Christmas Post

We had a very quiet Christmas this year. My Mom and older sister were in Utah visiting my Aunt for her 60th and that left my younger and little sister and other Aunt and I. We didn't do too much which was a really nice break. We went swimming, to the Festival of Lights and to Cross Iron Mills Mall for a little shopping (really, we just went to check out the boxing week sales...we only got a calendar and a Tanner bought a toy at the Disney outlet).

Here are a few pictures:

















This and the next picture are things that I made for people. Easy and really inexpensive.





UPDATE: if you want the link to the ho ho ho art, it's HERE

and the Christmas tree HERE

I'm just going to say this...

On my facebook yesterday I posted that I was a little disappointed that the older grades in the school had to sing "we wish you a happy holiday" instead of "we wish you a merry Christmas" in order to be politically correct.

I HONESTLY didn't think I'd get the response I did because I didn't post it to be a "button pusher". But now I feel like I need to say how I feel about it because I think it's important...especially so at Christmas, to stand up for my beliefs and the true reason for the season that everyone seems to take for granted.




FACEBOOK POST:

we wouldn't ask other religions to take their "god" out of their songs or their beliefs so it seems slightly unfair for Christians to do so...even if the government is run by non Christians. What about freedom to worship???

I do agree that ...most people know what kind of community we are when they move here so why are we being forced to take Christ out of CHRISTmas???
If we want to be examples, let's stand up for what really counts and put CHRIST back in CHRISTmas?!

The songs were originally written with the word Christ in them...so why, if the government or the people who want to "rob" us of using the word Christ, are we allowed to still use Christ in our religious songs???? BY THEIR OWN DEFINITION, if we can't use Christ in Christmas songs, we shouldn't be able to use Christ in our religious songs, yet we proudly and humbly sing of the Saviors life each Sunday. How are they (Christmas songs and Religious songs) different from each other?

Why does it have to be the ONE time of year that we celebrate something real and not pagan we aren't allowed to use the word that the reason we celebrate for?

Having the PRIVILEGE of singing songs about Christ is NOT expecting " a Christian education in a secular system". It's ONE time of the year...not all year, every day. It should be an honor to be able to sing the great songs that were written about Christ...but unfortunately, we all know that that doesn't happen.


Let me just say this one last thing...if any of us moved to India or Pakistan or anywhere there was another dominant religion, we would NOT ask them to take their "god" out of their daily practices or seasonal practices or whatever it may be.

We have been asked to be loving and patient and kind to all people no matter what their race or religious background is/was...so why are we not always afforded the same courtesy??? It's an unfair world we live in and when the reason for our existence is being questioned or taken away, that's not okay.

Christ is the reason every single person on the earth is here...we all agreed to his plan. Being tolerant can be hard sometimes because I believe we all love Christ and know that he is slowly being forgotten in this evil existence we call the world today. What a great day it will be when He comes to earth and we don't have to think about weather or not we can sing about Him!See More

A video for you...made by Matt

So Matt wanted me to share THIS with everyone...and since he NEVER asks me to share anything on my blog, I thought I would. Enjoy...Matt made this himself with Tanner.

Tim Horton's for Smart People

Matt came home with this fun thing (my Brain is having a major freeze and I can't think of the word I actually want to use) so I thought I would post it here for all you really smart people (I am NOT one of them) to try to solve. They are Christmas Carols and Yuletide Songs.

For the first person who gets all of them right or gets the most right, will win a $10 Gift card to Tim Horton's. I will be making the comment section so you can't read each other's responses and only I can read them. After there's a winner, I will post the answers. Good luck.

