Rocking around the Christmas tree, let the Christmas spirit ring......

This year I was a little stressed about how we were gonna make it a good Christmas for our children because since we are self employed in the construction trade our income has dropped drastically. We stressed to the children that this would be the leanest Christmas ever and I worried that they didn't fully understand that and would be disappointed on Christmas morning....BUT this was a wonderful Christmas!! They received the main thing they had asked for and a few other things.

Cooper got up at the crack of dawn as usual and we kept telling him to go back to bed until one of the babies awoke. Well finally at 6 a.m. we let him go wake them up. They were not to sure about the whole thing at first!

Cooper had been having behavior issues for awhile leading up to Christmas so Rob had told him Santa wouldn't be coming to see him because he was on the "Naughty" List. So he never made a Christmas list since he was only getting presents from us but he was still happy with the few things he got.

Cooper loves sports so he got a new Phoenix Suns Jersey. He also collects the Guinness World Record year books. He is all about facts and information so he was thrilled to get the 2010 edition!

Walker was so excited to get the movie he had been wanting!

This Bionicle was the only thing Walker asked to get for Christmas. He was absolutely certain he was gonna get it from Santa because he kept asking Santa and he would run and help anyone and everyone with anything and every time afterwards he would ask/point out that he was being good and nice so Santa would come. It was quite handy there for awhile when I needed him to do chores he was running and skipping as he did his and Kenna's too!! Sometimes cleaning up stuff with out ANY ONE asking him too......it was heavenly!!

I didn't get many pictures of Carter because as usual he was running all over and never in one spot for more than a second. He is always a hard kid to buy for he likes many things and rarely has one specific item that he wants. So he got a Bionicle so that he could play with Walker and of course he liked it.

Kenna enjoyed the clothes,lotion,purse,glasses, dolls, and play kitchen things she got.

She really wanted Santa to bring her a motorcycle.....not a bike but a REAL motorcycle!! It took alot of convincing that she would not be getting a motorcycle so she had better pick something else so she finally decided a bike would be fine!

She was so thrilled with her bike. She pointed out the color and the basket and the streamers and how pretty they were just like I knew she would!!

When we asked Tanner what he wanted for Christmas his list was short.....socks and a electric guitar. Well the socks were a sure thing but the guitar we told him we would try but no guarantees. We told him to think of something else...something cheaper just in case. He said that he would rather us not waste any money on other things that he really didn't need or want if he couldn't have a guitar. He wasn't sassy, rude, or trying to lay on the guilt just his normal direct and to the point self.

He got the Harry Potter movie because he has always been a fan and our tradition had always been when the next movie would come out him and me would have read the book then get lunch and go to see the movie on opening weekend together but this year we were unable to so he was glad to finally see the movie.
He was so thrilled when he did get his guitar he was choked up and misty eyed as he thanked me over and over....made me cry too at how appreciative he was.

He has been teaching himself how to play and is pretty good.

After presents we had our traditional breakfast casserole, baked french toast with homemade buttermilk syrup, fresh fruit and cinnamon rolls. Then my parents and lil sister and her fiancee came for the traditional Christmas Ham dinner with all the fixings....YUMMY!! So it was a low key Christmas and the peace and joy and happiness was abundant!! This was our first Christmas in this new home of ours and I loved it and Rob said it was his favorite Christmas ever!

'Twas The Night Before Christmas........2009

Our Family tradition is that we all get together on Christmas Eve with the Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. We started this the second Christmas after I had moved out of the house. I wanted to spend the time with my family and so I had suggested we all gather at my place which we did, and have been doing every year since for the last 18 years I think it is. We always do the meal potluck style so no one person has the burden to feed all 25-30 of us. We usually have it at my house or my parents house. We usually do a gift exchange too.
I didn't get alot of pictures not very many wanted their picture taken.......
Here is part of the group getting ready for the presents.

This year we had it at my Mom's house again. Since the economy has hit everyone bad this year we didn't do a gift exchange the kids opened their gifts from Grammy and Papa so that Grammy could see each child as they opened their gifts. Grammy puts alot of effort into picking just the right gift for each child while still staying in her budget and I think she did great in getting a special thing for each child. Kennedy loves her Snow White Barbie doll.
My Dad one year surprised us "Kids" with a present this is not the normal though. That year all the girls got this Salsa chopping machine because he had one and just can't live without it so he got all us girls one. He got all the boys Leather-mans that year. Ya know keep it all even and fair! This year with him serving/working at the Cannery we got jars of jelly/jam to add to our year supply. I got Peaches, Strawberrys, and 1 Raspberry Blackberry. I thought the Strawberry would be my favorite but the Raspberry Blackberry was most delightful!!

Sissy is a reader.............

My friend call one evening and asked if we could watch her kiddos while she and her husband attended a wonderful fireside by Mark Mabry. I of course said sure. My kids were so happy to have their friends over. Kenna had played with them before but this time for some reason she had a fascination with their baby. She managed to get him to sit with her while she read to him. It was so cute. He just kept eating and listening to her tell him all about the book. I don't really know what all she was telling him but he sure paid attention........until his fruit-loops ran out!!

p.s. notice the book is a disney dictionary..lol....

