christmas morning!

Our Christmas morning was delightful.

6am and waiting to go into the Christmas room (it's so exciting!)

Everyone got what he wanted...

Mom and Dad gave each other the same present :) Waffles, anyone!?

Mom needs a long Winter's nap...

Happy Holidays everyone!

santa's been here!!

...and the kids don't know it yet!! It's all so exciting...I sure wish this peaceful feeling would last.

I heard the two oldest boys plotting to set their alarm for the middle of the night so they could get a good peek before anyone else, but...

Clever Santa...he wrapped up the whole room, so there will be NO PEEKING!! :)

Merry Christmas

Ho! Ho! Ho!

holiday tradition

One of our traditions (that we stole from the Laycock family :) is to go to the Salt Lake Marriott the week before Christmas to partake of the wonders of the Holidays in the city.

The view from our hotel room...overlooking the skating rink.

Nothing like ice skating the week before Christmas!

This year we were lucky enough to have cousins with us and we had so much fun. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures until after they left, but we sure loved having them. We road TRAX, ate at the yummy Lion House, and swam in the hotel pool. Too much fun. Let's do it again next year!

family christmas card

I realize that just about anyone reading my blog will be receiving one of these in the mail, but at the rate I'm going, my cards might not arrive before 2010 December 25th, so I'll post here just in case.

Family Christmas card shoots are miserable challenging, but I thought this year I'd try to take advantage of one of the more violent funny pictures we took that day.

May your Holidays be filled with peace :)

*Card supplies by DigitalScrapbookMemories

'tis the season...

...to make toffee! This weekend I taught Kenyon how to make my mom's famous holiday toffee. It is delicious and Kenyon loves it. Today when he got home from school to find that it was all gone, he made a new batch...all by himself...

And it is delicious!! After making it he said that he hoped it was okay that he shared the recipe with a friend today at school. I think he thought it was a secret family recipe because I told him how difficult it is to make it turn out right and how my Mom is just about the only person in the world who can make it perfectly! Just in case you're in the mood for toffee, here is the secret recipe:

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp water
2 Hershey's chocolate bars

Bring the first three ingredients to a boil on med-high heat, and burn slightly, until it is about the color of a brown paper bag. Pour onto a cookie sheet, spread, and while hot, top with the broken up candy bars. When the bars are melted, spread the chocolate and add nuts, if desired. Let cool completely and break into pieces. It's fantastically delicious...just one more reason to hit the treadmill!

And by the way, this little fella is still ruling the roost here. He's pretty much the center of our lives. Tonight Kaden said, "He's like our new TV!" Yep. we LOVE the little guy!

contest entry - autumn beauty

This week at iHeartfaces, the contest is "Autumn Beauty" and I just had to enter this picture of my neighbor's gorgeous, newly adopted little buddy. Isn't he just beautiful? I love him so much and I was lucky enough to help a tiny bit with his family's adoption so I feel like he's a little bit "mine" too! :)

To see all the other beautiful entries, visit www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com!

pleeeeeease?

Ummmm, Dad...

Today when we came home from school, there was something curious sitting on our counter...

Mom said she didn't (ahem) know anything (ahem) about it...

 

We got it out and found it to be just about the cutest little thing we have ever seen.

His name is Dax...

You know, Dad,

Studies show that pet care teaches kids all about RESPONSIBILITY...

 

So our question for you, best Dad in the whole world, is, CAN WE KEEP HIM?

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEASE?
(Mom says she guesses it's okay with her if it's okay with you.)

my little sidekick

Some day I'll miss these long days Kolby and I have to spend together, just the two of us.

Today I let him choose out an outfit to wear so we could go take pictures of him. His first choice was, of course, his Batman costume, but when I said no, this was his second ensemble of choice. After he got all spiffied up, he came in, hands in pockets, and said, "Hey Mom, do I look like Bruce?"
"Who is Bruce?" I asked.
"Bruce Wayne!"
Of course. I should have known...