1. Move hither ward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in their belief

2. Listen, the celestial messenger produce harmonious sounds

3. An emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good given to the terrestrial sphere

4. Embellish the interior passageways

5. Exalted heavenly beings to whom hearkened

6. Twelve o'clock on a clement night witnessed it's arrival

7. The Christmas preceding all others

8. Small municipality in Judea S.E. of Jerusalem

9. Diminutive masculine master of skin covered percussionist

10. Omnipotent supreme being who elicits respite to ecstatic distinguished males

11. Obese personification fabricated of compressed mounds of minute crystals

12. Expectation of arrival to populated area by mythical, masculine perennial gift-giver

13. Natal celebration devoid of color

14. In awe of nocturnal time span characterized by religiosity

15. Geographic state of fantasy during the season of Mother Nature's dormancy

16. The first person nominative plural of a triumvirate of far eastern head of state

17. Tintinnabulation of vacillating pendulums in inverted metallic resonant cups

18. In a distant location the existence of an improvised unit of newborn children's slumber furniture

19. Proceed forth upon a specific geological alpine formation

20. Nocturnal time span of unbroken quietness

21. Jovial yuletide desired for the second person singular or plural by us

On your mark, get set, GO!

Dear Santa

Dear Santa:

I have actually been really good this year and I don't really want that much for Christmas because in all honesty, I have everything I NEED. I just WANT a few things to make my life a little funner...I know it seems selfish, but it really would benefit everyone around me. Here is my Christmas list:






1. I love knee socks. Maybe not these particular ones, but you get the point.




2. iTunes gift cards in any amount. I really would love to have the soundtrack to the first season of Glee ($99) but a few of these would help to go a long way.





3. An iPod dock. I love to listen to music and it would be nice to have the music other than in my living room.





4. The complete first season of Glee's soundtrack. I just love the songs and would be so very happy with this.

The projects...finally

So I can't take full credit for this cake. Actually I can't take much credit other than just baking it. I had this vision of having a Lego cake(s) so I asked my good friend Jenn if she would help me do fondant icing on it because I thought it would look a little better than just regular icing. So she agreed and this is the amazing job she did! I couldn't have been happier with it. The red was regular flavored, the blue was almond (it tasted just like sugar cookie icing) and the yellow was peppermint(it tasted exactly like candy cane). They were all very yummy.

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I did these blocks for Erica.

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These blocks were for my Sister Megan.


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This is a wreath that I made. It was really easy.


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The quilt I made for my nephew Emerson. The back is Minky and it is super warm. I was really happy with the way it turned out.

My favorites

I re-read the November (General Conference issue) Ensign and found some really great quotes. I will share a few of them with you because there are many and over time, I will eventually share more.

Richard G. Scott: Our Father expects you to learn how to obtain that divine help by exercising faith in Him and His Holy Son Jesus Christ.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf: When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align

Dallin H. Oaks: This sobering teaching (Luke 12:51-53) teaches us that when family members are not united in striving to keep the commandments of God, there will be divisions...the straying of our loved ones will detract from our happiness, but it should not detract from our love for one another or our patient efforts to be united in understanding God's love and God's laws.

Robert D. Hales: When we do not do what is right or when our outlook is dominated by skepticism, cynicism, criticism, and irreverence toward other and their beliefs, the Spirit cannot be with us.

Kent D. Watson: Security for our families comes from learning self-control, avoiding the excesses of this world, and being temperate in all things. Peace of mind comes from strengthened faith in Jesus Christ. Happiness come from being diligent in keeping covenants made at baptism and in the holy temples of the Lord.
And finally for today...

Boyd K. Packer: No matter who you are or what you may have done, you can always pray. The Prophet Joseph Smith promised that " all beings who have bodies have power over those who have not"

I was inspired by one of the sisters I teach to go back and really ponder the words of the recent Ensign. I always have the intention to do that but I have not been successful at accomplishing it. So during Christmas break, I did it.

We had a wonderful Christmas. We went to surprise my Mom on Christmas eve day. She was surprised! We had a lovely time. Tanner is very spoiled by my family. Although this year, it was very mild compared to some other years. I think because now Emerson is part of our family (my nephew) they spoil him much more because he's little. Tanner really liked the blanket Santa made him. Santa came to him twice. Once on Christmas Eve Morning (before we left) and then on Christmas day at my Mom's. I was really worried that mine and Matt's gift we got him would be boring compared to some of the other stuff he got but he was the most excited about it when he opened it. We got him the second season of the Transformers cartoon. He opened it up and screamed and jumped up and down for about 5 minutes and when we tried to get him to open another gift, he wouldn't. So that was nice.

