On the Twelfth Day of Christmas...

Christmas is finally here!  

We must start with the most important gift, the reindeer pooping brown jelly beans, hungry anyone? (Not really the best gift, but the pictures came up in the wrong order.)

Elli wearing her new Uggs, unwrapping a blanket, feeling a wee bit better.

Is there anything more innocent and adorable than a 2 year old with a gun. (Thanks grammi)  ((It really was my idea, my mom hates guns.))

Look what Santa brought for all the girls, a Vespa looking Razor electric scooter.

We had a yummy breakfast at our house, than enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Jason's mom's ranch.  It was a great holiday season with friends and family all around and even though the pictures don't show it, we enjoyed celebrating the birth of our Savior and spent time learning more about his life and love and sacrifice for us.  Merry Christmas everyone!

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas...

We celebrated Christmas Eve, even though Elli was sick.  She still really wanted to go out to dinner at the Grand Californian's Storytellers Cafe at Disneyland.  It is so pretty there this time of year and Santa is waiting in the lobby.  Last year there were carolers strolling around, we missed them.  The buffet is decent, the mangos were phenomenal!  Addie loved the short ribs, and Elli liked the Sprite.   (I think I forgot to mention that my brother Randy, aka Uncle Poo-poo came to spend the holiday with us.)

Elli knows how to fake it even when feeling down.  I remember my Aunt Vicki telling me long ago, it doesn't matter how you feel, it matters how you look!

You are never too old

Glasses nerds!

On the Tenth Day of Christmas...

We went to see the movie of Elli's favorite book, The Tale of Despereaux.  Have you heard the saying "Nothing ruins a good movie like reading the book."?  Elli learned this to be true and was a bit disappointed, but on the plus side Amelia sat through and watched the whole movie.

On the Ninth Day of Christmas...

We did our last minute shopping on Rodeo Dr.  I thought I was the only minivan driver on that street until we realized lightening striked twice and behind me and Cami is a second minivan on Rodeo.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas...

We visited my Grandma & Poppa in LA.  They made us egg salad sandwiches and the girls enjoyed all the goodies around their house; they love their rootbeer hard candies.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas...

We strolled down Christmas Lane in the next town over, making our way towards our final destination home of a family in our ward who not only enjoys thousands of people clogging their street, but actually hosts a party with yummy food and carolers and hot drinks and fire pits.  

This is Cami with the girls in front of a princess decorated house. (Did Addie really need the earmuffs?  I guess better safe than sorry.)

Millie doing her best at posing.

What would a California Christmas be without Santa and a surfboard.  Surf's Up Dude!

On the Sixth Day of Christmas...

Cami came to town.  We were happy she finally made it, who knew snow in Vegas cancelled all flights coming in and out of Tucson.  Shout out to Jason for driving to the OC to pick her up, sans baggage.  We couldn't have had the girls Christmas party without her help.  They each invited 3 friends, we made homemade ornaments by melting starlight candies in the shapes of wreaths and candy canes (can't you picture it since I don't have one) then decorated sugar cookies with way too much frosting and decor (excess is best), played pin the nose/zit/shaving cut on Rudolph, played a gift exchange, and finally caroled  at the neighbors, lucky them!

On the Fifth Day of Christmas

Because we LUV road trips, even though we had just got back from Northern CA, when Jason got the idea to drive to Phoenix for his company Christmas party, I jumped at the opportunity!  Really , my kids so love and miss their friends, and they hadn't seen them in a while, how could I deprive them.  We went to their old elementary school and surprised Lizzie and Afton, then I dropped the girls off and didn't see again for days.  The dos tres amigos where Elli, Afton, & Kelly, then Addie, Lizzie, & Ansley.  Jason's work party was nice, too bad no pictures because we looked good, take my word for it.  And we stayed at our long time friends, the Henries.  It's always fun getting carried away in conversation late in the night.  

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...

Which picture is the least crappy?

The back side of reindeer:

The one where everyone is looking in a different direction:
The one with Amelia's finger up her nose:
The one with 2 out of 3 kids:  (I either want all or one, but 66% doesn't mean anything.)
Or the one with the hysterically screaming 2 year old, totally not making a scene:
I so wanted a great picture, I mean this is the Disneyland Santa, the cream of the crop.  He has REAL reindeer!  But even though Amelia told me she would go with me to sit on Santa's lap, she reverted to her old ways upon seeing the big guy.  I guess a handshake doesn't mean what it used to. 

On the Third Day of Christmas...

