13

1. wow. last day of 2009. this year went by fast!

2. Ben is heading to his first youth dance tonight- the new years eve dance. I hope he has fun. and asks girls to dance. I think we need to have a little chat before the dance. give him some pointers. from a girls point of view.

3. I guess 14 is too old for matchy matchy christmas eve pajamas. I think maybe the bulldogs on the pants had something to do with it. but a mom has to try, you know?

I thought maybe, when the other kids all put theirs on and said they were so comfy, that he might just go for it, but no.

4. we are heading out to party hardy like its 2009!

5. but not until Christmas is put away. and the house is cleaned up.

6. oh wait- we might never get to the party!

7. Cory went on a cleaning spree after Christmas and cleaned up our room.

he cleaned it up good.

so far it has stayed clean.

now we just need to branch out to the rest of the house!

8. I did clean up the girls room really clean yesterday.

today it is a bit messy, but nothing that can't be tidied up in 2 minutes.

now, if only we can keep those two rooms clean, we might have a chance with the rest of the house!

9. so- want to know my resolutions for 2010? well, I am going to share a few-

I really want to buy less stuff.

and get rid of more stuff.

and use more of the stuff I already have.

reduce, reuse, and recycle the stuff!

that is the big one!

10. of course, on every ones list- lose some weight. haha. but seriously.

that treadmill is going to be worn out this year, baby! or my shoes. whichever goes first.

11. I want to have more fun. be more fun. do fun stuff. fun.

12. I want my kids to be nicer to each other.

oh wait, I think that is just a far off dream. I am hoping when they are adults they will all get along nicely. maybe.

13. alright, I best get off the computer, put Christmas away, pack up for the weekend, and clean like it's the end of the year.

oh wait, it is!

happy new year!

delicious and mysterious

so, you may be wondering what we did for our neighbors and friends for Christmas this year.

well- wonder no longer!

we printed off a bunch of our christmas mustache pictures,

I bought a mustache sucker mold online somewhere,

made up a bunch of these delicious things-

(here are a few of my kids demonstrating what to do- before quickly devouring them!)

mysterious, no?

so, anyways, we bagged up the 'staches, punched a hole in the corner of the picture, and attached it with a bit of twirly ribbon!

so fun!

and funny.

Merry, or hairy. you decide!

Do you have room?

Last week we had a Relief Society social.

it was a wine and cheese night-

non- alcoholic wine, and cheese cake, of course!

there were more women there than I have seen at a RS event in a long, long time,

which is wonderful!

anyways,

we listened to a song- sorry, I should have found out info to share, but I didn't.

it was beautiful.

about finding room in our lives for the Savior,

or do we just move on in living our lives, and not let Him in.

made me think.

and want to make more room for Him.

we got a sweet smelling ornament to take home- with a little note attached-

Do you have room for the Savior?

something to think about.

especially important right now. are presents and food the most important thing about Christmas? I have to say- that has been most of my focus lately.

need to change that a bit.

to the real meaning of Christmas.

Christ.

sweet Sunday

the last Sunday before Christmas.

a beautiful Sacrament meeting.

the girls wore their christmas outfits.

this year, I went the easy route.

made them some twirly skirts,

and some matching ruffle t-shirts.

easy peasy, and still cute.

I chose to not use Christmassy fabric- so it would be wearable all year, but it would have been fun to have a Christmas one.

there is always next year, right?

here is Maggie modelling her ensemble.

Sadie went to a friends house after church and was unavailable for the photo shoot.

what's that in Maggie's hand, you ask?

why- it is a huge sucker she got from primary.

need a cute, closer look?

here-
my first thought when I saw that all the kids had gotten one of these sugary delights was cute photo prop-

but Jed's was opened, and chomped on so fast this is what I got-
(oops, Maggies shirt needs a little trim. there is a stray thread there. just ignore that , and focus on the sugar!)

so Sadie was gone, Jed was chomping, so that left Maggie with a full sucker, and a cute picture.

it was a sweet Sunday, indeed.

13

1. well only one more day of school- boo,

but only one more day of seminary- yay!

2. and only 8 more days until Christmas.

how did this happen?

I am not ready!

3. I think what is really holding me back from feeling ready is wrapping up the stocking gifts. such a piddly job. I have been putting it off. but, I am watching a friend's child this afternoon for her, and she is watching Maggie tomorrow afternoon for me, so I think I will buckle down, and get those things wrapped up, so I can feel ready for Christmas to be here!

4. our kids draw names for who they can get gifts for,

and this year I am encouraging them all to make gifts for each other-

mostly because I had ideas of things I wanted to make, but I really didn't need to give them more gifts, and they are all pretty easy things that they could do, or do with a bit of help!

and it was mostly stuff I have already =no $ spent, which is always a good thing in my book!

5. I have always wanted to try freezer paper stenciling, so a bunch of the kids are doing t-shirts for each other!- this is one that Maggie did for Sadie. okay, I did it, Maggie painted a tiny bit,

but isn't it fun?

6. Jed is making some picture block puzzles for Maggie- I think she will love them!7. Jack is making some fun shirts for Jed, and I still have to find out what Ben wants to do for Jack, but I have a fun idea for a shirt. should be good!

8. I had to get some groceries yesterday, so I started a list, and then Jack added on a couple of things (he's not my best speller)

and then someone- I know who, added on the last item.
sadly they didn't have any of those at the grocery store.

he really wants a synthesizer. funny boy.

9. it finally warmed up here- I think we are at around -10, with a high of 0 today.

it feels so nice. really.

