Family Photos

A couple of Sunday's back our whole family got together for our annual family photo session. This is a big deal to my mom & in the end I'm always happy we have done them:) I'm so happy I have them done early this year. Now I'm trying to get an idea of what the kiddos want for Christmas. Kennedi has had a list since June and Carter wants a microphone & to be "King of the World" he cracks me up! I'm sure his list will be longer. Thank you to my sweet friend Cara for sharing her talent with our crazy family!

The bow tie and the man hat

Right at the beginning of December Carter told us he wanted a bow tie for Christmas. I thought oh this will pass, he doesn't really want that. Then maybe 2 weeks before Christmas we were at TJMaxx one of my favorite stores & he found "the man hats" I couldn't drag him away from them. So then it's 3 days before Christmas and he says "oh I just can't wait for Christmas so I can get my bow tie & man hat"! I call Mike right then and tell him we have to find Carter a bow tie. Mike handled that one and I went to find the best man hat I could find. Carter was very excited Christmas morning! Gotta love him!!

Christmas Traditions

We had a lesson in Relief Society(woman's group at church) all on traditions. One of our family Christmas traditions is to get together with the Leffues(my moms side) on Christmas Eve. We have Mexican food, lots of yummy treats, the kiddos put on the Nativity, Santa comes for a visit & then while the kiddos are playing with the toy they got from the big guy. The adults play the white elephant game, it's always a lot of fun! Oh and I can't forget the family pictures, even if it's crazy trying to do I'm so happy that part happens. It's always fun to see family and catch up!

Another tradition that my mom started a few years ago. At the beginning of December she has a big sleepover for all the grandkids. Christmas Jammie's, gingerbread houses, Christmas movies & lots goodies & fun! Some years they have visited the temple lights or helped decorate her tree. They love it & look forward to it every year. My kiddos are blessed to have so many wonderful people in their lives that love them so much!!!

Back row: Tatum, Kennedi, Carys, Landon and Kelsey

Front row: Cody, Sydney, Madison, Carter and Zachary

Creating

You can't really tell in this picture but the kids are working on a Robot. We have a ton of extra pieces of wood around here from the Turkey Pit and kiddos are loving it! The weather has been nice so they go out and work on their masterpieces!

On a side note-Paige asked Carter the other day what he wants for Christmas? His answer: A bow tie. He cracks me up!!! And the twins are counting down the days until their birthdays. 3 more! I can't believe they will be 5. Yesterday we were at Target the kids were buying Christmas gifts for each other. We parked and Cody called Carter & Kennedi "the twins" which we do a lot! And Carter said why do you call us "twins" it was cute.

Finally!

I finally was able to download my pictures! For some reason it has not let me do it for awhile now. I have been dying to show off this fabulous cup I won at Christmas Bunko at Emily's house. Lovin' my nice dusty desk-hee hee! We started doing a gift exchange after Bunko and it is so fun! Crazymama made this beautiful cup for my yummy Sonic Dr. Peppers and I even won a Dr. Pepper & Diet Coke bonus!! I love homemade gifts. Thanks Julie, I love it!!!! After Christmas maybe I will do a post on the homemade gifts I made this year.

Memory Lane Monday

I wish I would have been better and done this during the holidays! I still remember the Christmas when I got stretch pants and a big over sized blue sweater and black boots of course! I had gotten up in the middle of the night and had seen everything that Santa had brought me. I remember feeling so bad! I also remember that same Christmas getting a gold boom box, a plastic charm necklaces ( does anyone remember those?) and a tether ball.

WE ARE BACK!!!

We made it home! Oh home sweet home!!! It was beautiful in Utah but way too cold for me. We drove all the way with the kiddos sleeping or watching a movie. They did great!!! We stayed in Park City at the Canyons with the Sirrines. Here are just a few of the fun things we did while in Utah.

We played lots and lots of games!
And also did a lot of eating.
The HUGE pile in the back is all our snow gear.

The kiddos had lots of fun playing with cousins.
They even got to open some Christmas gifts, it felt like Christmas was never going to end!
I got a nasty cold so I stayed in most of the time. Playing in the snow is not my idea of a good time! When I was younger I loved skiing & I tried snow boarding but not anymore. The kids on the other hand loved every minute of it.

We hung out with our friends who just moved from Arizona. Cody & Landon were very excited to get to play together even if it was for one afternoon!

We meet Mike's mom, sisters and brother for breakfast. Shana and her two kids Shea and Connor came to visit from Vernal. They really spoiled the kids and got them cute stuffed animals.

The twins got to tested out Shea's ipod and loved it!