I Love to see the Temple.......

Went to see the Temple Lights for FHE in December. We had my parents go with us too. We all had such a super great time. Loved all the beautiful lights.
A sweet missionary offered to take our family picture.
My parents went with us so Rob insisted they get in the picture too.
Cooper,Carter, Kennedy, Walker and Tanner
The Christus statue in the Visitors' Center. The kids were in awe looking at it.

Walker asked me why they had a firework up on the top!! haha I love that goofy kid!! :)

Kenna, Tanner and Cooper

This is a typical picture........
Tanner and Cooper wrestling around. Carter trying to get in the middle of the action. Walker watching everyone else. Kenna off in her own lil world!!
My Mom and Dad and Carter. We were so happy that they decided to go with us. It was nice to spend time as a Family and the peace of the Temple grounds just made it that much better! Rob and I are so grateful for all the help my parents give us with the boys and getting them to school every morning even though it can be a pain and inconvenience to them. Thanks Mom and Dad!!

O Christmas Tree, O christmas Tree...........

Well Rob has always had a grouchy disposition when it comes to putting up Christmas lights.......actually anything to do with Christmas gets him grouchy!! We call him Scroogy Mc-Grinch and it fits him well!!
What a sweet surprise when I got home from my primary meeting back in December before Christmas Scroogy McGrinch (AKA Rob) had bought and put up outside Christmas light decorations. They were even the ones that the week before I commented on in another yard that I liked and how many you would need to have to look the way I would like it. Thank you hunny!!!!

An evening with Santa..........

We had our Ward Christmas party this week and let me tell you it was..................GREAT!! The activities committee really took into consideration the ages of the children in our ward when planning it. The majority of children in our ward are under the age of 8-9 years old. So it started off with everyone being told that Santa had been sighted in the area and if they would sing loud enough he would hear them and come for a visit. So of course we sang and Santa came running in.

Santa told the children what he has been up to and asked if they had been good of course. He told them while they ate their dinner he would wander around and visit then later the children could tell him what was on their list. He then helped them recall the real meaning of Christmas and talked about the Saviors birth.

Walker was in awe of the whole thing!! We had a delicious ham dinner with all the fixins!! Super yummy!! Then they had a craft set up in another room for the children.
The craft was pipe cleaners that we strung with beads and made into a snowflake. I didn't see one child complain about the craft they were all so excited!!
Walker enjoying his project.
Kenna getting her craft on!

Even Cooper made one which surprised me because I thought he would claim to be to old.

Carter put his finished snowflake on his shirt because it was a "spider". After this all my boys turned their snowflakes into spiders which made them even more fun to play with!!

After the craft we went and the kids got to visit with Santa and tell him what they are wishing for Christmas. Kenna was to scared to go up to him. Walker was a bit nervous but he wants a Spider Bionicle sooo bad he risked talking to Santa up close. Carter could have went on ALL night talking but we cut him short after a bit so everyone behind him in line could have a turn. Santa's helpers gave them a treat.

Then we went back to the cultural hall and had dessert and visiting till it was over. It was great to be able to just have a chance to visit and make friendships with the different people in the ward with out having a program and needing to be quiet. I love that it was low key and that it was geared towards the children so there wasn't the crying and frustration out of boredom. Way to go activities committee another success!!!

Homemade Ornament Exchange 2009........

Well this week we had our annual Brunch and Ornament Exchange and just like always I had a great time. This is my 6th year participating and although I am always stressed to find an ornament to make I love it!! It was sooo wonderful to see my friends in Mesa that I miss. I wish I would have gotten better pictures and ones of everybody but that is what happens when you are busy visiting you forget to take pictures!

Genie and Legay

Paula and Ericka

Thanks goes out to Heidi our organizer!! I only wish it could have lasted another few hours!!

Cooper's Orchestra Concert 2009.......

This month was Cooper's Orchestra Concert. He is playing the trumpet this year. Yes he plays a different instrument each year so far!! He really only joins because his friends are in it.
The concert was great and Cooper did a good job.


I guess we will see what instrument next year brings......

Dear Santa, I Was Very, Very Good..........

We took Kenna and Walker to see Santa Clause at the San Tan Mall and then to play at the play area. If you do not purchase the pictures with Santa you are not allowed to snap a picture on your own camera......so no pictures of Santa cuz we didn't have all the kids with us and Kenna wouldn't even sit with Santa. She only would mumble what she wanted.

Walker and Kenna just love to play at the lil play area they have at the mall.

Kenna just loves to play with Walker and is always watching to see what he does.

Walker was so pleased with himself that he could climb the butterfly alone and even sit on the top of it.

I wanted pictures of them together and they didn't want to hold still for that long so here is Kennedy making sure Walker is still next to her.

Walker liked the dragonfly...........

he had to point out to us where the pee comes from........ugh such a boy!!



Had to get a few pictures of Kenna.