Table

I LOVE getting the table ready for a big dinner. I never remember to take a picture, but I did this year. Here is our table setting for Christmas 2008.

Girls love shoes

I have to start with some history. My mom had nine children. The ninth was a girl. She was (is) spoiled, but still a sweet girl. My mom LOVES shoes. She has about 100 pairs. If I count all of mine, even the ones I don't wear for one reason or another, I have 8. No, my baby sister, before she started kindergarten had over 30 pairs of shoes!! She had three different pairs of Converse in various colors. I never understood this. WHY does a four year old need so many shoes??? Well, I haven't hit that extreme yet, but, Arya has more shoes that any of my other children ever had. She really only has 8 pairs that fit her at the moment, but none of my other children ever had more that three. Part of the reason, I am sure, is because she is my last little baby and everything is sooooo cute, I just have to have it!

While we were up in North Dakota a few weeks ago I ran across the MOST adorable pair of shoes. I just had to have them. But they were more expensive than I have ever spent on myself or any of my other children on shoes! (Well I am a serious cheapskate when it comes to buying clothing and shoes). SO, here they are, the cutest little Roobez I have ever seen.

It just so happens that Arya LOVES these shoes too. She wears them constantly.

Well, Santa caught onto the shoe love we have going and got here these cute slippers for Christmas. She didn't take them off all day on Christmas and even wore them out running errands the next day. It is pretty cute. Everytime she looks down and sees Santa, she waves at her slippers.

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning is always a challenge for us. Usually we are up so late the night before getting things ready, we just hope that the kids will let us sleep in until 6am. Why am I never suprised that they are up at 2am, right after we finally get to bed!!


Nathan woke up at 2am because he was so excited. He woke Savannah and Alanna up. At 4am they went downstairs to 'peek.' I heard them at 4:47am and went in to tell them to be quiet and stay in their room. I walk in and Alanna says, "Santa brought us scooters!!"

We told them we would be up at 6am and we would go downstairs together (because we really wanted to see Alanna's face), but at 6am when I got up, they had already gone downstairs and were tearing into their stockings. Arya was still asleep, and Alyssa was still upstairs becuase we told her to stay upstairs and she actually listens to us! But the other kids came up yelling about their new scooters and told Alyssa she got one too. So she pretty upset to have her surprise ruined.
But we made the Savannah and Nathan sit on the couch while Alyssa and Alanna opened their stocking presents and tried out their scooters.
I know the kids look like orphan children with no one to care for them and do their hair, but it is what it is! Here is a picture of the girls with their little aprons that I made them.
This year was pretty neat becuase the kids really got into getting and making each other presents. Alyssa made coupon books for everyone, Nathan made yarn necklaces for everyone with exchangable charms of the different seasons (interesting!), Savannah wrote stories for everyone and made them into books.

What was really sweet was Savannah and Nathan. They pooled their megar toothfairy money together and came up with $10. They were intent on buying Alanna something from Disneyland. So, we were able to go there a few days before Christmas and they got Alanna a set of princess crayons. Alanna with her head light that Santa brought her.

And, this next picture is become a yearly event. It is Savannah crying after all of the presents have been opened and she somehow feels like everyone got more than her! Life is so unfair in our overprivilidged society!

Christmas Eve

Last year we started this pose with the kids and I think it is going to be a yearly photo. It will be neat to see how they grow. The photo on the top is from last Christmas and the photo on the bottom is from this Christmas.

Each Christmas Eve the children get to open one present-pajamas. I try to trick them each year by saying that I forgot about buying them. The kids get on me saying, "But it is tradition! You can't break the tradition!" (Actually I go out during the after Christmas sales and get the pajamas for the next year so I get them cheap and I am prepared!!). So, this year I fooled them again. They were all in their pajamas and we went driving around Oceanside looking at Christmas lights. We got home and said, "Well, let's leave the cookies for Santa and go to bed." They were pretty disappointed about the pajamas, but then we brought down the presents and gave them to them. They were all pretty much excited, except Nathan. (He would kill me if he knew I was writing this about him!) He was disappointed because he got pajamas with sports balls on them (baseballs, basketballs, etc.) and he said, "Mom, thanks a lot, I really like them, but I'm not that into sports. I really like bears." It was adorable. My sweet boy!!

We believe in Santa

We believe in Santa! Here is Savannah and Santa carrying on a conversation about how she is 'six' and not 'sick.' Santa said, "How old are you?" Savannah said, "Six." Santa said, "I am so sorry you are sick!" What a character!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

This is the first picture I have been able to get with all five of my kids and Santa. We chose a day early in December while most kids were still in school to go see Santa at the Outlets in Carlsbad. My kids, everyone of them, really believe that this is the real Santa and all of the others are fake, but some are really good fakes. The one at the mall this year was pretty good; we even went to the Grove and that Santa was pretty good. But every Santa we leave the kids say, "Mom, he didn't smell like cookies. He smelled like meat and cheese. He sits on a throne of lies!" (All comments from the movie Elf). This Santa at the Outlets is so wonderful. He takes so much time with the kids. Unfortunately there was a really bring light coming from the window at this time of the day, but I got my picture!!! Notice how Arya is not even looking in Santa's direction. She was pretty scared, but was nice enough to get in the picture at the last minute.

