Christmas 2009

No, we didn't plan the matching outfits...it just happened.

We always have the big family gathering and feast on Christmas Eve, a long lived tradition!

The boys posing with a few of their new toys.

Tyler said I wasn't aloud to take a picture until the cookie was fully decorated. My bad.

All ready for Santa!!!

Despite great debate, Santa actually came!

Tyler got a new golf set from Santa!

and a sling shot....crazy Santa...

This is what Tyler thought was his new "jet pack"....

oh well...remote control trucks are cool too!

♥Until next year everyone...Happy New Year!!!♥

Wonderful Quote

Christmas is many things to many people - from the eager, materialistic grasping of a child for a present to the deep spiritual thankfulness of the mature heart for the gift of a Savior. If there is one common denominator, perhaps it is this: Christmas is love. Christmas is the time when the bonds of family love transcend distance and inconvenience. It is a time when love of neighbors rises above petty day-to-day irritations, and doors swing open to give and receive expressions of appreciation and affection.
- Thomas S. Monson

Tyler's Christmas List word-for-word

Dear Santa,
I want a real jet pack. I want a giant robot. I want a dog. I want a bo in diro. I want a go set. I want spic the dino.

Not too bad eh? ;-) I thought his spelling was really good until the end. Can you guess what the last 3 items are that he's asking for?

Our December so far...

The kids had breakfast with Santa

We went to "Bethlehem Village" at a community church down in Citrus Heights. They have a entire village set up during the time Christ was born. Everyone was not only in costume but also in character. It was very neat.
The Three Wise Men

Tyler wasn't sure about the random animals walking around...

Deke showing his sensitive side. My gentle giant lol

They fell asleep on the way home.

We celebrated my sister Heather's birthday the first Sunday in December because she was at Disneyland to celebrate the weekend of her birthday. This was the cake I made for her.

We made a gingerbread house! YUMMY!

Deke was really excited to use his new Pampered Chef prep bowls.

Front view

Back view

We got snow!!! Its not very often that we get snow in our area, maybe a little every few years and it normally melts a few hours later. This was also the earliest we've ever gotten snow here too! Tyler's school was cancelled for 2 days and we had NO power the first day.

Tyler seriously asked me if he could go swimming that day.

Deke dug around my car so I wouldn't slide down our steep driveway.

Sledding down the driveway!

My turn my turn!!!

I went to work 2 hours late that day so I could sled and play in the snow lol

The trees in front of our house were gorgeous!!!

The snowman that Deke and Tyler built after I finally went to work.

A random tantrum that Tyler threw and Deke thought we should document.

Our tree this year is at least 10 feet smaller than last years tree. The tree last year went above the octagon window. I'm a little disappointed in this tree, it just looks so wimpy in such a grand room.

I thought this was a cute picture of Deke sewing my pants. Yes that's right, Deke does all the sewing in this family.

ICE SKATING!!!

Last year when we went ice skating Tyler couldn't even stand up because he really lacks balance. So this year we went to a rink that had support for those type of people...BUCKETS!

I was really surprised how the buckets helped teach Tyler how to skate. He was dependent on them for the first few hours but towards the end of the night he was skating on his own! He still fell a lot but we're making progress!!!

Weekend getaway

A WICKED AWESOME WEEKEND IN

SAN FRANCISCO!!!

Christmas came early this year! Deke's mom treated us to a weekend in San Francisco and tickets to see Wicked!!!
A wicked awesome view of Hyde Street.

Can you guess what this is made of? A carrot!

Chillin' on the pier

I thought they looked alike haha

We took a tour of the Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum. It was pretty wicked.

The tallest man alive and its not Deke!

I just thought this sign was funny. It was at a restaurant

on Pier 39

The sea lion to the right of the sign was dead.

Ghirardelli sundaes! YUMMY! And completely guilt free too because we dropped our car off with vallet and spent the entire weekend on foot.

At the top of Lombard Street

At the bottom of Lombard street

I just love the architecture in San Francisco, this building is beautiful.

All ready for a wicked evening out!

~Note that Deke is wearing a bow tie and grey chucks. Only he could pull off that look.

Deke being difficult.

Wicked was well..... WICKED AWESOME!!!

My souvenir from the play. It could be true ;)