Christmas at Home and Christmas Candy

So what's increasing my waistline now...?

A couple of weeks ago I did myself the greatest disservice and purchased my very first candy thermometer. Next, I pulled this recipe off line and, unfortunately, proceeded to make the PERFECT toffee. To make matters worse, I slathered melted chocolate and chopped pecans onto BOTH SIDES. Well, now let's just be truthful here - The REAL problem is that I can't stop eating them! *Shaking my fist* Curse you delicious confection! 

Letters for Santa!

I was corrected by my eldest that the North Pole 

is NOT a part of the USA.

On a silent December night.

 I gave an angel ornament to each of my dearest friends that I've made since moving here. I told them that they were angles for befriending me in the first place, and angles for remaining my friends once they got to know me. 

No small undertaking... 

My tree has heart with a little bit of everything on it.

Olive wood Nativity from the City of Jerusalem.

 I have the most heart-wrenching tale of it's demise, but I'll spare you until another day. I'll just say that it surprisingly had nothing to do with the children. Maybe. I don't think so.

 A little bit of Christmas in the kitchen.

The good news is, as everyone knows, 

that calories don't count at Christmas. 

(But someone should tell that to my waistline.)

PJs and Pillow Pet Palooza

Just when you thought getting new pajamas on Christmas Eve couldn't get any more exciting....

Elation!

Should an 11 year old be THIS excited about Footie pajamas?
Well, he is.

  Phase II

 PILLOW PETS!

It's a pillow...It's a pet...It's a Pillow Pet.

I thought they all might burst a gasket when I pulled these things out on Christmas Eve. I'm pretty sure that if you had been standing outside of our house in that moment, you'd have heard the maniacal screaming of the words,  

PILLOW PEEEEEEETS!!!!!!! 

Screaming, screaming, beaming, more screaming.

Lights on Temple Square

This is our little visit to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. I'm not a big fan of walking around outside looking at lights in sub-zero temperatures (Not even if it's the lights on Temple Square). I mean seriously, I nearly missed out on a marriage proposal because of this very issue! Needless to say, it's been a few years since we have taken the kids. I kind of felt bad that my youngest two didn't even remember the place. But since this has been a relatively warm December and I was determined - but mostly because it's been warmer...here we are.

Touching the walls of the Temple.

Reflection in the pond with  floating candles.

 Dad gave him a penny to throw into the pond. 

This is his look of despair.

 "I wished for a Lego set, but it didn't work." 

He was fretting about that Lego set the rest of the evening. Haha The wishing pond had let him down.

Still fretting.

Christmas Love

 

Little Gifts

Neighborhood Gifts

"Wishing you a very Merry Christmas beyond 'Measure'"

Part of the Post Family Carolers.

Last year I planned on gifting a bunch of homemade quick breads. Last year, 5 out of 6 family member came down with Strep in December. I was one of those people, and since I figured my neighbors and friends didn't want a "Strep-Loaf" for Christmas - 

it didn't quite happen.

Enter measuring spoons and cups with a recipe for 

Cranberry Nut Bread for Christmas 2010!

Brilliant. I know.

I'm most excited to share the Caroling that we did! It was a blast and a half! We delivered those babies in style. I'm happy beyond words! My kids all pitched in at every house with their beautiful singing voices, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". People just don't carol anymore and after this memorable experience, I don't understand why. We received a lot of wonderful feedback and that made our Christmas really merry and bright. I believe this will be one of the childhood Christmas experiences that my children will always remember. Loved. It.

Teacher Gifts

We turned some clothes pins into Christmas Card holders. 

For the teachers we added some string.

This is so simple and child can do it. And they did!

This requires three purchases:

1. Clothes pins

2. Scrapbook paper

3. Modge Podge (I love that stuff!)

I won't insult your intelligence and try to explain what to do from there. 

When we made these for the teachers, I only cut the paper to size and the kids did the rest. They were so excited to make these gifts themselves, which means they were excited to gift them.

And lets face it. You're child's teacher probably has more hot cocoa mix and lotion then they know what to do with.

All finished and packaged with a homemade card.

Merry Christmas!

"Your Christmas Cards these will hold.

I made this for you because I think you're gold."

Gingerbread House ala my children

This is Santa. (Just in case you weren't sure.)

