Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Decor

I love to decorate, and I love decorating for Christmas even more!!! I have bins and bins of decor, probably because a lot of the decorations have been B-day gifts, and many of them have really wonderful memories for me.

I have a fisherman ornament from San Fransisco, when we saw Anthony Robbins. I have a Santa ornament riding a dolphin from when my husband and I were in Maui for our first time. I have some white glass deer from my Grandmother for Brian and mine first Christmas together. A white tin angel I won at a Bunco group when I lived in Sherwood. I can't even count the number of lighthouses I have..... the list goes on.

This post is mostly for myself (memories), my sisters and my mom..... so if it seems a tad to obsessive please disregard. Since it is likely my sisters will not be able to see my house this season, I wanted them to be able to see some pics!

The finished product:


Some closer detail.


With the lights on.





Collection of large glass ornaments (too nice and delicate to put on the tree where children can destroy them :)










A wreathe my mom made me two years ago. One of my favorites.



The deer from Gram.




Stockings above reach from being pulled down and being hit on the head with a letter.....just a hypothetical. Well not really.



Brian likes to call these my Meier and Frank department store stars. He laughs at the size.




The Tree

Some friends of ours bought a 50 acre tree farm a few years ago. They had their second annual tree cutting party this year! It's such a great time and fun idea. We bring toys to donate for Toys for Tots and then get to cut down our tree for free!!

Below is their airplane hanger!! Yes that is correct. The property has a landing strip also. The hanger was decorated and I couldn't help covet this area!! As a mom of a little boy who just loves to move, I thought about having this space in my back yard! Wouldn't it be magnificent on all those rainy days???



Grandma Patsy and Grace starting out on the Tree hunt.

Jake prepared with the saw.... Who lets their seven year old hold the saw?



Our tree freshly cut.



The fam.




Are there any pictures of my kids not in this pose?




We pulled our tree out to the landing strip and a truck and trailer came by to bring it back to be bailed and taken to the car. The kids and Bri hitched a ride.




Jeff bailing the newly cut trees.



The end result:
9 feet and beautiful!




Zoo Lights

We were actually crazy enough to go on a Saturday night this year.... It was crowded, but with the zoo membership there were no lines for us and the weather couldn't have been better for it! Not in the 20's like it is now!! The lights seemed more brilliant this year, or maybe there were more of them.


The kids are holding their light up wands. I totally caved and bought these for them in the gift shop....and why?? only because this is something I would have wanted as a child.







A courtesy picture of Bri and I, you can tell Avery took this. The shadow is probably her finger :)




Jake being so sweet to Grace, bringing her to see the animal (??!?! what is that anyway) that she was scared of.




On top of the bronze goat statue on the way out.






Giant bears outside the gift shop. Avery asked if they were real.



In the farm exhibit. That is a John Deer behind them. They had the petting zoo open that night. I usually think that I am pretty laid back about a lot of the things I let the kids do, but I will tell you that petting zoo (anywhere) creep me out!
The zoo also had picture with goats (instead of Santa). We saw some other families doing it, and it looked pretty funny.



By the train.




It really was a nice night. The kids were great, or maybe I just thought they were because it seemed like everyone elses kids were crying! And why wouldn't they be....their parents making them walk around in the cold, just to see some lights....Ha.
As much as my kids challenge me, I wouldn't trade them for any else!!

Gotta Love Girls

Avery and Grace came down stairs the other day with bathrobes on and my curlers in their hair.



I just had to laugh!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Birthday Surprises

My Dad and Sister share November 11th as their Birthday. And what has become customary is going out to dinner with the adults to celebrate. Cake is usually followed up at one of our houses with all the kids. You see my parents can really understand the beauty and importance of a dinner with just adults!!! I have come to absolutely love and look forward to these occasions.






Well in between good seafood and a lot of laughter my Dad let me know that he read our (my sister and my) blogs! I guess I didn't have any idea and that was my surprise.....


So like I did for my Mom I wanted to write the 62 things that I love about him for his 62nd Birthday! He is quite incredible and after this list you will indeed see why.


