have been here, too.In August, we were over joyed to also learn that we were expecting our fourth child. Hearts were broken when we learned that we had a miscarriage. The devastation and heart break that followed were indescribable. The support and love we felt from dear family and friends was incredible. Melissa, I still cannot thank you enough for your amazing support during this time. Little did we know that we hadn't had a miscarriage after all; we learned in November that we were actually still pregnant! Our surprise has really been amazing and the emotional roller coaster has been a trip, to say the least.

All three kids auditioned for "A Christmas Carol" at the Hale Center Theater. Although we felt the audition would only supply a good opportunity to have that experience, we were amazed when Yakko was cast as "Tiny Tim". Words cannot suffice the gratitude and joy of that entire production. Yakko's self image and confidence has sky rocketed and doors that we didn't even know existed have been opened wide for him. We will be forever grateful for the chance he has to be part of such a wonderful production in such an amazing place.
Friendships have been strenghtend, formed, and tightend. Love has grown. Life has been formed. Blessings have been abundant. It has been a wonderful year.

May God bless each of you and may your holiday season be filled with joy, laughter, happiness, peace, health, and miracles.

"God Bless us, Everyone!"

Sleep

I am thankful for a good night's sleep! As simple as this may sound, sleep has eluded me for at least the last two weeks; I have been averaging 3 1/2 hours per night. Last night I skipped out on Girls' Night (so sad! I really wanted to go...) in order to try to take better care of myself. I am so happy to announce (who cares?) that last night I got a whopping 9 1/2 hours of sleep! I feel like a whole new woman.
On a totally different note: I finally remembered my camera yesterday, so I took some pictures of Yakko and friends back stage. I will post them soon!

One Word

rULeS: aNsWeR tHe quEstIonS wItH OnE wOrD oNLy!!

Were is your cell phone? table
Were is your significant other? Colorado
You're hair color? blond-ish
You're favorite thing? family
You're dream last night? baby
You're life dream/goal? beauty
The room your in? kitchen
You're hobby? musicals
You're fear? loss
Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
Where were you last night? Hale
What you're not? thin
One of you're wish list items? health
Where you grew up? Sandy
The last thing you did? win
What you are wearing: maternity
You're TV? died
You're pet? smelly
You're computer? sweet
You're mood? content
Missing someone? hubby
Something your NOT wearing? shoes
Favorite store? Target
Your summer? fast
Love someone? tons!
You're fave color? pink
When is the last time you laughed? yesterday...
When is the last time you cried? today
Your significant other's hair: dark
You're life in one word: lovin'

Now it's you're turn!

Christmas Food Tips

As the holidays begin, I wanted to pass these tips along to you. Enjoy the spirit of the festivities.

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. if something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with milk or cream. If it's skim milk, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies or pralines in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Cream. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like cream, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Half Way and Great News!

It's hard to believe that Yakko's show is just over half way through the run. I am so very proud of him, and all the hard work he's put into giving it his best. Thanks a million to all the friends and family who have supported him by watching the play! It means so much to both of us: he gets the biggest kick out of seeing people he knows after the show.

(Thanks, Steph J. for the picture!)

The kids went to the dentist on Tuesday. The report's in: NO CAVITIES again! Way to go, kids!

Tradition!

We watched two of our family's favorite holiday classics this last Sunday:





I love Christmas!

Grumble, Grumble, Grumble

I am so tired today. My nose is runny (apparently quite common for this stage in my pregnancy), and I didn't sleep well last night. I awoke to my boys fighting. I snapped at everyone this morning. I want to go back to bed.

What's my deal? It's the most charitable time of year, filled with the spirit of Christmas! I am blessed to watch 7 performances a week of one of the best plays written: with my son and dear friend starring in it!

Why can't I shake my grumpiness today?

Chivalry is Not Dead!

I was at the post office today, after spending 1 1/2 hours trying (unsuccessfully!) to get a "Click and Ship" label to go through. I had two big-ish boxes weighing a total of 20 lbs. in my arms. I have a pouchy tummy. The line seriously went out the door. It was crazy! A man about my dad's age came up to me and said "I know this may seem really strange, but I'm wondering if you would let me hold those boxes for you. They look awkward to hold. Yes, I know it's weird to ask, but I'd really like to help you." I could have cried with joy! I thanked the man emphatically, and happily handed over the boxes. *Note: there were two men directly ahead of me in line and three directly behind me. This man was leaving the post office.

I thanked the man and told him that I didn't think it was weird that he'd be a gentleman: I found it refreshing. He told me that he hoped my husband wouldn't mind that a strange man helped me out. I told him that he would be happy that someone would help me.

It made my day!

It also made me think about the awesome gentlemen in my life who are so sweet to help people out: my husband, my dad, my brother.

I am crying with appreciation, still. And no, it's not just pregnancy hormones!

Belated Birthday Wishes

I am very fortunate to have such a wonderful brother! He has always been a friend to me, and taught me more about life, friendship, humor, and honesty than probably anyone else. Thank you for being a friend to my children, too. You should know that Wakko still talks about when you let him help you cook.

Happy Belated Birthday, Bro!

A Christmas Carol

"A Christmas Carol" at Hale Center Theater opened last night. I must say that it was AWESOME! I am so very proud of Yakko and Kate; they were truly stellar!

I am not at all ashamed to say that I know I'm oober cheesy about how especially proud of Yakko I am. His solos were gorgeous, his acting was excellent, and he is talented beyond his years. I am his biggest fan and so happy to see his talents shared on stage. It is so exciting to me to see him bloom in such a huge way. This production has been one of the greatest things to ever happen to him: Yakko's self esteem and confidence has grown so much...

It's also been super great to work with the awesome people at The Hale. Everyone, from the directors and producers, to the actors and techs, to the parents back stage and the support team have been awesome. Yakko has made friends that have so very much in common with him: it's been incredible to see the change in him. I feel privileged to get to know some spectacular people along the way as well. I am humbled by their passion for their craft, and their love for their children.

I am so thankful to Katey for being such a great coach to Yakko as well. She's been there for him every step of the way from auditions to the performances. She is brilliantly talented and a delight to watch on stage!

Today our family had the opportunity to watch Yakko and Katey perform today. I love that I get to watch/help back stage the remainder of the shows! Three down, 17 to go!

Santa's Bad Day...

My dad sent this to me, and I liked it enough to repost it. I hope you like it!

When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure.

Then Mrs Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum.

When he went to the cupboard he discovered that the elves had drunk all the cider and hidden the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor.

He went to the broom closet and found that the mice had chewed the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.

The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?'

And so began the tradition of the little angel stuck on top of the Christmas tree . . . .

Birthday Girl!

Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other. ~Carol Saline

Happy Birthday, T! I am so glad we're sisters!

Preparing for Christmas

Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving is greeted by a Christmas tree, lights, and all the decorations we can muster up. Generally, we take tons of pictures as we decorate, but "morning sickness" kept me from feeling up to it...Dot and I painted stars and birdhouses for the tree this year, as we decided to change up our decorations. Dot also glued nests together and helped me make cinnamon stick bundles. I must say, I am very happy about how the tree turned out!
As Yakko's show gets under way and things at home settle a bit, I'll be sure to take and post more pics of the festive decorations!