 This is the first year I relinquished control of the Gingerbread House.

This would also be the first year we all enjoyed decorating it. Hmm...

I think the kids did a pretty good job! I mean, considering I didn't pull out my Wilton cake decorating tips or create a thatched roof out of Shredded Wheat Cereal. Or even have the kids melt down some sugar to create a shining crystal blue ice skating pond out front. It's just an $8 kit. 

To feed your craving for something truly amazing and a bit more professional, here are some photos I took at the Festival of Trees this year:

I wonder how many painstaking hours went into creating these masterpieces. Maybe not fun to make but it's fun for the rest of us to look at.

Trimming the Tree

The kids decorated the Christmas tree. 

One big beautiful hot mess Christmas Tree! I used to be such a control freak when it came to the tree. I was scratching my head wondering why it was that every year I let the kids just have at the tree and then not change a thing. Oh, I had visions in my youth of one day having my own Christmas tree to decorate. I imaged the many beautiful themes it would have rivaling those you see at The Festival of Trees. I spent the first few years of my marriage as the Christmas Tree Nazi; and then....I just gave up. I would arrange those ornaments to perfection only to have an infant crawl on over and dismantle every single object within reach. Or a toddler waddle over and do some rearranging of his own. 

Now a days I must think it's sweet to see how my children decorate the tree or maybe I'm just too lazy to decorate it myself, and redecorate it, and redecorate it...

The good news is that it doesn't throw me into a tail-spin to look over and see three glass bulbs and a jingle bell hanging from the same branch. (I really must think it's sweet.)

Thanksgiving Tree 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's my favorite Thanksgiving Tradition

Behold: The Thanksgiving Tree

Hey, look who FINALLY found her camera charger just last night. Of course it showed up in that one place where I always keep it and that I looked through at least three times over. 

I'm just glad it re-materialized.

These Kids Are Growing Too Fast

I haven't blogged in awhile.

Lack of time? Lack of things to blog about? Lack of my camera charger? Probably all of the above. Somewhere between Las Vegas and Utah I lost the charger to my camera. I keep thinking it will turn up. No such luck. So the really big question is this: Do I buy a replacement charger only to find the one I lost just days later? I guess that's one sure-fire way to find it...

No pictures of my sweet daughter's 9th birthday or pictures of the kids in Fall or dressed up for Halloween. Luckily my parents came for a super fun visit during that time and took a few pictures for me. I should at least have something to document those moments.

After a wonderful visit with friends yesterday and talking about motherhood, it made me realize that these kids are growing up fast and the only way to hold onto them is through photographs. I guess it's time to bite the bullet and order that charger...

This is my baby.

Black Belt

Let me begin by saying that I feel like I've just birthed another child. Four years of hard labor that culminated into a whole lot of pain and stress to say the least. But in the end it was completely worth it!

Honey and I dropped the kids off to Grandma's house and headed off to Vegas in a little rental car. Some people told me that would be like a second Honeymoon for the two of us. Huh? Remember, I'm in LABOR. Unfortunately, Grandma had it worse. She had 3 out of 4 children throwing up all weekend. Wonder if she'll ever want them to spend the night again...

*Disclamer: What might your hair look like after a SIX HOUR Black Belt test and sparring in sweaty headgear? 

Boulder City, NV - October 9, 2010

Here you see a picture of the gang. The esteemed board members and those of us who tested that day. See the man in black in the center of the sea of black? He's just the PRESIDENT of the United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF). The only other person higher up than him in the organization would be the founder himself - Chuck Norris. He actually hangs out at Chuck Norris's ranch. Did you know he even had a ranch? Very cool. Meanwhile I'm just hoping not to throw up all over myself.

That's how I define success.

GIRL POWER!

My class! 

My super awesome instructors on the ends and five 1st Degree Black Belts and one 2nd Degree in the middle. Can I just tell you how crazy exciting this was!?!

See that smile on my face?
Honey was digg'n on the Flintstone's Gym sign.

 Our awesome instructors gave each of us a very cool card with this even cooler "BLACK BELT" hoodie!

Gotta love the face...It makes me laugh.

I earned it and I'll wear it with pride.

I'm a First Degree Black Belt and no one can ever take that away.

Joy

See? I told you it was cool.

*A special thanks to my 11 year old photographer who also inspired this whole journey.

Janae