Holiday 2008 family photo...

Yesterday, Jonathan decided we needed a good family picture since our last one was when Beene was a baby and it was at our family reunion in Bear Lake, taken by my dad! So, he went to work... and this is what he came up with...

Bottom: (l-r) Joseph, Jeremy, and Jason; Sides: Julles, Jillian; Top: Jamie and Jonathan

Me and my hot hubby!!! We are even trying to hold hands!!! Aren't we cute? I especially like that he put me in a belly shirt!! Beene had the giggles all night last night about the fact that you could see my belly button. She asked me, "Mom, isn't your belly button one of your privates?" I am glad that she remembered that Miss Hillary from our Good Touch Bad Touch classes told the kids that your private parts are covered by your swimming suit... but I had to inform her that it is not a private part!!!

We also made a whole Photo Studio... with different sceneries. It was a great thing for us to do with eachother!!!

Here is our REAL family holiday picture... actually just the kids, but this is the first picture of all our kids alone together ever!!!

L to R- Bottom: Jillian and Julles; Top: Jeremy, Jason, and Joseph

If you notice... in the Lego picture Jeremy is wearing a white hat... it is not a cowboy hat... it is his favorite white hat (seen in above picture) that he wears ALL the time!!!

Visiting Santa... HO! HO! HO!

On friday night I took the girls to see Santa. This was a huge step for them, since they were both babies the last time they would even entertain the thought of seeing him, let alone sit on his lap. They were so very excited. Beene has been learning to write words lately, and I taught her how to write Santa, and so she drew a picture of him, wrote his name and then put her name at the bottom. She HAD to take it with us, and she gave it to him, he told her that he would give it to Mrs. Santa and have her hang it up in a frame.

I liked this Santa, he was old, and fit the part very well. He didn't even need any extra stuffing!! I didn't however like the cost of getting pictures. I wish that I would have brought my camera, I didn't think they would let me... I was wrong... and $30 later and 2 5x7's (that is one each child), we walked out of there with two very happy kids!!! They got a coloring book, and thought that was the neatest thing ever. I thought I would share our cute $30 pictures with you all!!!

They told him they wanted a baby doll, a teddy and a Cupcake Maker!! They both want the same things, and Julles didn't even hear what Beene had told him. Wow... they are a lot alike!

Friday at School...

We had one of our Joy School Christmas Programs. I am teaching this month... hence the lack of posting!! The kids have been practicing thier songs very hard, and sing like little angels. I was supposed to take them to an old folks home, and have them sing and act out the Christmas Story... however, we tried the nativity last year and it wasn't a great experience. Also, they would completely freeze in front of all these grandma's and grandpa's that they didn't know. So, I opted for asking our Relief Society president if she and some of her friends would like to come to a little program. She accepted very excitedly, and so did 3 of her friends.

They came, and the kids were so excited to sing for them. They sang a song called, "In a Little Stable", "The Very Best Part of Christmas", "Jingle Bells" (with bells), and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". They did a fantastic job, and smiled and watched me the whole time. After we sang the last song to them, they in turn sang it back to the kids and blew them kisses. The kids just smiled and smiled!!! We gave them a card and some yummy treats, and they gave the kids some yummy snacks as well!!


The kids with the super ladies who made our day!!

After our wonderful guests left, I took pictures for a little special thing for the kids parents. The pictures turned out super cute. They all smiled really great, and I didn't have to fight or bribe any of them.

This coming friday is my last day teaching for the semester, and we are having our big School Family Christmas Party, and the kids will be singing for their families. They are looking forward to it, and love performing!!


Our beautiful Jillian Sadie... that smile melts me!!!

Our beautiful Julles Gabrielle, she is a melter too!!!

The Joy School Kids pulling a silly face photo!!!

Oh how I am going to miss these kids after this week, I have had a blast this last month!!

Christmas Tag...

Emily tagged me in her Christmas tag post... here goes!!

1. WRAPPING PAPER OR GIFT BAGS? Wrapping Paper, it takes longer to open!!

2. REAL OR ARTIFICIAL TREE? Well, Beene informed me today that our tree is FAKE!!! But, I love not having all the needles all over the carpet!!! Just a side note... I really like my pre lit one!!!

3. WHEN DO YOU PUT UP THE TREE? The weekend after Thanksgiving.

4. WHEN DO YOU TAKE THE TREE DOWN? New Years Day or the day after

5. DO YOU LIKE EGGNOG? yep, but it has to be half nog and half milk... otherwise it is just too thick!

6. FAVORITE GIFT RECEIVED AS A CHILD? I would have to say that I don't have one particular present, but I really enjoyed my baby doll I would get from Santa every year!!

7. WORST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVERY RECEIVED? Well, my mom works with elderly people, and they give some doozies. I would have to say that the worst was the one that was all wrapped up, and put under the tree... however, when my mom opened it on Christmas morning, we realized that it was a meal with meat of some kind!! EWWWW... We learned that year to open all the present's she got from her little grandma's and grandpa's the day she got them.

8. HARDEST PERSON TO BUY FOR? Joseph

9. EASIEST PERSON TO BUY FOR? that would be "people" in my case... Beene and Julles

10. DO YOU HAVE A NATIVITY SCENE? Yes... we have two glass ones and then the girls have two that they can play with. Our favorite kid one is the one they got last year for Christmas, it is the Little People Nativity set... super cute and to die for!!!

11. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE? The Santa Claus Movie's and Polar Express

12. WHEN DO YOU START SHOPPING? It veries every year... this year it started the week before Thanksgiving!

13. HAVE YOU EVER RE-GIFTED A GIFT? I'm sure I have, but I don't remember to who and what it was!!

14. FAVORITE THING TO EAT AT CHRISTMAS? I really like all the treats!!!

15. COLOR OF LIGHTS ON THE TREE? White, they are peaceful, and make my burgendy and cream ornaments just pop!!

16. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG? Oh Holy Night, as long as it is not sung by Celine Dion!!

17. TRAVEL AT CHRISTMAS OR STAY HOME? Stay Home, I have become a hermit on Christmas!!!

18. CAN YOU NAME ALL OF SANTA'S REINDEER? Yes, but I have to sing the song or I can't!!!

19. ANGEL OR STAR ON TOP OF THE TREE? A beautiful Angel

20. WHEN DO YOU OPEN PRESENTS - CHRISTMAS EVE OR CHRISTMAS DAY? It was a tradition in my family growing up that our parents would all bring us one gift to whoever's home we were having our big Christmas Eve party, and then we would all open up our jammies, and drive home all cozy warm. So, I have adopted that into my little family and the girls open jammies up on the 24th, and then all the rest are opened on Christmas Day.

21. MOST ANNOYING THING ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR? All the freaking long lines everywhere you go.

22. FAVORITE ORNAMENT ON THE TREE? Thanks to my sister Stacey, I have a beautiful golden humming bird ornament on my tree this year to remind me that my grammer is watching over us. I love it!!!

23. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS? I am super happy with all that I have been blessed with, and don't want for a thing!!!

This is a pretty fun little post... I tag Tiff, Annika, Jessica, Amber and Chelsie