Matt had a double Christmas. He got 2 wallets, and 2 attache cases/brief cases.

I got 3 kangaroo jackets (I believe they're just called hoodies now), some really good sheets (400 and 600 thread count...Soooo luxurious) and we got the Wii! We have some really fun games and we love to play together as a family so it's awesome. I use to be very much against any kind of game system. I always thought it was such a waste of time but now, I'm glad we got one because we have a lot of fun together (okay Super Mario Brothers isn't that fun when Tanner plays, but we suck it up...after all, it's just a game).

Maybe this means that one day we'll have a pet...lol. NEVER!!! I like animals but I strongly, strongly detest pets. It's like having a 2 year old for the rest of your life...no thank you. Anyways, it was a really nice Christmas.

I am really glad Tanner is back in school. He was not very good during the holidays and for a week before Christmas we took all his presents away and told him that if he couldn't be good then he couldn't have his presents. He ended up being good but then on the weekend, he started misbehaving again. The Wii can be a good bargaining chip, but it doesn't solve the problem. It ends up that we send him to his room to think about what he's done and when he's ready to come out and try to be good, then he can come out. It's been working pretty good. I think it has helped him to understand the consequences of not making good choices. He was soooo cute yesterday at skating. His coach told him and another boy that she wanted them (the 2 boys) to be able to learn to skate fast and Tanner said "I can do it. I can skate fast because I'm good". Matt and I had to chuckle. We're always telling him what a good job he does at skating (among other things as well) so I think that's where it came from. We're reading the first Magic Tree house book right now. It's a really easy book and the words are not difficult for Tanner. We really try to foster and encourage his reading. He is such a good reader. His teachers are always amazed at how well he reads. They say he reads at about a grade 2 level...which is great, but we're not totally confident that he understand stories at that level. I guess that will come with time.

Matt is still looking for a job. He worked for a short bit for a friend of his. This is going on I believe the 3rd month of not having a job. It is a very difficult market out there. I may have to look for full time work and have him stay at home with Tanner. I'm not sure I can get a great paying job, but even a consistent income would help out.

Well, I think that's about it for now. Have a wonderful day!

I've been dreaming of a white Christmas

Well, it's already white here, so no, I'm not dreaming of a White Christmas. I do have to tell everyone that I found the BEST cd ever!!! If you have ever watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, you'll understand why this is so exciting to me. I found a CD that has all the songs from that movie on it!!! And...this is the best part...it was only $5.99!!!! It came in a collectors tin with a stocking. My sisters and I loved that show and looked forward to it every year. I have always wanted to find the CD but never could. I will listen to this all year round, I'm sure.

We went skating yesterday and that was super fun. Tanner loves skating and is really good at it. We also slept under the tree for our advent activity. We've also baked, iced and decorated sugar cookies and played in the snow. Tonight we are watching "The Nativity Story".

I have been doing a lot of reading of the General Conference issue of the Ensign and am feeling inspired to what my goals for the new year should be.

Other than that, things are going well. Tanner is done school for the holidays. He is really excited to be going to Calgary for a day. His concert at school was SOOOOO stinkin' cute. He was a little panda bear (well, all of the Kindergartners were). They all did a really good job.

Have a happy holiday and a Merry Christmas.

So thankful

Yesterday we had testimony meeting because we missed it last Sunday. There were lots of people who were thankful for the service that was given to them because of the big snow storm. As I was thinking, I thought about how grateful I am to the people who helped us with cheerful attitudes. After talking to my Mom and realizing that no one even offered her help to dig out her garage...not a neighbor, not a member of her ward, no one, it made me think about how blessed I am to live in a community where everyone helps everyone else and that's just what we do. It makes me grateful that I DON'T live in a city...even Lethbridge. More positives just went on my list of things that make where I live a great place to live!

I have reflected a lot on the last year and this year has been for sure one of my top 5 years. 2000 was one: married! 2003 another: Tanner born 2008:Emerson coming into the family and 2009: turning 30. This has been a wonderful year filled with, I feel, much growth for all of my family. I am looking forward to a new year with, hopefully, more growth (read:maturity), more love, more joy, more learning, more fun/sad/challenging times. I am sad to be saying goodbye to my Primary kids. I had a rough patch with them but I have really grown to love them and have love, love, loved teaching them.

