Let's Celebrate, It's All Right!

This past week is just a blur. We had Haille Rae from Sunday evening to yesterday afternoon... and I was the one that took care of her most of the time. And even when my aunt WAS here she wasn't really and so I was saddled with the responsibility. Which is fine, but I would have liked a little ME time, ya know?

Anyway Haille and I baked cookies, played, watching Snow White several times each day (my fault, we did a Princess movie marathon and she fell in love with Snow White above all the others because she loves "the Witch" lol) and had a pretty good time. Poor baby had a cold so we didn't get to do anything that I promised her we would (like go to the zoo and play outside in the snow) but she didn't seem to mind. She LOVED helping to roll out the dough and cut the cookies... and the frosting was even more fun. Yuka had pink fur at one point. It was pretty interesting.

Mostly, though, we just watched Mickey Mouse and Snow White because she was sick and didn't want to do a whole lot. She also sat with her little vtech laptop next to me while I was working on mine ha ha! She is so stinking cute that it isn't funny!

Christmas Eve had EVERYONE over here. And I do mean everyone. My parents and Brother got here around 5, and then everyone started showing up. G'ma, G'pa... Jim Louisa & their two kids AND two dogs. Jeff and Lindsay and Lindsay's dog Mazel plus Jeff brought Willie even after Gpa said not to lol. We had EIGHT DOGS in the house... we sent the more rambuncious ones outside and so we ended up with SIX in the living room. INSANITY. But it was good times. The kids got to open the presents we had on hand here as well as the adults that we planned on giving. Haille got to open ONE of her gifts... and it just happened to be the one from my parents (actually I gave her one box but it wasn't as big as the boxes that Trinity and Dimitri got so I had to go digging around for one that was the same basic size lol) My mom made her a Princess blanket that had the three classics on it. Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. You would have thought the child had a golden ticket the way she flipped out. She was over the moon in love with that thing because it had SNOW WHITE on it. It was so cute!

I had a heck of a time finding where I'd put Trinity's gift, but she loved hers too. It's a Hannah Montana Varisty style Jacket and it has her name on it. She was so in awe of it having her name on it. She didn't take it off the rest of the night!

Christmas morning we opened all of our gifts and I had to say that it was probably one of the nicest we've had in a while. Even with the fact that we were all on a smaller budget everyone was so thankful and I think the budget had something to do with it. Instead of getting a bunch of things that maybe seem like what would be good... we had to THINK about that one or two special gifts for that person. My parents did something I wasn't expecting at all they got me a Studio Light set up. Two lamps complete with everything from umprellas to stands to extra bulbs... I was just not expecting that at all. I know how much those cost! They got it direct from B&H too. So it weren't cheap! And it wasn't a 'whole family' pitch in project either like my camera was. I was just floored.

Gaylord also got me camera stuff... a very nice monopod (I've always wanted one) and a filter that works with digital cameras... now I just have to remember how to use filters lol.

I got a few other things, mainly $$ for my upcoming trip (almost $200 worth lol) but I was just enjoying being with my family. I miss my mom and dad... 'specially dad. We had a great time.

We went to the g'parents' for dinner and had a great time... dad was telling stories about when I was little and Haille was hanging with my cousin's kids... she was totally in love with Dimitri who is about 2 years older than she is lol she calls him "The boy" it was so cute. He was teaching her how to play a game on his new Nintendo DS system. Surprisingly she was catching on pretty dang quick. I was impressed. She told Judy that she wanted one for Christmas next year ha ha!

Well, I am uploading songs to my ipod (which my awesome best friend got for me for Christmas even though she wasn't supposed to get me ANYTHING, the buttface) on Judy's computer since my laptop won't talk to my ipod (and vice versa...) so I best get back to that. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and long weekend!

Ok so after the crappy Christmas Eve, Christmas day was sooooooooooooo much better! :) now for the superficial part of this entry

The gift list:
10 dollar Fred Meyer gift card from Kassy
10 dollar Blockbuster gift card from Erin
Clay Aiken's autobiography from Erin (this is the gift she accidently told me I was getting. Yeah, she's so intelligent LOL)
50 dollars from my Grampy :)
Clay Aiken Christmas DVD (watched it, will be capping it tonight for some serious Clay Aiken iconage!) from mom
Mary Poppins Collectors Edition DVD (we're watching it now) from the g'parents
I was informed that my g'parents hid a Clay Aiken 2005 calendar in their house and then forgot to wrap and bring it so I got one of those too LOL
a Pug Throw from Aunt Juju
a "to be made" pug quilt from my mom :)
A "Pug of the Month" calendar (the one where you can have for ever and ever because you put the calendar together!)
hmmmm I am forgetting what else I got for right now... will remember later, I am sure...

