Christmas with the Grumps

I'm not sure why, I'm sure I've raised them better, but our kids just don't get excited about things. Like when we told them we were going to Disneyland they just stared in confusion at us.

This Christmas was no different. While they got a lot of exciting gifts, there was no shouting, there was no jumping up and down. The best we could get was a feeble smile and a thank you. It's not that our kids don't like what they got, they just aren't excitable like I remember being when opening my presents on Christmas.

Hilights were an American Girl doll, a baseball set, puzzles, and a doll stroller. And glitter balls. After all the hundreds of dollars that were spent, it was the $5 glitter balls that took the cake. Go figure.

The baseball set was a big hit with our little slugger. Now he can stop using the rolling pin and any other like item as a bat. I'm not sure why, but I have this weird affinity for jammies with the feet in them. I call them footie jammies, not sure if that is the correct term. Anyhow, when I see my kids running around in them for a minute I'm reminded how lucky I am that they are still young. Maybe secretly I think they'll stay that way forever and not become teenagers.



We also had the kids make gifts for each other which was fun. M. made K. a Dora pillow and matching blanket, hand sewn.



The American Girl doll


Christmas at Grandma & Grandpa's house. Yes, it is a miracle, we all wore red this year despite my husband's near hatred of the color. He had nothing green that was not in the laundry.


While Christmas has come to an end I'm still listening to Christmas songs in the car just hoping it will last a little longer!

Recent Reads

This has been a strange book month. Some were really good, some were ok, and others were disappointing.



I loved this book, perfect for capturing the Spirit of Christmas.



Next on the list is Inkheart. I actually really liked it although it started off kind of slow and I was confused about what was going on. About a quarter through the book it got exciting and the rest was good. It was kind of Harry Potter/Fablehaven-ish. I found it on the "clean" list at the Provo Library. There were a couple swear words though. Apparently it's a trilogy, I did not know that... as well as a movie.

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Third, Fine Old High Priests. This is one we're reading for our neighborhood Book Group. I wasn't that thrilled about it at first, but it worked itself out and it was quite a good book with a good message about friendship and religion.



Fourth, Map of the World, from Oprah's Book Club. It was so intense I couldn't sleep at night after reading it and I had nightmares about the story line. The book was extremely well written and exciting, but it's one of those books where I wanted to re-write the ending. I had been so invested in the book I felt let down at the end. The (bad) language in it is terrible as well, be warned. I don't know, I think if I had the chance to unread this book I would. Haunting...

Fun in the Snow

The first snow is always so fun. The kids went outside to build an igloo and came back in about 30 minutes later with their red cheeks and shivering and decided to build a mini igoo! They forgot to bring their scarves back in and now they are outside growing icicles.

Kids Christmas Outfits

My mother in law gets Christmas and Easter outfits for her grand kids each year and this year's outfits were so adorable!



The poser.



We're just glad he's wearing a tie.


Love the black skirt!

Christmas Dance Recital

The girls had their December dance recital this year at a new dance studio called Academy of Ballet. We originally chose it because it was next to the hubby's job and he could shuttle them home, but his office has now moved to Salt Lake. It's a nice studio, but I miss Kim's dance studio. It was a little more fun and not so serious for the little ones. This was like a pre-recital to get ready for the real one with real ballerinas in the Spring. Our oldest daughter does well at ballet so we thought this would be a good place for her.... we'll see...

I {heart} Disneyland

We had a lovely time in Disneyland. It was lovely because it was rainy and we didn't have to stand in line and it was lovely because we had 5 days together with no interruptions, no work, just fun. I really wanted to go to Disneyland once during the Christmas season to see the decorations and the rides. It did not disappoint. It was lovelier than ever.


This is what the baby looks like after a long day of driving. We got him undressed and in his PJs without a peep. He loved everything at Disneyland, even the Matterhorn. He was quite the trooper! The only thing he didn't care for is seeing the characters up close. We had to force him to be in the pictures with them!


Love the mouse ears and Mickey's toon car.


Grandma gets sick on the tea cups.


Little Boy Heaven.


Little Girl Heaven.


Wish Lists...


Disneyland Christmas Parade and Fireworks. This is Princess Ariel and prince Eric. I love Ariel's dress!


Dinner at Ariel's Grotto is a hilight. If you wonder how rainy it was while we were there, check out the girls jeans, wet up to the knees, but nary a complaint we heard! They weren't able to wear their princess dresses this time to the dinner because the rain was so bad, they would have been soaked through and freezing. M.'s boots got ruined because they stayed wet for 4 days and mildewed. She said her feet were dry though, the rest of us didn't have that luxury.

Spelling Bee Buzz

Ok, so I'm a little late on the blogging thing. I have a good excuse though: I was selling at 3 holiday boutiques, a vacation to Disneyland, and a site My Cute Dressups, ebay, and Amazon stores that quadrupled Christmas sales from last year.

We were SO proud of M. who won her 3rd grade class Spelling Bee and then competed in the school-wide bee. If you know how shy she is, you know this is a huge accomplishment to stand up in front of the whole school with teachers and actually say something into the microphone (I think she was the shortest one there.... sorry, you got that from me). She did extremely well and beat out at least 1/2 of the competition, even older kids. There were 9 students left when she got out. The word she missed was "quarantine" which she spelled, "courantine".

It was a proud moment for our family seeing her up there (she's the one up at the microphone)!

What Ellipticals Are For

We just got a jump on New Years resolutions by resolving to exercise and we purchased a used elliptical exercise machine on KSL. I have used it twice (it was awesome, I loved it--way better than a treadmill) and Steve hasn't used it at all, he's waiting for the TV to arrive to give him motivation or an excuse for another TV, who knows?

Most of all (like every other hanging area or surface), it's main purpose is a dress up hanger. Pretty creative, eh? I don't know why, it just makes me smile on the inside when I walk downstairs and see all of those hanging there. Hee hee.

I just purchased $1500 of Little Adventures seconds at 1/2 price and I'm not sure where to put them all. It was literally 8 giant boxes full of stuff. Hopefully they will all sell at the Battlecreek Boutique I will be selling at and I won't have to worry about where to keep them!