Christmas and more...

Get a Coke and sit back......this is a long one.

Christmas was wonderful-as it usually is. Allie's play ended, we all got healthy again and we were able to get back into the swing of the holiday joy. And joy we had! We had to make our Gingerbread house-it's tradition. (It might have been the day before Christmas Eve, but we got it done)
Look at their faces.....it must take great skill. (Okay, not really. You can buy the kits at Wal-Mart for a mere $10) haha..
Olivia wanted in on the action this year. She was covered in frosting before it was over.

I came out from behind the camera for about three minutes.....

The finished product.

She must take her cues from me. ....I do vacuum a lot.

We always do the same rounds at Christmas time. Christmas Eve is spent at my Mom and Dad's house with my family. Instead of exchanging adult gifts this year, we all bought presents for a family that has had a rough time lately. So instead, the adults did a white elephant gift exchange. It is always hilarious to see what some people bring. Here is my dad modeling his white elephant gift.

BJ & Krystal brought an ugly Christmas sweater and a baklava. The funny thing is that, that sweater is an actual sweater that BJ wore to a High School Christmas dance-circa 1991. Hysterical...

Me and the Mr......

Grandma Retta reading the Christmas story to the grand kids.

All the kids do a cousin gift exchange and then open their present from Grandma and Grandpa.

"Thank you SO much Grama!!"

My parents gave Easton one of his favorite presents of this year. The Star Wars hail fire droid. You will see a pattern here with Easton and presents......
Olivia was still kind of confused-but loving it at the same time. My mom gave her a Baby Alive doll that she has played and played with. I'm so excited that she loves babies. :)

Then we headed back to our own house to wait on Santa! My kids always like to leave out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. Allie also likes to leave him a note telling him to be safe. haha...

Santa found us!

Aaaahhh......the Christmas present of 2010! Nintendo DSi XL. I have since developed a love/hate relationship with the DSi's. They are super fun-and super addicting. (Even for me. I MAY have spent an entire day tring to save the princess on Super Mario-but you will never know.) Since their arrival, I swear I only saw the tops of my kids heads for a solid two weeks. We have had to cap the amount of play time now that school is back in. (Mom included) ;)

I do love them for road trips in the car. The trip up to Island park this year was SO quiet! No movie, just my kids faces lit up by the glow of the DSi. Heaven....

Star Wars for the DS...

Christmas wouldn't be complete with a couple books for the resident bookworm. I was mean this year and made her wait until Christmas to get the 6th book in the Wimpy Kid series. She read it in like two days.

I mean, honestly, does it get any better than Darth Vader on a chopper? I think not.

Fashion sketch portfolio.

See the recurring theme here? Star Wars obsessed.

It's a pillow! It's a pet! It's a pillow pet! (For the life of me, I will NEVER understand the draw to these things, but my kids and all my nieces and nephews wanted them).

Olivia loved two things and two things only about Christmas morning. 1. Her Elmo slippers. 2. The Dum-dums in her stocking. If those two things were the only things she had gotten-she would have been fine. Elmo and Dum-dums. Perfect.

(I would have dropped dead before allowing Allie and Easton to have Elmo slippers. I hated character clothing. Now? This made me the very happiest on Christmas morning! It was the cutest thing ever to see her toddling around with flopping Elmo heads on her feet. aahhh, what can I say? I've grown soft......or ghetto........in my old age. ;)

DUM-DUMS!!!!

YAY! Abby Cadabby movie! Olivia can say two words really well: Elmo and Abby. (Well and "NO!", but I don't really count that as a word as much as attitude).

"Maybe my kitty wants a dum-dum. I'll share.....it is Christmas after all."

8:07 a.m. and working on sucker #4......

Tinkerbell 4-wheeler. She immediately hopped on and floored it-right into the Christmas tree. We decided that she will need a helmet before it is taken out on the sidewalk. My most daring/fearless child........with a power wheels. Maybe not the greatest idea. ;)

Her own table and chairs!

The Kindle! If you love to read......you MUST get one of these! I've never been so neglectful in all my life, but it is like having a bookstore in your hands. I would never dare say the amount of money I have spent on e-books since Christmas Eve!

Coloring and her new table and chairs. It is SO cute in her room. It matches perfectly and she sits in there for hours playing with her dolls and coloring.

See what I mean? I miss seeing my children's faces. ;)

In the afternoon we head down to Paul's parents house. Grandma White always gives the kids a package of Goldfish crackers in their present. They love it.

She MAY be a little dramatic. Her thank you's look like an acceptance speech. haha!

Uncle Vick opening his gifts. My kids worship this man! He is that fun uncle that plays with the kids the whole time they are there. It took us awhile to get Allie straight that she could NOT marry uncle Vick. :)

The next day we went to church and then came home and just layed around in the Christmas mess.

An artist at work......

"The smolder....."

