Christmas Memories

Christmas is way over but I need to record some of my memories from this year.
Christmas eve morning Nathan threw up, but was fine the rest of the break, but we were a little nervous to go anywhere because of it.
We did spend Christmas eve at my parents. We acted out the Nativity. My mom went all out with a script and all. Brooklyn and I made the Inn, and my mom made a stable. We had our traditional chili for dinner. My mom's homemade chili. Yumm! Then we watched our homeade Christmas movies. This years theme seemed to be monsters. Nathan was so scared! Heidi and Logan's movies had "boglins" in them, and was so freaked but couldn't look away!
Christmas morning after opening presents my parents came over for lunch. I also roped my dad into helping us set up our new TV. We just spent the day at home relaxing and playing our new Wii.

Lip Sync 2008!

A new Christmas tradition we started doing is a family Lip Sync. (A family we know has been doing this and Casey thought it would be fun for us.) Anyway, this is our third year and each family films a lip sync and we watch them on Christmas eve. This is our 2008 contribution.

P.S. I am a REALLY bad actress/BIG nerd! Just so you know that I am aware.

Snow Days!

What a wild week! The news kept reporting an "Artic Blast" and I was getting so tired of hearing about it! We were just having little snow flurries, no big deal. They canceled our stake Christmas Devotional, and the kids didn't have school on Wednesday. I thought everyone was overreacting!

On Thursday I was able to go to Brooklyn's school and help with her Winterfest.

Then Brooklyn's school was canceled on Friday. Olivia's preschool was not. So, since Olivia goes to pm preschool we had time to head over to the neighborhood park and go tubing. I thought we had better take advantage of the snow because it would probably be gone the next day. And of course afterward we enjoyed a nice cup of hot chocolate with peppermint icecream!

After tubing Casey met me at Olivia's school to see her Christmas presentation. She was so excited to be the Shepherd girl. She got to wear the "rainbow" hat. She looked so cute.

Friday we celebrated Callie's Birthday at the restaurant Beaches. It was so fun! The snow was falling and the Christmas boats were going by on the Columbia river.


Saturday night there was freezing rain, which put a layer of ice on top of the snow. Brooklyn started picking it up so that she could get to the snow to build a snowman.



Saturday it snowed even more and so the whole family went tubing. It is so much more fun when you don't have to drive an hour just to get to the snow!

Sunday church was canceled. So we worked on our annual Christmas lip sync video over at my parents.

Today is Monday and it is continuing to snow. Casey went in to work anyway and took the suburban, so I am home bound...Then his office called and said they are closing today. So he tried to catch a bus home and they are running an hour late. He's been standing outside for an hour waiting. I called my parents to go get him, so now he's on his way home.

So, I was wrong. This really is an "Artic Blast"! Wild fun!

Mom's Birthday

Gingerbread House Village

My mom's birthday is in December, so she always has a Gingerbread House birthday party. The kids have really started to look forward to this. Brooklyn has been telling me her plans for her house for weeks now. While I helped Nathan make his I looked at him and he had his arm up over his face and was using the other hand to stick candy in his mouth. He was trying to be sneaky. (I think he is used to the apple turkeys at the Baldwin's when you aren't allowed to eat the candy until everyone is done.) I had to tell him it's alright to eat the candy, he didn't have to hide. After we were all done my mom had two houses left that none had decorated and Olivia quickly asked if she could take them home to decorate. Mom put the candy in a bag and Livvy decorated them first thing the next morning. So now I have a complete gingerbread village.

Festival of Trees

Bear HospitalSanta's Workshop

Painted Faces

One of our Christmas traditions is Portland's Festival of Trees. Casey's office always does a tree for it so the office can take their families for free. We have been going for 7 years now. One of the highlights is the Teddy Bear Hospital. The kids get a teddy bear and they take it to the "hospital" where they tell the doctors their bear's name and what happened to it. Then is gets a check up and bandaged. The kids love looking at their bears from all the years. The girls love to do all the crafts,get their face painted, watch the dancers, and drink hot chocolate. Nathan loves the toy trains and looking at the toys under the trees.

We were there.

Christmas Rush

My Christmas card. Mele Kalikimaka.

Christmas Bell are Ringing!
All Aboard!


So, we're back from Utah, and it feels like we were gone a month. When we went to Utah, Thanksgiving hadn't even happened, and now it feels like Christmas is tomorrow.
On Friday the 5th we had our ward party. It was a Polar Express theme. So cute! The kids wore their pajamas and we had pancakes and hot chocolate. Then the Primary kids sang Christmas bells. After that I ran Brooklyn over to her school for "1st Grade Fun Night". They were doing crafts and sing alongs and stuff until 10:00 at night. She was so excited, she LOVES crafts. I took advantage of the time to make Christmas cards on the computer and Casey ran to the store. Well, when I finally looked at the clock I realized it was10:05! I felt sick! I had forgotten my precious sweet daughter! I raced over to the school, and she was the last kid there, with the teachers. So sad! She wasn't worried though, she actually liked being last and had a blast. Nonetheless, I am going to have to get myself an alarm watch so I don't forget things like this again! Especially if I want that "Mother of the Year Award"! Ha, ha.