For the Grandma's--Here's what we got:

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day. Our's has been great. We had a fire going, ate lots of candy and leftovers (no cooking for me :o) and stayed in our pajamas all day. (except Dilly, he had to put his John Deere shirt on as soon as he opened it). Here he is with his new tools. He's been wanting a tape measure for awhile (it's on his pocket).

Here's all the stuff. Sorry it's a bad picture--I should have turned off the blinking Christmas lights.
Left to right (sort of): Book of Mormon Who, Science kit, Magic School Bus DVD, lots of books, Art tray (for traveling), Planet Heroes- Saturn Rings, Jupiter Gustus, and Venus Dazzle; Cars figure, tangrams puzzle, Transformers- Excellion, Megatron, and Bumblebee; Chutes and Ladders, Clothes.
Cookies game, another Cars figure, Planet Heroes - Professer Darkness, Photon, and Neutron, Cars sticker book, Kid K'nex, Curious George bandaids, P. Heroes - Asteroid, Monster truck - Graves digger, Transformer - Thundercracker, lots of books, and lots of Matchbox cars.
Dilly's toolbox, Thomas the Tank Engine Sticker book, Chocolate milk mix, Curious George, stickers, Optimash Prime potato head, lots of books, Hullabaloo, Planet Heroes Turbo Shuttle.

Things not pictured: a helicopter that doesn't lift off the ground (Todd is so disappointed) , Scripture Stickers for Brayden and Caleb, all 3 boys got new pajamas last night, and new pillowcases (Transformers and Curious George).

Todd and I got "Electronic Banking" Monopoly--every time you pass go you swipe your card to get 2 million dollars; a temple book, two cookbooks, slippers, an MP3 player, an eyeglass cleaning kit with moist towelettes for Todd to keep in his car, office, my purse, etc. Several Home Depot gift cards, a cordless palm size screwdriver (for me!), a lime green quilted contact case, dinosaur sandwich cutter, a new spatula, and Seasons 1, 2, and 3 of "The Office".

Naughty or Nice?

Grandma and Grandpa Salisbury gave our boys new suits for Christmas. Don't they look handsome? In church we got comments right and left about what good looking boys we had.

When I got my camera to upload this suit picture, I discovered that sometime this week, my boys had a little photo session of their own. I have to admit, they are getting better with practice.






Oh, and don't worry. My boys made the nice list. Yesterday, when I got home from delivering neighbor gifts, Brayden and Caleb presented me a "list" that included everyone they know with either a smile or a frown next to their name. Forget about the fact that they were supposed to be cleaning their room during the time they spent making "the list". Just so you know, all of you made the nice list.....except Dillon.

The Gingerbread is back!

Just wanted to let you all know that Caleb's class got their gingerbread man back today. Apparently he went to outer space, among many other locations! He broke his leg falling out of space, but Caleb assured me that they still got to eat him. Thanks to everyone who sent postcards!


Here's a list of where the gingerbread went: Logan, California, Orem, London England, Tremonton, Omaha Nebraska, Augusta Georgia, Hawaii, Bluffton South Carolina, Iraq, Orlando Florida, Stansbury Park, Radford Virginia, and Outer Space. The workers over at Loa Builders found him this morning and brought him to Kindergarten on a forklift.

Roses are Red; Christmas is Sweet; We're so busy....you can make your own damn treat!

Many of you have requested pictures of our family for various digital gifts that you're working on for Christmas. Sorry I'm so slow--we're in the middle of a laundry crisis and the Christmas Crunch. Here's a huge sampling of pictures that I don't think are already on my blog. Just click on any picture you want to make it big, and then save or copy it where you want it. At least this way I won't clog anyone's Inbox. If you need any of the pictures "un-compressed" so you can print it out, just e-mail me, and I'll attach it straight from "My Pictures".

Oh, and if you attach the above poem to a brownie mix, it makes a great neighbor gift for anyone who won't be offended by the bad word :o)

Never a dull moment

Tonight I rushed home from an Achievement Day activity to put dinner in the oven (to take to my neighbor's) before we all had to rush to the high school for the annual Christmas Operetta that is put on by the elementary school kids.
I had just gotten my meatballs in the oven and the rice cooker going when Dillon fell against a barstool, and put a 1/4" deep gash between his nostrils. Luckily, Todd was on his way home from work and arrived within minutes (after I'd cleaned up all the blood). Todd took Dillon to the clinic to get stitches while I finished dinner and took it next door. Then Brayden, Caleb, and I snarfed a few bites of dinner down before leaving for the program.
The doctor opted to "super glue" Dillon's nose gash, and he and Todd went to the local restaurant for pie (their dinner) before meeting us at the high school.

Caleb was a darling little elf. When his class came out on stage, he saw us immediately and proceeded to wave (frantically) for at least 45 seconds. They sang "Santa's little helpers" and "Toyland".