My brownie eyed angel........who has no hair! What is it with my girls and this no hair business until 7? Poor thing is starting to get that "'oversized baby" look. It's fine.....we will deal. Allie looked that way and grew out of it too. ;)

A few days after Christmas my whole family headed up to Island Park for four days. AND I FORGOT MY CAMERA!! I about started bawling when I realized this-but we were about to Pocatello when it dawned on me. I blame having to pack snowmobiling gear for four people. It was so much fun up there though. It was FREEZING, but nice and warm in the cabin. It is always fun for the kids to spend four days running around and playing with their cousins. I love sitting up late into the night playing games with my siblings and my parents. There is always a lot of laughter around that table and I love it. I will have to see about getting the pictures off my Dad's camera-because it was a good time had by all. Thank you Mom and Dad for doing this for us every year!

The other big happening at our house was Allie getting glasses. Her school sent home a note telling me that she had failed the eye test. So I took her to the eye doctor and it was decided that she needed her vision corrected. At least for seeing far away-like the chalkboard. She was SO excited to get glasses. Her cousin wears them-and she has wanted them ever since Libby got them. She doesn't have to wear them all the time, but honestly, she likes to wear them. She looks pretty dang cute in them. The first day she was going to wear them to school, I watched her eating breakfast with them on and got all lumpy throat and teary eyed. She looked SO grown up! They make her look like she is 12 and I hate that. We all know my issue with the time warp I live in. I was nervous for her to go to school, but when she came home that day she said, "Mom, everyone wants glasses now!" and later her friend's mom told me that her daughter had said she couldn't see the board and needed glasses like Allie's. :) That made me feel better. I snapped these pictures of her before she left for school that day. Pretty darn cute-eh? The funny thing is that same week I got an infection in my cornea and was told I need to wear my glasses for a few weeks. So I got new glasses too. Now we really do look like the bookworms of the house! ;)

Today, the kids wanted to make a "really, really big" snowman. So Paul and our neighbor Jason helped the kids build this beauty! I hope it stays for a long time-but since it is supposed to rain tomorrow, that isn't likely. What a great memory for the kids!

Paul,Allie,Easton, Ashlynn, Kaylee and Jason Tuft.

Paul and his snowman. :)
Next week we leave for Disneyland. I can harly wait! We decided to leave Olivia home with the grandmas this time. :( This was not a decision that has come easy for me, but in the end we decided that she really is too young to enjoy it and the way we do Disneyland (at the gate at 8....leave when the fireworks are over) she would be miserable. We are also driving and Ms. Olivia is NOT a fan of long car rides, so she is staying behind this time. I'm going to miss her like crazy-I've never left her for that long(a week), but I know she will be in the best hands and really, staying with the Grandma's is like a Disneyland in itself. We have already promised her that when she is 4 we will take her. Allie and Easton are old enough now to ride ALL the rides and this time we are making the trek down to SeaWorld. Easton will die! I can't wait to see his face when those whales come out of the water. Me and Allie can't wait to ride Peter Pan's ride-it's our favorite. Pictures from the "happiest place on earth" to come! :)

Not feeling it

Bah-humbug.

That is how I feel right now.

I feel stressed. Harried. Maxed out. Stretched too thin. TIRED. I fall asleep on the couch almost every night after the kids are in bed and then I zombie walk back to my bedroom and crash. It's bizarre.

Part of it is the schedule we have been keeping with Allie's play. It runs Monday, Friday and Saturdays and on two of the Saturday's they do it twice. It is exhausting and the most rewarding thing at the same time. Me and Paul have tickets for every show. I used to feel sheepish admitting that until my sister-in-law said, "I get it. I wouldn't miss one of my girls games." She made a good point, so yes I paid an arm and a leg for tickets and I sit in the audience every night and almost pop open with pride. Step off. ;)

The other thing is the sickness that won't seem to GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!! For the last two weeks, we have been battling it all. It runs through our family(pardon the pun) like dominoes and we spent all of today and yesterday laying around taking a steady diet of Ibuprofen and Tylenol. This is rare for us. We rarely are sick at our house but we just can't seem to shake this bug. It's putting a damper on my holiday fun, for sure.

We have missed the last three weeks of church-two of them for sickness and another for a family party. This leaves me feeling uncentered, unbalanced and yes.....guilty. I can't help it. I worry about what people think when we aren't there. I know it shouldn't matter what people think-I'm working on that, but really, I like to go. The older I get, the more I need it. (And that isn't just some blog worthy quip).

I tried to be done with all my shopping by December 1-but this didn't happen. I was done with my kids and family a couple of weeks ago. Those are all wrapped and ready. It's the teacher gifts, neighbor gifts, visiting teacher gifts......

I realized today that I have five teacher gifts. FIVE! Annoying.

If I can make it to Saturday, I'm sure I will be back in Holly Jolly mode. For now, I'm going to go lay on my couch, watch the cooking channel and wonder what is currently attacking my immune system. Cholera, Scarlet fever, Swine flu.........whatever it is, its making itself right at home.

I am going to take a nap and try and resist going towards the light. ;)

"Where you gonna put a tree that big, Griswold?"

Hahaha.........*sigh*.

*Note to self: When sending your husband to the store for milk a mere two days after Christmas, don't be alarmed at what he might bring home WITH that milk.

Like one BIG a@! Christmas tree. Yes.....that big.