I seem to be getting less and less as the years go by... my parents got a buttload of stuff this year! LOL

( shhhhh secret info inside )

So yeah... tomorrow is church then Duane's adoption and party on the 30th... gparents leave on New Years Eve (and Erin has to work that night which sucks) so I have no clue about what we're doing

then Friday, Jan 7th, I head back to anchorage... and get on a plane around 2am to head for NATIONALS BABY!!!!! which means I get to meet HEATHER and hopefully everyone else who will be going from here--who's all going, anyway? ;)

So yeah, those of us attending that most awesome event need to figure out what we're doing! LOL

gotta go, will chat laterz!

If you see a fat man......


Who's jolly and cute,
wearing a beard
and a red flannel suit,
and if he is chuckling
and laughing away,



while flying around
in a miniature sleigh
with eight tiny reindeer
to pull him along,



then let's face it...





Your eggnog's too strong!

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

( it's under here )

A Dash of Holiday Fun


1. What is a fond holiday tradition from your childhood?
making cookies and other goodies with Grandma... it was always so much fun. We also made a lot of holiday ornaments/decorations together which was always fun...

2. If you could start a new holiday tradition, what would it be?
I want to do a family reunion one year at Disney World for Christmas... that would be lots of fun... like every 5 years head down there and have them deal with decorating and accomodating us!

3. What is your favorite Christmas song and who sings it?
"Mary Did You Know" written and originally performed by Mark Lowry(who does it the best) but Kayla Fell does a great job with it (family friend from church who moved) as does Clay

4. Is there a certain event, food, television program, etc. that makes your Christmastime complete?
Well Christmas Eve service at my home church... and the Prime Rib/Steak dinner!

5. Does is traditionally snow where you live at Christmastime? If not, do you wish that it did?
Yes



HAPPY BIRTHDAY BINKY!!!

"My Christmas List"

I had the nicest Christmas list
The longest one in town,
‘Til Daddy looked at it and said,
“You'll have to cut it down.”

I knew that what he said was true
Beyond the faintest doubt.
But was amazed to hear him say,
“You've left your best Friend out.”

And so I scanned my list again,
And said, “Oh, that's not true!”
But Daddy said, “His name's not there,
That Friend who died for you.”

And then I clearly understood,
‘Twas Jesus that he meant.
For Him who should come first of all
I hadn't planned a cent!

I'd made a Christmas birthday list,
And left the Savior out!
But, Oh it didn't take me long
To change the list about.

And tho' I've had to drop some names
Of folks I like a lot,
My Lord must have the most because
HIS NAME IS AT THE TOP!
- Author Unknown

Mom sent me this email today:

just a quick note to tell you that your dad has turned into tim allen! he has been putting up Christmas lights since noon today.....all i asked him to do was put up two strings of icecicle lights i had bought at end of season last year....i went to soldotna for about 3 hours and when i got back.....our yard and house is lit up like the northern lights and he is STILL out there....i can't even get him in here to eat dinner!.....he's obsessed....got all the boxes of lights out of the basement that we've been collecting for 20 or more years and is determined to use every string that still works!
well.....wait til you see it!....he is so excited about all you coming home....this is sooooo cool!

then I replied with:
*grunts like Tim* MORE POWER!!!!!! Is he putting anything on the roof? Cuz Tim did that! I think you need a blow up Nativity or something... is this something he and Cary cooked up? are they going to try and outdo each other this year???

and she just sent this email back:
nothing on the roof YET....but the garage has lights around it...no, cary had nothing to do with it....your dad just got on a roll and couldn't stop....of course, after cary sees it, that could start something....some guy drove by when dad was almost finished and tried to hire him to do his house and yard in woodland!

What is really great is the last few years... well they haven't been great. Due to political powers in Washington dad lost his job and we lost a lot of income... dad's been in a funk ever since, but now with his new job he's finally seeing the light again! WOOT WOOT!!

will keep everyone updated ;)