We are making and decorating Sugar cookies tonight...most likely just making and decorating tomorrow. We have also had a p.j. party and watched 'The Flinstones Christmas Carol, 'The Muppets Christmas Carol', and 'A Christmas Carol' (the first, black and white version). I have never seen any of those. I have seen a version of the Christmas carol, but I can't remember which one it was. I have also seen the actual play twice. I LOVED it! You must go if you can. It is well worth the money and it's such a neat experience.


In process of making the cookies



The decorated cookies


Saturday, we went to the Temple in the bad weather. It took us 55 minutes (normally 35 minutes) because we drove so slowly. I love the Temple and I love that Matt and I have made a commitment to make it a priority in our life. We have truly benefited and been blessed because of it.

We went today and picked out our yearly Christmas tree ornament. We decided that every year, since we moved, we would pick a new ornament as a family. The first year I picked a stocking. Last year Tanner picked a glass tree, and this year Matt picked a snow filled snowman ornament/ball. None of them match the Blue and Silver decor that is on our tree, but each ornament has special memories from that year.

Well, that's all we've been up to for now. I am starting to get really excited for Christmas. I will be back tomorrow and Wednesday and then on Thursday is Tanner's school Concert!!!!! I can not even convey the joy and excitement I feel for this. I am close to floating on air. My little boy, in his first school concert...ahhhhh....So much more to look forward to!

Christmas tips

I was just looking for some Christmas movies and music and came across a few websites I thought I would share.

fanpop.com -you can watch over 100 classic Christmas shows from Garfield to flinstones to Simpson's (for those of you who like them, I DO NOT!) to friends.

classicchristmasmovies.com- again, watch right on their website some classics like miracle on 34th street, it's a wonderful life, Rudolph the red nose reindeer.

allthingschristmas.com- exactly what it says...all things from decorating to traditions to movies to watch to tips to meal ideas.

live365.com- listen to Christmas music 365 days a year.

Christmas is coming!

Lots has been happening in the last week or so. We started our advent Calendar. We have gone to the ward party, started the nice jar, put up the tree and decorations, gone to the old fashioned Christmas (Matt took Tanner because it was so stinkin cold out), written to Santa (okay, we haven't done this one yet, but we will tonight), we were supposed to go to the First Presidency Broadcast, but Church was cancelled so we assumed they didn't show the broadcast here, and today we are making cookies and taking them to someone in need.



Last week was a busy one. The best day was Wednesday. Susanne and I drove up to Calgary and went with my sister, Megan, to So You Think You Can Dance Canada Tour!!!! Megan and I screamed and screamed and then we screamed some more. Susanne did lots of screaming too. It was so much fun! Susanne is the only friend I've ever travelled with and she is great company. It's nice to be able to travel/vacation with people that you can be yourself around. My sister Megan is so fun. She was like a kid in a candy store. I have only ever seen the American version of the show so all the dances were new to me because I didn't watch the Canadian version of the show. Megan and Susanne knew what dance every one was and could tell me if it was a good one or not. So that was fun. I'm glad we went.








(some random Christmas shots)

Then on Thursday I got on e-mail that one of my other best friends had her baby. I am so excited for them. It is their third baby and they have all boys. Congrats again, Jamie! I always get so excited when my friends have babies.

On Friday we went to a fabulous Christmas party. It was soooooo much fun. I had a blast. We played 2 truths and a lie and then did a gift game. It was hilarious. It was an adult only party so that was nice to get out without Tanner for a few hours. Tanner went to the Bishops house and he said he loved it there and it's his favorite place because one of their boys has Star Wars Lego. So he was in heaven. Santa may have to do a small trip to the store to get some Star Wars Lego...lol.

On Saturday it was crazy!!! Tons of blowing snow and coldness.