Growing up, we NEVER had a fake tree.  In my teenage years, we had 2 trees, both real.  One was our family tree with colored bulbs, some flashing, some crystal, some both, some neither. There were handmade ornaments, school ornaments, and all the others that get accumulated over the years.  Then there was my mom's angel tree that was all white and gold and pretty.  We loved both trees and I knew I would always have a real tree when I grew up.  But then I found out how EASY unreal trees are.  You can put them up early, you don't have to string lights on, no watering and checking needles only to find out your tree is dying on you too early, and no messy needles to vaccuum.  So we took the plunge last year and bought our unreal tree.  Don't you judge me until you have walked a mile in my uggs!

The girls had fun helping me. I hope I didn't hurt any feelings by making them run ornaments by me to see if it qualified as front or back of tree worthy.

On the Second Day of Christmas...

My mom (grammi) always gets the grandkids Christmas jammies.  This year we were all together for Thanksgiving, so after dinner when we all needed to switch to elastic waste pants, they got into the Christmas spirit with the true meaning of Christmas, I heart presents!

Andra's girls are Maddie, Clara, Daphne, my 3 girls, and Blair's lone boy Brody and baby Lily.

It wasn't easy getting 8 kids under 10 to pose! (for more on these photos, my sister expands)

On the First Day of Christmas...

It wasn't even Thanksgiving yet, but we went to the mall with our cousins in Roseville and Santa was there waiting so lonely for willing kids to sit on his lap and whisper their Christmas wishes, so we thought why not?  But Amelia had an answer to that which I interpreted through her screams and head shaking to be "I hate Santa!"  No problem, we have lots of time to grow our love for St. Nick, she will definitely come around!

Elli wishing for shoes, so proud!

Addie and her cousin Clara

Millie is so Silly

By now my faithful readers (parents/siblings/inmates) have received their Christmas cards, and if by chance YOU want a card and did not get one, it is either because you live locally (don't send out cards to people who we see often) or I don't have your address, so leave it in the comments and I will get you one asap.  Anyway, I can now share our super secret (not really) family photo that shows why, although Amelia is at most times a handful that barely her mother can love, she can also make us smile.  She is a poser, and her favorite is her silly face pose.  So, although we can't take her out to a restaurant, and don't except a friendly greeting from her at the grocery store (another of her poses is her scowl), she really is a sweetheart, deep, deep, down.

Snips & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails

While snuggling with Addie the other night in her bed, she tells me "Mom, I really want a baby brother."  (We are not making any announcements here people, this came out of left field.)

Mom replies "Well, I am so lucky to have 3 little girls and I can't imagine not having any one of you, and if one day we do have another baby it will probably be another girl and that will be so fun!"

Addie retaliates: "But if I did have a baby brother, I would take that sticker off my door."

I guess that means Jason is not sticker worthy.

I Blame My Mom

I just saw a commercial on TV that was like nails on a chalkboard.  THERE IS NO SUCH WORD AS FUNNEST!!!  I just hope this doesn't catch on and become socially acceptable, then where will this world be.  To heck in a handbasket, that's where!

(BTW, it should be "The most fun Ipod ever." Just ask my mom.)

"You Stay Classy, San Diego"

So I am a wee bit late in blogging our San Diego Getaway, but since this in MY family journal, I am going ahead with it anyways.

About 3 weeks ago we wanted to get in one more visit to Sea World before our passes expired, and we wanted to go when the weather would be not so intense and hot as our last go in August.  So November would be the perfect month, right?  Interestingly enough, the high temp was exactly the same as when we went in the dead of summer, but it starting cooling off earlier so it wasn't as miserable.

Millie shakin' her money maker at SeaPort Village. We are crossing our fingers that Amelia might have a future as a pole dancer.  I hear they make great money, and hardly have to pay taxes - win-win!  

We made good use out of all the time Jason spends away from home and used his hotel points for a stay at the Marriot right on the marina.  This was the view from our room, not for those afraid of heights!

Amelia LOVES dogs, and she really got into the pet show this time, so we appeased her and stayed after to say hi to all the dogs and even the pig.  (On a related pet note, thanks to the McKells for watching Sadie, and seriously, if you want to share custody I'm all for it.)

Jason shares a moment with a parrot, reliving his childhood desires to be a pirate.

Elli eating an eight dollar crepe.  Jason could not get over the price, think John Travolta and the $5 milkshake in Pulp Fiction.

The new Sesame Street play area is really fun for all ages, just look at Jason.  (And while you are looking at him, check out his new sunglasses, they took a year to pick out, but he holds strong that he IS NOT high maintenance.) 

Look, I made it in a picture, rare.  Amelia was very determined to get the flying Elmo that was a puppy, go figure.