10. I am putting off doing a bunch of Christmas baking, because I know that I will do too much Christmas eating.

so delish. no control. it's a problem.

11. alright, must get on with my day, try to stay off the computer, and actually get things done.

12. Ben has actually requested that I knit him a hat, so I am working on that- trying to make a cool one! - we shall see if he even wears it.

13. and I knit one mitten for maggie a bit ago, need to get the second one done. so much to do!

fun

I bought two of these fun big ornaments at Ikea a couple of weeks ago, and hung them up outside our front door.

so cute!

I might have to go back and get some of the striped ones!

Sunday

On Sunday Sadie was baptized.

it was a very nice day.
I made her a dress out of my wedding dress.

it turned out well, but I should have made a size smaller!

A whole bunch of family came out,

and we are so grateful.

on Sunday Edmonton was the coldest city in all of Canada,

and let me tell you, it was cold!

I wish I would have taken a picture of the cupcakes- I made rainbow ones,

and they took a long time to make, and I am not sure that I would ever do that again,

so I am sad that I didn't take a picture!

What a good day, and a good girl!

Love you Sadie!

13

1. sometimes my teenage boy is quite the moody one, and has quite an attitude.

I hear girls are worse.

and I am very afraid for the future.

2. big Christmas shopping trip planned for tonight.

using up the PC banking points!

I love it! stuff for nothing. perfect!

3. counting down the days-
( this picture was taken a couple of days ago- we really are on the right day!)

it was so fun to see this exact countdown thing (the right word is escaping me) hanging on the wall in a house in a movie. I believe it was 4 Christmases, but don't quote me on that! - if you watch that movie keep an eye out for this advent! (there, I remembered the word!)

4. I found a few blogs that I am quite enjoying- thought I would share-

ashley ann . cute stuff. cute girl! I love her house!

5. supablogga. super cute!

6. focus jennie so fun. and cute. of course, you knew I would say that, right?

(I added all three of these to my links on my side bar. just so you know!)

7. what? everyone doesn't have strawberry shortcake girls on their trees?

It is the favorite play place for little girls and their dolls, and littlest pet shops- what with those little magnets in their feet, they stick to the wire branches quite nicely! ( I think they pretend they are camping in the woods. so fun!)

8. snowy and cold. that is what it is around here lately. right now it is only about -14, and that is feeling not so bad right about now. sadly.

it is supposed to go back down to -30 by Sunday.

brrr.

9. speaking of Sunday, a certain newly 8 year old girl I know is being baptized!
10. and her dress is done! yay! and the food has been decided on. yay!

11. Getting my Christmas cards ready to mail out. Karalee, if you are reading this- I am not sure if I have your current address- I tried to email you, but it didn't work! let me know!

(it is really just a picture, and I will post it on my blog soon, so you can all see it!)

12. Maggie is wearing some fuzzy polar fleece pajamas, the kind with the feet attached, and she doesn't want to take them off and get dressed, because they are so warm.

I don't blame her one bit!

13. alright, time to get off the computer and do some cleaning.

yuck. a necessary evil. that is usually avoided, but sadly can only be avoided for so long.

push

well, 2 parties, two birthdays, 2 cakes, and a batch of cupcakes,

all within 4 days.

a ton of snow,

a party at the pool.

stuck in the snow in the pool parking lot- not once but twice.

(good thing I had a van full of strong 12 year olds (and a 13 year old))

they got me out no problem.

(except one of those times when 2 other people came and pushed as well!)

such fun.

okay,

now if I can just figure out what to serve for lunch at Sadie's baptism next week, finish her dress, and figure out a program,

then I can think about Christmas.

any ideas of easy lunches for large groups?

please share!

thirteen silly things

1. wow, I just realized it's thursday! this week is flying by. Actually I knew it was thursday, it just hit me that it is thursday, and I haven't blogged yet!

2. we had a birthday party here for Sadie yesterday.

I remembered that I don't really like birthday parties.

I think I am partied out.

3. it is Sadie's 8th birthday, and Jack's 12th birthday tomorrow.

they are my twins born 4 years apart. crazy stuff.

4. so, what do I do when they both want something different for dinner?

(it is tradition to have whatever the birthday person wants for supper on their birthday)

5. except Ben never gets what he wants. always a big turkey dinner.

(his birthday is on Christmas day)- but usually on boxing day he gets whatever he wants.

6. I need a nap really bad.

I am always tired. always. and usually in bed by 9:00.

darn seminary!

7. I am so glad it is Friday tomorrow because that means game day in seminary, then that means Saturday the next day, and I can sleep in. hurray!

8. another sewing night at my sister's house planned for tonight.

those should be some well dressed dolls around here!

9. so, I think every year I plan on being all ready for Christmas by the end of November, and then December comes around and I am not ready. it is no exception this year. not ready at all.

okay, I am ready a little bit, but still lots more to do.

10. but really, if I was all ready for Christmas, what would I do in December? sit and read by the fire, and drink hot chocolate all day long?

oh, that sounds really nice actually. okay, next year, ready by the end of November!

11. who am I kidding? like I don't always have a few dozen projects on the go no matter what time of the year it is! or new hats I want to knit, or new dresses I want to sew, or scrapbooking I really need to get back to or.....

12. Maggie and I, and my sister hit the Bulk Barn that just opened up in Edmonton today.

I got some fun snowflake sprinkles. and when I was down south I hit the one in Lethbridge and got some holly and berry sprinkles! now I need to make some sugar cookie dough and get decorating! so fun!

13. alright, I am going to finish up some stuff in the kitchen and see if I can catch a small nap before supper time!- one can always hope!

and I quote-