Everyone seems to have a "cold day" story and ours is not very exciting but here it is anyhow...when Matt went to do the papers on Saturday morning and the car got stuck just as he pulled off the drive way...so it was sitting on the road. I suggested to Matt that he call his friend and ask to borrow his quad to deliver the papers. So he did and his friend was so gracious and lent Matt one of his quads. Then as we got talking I thought of when the night came and our car sitting, half covered by snow drifts, on the road. So I suggested we try to get it onto the driveway and call and see if someone could help us. Lucky for me I have a best friend who's husband has a shovel on his quad and was happy to come and help us. So we finally got the car on the driveway and we are so thankful for the help that was given to us. We had to have the car towed backwards onto the middle of the road to get a "run" onto the driveway, but it worked! Then we went over to Susanne's house and ate, watched footloose (my first time ever!) and played games. It was a blast.

They cancelled church here on Sunday and that was kind of weird. But all in all, it's been a great week-ten days. Matt came home Thursday night and that was wonderful.

So ever onward. It's suppose to be cold for the next couple of days so we'll have inside days.

I'm half way done

I am just about finished my Christmas cards. I just glued the "face" part of the cards onto the card stock. I think I have done 150 cards or more. It stinks that I can't post pictures. I am hoping that we can get Internet at our house in the new year. Then I'll have to back post a ton of pictures.

Matt left this morning for Medicine Hat for a week. He has some temporary work for now. I don't mind him being gone during the day but I really hate being alone at night. Tanner will be sleeping in our bed while Matt's away. Tanner loves to sleep with us but he's a bit of a bed hog so we don't do the 'family' bed thing. He can sleep with either one of us, but not both of us.

Tanner was so funny the other day. He got $26 for his birthday and Matt was asking him what he was going to get with it. This is the conversation:

Matt: So, what are you going to get with all that money you got for your birthday?

T: (without hesitation) a really cool hot wheels

M: but grandma collins got you 5 new cool hot wheels. pause...Aren't they cool enough?

T: uhhh...no! I need a cooler hot wheels. Or maybe I'll buy a really cool backugan.

As if the toys he got weren't cool enough! I am seriously thinking of having him go through his toys in December and having him fill a box to give away or donate. He has a ridiculous amount of toys. I think we might make this a yearly tradition at Christmas time. I think it will help him to be more giving and generous. He recently broke a friends toy and I told him he would have to choose one of his new birthday toys that he got and give it to his friend. He was really upset about that, but he needs to learn that he can't go around being careless with other people's toys. He has to be respectful. Maybe I'm over-reacting....I don't know. Is this just a "boy" thing or can they learn to be respectful of toys? I'm glad that for Christmas, we got him the Transformers cartoon on DVD and Santa made him a rag quilt. We decided not to get him toys because even though I have asked people not to, they always do buy him toys. Matt has a large family and I have a fair size family that buys lots of toys for him so Matt and I do other things. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one with this problem of excess toy giving. Maybe as he gets older it will calm down a bit. Okay, so that was good to get it off my chest.

Well, I think that's about it for now. As I am telling myself today "chin up, tomorrow is a new day."

Have a good one.

All I want for Christmas

I was thinking about gifts...mostly because I'm pretty much done my shopping...and I thought, not for selfish reasons, I would put mine up here. I am a huge list person and I love to shop from lists. My friend has a "favorite" etsy list and I think that is such a good idea. So the things I enjoy or like are:

1. Bath and Body works soap-gentle foaming or moisturizing NOT the deep cleaning kind. Betcha some of you didn't know there was a difference...lol

2. Brown/tan brads for my card making

3. Zip up Hoodie in any color

4. One of those winter hats that covers the ears and has the tie dangling down.

5. Movie passes

6. Any Church movie (I really enjoyed Forever Strong)

7. High School Musical #1, the Re-Mix

8. Taco chips and cheese sauce (for nachos and cheese) it's a weakness

9. Mini Wheats (brown sugar) because I am slightly addicted...lol

That's about all I can think of.

I'm really looking forward to doing our first Christmas together as a family here at home. I have list of 24 different activities to do during the month of December. some of them I used from Megan's blog from last year.

Some of them include: A Jerusalem dinner, go for a drive and look at the lights, go to the old fashioned Christmas downtown, go to the ward party, have a $5 dinner, watch Christmas movies after making a Christmas treat, sleep under the tree (or really close to it) as well as some other things.