Carter loved the snow one night when we were in the parking lot unloading we looked down & he was in the dirty snow. He was laying there making a snow angel! The drive up all Kennedi kept saying was "Dad, snow make snowman!" On the last day Mike tried really hard but it was too powdery. We also saw some cute movies, did a little shopping and went swimming in the heated pool. The temp got down to -7 so driving into Phoenix and it being 72 degrees made this girl very happy!!!

Daley family Christmas Party

Every year at Christmas time we have a big Daley family get together at my Aunt Kim & Uncle Dave's beautiful home. It's always lots of fun and the Mexican food is so good! These are the only pictures I got but my mom took a bunch. My camera I believe has bit the dust! I dropped it awhile back and it has never been the same, time for a new one! We had the kiddos put on the Nativity and then show us all their beautiful talents, it was a very fun evening!

Early Christmas

December 17th
We had an early Christmas with the Sirrine's because they will be spending Christmas in Park City, Utah. We will be going up to join them & visit Mike's family after Christmas! I hope I'm ready for being cold!!! Pam had everything set up so beautiful and the food was yummy too! We missed Brooke, Kelsey and Mike they were all sick & had to miss out! It was having Uncle Tony and can't wait to hang out some more in Utah. The kiddos for course had a blast!!! Kennedi always goes right for the babies and loves playing house!

We finally got family pictures done on Sunday by my sweet cousin Stacey. This picture was taken while we waited for Mike to change. We came right from church so we all had to change in the car! Carter had not had a nap & was very hungry so we didn't get a lot of great shots of him. We did get a good one for us to send out but we just got them out today. I figure better late then never right!? I love getting all the fun& very cute cards! I also want to know how you guys get your kiddos to sit still, look cute & smile!!? I just finished all my shopping last night. Now I need to start all the wrapping!!!

Top Ten Tuesday

Here are ten of my favorites about Christmas!
#10 Favorite winter beverage? Hot cocoa but I do love wassail too!!

#9 Favorite Christmas song? Santa Baby, Mary did you know & good ol' Jingle Bells!

#8 Favorite Christmas colors? Most of my Christmas stuff is traditional but next year I would like to go with lime green, hot pink & red.

#7 Favorite Christmas traditions, as a kid & with your family? Going to look at Christmas lights as we drop off goodies, temple lights, reading Christmas stories & watching all the fun Christmas cartoons. Just being with family!

#6 Favorite Christmas cards- photo? letter? I loooove Christmas cards!!! It's great to get the letter & a beautiful picture. We only do a picture. Before blogging Mike would do a news letter for his family every once in awhile.

#5 What is more fun for you- white elephant or secret Santa? White Elephant, we have been playing this game every Christmas Eve with my mom's side for a very long time! I think it's so much fun!

#4 Tree? real or fake? pre-lit? green or flocked? We have a green fake tree. After being prego with Cody during Christmas I can't do real. I hate the smell now it reminds me of being sick!

#3 Holiday budget- extravagant or low budget? What do you wish it was? Well of course I wish I had unlimited funds so I could give everyone a gift!

#2 Best gifts are-store bought or homemade? I love getting something homemade. It just seems like it really came from the heart!

#1 Which is better- surprises galore or being sneaky & peeking? I love being surprised! One year our cousin Stacy loved to peek & was trying to talk Paige & I into opening one of our gifts. We didn't want to so we let her go in the other room to look.

Santa's Helpers!

This room looked like we were feeding Santa, it was so cute!

Bling! Make it work!!!

The husbands were big helpers! They even decorated this tree. Mindy said when she walked in all the ornament balls were bunch together. The funny part was that they were stepping back & asking one another how the tree looked!

On Friday we went out to dinner with a fun group of friends from our ward. We always have a great time with them! My sweet friend Monica is the new Activity's Committee Chairman and she always does a wonderful job! After dinner we loaded up our cars and started decorating the church. Saturday morning we had a BIG breakfast & then Santa came to visit! We had so much fun!!!

Good Friends!

Last night I went to Bunko at Stacy's house. Her new home is beautiful and her tree was amazing! The food and treats were yummy like usual! This year for Christmas we did something a little different. After playing as few rounds of Bunko (which I rocked with my positive attitude hee hee! *Courtney will get that one). We played the white elephant game first with good gifts & then again with gag gifts. It was so much fun and great to do something different. I made an advent calendar I got the idea from Teresa Mcfayden's blog . I forgot to take a picture. You girl's sure know how to make a girl feel good! I'm sad I didn't bring my camera so I could show you some of the gag gifts-CRAZY STUFF!

