Christmas Maddness

Christmas has come and gone (almost still cleaning up) at our house. Everyone got just what they wanted. We must have been very good this year. Celebrating started with a dinner ant Grandma Johnson's house. The kids like this part of Christmas the best, because they get spoiled rotten, and they love their Grandma and Grandpa. This year Taya and Dace got pillow pets and cute clothes. The older boys got cool remote helicopters, clothes, and special pocket knifes from Grandpa. We also learned that I am going to have a new niece or nephew. Chafin and Mirinda are expecting an addition to their cute family this summer. Chafin leaves for boot camp on Monday. With any luck he will be finished with his training by the time the new baby comes.

After the party at Grandma's we headed home for baths and to wait for P.J. the elf to visit. We love P.J. Christmas would not be the same without him. He did a perfect job. He even had pajamas for Grandma Darrington, who spent the holiday with our family (sorry no picture.) Dad got the same pajamas as last year, funny how that happened (sorry no picture of that either.) The kids looked super cute in their sleepwear. We sat in our P.J.s drinking hot cocoa, and reading books from Grandma D. until bedtime.

Christmas morning could not get here fast enough. The kids patiently waited until 7 AM. They then took their spots in order on the stairs, and waited for dad to start a fire.

Dace was the first to get to survey his loot. He got just what he had asked for;

Oreos in all shapes, sizes, and flavors

A new sword (not a real one by request)

Not just one tractor but 4 little ones
and some things not on his list

new "Cars" cars

and candy

Taya was pleased to find a crochet hook, a hat loom, and lots of treats

Reese got some much need deodorant

his favorite Fuze

and junk food

Quade also got deodorant and junk food

Everyone including Grandma got Nerf guns. Naturally we had to have a little play time before we opened our presents to each other.

Let the unwrapping begin!
Reese was excited to be heavily armed thanks to the present Quade gave him.

Dace got new church clothes.

Dace gave Quade little Debbie Cosmic Brownies (Dace ended up eating most of them.)

Before we were done Dace was finished. He just wanted to play cars.

Taya gave Dace Candyland. Anyone up for a game of Candyland Dace is your man.

We played a pretty mean trick on Quade. Other than the brownies, and a pair of shoes, Quade had no gifts under the tree. He watched his brother and sister get new CD players. He was so good and excited for them, but you could see his face drop as he noticed the lack of presents under the tree. He was such a good sport. After all the gift giving was over and we started cleaning up another present appeared. It was a large, light, present for Quade. Inside taped to the lid was an ipod. Quade lost it. He was so excited. Then he turned to me and said. "Mom! Why did you do that to me?"

We had a delish Christmas dinner that afternoon with the Pickerings and Jefferys.

All in all a very successful holiday.

I am sooo Wierd!

It really sucks to be a perfectionist, especially when you never do anything perfect. I even find myself not trying things because I know I can't to it to my own standards. I find myself wanting to try something cool I have seen, but never attempt it because I know that someone else will do a better job. It doesn't help that I can't make a decision to save my life. I am always second guessing, and changing my mind. All of these qwerks of mine came to the surface, and exploded a couple of weeks ago.
I had just taken my family pictures and thought "I need to get the Christmas card done and over with, before everything gets too crazy." The annual Christmas card is very important to me. Every year I want it to be perfect. Yeah, I know that people really don't care if it is perfect. They just like getting the card. But, that does not matter because I want it perfect. I have actually been studying Christmas card for months, wishing, and hoping ours would turn out just as good.
I began by searching the computer for the just right files to put together the best Christmas card ever. I worked for hours, taking tutorials online, repositioning, picking colors, choosing pictures, and making everything "Just Perfect." I was ready to look at what these babies were going to cost. I love to print on metallic paper, so I was going to order the cards from my favorite printer. $1 a piece was too much for me (yes I am a cheap, indecisive, perfectionist.) I found out that Costco is the best deal $14.99 for 50 cards with envelopes, but my cards were not formatted to the 6x7.5 dimensions. Time to start over! I got everything just right again. But, then I hated everything about the card. The colors, pictures, everything you name it. I felt like I had waisted an entire day on an ugly Christmas card. I should have just used one the the Costco templates, they were a lot cuter. I am one crazy lady!
So I thought if I just send in the order maybe I would just stop thinking about it. It would be over, done, beyond the point of no return. No the obsessing just intensified. I knew for sure I had made the wrong decision. I kept repeating to myself the advice my step dad gave to me years ago. (Yes, this is not the first time I've been loco like this.) "Make a decision, then make it the right decision."
In conclusion:

• The card isn't bad (I just don't like it.)
• It didn't cost much (although you can get them cheaper now, yes a $5 coupon came in the mail today-I should have procrastinated.)
• I am going to be positive and make it the right decision (I'm still a nut job.)
• This post is way too long.

Merry Early Christmas

Smell My Feet

I have to admit I am a little bit of a Halloween BaHumbug (sorry Maridee I know it is one of you favorites.) I have never really got into the spirit (pardon the pun) of Halloween. I don't like the decorating, the candy, or just about anything about Halloween. This only intensified when I became a teacher. The excitement before, the candy highs, and lows really mess up the vibe of the class.

One of the main reasons I dread the holiday is that I feel the pressure of being creative and planning costumes for the kids. This is one of the times when I know they wish they had a different mother. A mother who can sew, and put the "just right" costumes together. This year, after several trips to the store, I through my hands up into the air and told them (even Dace) they had to take care of their own costumes. This is what they came up with, and what they did for the holiday.


QUADE: Quade is too old for Trick or Treating. He was however invited to not one, but two costume parties. 30 minutes before the party he was scrambling for a costume, without any help from me. This is what he came up with "Spaz Man!"

On the way to his party he asked "Mom. do you think I look weird?"
My reply "Quade, you are dressed like "Spaz Man" aren't you supposed to look weird?"
He was a little worried walking into the party. He ended up winning the best costume prize! See he didn't need my help.

DACE: Dace found two costumes in the basement that fit him. He was a pirate for the School Carnival (he was so cute too, but I didn't get any pictures), and he wanted to be a Pirate Wolverine for Trick or Treating. Dad put the Kibosh on that idea. He ended up being the same thing he was last year, Wolverine. Hey, if he is happy I am happy

Dace went treating first with Trace and Maddie, the finished off the night with his best friend Rayce. He ended up with enough candy to last a year (ya, it's almost gone.)

TAYA: Taya, Taya, Taya, what can I say. She always has great plans her mom can't follow through with. She ended up scrounging through some old clothes I wore in high school. All of her shoes are too small so she stumbled around in my boots. We topped it off with some killer rhinestone eyelashes. She was beautiful, and happy (which is what really counts.) She and two of her closest friends were chauffeured around town by the dad.

REESE: Reese wasn't even sure he was going to go out this year. Minutes before it was treating time he called a friend, and they decided to give it a try. With the help of an old pillow case and food coloring he was ready to go.

Cute Maddie I had to throw her in somewhere.

After all of the partying was done we were at the house counting the loot, when we had the life scared out of us. My little brother, Chafin, snuck into our basement with a garden hoe. You can probably guess the rest of the story. I am going to get him back someday. After the scare wore off, we moved the couches and had a break dance party. Uncle Chafin is always too much fun.

It over now. The kids had fun. The End.

Punk'n Gutz

I am pretty sure that in my life I have carved pumpkins just a handful times. I don't know why we don't do it every year. We had so much fun. Last Family home evening the Drake and Jeffery families came over for some messy fun.
Pumpkin guts were flying as everyone emptied their pumpkins. Some were free handing, others used patterns, and others were using the sharpie to design their creations.

Leave it to Royd to bring a drill to a knife fight. I made the mistake of asking for a nail for Taya to use to poke out her pattern. The next thing I know Royd is drilling away. I think the drill bit was a little too large. Her cat ended up with a wavy appearance. Maybe it was a scardy cat (you know because to was shaking-I know bad joke.)

Dace was probably the most excited. He was running around showing off his punk'n. He even wanted to sleep with it "just one time pleeease"

Quade and Reese were there and had fun too. I just have no pictures because they avoid the camera like the plague.

I think that this will become our new family tradition.