It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I am so excited for Christmas this year! The boys are a year older and we are so blessed to have Levi added to our family! You might think I'm crazy, but we got out the Christmas tree on Monday and on Tuesday we decorated it. Last night I couldn't wait to turn out all the house lights and only have the Christmas tree lights on, it was so beautiful.
You would think that my favorite holiday was Christmas, but it's not, it's Thanksgiving. When Christmas is here, then it's all over, but when Thanksgiving is here, it has just begun. I just feel like Christmas decorations need to be added to Thanksgiving to make it even more fun.
I have to thank my parents for always making the Christmas season so special. I have so many wonderful memories of Christmas time growing up and I just hope that my children will have just as many. I remember every year my mom and dad would tell us that this Christmas wasn't going to be very big because money was tight, but every year they out did themselves and with six children presents were piled high to the ceiling!
One tradition I remember was when my dad would get these christmas chocolates and we would all stand around the counter and take turns picking one out until they were all gone.
Every Christmas Eve (as long as I can remember) we would have my mom's delicious ham loaf, potato rolls, and all the trimmings. We still get to do it every Christmas Eve, but we have gone from a family of 8 to a family of 31!
On Christmas Eve night we would go to bed and in the morning we had to get up and do the paperroute. I remember taking the newspaper to different families and they would have their windows open and I could see all the kids inside opening presents. I thought that is just wasn't fair, but once I got home, my parents definately made up for it!
Many of you know that my dad is a wood worker and he builds so many incredible things. On Christmas, dad would usually build us something and, for some reason, whenever I smell varnish, I think of Christmas! One of my favorite things was my bear house (it's a log house). The detail is amazing and a couple of years ago, my dad got it out of the attic and gave it back to me! But the most wonderful thing my dad has made for me happened a couple years ago when my mom and dad came to our home and wanted to give us our christmas. We were expecting a check, but then dad walked in carrying something big. My mom and dad have a clock at their home that is so beautiful and dad had made the same ones for my grandparent. When they passed on, my older sibling got them, but this year my dad made three more for the rest of us. I was blown away! I couldn't believe he did that for us. I don't know how long it took him, but it is the best present I have ever recieved!
Thanks mom and dad for making Christmas the most wonderful time of the year!!

New Blog

I am starting a new blog that I have wanted to start for a really long time, but I am finally, sort of, getting to it!! One of my favorite things to do is cook and bake and especially try new recipes out. This blog will be full of recipes of any kind. I wanted to post it here to see if any of you are interested in being added to this new blog so that we can all go on and share recipes. Please let me know if you do, I already have a lot of addresses, so just let me know and then I can add you! Thanks!

By the way, I am only leaving my blog non-private for a couple more days, so anyone who cares to check out my blog every now and then, please let me know. I have been so excited with all of you who want to stay connected...it really does mean a lot to me!

Elections

All I can say is I am so glad that the elections are finally over! It was way too long of a process and even though it did not turn out the way I wanted it to, life will go on. At least I still have a wonderful family, the gospel, a home, Justin's job so I can stay home, food to eat, and the list goes on...

Yesterday my friend Jen babysat Taylor and Levi, so that I could take Corbin to vote with me. This was our conversation before going...

Mommy: Corbin, do you want to go on a date with me.

Corbin: What do you do on a date?

Mommy: You can go to dinner, go see a movie, or go vote.

Corbin: Why are you going to go vote?

Mommy: We need to go vote for a new President.

Corbin: Why, did President Monson die?


Thank goodness, no.

Sorry...will you send me your address

I watched the news last night and there was a segment on blogging! Go to ksl.com to find out more information. It is just sad what people will do, how pathetic can you be? Anyway, I feel like I want to go private now for a little more protection. Please send me your e-mail address. Thanks everyone, and sorry

Happy Halloween

Here are some pics from Halloween! It was lots of fun to have Mandi, Jon, Hunter, Jaina, Alayna, Jeff, Alisa, and Jerry over for a party! Of course, Corbin was a pirate and Taylor was superman! My sister-in-law made an awesome Black Widow costume that I got to wear...sorry no pictures. Justin held Levi most of the time - so he said he was a mom. This year has been my favorite Halloween so far, the kids were so excited and they had so much fun getting ready for our party! We found some really cute ideas from familyfun.com - great website.

Can you tell what these are? The boys helped me put the gummy lifesavers and M&Ms on. They thought that it was so cool and so gross!

Pretty scary witch. I thought we needed to add something besides candy to our menu!

These were my favorite thing...thanks to Mandi for helping me out with this, she did most the work! They are mini caramel apples, except we didn't use caramel, we used melted peanut butter chips and metled chocolate! They were so yummy!

Hunter, Taylor, and Corbin...Trick - or - Treat!!!

Alayna asked Corbin what she should be for Halloween. He told her to be a fairy...so she was! Isn't that so sweet? Corbin told Jeff that he should be a pirate with him. ARRR, matey!

On Monday, I did my grocery shopping and found these costumes half off! The boys were soooo excited and they have been playing Knight in Shining Armor for the last 24 hours!! We have the book Sleeping Beauty and so Corbin, of course, has to act out the book. He said that he was Prince Phillip and I was Princess Aurora, such a sweetheart!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween! Now I really look forward to Thanksgiving and I've been loving the Christmas music!!....I just love this time of year, it's the best!!!