1.He is smart. 2.As mentioned above, he has an appreciation for a good dinner out with no children. 3.That being said, he loves his Grandchildren. 4.He especially loves to hold the babies. 5.He speaks Hebrew 6. He has a love of learning new things 7. He can shop with the best of them! 8. He is an avid reader 9. He love Bob Dylan 10. He takes good care of the missionaries 11.He taught us to take care of others who have less 12.He drives fast cars 13.He wears beautiful striped ties 14.He watches the watch channel and orders watches for everyone he loves 15. He can debate 16.He likes Obama and doesn't like Glenn Beck 17. He laughs at John Stewart and gives me the play by play. 18. His ability to remember dates is uncanny. He can tell you who won the world series in 1980 and who was on the team. 19. He can do this with scripture too! 20.He went to medical school (with three small children, some of this should be to my mom's credit also) 21.He speaks 4 languages. 22.He loved his mother 23. He has delivered a breach baby. 24. He taught me to be responsible with my money (time and interest) 25.He loves to listen to loud music and let his children do the same. 26 He bought me my first pair of Air Jordan's in high school ( they were blue, and in my parents basement probably until they moved last June) 27. He played sports in High School 28. He associates with General Authority 29. He has dedicated much of his life to service. 30. He and his partners delivered thousands of babies. 31. He can explain a tubal ligation or hysterectomy on a piece of paper at the kitchen table. 32. He gives amazing talks 33. He wears great shoes and loves saddle shoes. 34. He love to watch racing (especially motorcycles) 35. We used to go motorcycle riding in High school. He even tried to teach me to ride. 36. He laughs a lot. 37. He is kind 38.He is also stern. 39. He encouraged all of his kids to get an education. 40.He paid for mine (this is one of the reasons I feel and believe I am able to stay home with my children, not having to pay off huge student loans) 41. He loves to read to my children 42.He does puzzles with Grace 43. He treats all of his children equally, or at least tries his best to. 43. He grew up in Southern California. 44 Went on his mission to Germany. 45. He loves my mother 46. He only praises her (which is easy to do). 47. He took me to a Bob Dylan concert, and my sister to the Rolling Stones. 48. I get some of my most current music CD's from him. 49.He is beyond generous 50.He teaches my children about Christ, kindness, and money 51. He has a Long Beach Dirtbags shirt. 52. He has survived the Emmanuel Burn center 53.The missionaries love my dad. He feeds them physically and spiritually 54.We bought meals and gifts for those in need every Thanksgiving and Christmas growing up. 55.He has instilled in me a love of learning and being smart 56.He love to teach 57.He is a dynamic speaker 58.He has an IPOD and incredible speakers 59. He loves Crab and seafood (me too) 60. I feel like I can always call him with my questions. Especially medical ones 61.He doesn't complain. 62. He makes it to see the grand kids play in their respective sports



And for next year: 63. He loves me, He loves my husband, He loves my children.








Dad, Happy Birthday. I really love you. Here is to another 10!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

With only 15 minutes...

Question: What do you do if you only have a few minutes at the end of the night.....but really feel like doing something creative?



Answer: Cover a picture matte with leftover fabric with a glue gun!







Avery and I were going through some school work of the kids that I have saved over the years and I found this silhouette of her from Preschool. I thought it was just precious. You can see the rims of her glasses in it. I really wanted to find a frame to put it in. As luck would have it, I had this huge frame (sitting on the side of my dresser not being used) but it had an ugly yellow matte. So I had a little brain storm, that I would use some of my left over fabric from the 'office redo' and just cover the matte with it and a little glue gun. It seriously took me 8 minutes. I think it looks great and totally matches the office now. She was very flattered with the image on the wall!!



I finished the bead board wall paper yesterday....now on to caulking and painting. Should have some new 'afters' soon.










This is just a cute one from yesterday. Avery was 'teaching' ballet class to Grace. Too cute.




I will show this picture to them when they are teenagers and fighting over their jeans.....

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween on KCD

Halloween 2009.

The kids both had games this morning. 8:30 am!!! yeah! John and Patsy came over afterward and got a snapshot of the whole fam....this is rare. So I thought I would add to the post. Grace has assumed her normal pose. :) Hat's courtesy of Grandma for Halloween!



Pumpkin carving the night before Halloween. Grace was very serious about carrying her own pumpkin.



The carving. It is always cute to see their first expression after they pull the top of the pumpkin off and see all the seeds and goo....


Jake's pumpkin.













All lit up on the porch.








Halloween Day. Grace is standing off to the left refusing to get in the picture, because she wants to ride her trike.



Action shot of the witch and the storm trooper:



Our friend Natalia has her Birthday close to Halloween. So it has kind of been a tradition to celebrate her birthday with all the kids dressed up, and then all go trick or treating in the neighborhood. 13 kids in total.




Our little grumpy lady bug, yes this is the second year she has worn the costume....but that is what she wanted to be.




Pictures of the loot:




Note Grace already has three lollipops opened. I kind of let them eat as much candy as they want on the night of Halloween. I just can't police it that night...... the restrictions begin the next morning.



Jake sorting.




It's funny, I think this year was one of my least exciting years with Halloween. Who knows maybe I used all my steam decorating so soon in the month. I just didn't have too much gumption for it. I remember years where I had Halloween parties, made special cupcakes and did caramel apples. This year, I literally sent Brian to the store an hour before Trick or Treaters came to get the candy. I even would have been fine not to carve the pumpkins.... good thing Brian thought otherwise. At least the kids seemed to have a blast. I think Jake ran for a full two hours from house to house. I guess I will hold onto their cute smiles at the end of the night....that and my sore feet (who goes for a 6 mile run, before having to walk the neighborhood for 2 1/2 hours)? Not well thought out..... I guess the same goes for the whole holiday :)