We re-arranged our family room in a million different ways to try and fit this monstrosity in there. We got it. BARELY. I found the whole thing so hilarious that I fell on the floor and laughed and laughed. Paul didn't. He had just moved the couch, the TV and the recliner about four times each and he was getting just a little peeved. HAHAHA!! I still find it hilarious.

This was this morning. He just stopped and stared at it. Long enough for me to grab the camera.

Olivia was entranced also and surprisingly, she hasn't tried to touch or take anything off the tree. Of course, it hasn't been up 24hrs. yet, so give her time is my guess.

Look at how little they look standing next to it. Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree! I put out all my other "stuff" the day before. If this kind of stuff bores you-sorry. I actually love to see other people's houses and what they do for Christmas. The Santa that you see on my table has been with us since me and Paul's first Christmas. He's a staple. :)

Does this Christmas tree make my house look fat? ;) AAHHH!!! My favorite thing this year! My mother-in-law let me have this old record player that actually plays records and Cd's. I went to the DI and found all sorts of Christmas records that WORK! I've got Bing and Frank and Johnny and we have spent lots of time dancing around to the classics. This is where Olivia lays it down like Johnny Brown! I love how classic and old they sound with the popping and cracking.

The reason for the season. It took me forever to find a nativity that I really liked. I love this and so does Olivia-unfortunately. Day 1 and she broke the angel's hand off. Now she just points to all of it and says, "No!,No!" Oops...

Five little stockings hanging in a row.....

Christmas must reads!

Now back to getting ready for Bubba's birthday celebration! Pictures to come....

Bring on the HOLIDAYS!!

We are ready for the Holidays! Paul spent a whole Saturday and a couple evenings lighting up the ENTIRE roof. (I swear I married Clark Griswold.) The tree and everything else is coming out Sunday and I'm so excited! We bought a 9ft x 5.5" tree last year right after Christmas for a steal of a deal. (Let's hope it fits somewhere) Easton's birthday is Monday and I can hardly wait for him to see his gifts. Star Wars bonanza!! :)
I'm so excited for Thanksgiving.....but mostly because Thanksgiving is Black Friday Eve. hahaha! I've held off decorating, but the music came out awhile ago and if you want to see just about the cutest thing ever, then check out this video of Olivia doing the happy dance to Bing Crosby. (She learns it from me. I can't help but dance and sing when I hear Mr. Crosby myself! ;) Olivia dances the minute she hears music. She can be in a full tilt temper tantrum and when she hears music......she gets jiggy with it. She is the funniest little girl-ever.

Stay tuned for this years editorial on just how white trash me and Aubrie get at the sales. :) It's so ridiculously funny. I'm jumping over carts and she is throwing elbows and half the time I end up with stuff that I'm laughing and saying, "Why did I buy this?" aahhh......such fun. :) Also, Allie's show opens on December 3. She has worked her little tail off but she does a great job as Gladys Herdman. Go get your tickets people-you won't regret it. :)

The love of a Woobie.

*sigh* Have I talked about the woobie on here?

No?

When Olivia was born she refused to take the pacifier. I bought every brand of binky that is on the market to only find that she gagged on every single one. Allie and Easton LOVED their diggles. (Allie came up with that name at 9 mos.) I couldn't figure out why she didn't want one. I believed babies that took a pacifier were more content and generally quieter and judging by my own experience, I was right! I mean, Allie slept 12 hours a night at 3 mos old and Easton was about 5 months old when he did. Olivia? One year before I was getting a full nights sleep, people. :/

Enter: "The Woobie"

Just when I thought Olivia may have conquered the White gene for addictions and vices at an early age, she turned into Linus on me. Literally. All of a sudden she was dragging this pink blanket everywhere. She couldn't have a bottle without holding the woobie at the same time. She won't go to sleep without the woobie wrapped through her arm and up by her face. When we went to San Francisco, I threatened my mother with her life to not lose the woobie, because she won't accept another blanket. It's that one-only. When we get in the car, the woobie has to be tucked into the car seat with her. When she falls and hurts herself? Who does she run for? The woobie. And THEN me. Sometimes she can't find her blanket right away and it is the saddest thing you have ever seen. Panic. Stricken.

I can't even wash it. It doesn't leave her side long enough! It was once a pretty pastel pink and now it's a dingy gray. It's gross. And I'm pretty sure it has a weird smell. And I'm pretty sure that she likes the smell. Ew.

But honestly, I find it pretty endearing. I mean, there really is nothing cuter than when she pads around in her bunny footed pajamas holding a sippy cup under one arm and dragging the woobie behind her. It's cute. My child literally has a security blanket. Hmmm....I bet some would say it's because I didn't breastfeed her. To them I would say:"I bet your boobs are saggy." (That's what you call a tit for tat. HAHAHA!) Anyway...(slight digression there). ps-It's my blog and I can say tit if I want too. ha!

And don't even think that I am planning on taking it away from her. I'm not. I won't! And here is where Olivia is fortunate to be the caboose of our family. I'm in no hurry whatsoever to help her grow up. NONE. Take your time sweet baby girl. If life feels better to you with a pink/dirty gray woobie....well, then so be it! I'm sure your Kindergarten teacher, college roommates and husband will understand. ;)