Some of them have to be placed in certain places (ie the ward dinner or the old fashioned Christmas) but I'm going to have to make up some sort of calendar to put them all in. Sadly, I do not have an advent calendar.


(The Advent Calendar I made)

My sister made one for the little boy she nannies last year and I asked her if she would make one for Tanner this year. She didn't make one for his birthday so maybe for his Christmas gift she made him one...who knows...one can hope. If not, I am going to make a permanent one in the new year. I'll have to make a temporary one this year.

I've been SOOOO crazy busy making Christmas cards to sell. Matt asked me today if I was done and I replied "I hope so". So that's why I haven't gotten around to making an advent calendar. I would love any ideas or if any of you have one, could you let me know how to make it.

It doesn't really feel like Christmas because there is no snow yet. Matt said he heard on Friday we're suppose to have snow. I love the snow, but I'm enjoying the snowless weather right now.

So in other news...Tanner had his 6th birthday! I invited 9...yes NINE children over to our little house. We were so very lucky and had great weather. Matt and I took them over to the park and played there and Matt started a game of 'what time is it mister wolf'. Everyone seemed to have fun. He got too many gifts. He got a beautiful Nativity from my Aunt. He really loves my Mom's nativity from when we were kids so it's nice for him to have his own. It's an adult type one. Porcelain and a really fancy, moss covered stable. Matt and I don't even have a stable for our nativity. He got 7 new backugans, 3 new transformers, some monster tonka trucks, sugar cereal (he LOVES, by the way) and some bionicles and dress up clothes. He got more than that (I KNOW!!!!! SERIOUSLY!?!? totally ridiculous the amount he got) but that was the main part of what he got.
My sister Melany got him this pressure nerf ball gun...it is soooo much fun. Matt and I use it A LOT! I told her I would like another one so Matt and I can have gun fights. It's just a gun that shoots balls. I know, I'm such a bad parent...encouraging gun fighting...lol. It is so like Melany to get something like that. I can't wait to see what she gets him for Christmas. I didn't do a fancy cake this year (making cards, remember) so I bought these Wall-E cake decorations. Tanner loved them. For his friends party, I did a caterpillar cake. Sharon lent me her jumbo cupcake pans and I made one for each child and they got to decorate the cupcake and take it home for their treat. They all had fun with that. Well, that's probably more than what everyone cared to know about his birthday, but we had a good time...even though he fighting a cold AGAIN!



















Matt is still looking for a permanent job. The Fed-Ex thing...well, we haven't heard back from them at all. So we're back at square one. He has some odd jobs that he's working on, but nothing to bring in the income we need for our bills. He counted the number of places he's applied to right now and he told me it's 27 places. And that's just in the last week. So hopefully something will come of it. I'm not too stressed this time round. We've been through this before and the main thing I learned is that I can't force someone to hire Matt so there's no point in stressing too much about it. Obviously, I'm a little concerned, but we're praying and Matt is doing the best he can. We know that we're doing all we possibly can to put figure out what to do. But that's enough of that.

We just got our new ensign today so I'm excited to read that today. I love the ensign and it really makes me feel so grateful and appreciative of what I have. It really helps re-set my priorities every month or re-affirms that what I'm doing is what I should be doing. Tanner uses the 'Friend' to do Family Home Evening lessons. He will usually read the picture stories (the ones that have pictures for words) or read the 'Matt and Mandy' story. He would teach FHE every week if we let him, but I have to put him into the rotation in the new year. I would like to make a FHE chart because right now I just have it on our calendar who's doing what.

Well, sorry for the LONG winded entry. I had a lot that I was thinking about and wanted to share. I hope everyone is enjoying their day and has a great week!

What to say, what to say...

I haven't had a super eventful or exciting life the last week and a bit. Tanner was home sick all last week. He had a really high fever and I finally took him to the Doctor and he said it was just something viral. A lot of it is going around right now so I kept him home. I am REALLY busy making Christmas cards for the Christmas craft and bake sale on December 5th. I want to have 150 cards and I'm at 54 right now. I'm duplicating now. That's much quicker than coming up with 150 different cards. So that's time consuming. Then after that I get to assemble my 54 cards for our family and friends. I decided to something super easy that I could cut out and assemble later so it won't take too long to do that.

