Hide and seek shopping

I wanted to take a minute this morning to post a funny story that happened while I was Christmas shopping this year. In the past I have been able to sneak stuff in the cart and have been doing that a little this year. It has been pretty successful. I was shopping with a friend earlier in the month and spotted a Dora backpack that my baby thought she had to have for Christmas. Tis the time of year that if you find it, you better buy it so I hid it in the cart like I usually do. We continued shopping and I forgot about that backpack......until I hear a sweet voice filled with excitement say "oh thank you mamma, I lub it". Busted. She found the backpack while I was in a shopping frenzy and attatched herself to it. Literally. She put it on and wouldn't take it off. We told her it was for our friends 12 year old daughter. Good thing she doesn't realize Dora isn't exactally what 12 year old girls are asking for this year. We left with a broken heart and a promise she could come see it at Dani's house. I felt terrible, but I know that she will be very excited when she sees the backpack from Santa on Christmas morning. It is sad to know that gone are the days I can do my shopping with a toddler in tow. She is just too smart.

Now I need to get on with my Christmas goodies. A quick trip to the store in the snow and we are in business. The girls are out for Christmas break and the trick to keeping them from fighting is going to be keeping them busy. If I don't post again, Happy Holidays. Remember to tell the ones you love that you do love them and appreciate them for all they do. Merry Christmas!

Christmas break, here we come...

I just sent the girls out the door for their last day of school for 2008. Where has the time gone? I now have exactally 6 hours and a few minutes to get all the wrapping of the presents done and be ready to have them home for two weeks. I am VERY excited to not have to get up at 6:30 every morning. Not so excited about the constant fighting I am anticipating. I am hoping that my kids aren't the only ones that fight more around Christmas just because they get so excited and just can't control their little selves. On the other hand, a Christmas miracle may happen and they might just get along. The whole two weeks. Wait

there I go daydreaming again.....but it is a nice

thought.

This morning as I was getting the girls ready for school M&M informed me she has three more friends who she wanted to give presents to. Nice. I wanted to ask her if she realized that it is 6:45 the morning of her last day of school before the break and she should have let me know before now, but being the good mom I want to be, I sucked it up and went in and got three more presents together. We made them a version on the ormanents in the picture above. Since I can't figure out how to get my pictures moved around, that's where they will be, but anyway, they are fun to make and really easy. The best part is the glitter is inside and doesnt' get all over the place. Anyway, I was not impressed when she left them sitting on the kitchen counter and I had to drive them to the bus stop. Kids.....what would we do to keep our lives exciting if we didnt' have them.

I better get wrappin'. Soon as we deliver presents I will post pictures of the jars we did for some of our friends and the boxes I made for hubbies bro's. They turned out really cute, but I probably shouldn't post them just yet....just in case. Have a happy day and for those of you who are like me, enjoy the last day of school before the kids are home!

Week in Review

Something about the holidays makes me just a little slower to get things done. It isn't a bad thing, I just get a little behind. This last week was an interesting one. Monday I took the girls shopping for hubby's birthday. He turned the big 4-0 on Weds. Anyway, while we were shopping we saw Santa. My baby wanted to talk to him and the other two were pretty anxious to get their two cents in too. Unfortunately the baby stole the show and Santa didn't ask the other two what they might want. She decided she wants a pair of Dora sunglasses......in December. Nice. As we were shopping the baby started throwing fits. I finally made the mother of all threats. "If you don't stop this right now I am going to go talk to Santa and tell him not to bring you anything." Thought that would do the trick, but unfortunately she is smarter than me. She looked me square in the eye and said "Ok Mom, go talk to Santa. I want to see you talk to Santa." Dang, she called my bluff. They she threw a fit because I would not stand in line to tell Santa she was being naughty. Three year olds....

Tues. was our ward Christmas party at church. Dinner and dancing. Doesn't sound very Christmasey to me but what do I know. Hubby was going to be working late so I thought we would just sneak out before the dancing. He showed sooner than expected so we stayed. To my horror B and M & M spent the dancing time actually dancing.........with boys. I am not ready for that. They were quite proud of the fact that they had danced so much and are still talking about it. I am glad they had fun but I am not sure I am ready to see them flirting with the boys. They are just growing up too fast.

Weds. I realized how much I appreciate my dear hubby who had to be out of town on his birthday. It was a long night without him and I am so glad that we don't have to do the out of town thing very much anymore.

Thurs. hubby came home early which was awesome. I also got the chance to go to lunch with a friend. Then we did a little Christmas shopping. It just doesnt' get better than that. We also went to dinner for hubby's b-day. The day ended with a trip to the hospital to see that the neighbor really is going to be ok. He gave us quite a scare but is hanging in there.

Friday was the Christmas program from you know where. Two hours of sitting in a stuffy gym asking the parents to please stay for the whole program. I think they would have a better chance if it weren't two hours long. B sang in a small group and did a marvelous job. She had to try out and everything. Way to go B. M&M got to play a loverly piece on the recorder. B was first and M&M was last so we got to sit through the whole program whether we wanted to or not. Then came the really exciting part of the day. M&M earned the honor of taking the classroom hamsters home for the week-end. I affectionately call them cat food. They have been in heaven all week-end. I will be glad to see the rodents head back to school tomorrow.

Yesterday I took the girls to do their Christmas shopping which meant two trips to the mall. I forgot why we don't go to the mall that close to Christmas. It was mass caos. I was so happy to get to go to the mall....twice. Just glad to get it done.

Today I am happy to say I survived primary. We were missing teachers, piano players, choristers and to top it all off sharing time. What a fiasco. We made it though and only one more Sunday of craziness before Christmas. We put the bishopric in charge next week. Smart move on the primary president's part. Hopefully the kids will be good. If not I don't really have to worry about it.

