Princess Paige and Queen Joleen!

Every Christmas night after all the fun and excitement, I lay in bed and instead of thinking, "I can't believe it's all over" I think, "I still have tomorrow!"  My birthday has always been the day after Christmas, as I've never known anything else, I love it!  My very best present will always be Paige born 4 years ago.  I'm so happy we get to celebrate together!  I was taken to breakfast by my fun friends and it started the day off just right!  I like to pack everything in, so we tried our best!  Paige had a fun princess party with all her little friends and loved the cake aunt Becky made!  
The girls danced, made wands, colored, painted their nails and did make-up.  It was kinda crazy but she's been talking about a party for a year!   
This is Paige and I getting our own pedicures later in the afternoon, then we rushed to a movie.
Thanks Layne!
My mom made dinner and had gifts but the best was she was taking my kids the next day so I could have a day off.  They left at 10 and were gone until 6.  Layne and I had a lunch date and I went shopping and then took a nap!!!  I had the best birthday ever!!!  

Princess

Christmas!!!

Christmas morning is all about little kids and they sure made it fun!  Here's Zach with his Ripstick.  He said he got everything on his list!  I especially loved how they wanted to give each other their presents before anything else!  It was sweet!
Paige loved everything and she is such a girl!
Here's the dollhouse we updated  from my own childhood. I hope she has lots of good memories too! 
Kyler loved his drumset but they are already downstairs because of the noise!
We all had a great day!  We talked to Uncle Justin in Brazil and had a christmas breakfast at my mom's.  Later we had lunch at the SL and spent the rest of the day playing.  The excitement was too much for Layne as he got violently sick at about 7:00.  I think Santa's busiest Elf worked himself to death!  We let the boys stay up and put themselves to bed that night.  You just don't want it to end!!!   

December 24th!

We started the day with the Bishop's breakfast which we love!  Then to get the kids wiggles out we went with friends to the gym and played.  I think I really used to be able to climb the rope but no more!  Those gymnists really know what their doing, I tried everything and found out I'm a wimp and not very strong!



Christmas eve was really nice with our little family (and Jess and my parents came for a bit) We had a delicious dinner with candle light until Zach nearly burned his arm when he reached over the flame.  The highlight is Layne's video he shows of pictures from the year.  It's called the "Year in Review"  but Jess calls it the "urine review".  It's all put to music and basically is lots of pictures of our kids.  When it's over I think, "Hey, we really are a happy family and we've had lots of fun!"  (music videos can do that!)  Then we read the night before Christmas as always and the Christmas story out of Luke and it was time for bed.  Paige kept looking out the window and opening the door to see if Santa was here.  The boys followed Santa's flight on the internet and tracked him until he was in North America.  I really love the 24th!!  

December fun!

December sped by!  We were able to do alot of things, here are a few;  I thought it might not snow but it finally came and never stopped!  We definately had a white Christmas!  The kids liked playing with the 4-wheeler and sled, building a fort, and sledding down hills!  
Paige and Eliza had their dance recital,  they mostly just looked real cute!  The kids had fun at theire school class parties and the counting down to Christmas vacation!

We made cookies and made a mess, but had fun.  The kids didn't even noticed I've thrown all the hardened cookies away.

Lots of fun parties like the Liston family party, (is that Santa or Scrooge?)

Farmer Ky

I'm pretty sure that Kyler will be a farmer when he grows up because he is such a good milker! He milks his bedtime every night!  We have him downstairs and for a long time he would hide waiting for us to tuck him in.  Then it moved to boobie trapping us which sometimes the room looked quite dangerous.  Lately he's been creating games.  They have a board and you have to "move forward 5 places, or move back 10 places"  so I don't know if winning and finishing the game is even an option.  Last night he drew a picture with hidden objects to find and a search key on the back.  Either this kid is really creative or really doesn't want to go to sleep!  Either way, he keeps us smiling! 


Finally after 10:00 saying, "Go to Sleep!" (Isn't his bedtime 8:30?)

Christmas Tag

Lori, I am faster than you so how can you keep tagging me?  Is it your marathon training?  

Here goes my edited version...

1.  Egg nog or hot chocolate?  Definately both!  But I'm pretty sure humans are not supposed to drink much egg nog, The Cocoa Motion is running all winter though and Zach's learned how to make it now, (although a few watery failures.)

2.  Wrapped or unwrapped presents?  If you can wrap it, it gets wrapped.  I'm the worst wrapper though.  I sometimes tell people that my kids wrap b-day gifts when it was really me.

3.  Colored or white lights on tree or house?  Is this a prejudice question?  I have white on house and tree and colored on porch.  (Layne was doing the whole house colored but they ran out at Costco after he was half way done, so we switched.)

4.  Do I hang mistletoe?  In our condo I did (newlyweds) but now our ceiling is too high (boring)  My friend told me she has a tree in her bedroom though and many "presents" are given all month, so lucky them!

5.  When do I decorate?  Thanksgiving weekend, and I have to admit Layne does 90% of the work!

6.  Favorite holiday memory as a child?  Just trying to go to sleep and dreaming of all the gifts.

7.  When did I learn about Santa?  6th grade my dad took me to Mcdonalds for a sundae and broke the news.  You "know" but "maybe" is still there.  Then I got to be an elf and when the little kids went to bed I filled their stockings and helped finish wrapping.  It was cool.  

8.  Can I remember my favorite gift?  I love the cedar chest Layne made the christmas we were engaged!

9.  Favorite holiday treat?  Homemade toffee, with chocolate and nuts.  And pretty much everything else!

10.  Holiday traditions? Making gingerbread houses growing up, looking at lights, going to see the live nativity by our house, some fun original game for our party like race cars, or shooting pellet guns, or Jeopardy, or D.I. Christmas,  P.J.'s on Christmas Eve, stories and songs.

11.  Favorite Christmas song?  I love The First Noel cause that's my name. I just love all the songs and so I sing in the choir so their in my head.  Last week I had to tell my friend Dana during practice to "Stop It!"  cause she could not stop crying through all the songs and it was contageous.  I love the spirit the songs messages bring!

If you feel ambitious, then you are tagged!!! 

Little Mozart

I can't believe Kenzie was baptized on Saturday.  It was really wonderful!  That means Kyler is next. My mom read a letter from Justin and it was awesome, he got to baptize a little 8 year old girl the same day in Brazil.   Zach played all three verses of "I am a child of God"  while the audience sang.  He was nervous but he did great and when it was over he let out a huge audible sigh.  I'm really proud of him and thanks to Aunt Becky, his piano teacher!!