Primary Choir

Alyssa, Nathan, and Savannah were so fortunate this year to be able to sing in the church Primary Choir that rehersad for several weeks in order to perform at the San Diego LDS Temple. They were so excited. The loved going to practice, they practiced in the car, at home, and even on our trip to North Dakota. The evening was wonderful. The lights were beautiful, the weather wasn't too cold, the music was amazing, and there was a very sweet Christmas spirit. We ended the evening with hot coco and cookies to warm up.

Merry Christmas

I have so much fun reading the blogs of my friends! I get so caught up in their blogs! Sometimes they don't post for a while and that drives me nuts! I keep wondering, "What are they up to, what are they doing that is taking all their time that they can't meet my need to read their blog!!!" Well, I never thought people would care if I didn't post for months at a time. But, maybe they do. So here are a few of our photos lately.

Jared loves taking photos. These are some photos that he took on Thanksgiving day for our Christmas cards. Man, Arya is at such a tricky age for photos. She loves her picture taken, but only on her terms. Usually she will pose for quiet a while if she is alone. The minute WE try to post her or to put someone in the photo with her, she turns into a photographers nightmare! She screams, kicks, arches her back, etc. Then team that with Alanna, who takes adorable photos, but loves to do something totally goofy in the middle of it all. This photo of the kids was the closest we could get to them all looking good. Savannah had crossed her eyes, but Jared photo shopped them!

I'll try to add more tonight after the kids are in bed!

Teeth Ornaments!

Alyssa finally got her braces after months of waiting, which felt like years becuase her best friend Coral got her braces much earlier. She chose blue rubberbands because it is her favorite color. We will go in after Thanksgiving to get her SPARKELY red and green for Christmas. Here is the before and after.

NOT the cupcake queen

I have a very talanted friend who makes the most amazing cupcakes. I love baking, but decorating is not my strong point. My mom gave me a book filled with the most amazing cupcake creations. I wanted to make some, but they were all pretty intimidating. But, being as I know the cupcake queen personally, I thought I could give it a try and ask her for advice. So, in an attempt of Amazing Vanessa style, here is my adventure.

First, get a box of cake mix. Throw all the stuff in a mixer and throw it on high for however long it takes. (I walked away, did a couple of things, and ten minutes later I think it was mixed well. I cooked the silly things up, forgot about them, then when I took them out of the oven they were overdone, too brown, and flat rather than with a pretty mound on the top, which is what I needed. So, I emailed the cupcake queen, she gave me wonderful pointers, and I tried again. I set my timer and came out with much nicer cupcakes with more mounded tops.

I also asked a couple of happy bakers to assist me.

As you can see, the flat, ugly, brown cupcakes were my first attempt. The beautiful, light, mounded cupcakes were my second attempt. They tasted so much better and looked nice too!

Then I did all of the decorating and ended up with these cute little panda bears. They aren't perfect, but because you can't see how they were suppose to look, you will never know!!! So, thank you Vanessa for all of your pointers!!

Different View

 

In July I went to JCPenny to have the kids' photos taken in these outfits. They did a great job and I loved the photos, but I love the bows on the back of these dresses. As we were in the studio I thought about asking the photographer to get a shot like this, but I didn't want to inconvenience her, so I didn't ask and was kicking myself for not asking for the past few months. Jared has recently taken up ANOTHER hobby; photography. He set up a studio in our living room and took this adorable photo of the kids.

Swimming Lessons

 
 
 
 
Another summer of swimming lessons. The kids thought they were Michael Phelps after watching the Olmpics! Arya had her first lessons. She looks like she is contemplating some revenge. "I will get you for putting me through this!" Really though, she loves swimming and loved being in the water.

The Pied Piper

 

Whenever we go up to Victorville to visit Jared's parents, the kids always want to go for a walk with Grandpa. This is one of the highlights of the trip. It is funny to see how many kids we can get out there with Grandpa. It looks like the Pied Piper is leading the little urchins away!

First Day of School

 

Here it is again. . .the first day of school. 'Sniff' It brings tears to my eyes as my three munchkins leave for their big day. After driving them to school and taking a few pictures like the crazy mom I am, I drove to Target for my annual 'Celebrate the First Day of School' shopping trip with only TWO kids rather than FIVE!!! I LOVE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!

Peek-A-Boo!

 

 

Harry Potter Yule Ball

 

 

 

The Oceanside Library put on a Yule Ball in celebration of Harry Potter's birthday. We dressed the kids up according to their 'house.' There were costume contests (which Nathan won!), games, refreshments, trivia contests (which Alyssa won!), drawing for prizes (Alyssa won a scarf with her house colors!), dancing, and just lots of fun.

Watermelon Contest

 

 

 

 

Alyssa took part in a watermelon contest during a pioneer celebration. It was disgusting to watch! Alyssa won first prize!