Sorry this picture is blurry--it's the best of three. Brayden was a Christmas tree. He's been worried for days because his shirt was not "Christmas green" but I told him he would blend in just fine. His class sang "Silent Night" and "O Christmas Tree". Each child got to hold a battery powered candle, and our child used his candle to write his name in the air through an entire song. Then, before exiting the stage, he raised his hand high like the statue of liberty. So much for "blending in".

Just a Reminder...

If any of you were planning to send a postcard to Caleb's class to let them know you've seen the gingerbread, it needs to be mailed by Monday so it will get here before Christmas break. Remember that we use the pony express out here :o)

14 loads of laundry.....or blogging?

I should be doing laundry and cleaning right now,
but I don't feel like it, so here I am blogging away my morning.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

I'm all about wrapping paper! I even paid $10 for a roll of wrapping paper last year just because it matches my gingerbread decor. If I could afford it, I'd spend as much on the wrapping as I do the gift; with a matching ornament tied to the gift, cute ribbons, etc. But alas, time and money usually rule out, and I stuff things in a boring old bag.

2. Real tree or Artificial?

Artificial! I can't stand the mess that real trees make, and I really don't like the smell, either. Todd's family always had a real tree, so I thought that since we live in a place where we can cut a tree down (just 20 mins away) that he's insist on a real one. Lucky for me, he hasn't said a word, so we pulled out "tree B" again this year.

3. When do you put up the tree?

The day after Thanksgiving. If I'm going to go to all the work to decorate, I want to enjoy it. I also, like my sister, love to sit in the dark with the tree lights on and Christmas music playing.

4. When do you take the tree down?

Usually on New Year's day. And even though I like those tree lights, I'm always SO glad to have it down and get on with my goals for the new year.

5. Do you like egg nog?

I do, but not as much as Todd. I like mine with Sprite, and he thinks soda pollutes it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

The cornsilk Cabbage Patch Doll with red hair and brown eyes like mine.
Also, the first Christmas that I was home from college, after I got a CD player and tons of clothes, Dad walked in carrying a long (green) wool coat for me to wear when I walked to church in the cold Rexburg wind.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?

Three. One that's porcelain that sits out of kids' reach; a really cute one that someone gave us that's made out of wood, and the Little People one for my kids to play with.

8. Hardest person to buy for?

Our parents.

9. Easiest person to buy for?

My kids. They're happy with whatever.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?

Mail! Because I love to display all the cards I receive. I'm hoping to get ours out before Christmas this year for that very reason, but things aren't looking too good, unless I just decide to get our pictures taken even though two out of three kids have "owies" on their face.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

As a kid I got a Janeen Brady book/tape called Dependability.
Mom laughed as she gave it to me. Even at age 8 or 9 I felt like a pile.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

White Christmas and While You Were Sleeping

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

I usually start thinking about it in July, and I'm going crazy right up until I get to bed at about 2:00 Christmas morning.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

I can't remember, but like my sister said, I wouldn't put it past myself if I needed a last minute gift.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Dip muffins. Todd's family liked to make these muffins, then you sit around the table and dip them in a bowl of melted butter, and then a bowl of cinnamon/sugar and enjoy.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?

I prefer clear, but this year I wanted to add a string of red ones (the store in Loa didn't carry plain red). So instead, I bought new white lights that are supposed to shimmer and sparkle. It kind of looks like our tree is having a heart attack and needs CPR.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

The First Noel, Away in a Manger, and Oh Come All Ye Faithful

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

Both. I like to be home for Christmas morning with the kids, but I also like to spend time with family.

19. Angel on the tree top or a star?

We have a primitive looking grapevine twig star.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

One on Christmas eve (pajamas), and the rest on Christmas morning. Although I LOVE Alexia's idea of spreading the joy throughout the entire day. Then you could have time to play with everything and really enjoy a gift before moving on to the next thing. I think we just might try that this year. Otherwise it becomes complete overload for young kids.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

All the stress of trying to get everything done (and perfect) at the last minute (even though I started in July).

22. Favorite ornament theme or color?

I love anything primitive or homespun looking.
Barn Red, Hunter or Sage or Shitbrindle Green, Brown, Antique Gold, Cream, etc. I started with a Gingerbread theme, but I also have lots of other stuff. I even still allow Todd's "Caesar's Greetings" ornament from when he was a manager at Little Caesar's to hang on the tree. (In the back and near the center, of course). The kids have their own little tree with homemade shrinky-dink ornaments. It gets re-decorated every single day all season. It's awesomely hideous.

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner?

Spiral cut glazed Ham, Au Gratin potatoes, homemade rolls, steamed broccoli with garlic salt & pepper, corn, and that punch with pink lemonade, OJ, sprite, and almond flavoring.