Jessie's Debut

Here's part of Jessie's school's morning kindergarten Christmas program. The only portion I recorded, since I actually like to watch performances while they're going on, lol! Jessie is the one in the front row about a third from the left in spring green pants (along with her Christmasy dress!). And yes, you can tell I had a niece next to me on the bleachers who was dancing (and shaking) to the music. =)

Merry few days after Christmas!

I love Christmas! I love everything surrounding it as well. I love the anticipation building as the air gets colder; I love the lights, the carols, the candy, the baking, the sharing, the laughter, the parties, the shopping, the wrapping, the hiding, the secrets, the time with friends and family; and most of all, I love the focus on our Savior. True, it's not always there, but still it's on a much grander scale than the rest of the year!

I loved watching my kids as they went throughout the whole holiday season this year. They have the best little smiles and they are so loving and giving that this whole season just fit right in with their personalities. Not to mention the time they get to spend with cousins goofing off and being silly.

And for those of you who wonder -- no, Dad did NOT put up a trap this year. I guess he figured that since the youngest home was 24, he could forgo it this year. Ah, but what he didn't know was that there had to be SOME sort of trap! So my friend put together a setup with a really obnoxious buzzer (think air horn-type sound) and pull string trigger. No, I really don't have a head for that sort of thing, but I at least am able to set something like that up correctly and out of the line of sight! It was beautiful! No one heard me in my nighttime operations, and come 8 a.m. Christmas morning, a nice loud alarm shattered the air. Of course, it was Mom instead of Dad (she'd forgotten I'd warned her about the trap), but still . . . it was so nice to hear an alarm going off Christmas morning that wasn't triggered by kids!

Girls Night, Baby!

So here we are at FHE this week. Yes, we do total crazy things when it's just us girls, no grandparents in sight. Like making gingerbread boys (sigh -- they're already boy crazy!), playing hide the candy (then eat it when you find it!), and of course, paint the nails . . . twenty per girl. The girls both said they felt prettier with their nails painted. Yes! I've done a good job on them! Oh wait, I don't wear nail polish! And all of this by candlelight (though only the first picture was taken by candlelight, lol). I think Marina counted and said we had 28 candles lit. And those are just mine, not even borrowing their grandma's or my scented ones, come to think of it. Yes, I love candles and candle holders! We ended the evening with a sing-along DVD and scriptures for a bedtime story. Ah, that every night could be like this. Way fun!!!!

Treadmill Talent

It's funny how when you're a kid, exercise is a blast! I guess I should be proud of myself that I exercise enough that my girls want to do what I do, but . . . it's still work! Today after I was done with the treadmill, Jessie begged to use it while I did my weights. So here's little Miss Ham-It-Up doing her version of a workout. Complete with a strenuous mountain climb, followed by surfing! =)

SNOW -- What else is there to say?