Top Ten ok twelve on Wednesday!

12 Julie: I love how she always has wonderful information. She always knows when there is something on sale or where to find something. Thanks for all your encouragement on the twins preschool!
11 Courtney: It was so fun having you at Bunko! It's always a blast when you are around! It feels like there is never enough time to catch up on everything!
10 Stacy: Without fail she always asked me something about me or how my family is doing. And, she really cares & wants to know.
9 Libby: I missed this girl last night! I love how she is always doing fun things with her family. They seem so close. Hope you guys had a good time at Disneyland!
8 Lindsey: She always has a great story to tell. I still get a good chuckle when I think of her telling us her most embarrassing moment. She always tells the truth, I love that about her!!
7 Angela: She always gives such sweet compliments! She is very concerned about others and is always wanting to help. She has a very BIG heart!
6 Paige: It's always fun for me to get to do anything with her. I love how we never want to stop talking, even sitting in the car at one of our driveways. Funny how we never run out of stuff to talk about!
5 Bridget: This cute girl I don't get to see much of and she's my sister!!! So, any chance to spend time with her is wonderful! Even if I have to go to her house early so we can just hang out before Bunko.
4 Corree: I'm always happy when I get to sit next to this cute girl! I love chatting and catching up! I love her easy going and laid back attitude!
3 Reilly: I love seeing this girl and I could not be happier for her she is getting married to a great guy on Friday! You can just see it in her face how happy she is! Congrats!
2 Emily: This girl sure knows how to make everyone laugh! She would do anything for a friend. I'm lucky to have her as one!
1 Ashley: I want to be more like this girl! What a great example. She is always happy & sweet. I don't think their is a mean bone in her body!
This is in no special order, I love you all!
I feel so blessed to have these girls as friends. I always look forward to nights when I get a girl's night out with these fun ladies!! I love the memories we have made.
I love you guys!!!

Christmas Parade!

Saturday night we went and got some Mexican food and then met up with Paige and Rex and friends to see Tatum. She has been dancing for awhile & I think this was her 3rd year being in the Chandler parade. She did so good but I was sad because I don't think she ever saw that we came to see her. The kids had so much fun! They loved that it was cold enough to put on winter clothes. I'm sure anyone who lives where it really gets cold is laughing at these pictures. I bundled everyone up & by the time we got to where everyone was I was HOT! I took some pictures of the the kiddos together but the red eye is so bad & I'm to lazy right now to fix it! So this is what you get for now!

Memory Lane Monday!

Well my memory this week is about the first Christmas after my first husband Garrett passed away. Cody and I moved in with my parents & Bridget had just moved back home a few months before.Paige was the only one married now so we all wanted Rex, Paige & Tatum to stay for Christmas! And, that is what we did and it sure was fun!!!
Christmas Eve we always go to my Grandparents house & play games, sing songs & of course eat! After the party we hung out as a family then put the little ones(only two back then WOW!) to sleep. We all stayed up so late putting things together, wrapping gifts that in a matter of hours would be ripped apart & thrown away!
In the morning I think we all slept in except for Cody. Rex had bought Paige a chair for cutting hair & had bought Cody a motorized quad for kids. Well they were both sitting out. When Cody saw them he got so excited but he didn't run to the quad he ran & jumped right on the chair so sweet! Rex is a very thoughtful & sweet brother-in-law & just thinking about what he did for Cody makes me want to cry! And, the sad thing is I don't think I ever told him. Rex your awesome! We then enjoyed a yummy big breakfast. Now in our family we always try to start out all watching one person open a gift. But, we seem to get distracted easily & before you know it we are all at it opening gifts left & right! When we are all done we have a war with silly string so much fun!!! After all the fun we of course clean up! What a fun Christmas to remember. We continued to keep that up until our family got just a tad too big! I don't think I have any pictures of that Christmas on my computer but if I find some I will add them.

The Rockettes!!!!

Paige's mother-in-law got her tickets to go see The Rockettes for her birthday. Emily and I went with her yesterday and had a fun time! I took pictures of us but I'm being lazy I don't want to down load them maybe later. The show was so good and I want to bring my kiddos next year! I really think they would love it! Santa and Mrs. Claus were so cute and man do those Rockettes sure have nice legs! I loved how they ended with the nativity. It was a great reminder of why we celebrate Christmas. The little girl behind us was more excited about baby Jesus then Santa. I loved it! We munched on candy through the whole show to hold us over. After we went and ate at a very yummy place called 101 Bistro it was just a few blocks away and it was so good!!! Then we headed for the mall for some Christmas shopping. It was a great night! Thanks Paige love ya!!!