There's a movie that we rented at the Library that I have to strongly recommend to people. It's called Forever Strong. It's a really good movie. It's rated 14A but there was no swearing or sex. I think it had to do with thematic things. There's a scene in it where the kids are at a party and there's alcohol but to me, that isn't a reason to rate a movie 14A. It was really inspiring and it's based on a Rugby team in Highland, Utah.

Halloween is this week and I'm not really that excited. I don't know why. I should try to get more excited so Tanner gets more excited about it.


(This is him on Halloween night)




(We went as a Pioneer family to our ward family Halloween party)


I'm more excited for Christmas. I can NOT wait to give all my gifts to my family and few friends I buy for.

I bought one of those gifts today. I bought tickets to the "So You Think You Can Dance Canada" tour in Calgary!!! I called up my friend this morning at 7AM and told her the good news! So December 2nd we're off to Calgary to enjoy a fun night. We have reasonably good tickets. It's 7th row in the lower section (not floor). It's going to be so much fun!


(Us on the big night!)

Well, not much else is new. Have a great day!

Please go to bed!

Well, we have officially started Christmas vacation. We are at my Mom's house and Tanner is not going to bed. Some days I feel like he's out of control with hyperness. Maybe I'm getting old...lol. We have had quite an eventful, busy month already. Tell me honestly, who doesn't have a busy month when December rolls around? Why is it at the end of the year, we all get stressed out and get so busy? The reason for the season is Christ and I don't think he wants us to get stressed out by remembering his birth. It's a joyful thing, not a stressful thing. Anyways, we went to our ward Christmas Party last weekend, which was fabulous. It went smoothly and there was just enough entertainment and activity which made it a really nice evening. We also had our enrichment Christmas party which was SOOOOOO much fun! Susanne and the board did an amazing job! It was very simple, relaxed and fun. It was a Christmas Cozy and we were all to come in our P.J.'s for a light supper (soup in a bread bowl) and a games. We had a wonderful Christmas message and then we played games. It was really fun and there was a great turn out.

Tanner was in his first musical production. He did good for it being his first one. I saw this woman there and I could feel the pressure she was putting on her child to make sure she sang the songs and didn't wreck her make up or clothes and I felt really sad for that little girl. I think that a lot of parents put so much pressure on their children to be older or more mature than what they are.

Who am I to talk though...I'm not a perfect parent. My parenting abilities have recently, I feel, been questioned and I hate that feeling that maybe I'm not a good parent or doing a dis-service to my child because I don't expect the same things from him that other people do from their children. Being a parent is such a tricky thing.

Anyways, that's enough about that.

We are all looking forward to spending time together as a family and hanging out.

This one's for you Sharon!

Sharon has been asking me for pictures so here they are. We had a great time in Calgary. Usually by the 4th or 5th day, I feel ready to go home but I was sad to leave because we were having a really nice time all together. Tanner got lots of really nice gifts and we are so thankful for all the things he got. We are now in full swing for Christmas and getting ready to send out our cards. We went to the Raymond 11th annual old fashioned christmas last night and we had so much fun. We went on hayrides, decorated cookies, shopped a little, got free hot chocolate and dounuts, and went ice skating for free. This was the first year we went and we will be making it an yearly thing for sure. So I think that's all for now. Enjoy the pictures.


Trying out his new skates he got for his birthday
Tanner and his new rollerskates
A blanket I made recently
The new family
The Book Of Mormon cake for his party at my Mom's. I would make it darker blue next time
The emoticon cupcakes for the party at Matt's moms
Tanner and his cousin, Wyatt
A doctor in the making????? Maybe
My Mom made this wreath and put it on my Dad's headstone the night before my Uncle was burried right next to him
My sweet nephew Emerson
The birthday gang
Me and the birthday boy
Having a hot dog roast for his birthday dinner....yum yum
The Crayola Crayon cake
Getting ready for party #1 of 3
Tanner got this crown at School and wore it for 3 days straight.
Shelby and Tanner
Our Tree