I am glad to have survived another crazy week before the holidays. Hopefully I will be a little bit better about posting so you don't get the whole week in review. I am now going to go get the girls in bed and hopefully head there early myself.

December Stampin' class

Tonight I wrapped up my December ornament/tag class. It was a good one. I love when my friends will come and play.......even if they have to pay me. If I could I would do if for free. It is good therapy to have someone to chat with and laugh with. I really appreciate everyone who supports me. I keep wondering if I want to continue as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, and then I think of all the people it keeps me in touch with and it makes it all worth while. It has taught my baby how to be a good hostess. Now anyone who comes in the house has a good chance of getting offered a soda.....whether you want it or not. It is her way of feeling like part of the class. I am so thankful that my hubby will put up with my hours of class prep and then the classes themselves. It is something that I love and I hope that all the wonderful women who support me enjoy it too.

The pictures are of the projects we did. Some of them were cased from various places online. If I remembered I would give them credit. If they are yours let me know so I can post credit where it is due. The round ornament is actually a gift card holder. It has a gift card slot in the back.....much easier than the ones that the gift card pulls out of the midde. I do know the kraft color one is cased from Stampin' up! I had a lot of fun putting the class together and now I am done for the year. I will be excited to see what the new year brings with the new catty.

Now I need to get myself logged off and up to bed!

Let the festivities begin

Thanksgiving week is always the start of the Christmas madness. This year was a little different but ended up about the same. My hubby surprised me with a trip to a nearby town the day before Thanksgiving and we traded in my car. The new car is nice, with a new payment. Go figure....we just got the old one paid for. Anyway, after a mad scramble to get the house straightened up because I had spent the day buying a car, not getting ready for company, things actually ended up pretty good. The food was good, the company was great and I was very thankful to have them all go home happy. I did find out that my sweet potato casserole tastes like old gym socks according to my cousin, and I am still wondering how he would know that. (He just doesnt' like sweet potato's).

I did break my annual shopping the day after Thanksgiving tradition. After we lost Bob last year the shopping wasn't quite so important anymore. So I snuggled up in bed with my laptop and did my shopping online. It was fabulous. I got to sleep until I wanted to get up and didn't have to fight the crowds once. I don't know if I can ever go back to fighing the crowds and coming home bloodied.

Now the house is all decorated and looking festive thanks to my sweet hubby. I am not thrilled with the girls being introduced to how to get themselves on the roof, but it looks fabulous and we are ready to start this holiday season.

Thanksgiving circus in the making

This morning when I woke up I still was not sure if we were having anyone coming to our house for Thanksgiving this year....yea, the one in three days. I have invited several of my family, but they were apparently holding out for a better offer. First my sister called. She would come, if no one else were coming but decided to stay home and have a quiet day this year. Smart move. Then came the call from my brother who wanted to know if I really wanted them to come or not. If I didn't want you to come, I probably wouldn't have invited you, but whatever.....didn't help with his decision. So I went to the grocery store to buy food for 5..... or 15 people. Take your pick. I chose somewhere in between. Then the call from mom came. We have decided to accept your invitation, and your brother and his boys are coming too. Ok, first I had to recover from the shock. I have invited them for at least 10 years. This year they must be desperate, because this is the first year they have ever come. Then came the question "What about aunt "B"?" My mom said she's a big girl and can figure it out. So being the good daughter that I am I called and invited aunt "B" who is now coming with one of my favorite cousins. I am very excited about that since I don't see him nearly as much as I should. So our usually quiet Thanksgiving has turned into somewhat or a fiasco. Good or bad I don't know. What I do know is the pressure is on. I have two days to get my house in order and prepare a thanksgiving dinner for my family. Granted the pies are in a box in the freezer with the rolls, and everything else is pretty simple too. That's just how I roll. It is a new adventure and I hope it comes out alright. If not we will go back to our quiet thanksgiving dinner we usually have and either way we will have a lot to be thankful for.

What about Bob?

One year ago today our lives got turned upside down. My brother-in-law lost a four day battle with menangitis and everything seemed to fall apart. It all started with a head-ache. Don't ever think that a head-ache is not a big deal. It is. We had a three day vigil at the hospital and went home broken hearted the day before thanksgiving. Not exactally what we were expecting. I still think about him every day. He was the big brother I always wanted. He was my hubby's business partner and best friend. I think I called Bob more than my hubby because Bob carried his phone and my hubby was never far away. He was the kind of person that would do anything for you, no matter what you needed. I thought he would always be around. I have learned some valuable lessons, don't take those you love for granted and you never know how long you are going to be here on this earth. We were lucky enough to have a great time with Bob about a week before he went into the hospital. The company convention just happened to be in Orlando and we got to go with Bob. His family couldn't go so we got him all to ourselves. It was awesome. He spoiled our girls rotten. He and my baby pestered each other the whole trip, both of them loving every minute of it. I cannot express how blessed we were to have this time with him. This is a picture of him and B and M&M in the tea cups. He wasn't feeling very good that day but was a good sport anyway and rode anything they wanted him to. What a blessing it is that we got to spend that time with him. The last time I saw him before he endedup in the hospital he was headed out of the airport laughing hysterically about the poop incident on the plane. If you don't know what that is, I will have to share sometime. It's worth a laugh. It's a good way to remember him. I am a little bit bitter about the fact my baby will forget him. She is getting ripped off. If nothing else take a minute today and tell those you love that you love them. Don't take them for granted. Who knows when they won't be around anymore. And to Bob, we miss you and we love you. We are not enjoying your extended vacation, but know you are in a good place. Hug the ones you love. Now I am off to get ready to go to twilight.........