Christmas...Finally!

I'm rebelling!!! I'm leaving my dishes in the sink, Taylor's crying himself to sleep, Tanner is watching Duck Tales for the ___th time today, and Ryan is re-formatting the hard drive in his laptop...I'm going to BLOG!!!

While working on Tuesday, December 23rd, I made an executive decision that we would leave for St. George the following morning instead of after opening Santa's goodies on Christmas Day as originally planned. We are glad we trekked across Utah on such a good day! The roads only got yucky after Cove Fort, and we heard (and saw when we returned) that we were blessed with some WONDERFUL snow on Christmas Eve, but yucky driving conditions in SE Idaho.

We had such a fun time with Ryan's Parents!!! They are working at the St. George Temple for the winter, and they showed us around the temple grounds on Christmas Day. Their apartment is slightly smaller than ours, and just because it rained the three days we were there, didn't stop us from picking Pecan nuts from the temple grounds, touring historical sites, and going for nice, wet walks! Tanner especially loved the Visitor's Center, which was also a fun place to visit...quite a few times, I might add!

I TOTALLY suprized Ryan with a GPS system...no worries, he's already returned it though for a bigger and better model...I wonder if we'll actually use it!!! I also got him this cool book about Idaho, with trails and locations, all with GPS coordinates...when my dad saw it, he was in love...so we let him keep it and will get Ryan another one.

I think the highlight of our trip was actually going swimming in an indoor pool not far from St. George (...Santa Clara?). It had a nice warm pool, a water slide, 'lazy river', etc...that was PERFECT to wear out the boys before our long drive home the following day. Sadly, but for your sake, I got no pictures of these events. We were so relaxed we forgot to take the camera with us anywhere...it sat at our hotel the entire trip!!!

After arriving at my mom and dad's house in Chesterfield following a never-ending 8 hour drive on Saturday, we were so relieved that we were almost home. While in Chesterfield, we had a really fun time with family, eating, laughing, laughing, laughing and more laughing!!! Sunday morning we all dressed and got ready for church. My sister Stephanie was supposed to speak in Sacrament Meeting, but church was canceled due to ____. We have no idea. The weather was yucky, but it wasn't a complete white out. Perhaps some of the widows were drifted in, I'm not sure. Nevertheless, we all piled into cars and drove th 11 miles into town to hear Reed's friend report home from his mission.

Monday, while still at my parents, we had an absolute BLAST playing in the snow!!! The temperature was in the 30's and after hauling our snow clothes clear across the desert and back, we were going to use them, by darn!!!

Where's Ryan? My little brother, Clay, and Ryan built, or should I say, DUG this AWESOME snow cave from all the snow in the driveway! It had three separate openings, and was big enough for us all the crawl through...needless to say, I had a panic attack when I was inside, after hearing about so many avalanche victims throughout my life and feeling like the whole thing would cave just to see if I knew what to do!!! (think: cover head and make air pocket to breath, but don't breath hard!)

Deseret was a trooper and played with Tanner while Katelyn and I BUILT a snow fort for our war later that day...I could barely see over the top when it was all done. I think it goes without saying that we lost, the boys won. We even recruited Stephanie to come out and help us bomb them, but Tanner became a prisoner, and we had to free him while catapulting the guys. :)

After completely demolishing our sturdy walls, Ryan, Tanner and Deseret went on a short ride on the sled...Tanner was nervous at first, but loved it! I lovingly forced Ryan to wear a helmet, since he would be driving just around the house and close fields...we couldn't find helmets small enough for the other two...I had to apologize to Ryan afterwards...but he does look like he's ready for some serious riding! They didn't get too far before we saw our crew walking back from a field...the machine actually quit on them...it's quite a funny story but this is already getting too long!!!

When we arrived home, we found that Santa made a small drop-off at our house. Our kids are so confused!!! Tanner keeps asking, "Santa coming to our house today?" and I have to remind him that Santa only comes to our house once a year, but this year he forgot! Silly kid! We were blessed with a lot of necessities...clothes, shoes, you know, underwear, the works!!!
I'll end with an overall...Christmas was wonderful! Our families are so good...too good to us. We are so blessed, and know that our Heavenly Father loves us so much! We really enjoyed ourselves and our kids did surprisingly well for the week we were gone. We are glad we trekked the trek and enjoyed our families! We hope your Christmas was full of fun, family and good food, too!!!

{Traditions}

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Brown Paper Packages tied up with strings...no kidding. We {heart} brown paper at our house!!! Too bad it's more expensive that regular wrap! There's just something about that brown paper and twill tape.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real...I don't think we EVER had a fake tree growing up...cedar tree from Central Utah...but never a 'wanna-be'. The tradition continues!!!

3. When do you put up the tree? Between Thanksgiving and Christmas...the most logical time...usually the day or two after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Before it becomes a major fire hazard...usually within a week after Christmas. I did it Christmas Day once...don't know if that will happen again.

5. Do you like eggnog? I know it's like earning a rite to passage, but I'll take my milk with cookies...no raw eggs, please!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I loved my American Girl doll, but I think the gift I treasure most is my 'Puddin' Doll...she's a Madame Alexander doll, and I loved her to pieces!!! She would cry when you tilted her backwards and forwards, and her eyes would open and shut. To this day, she has no bangs (we tried to re-curl them and melted them off), her hair is...well...needing some work (too many hair-dressings by mommy Deanna), and she has no eyelashes. I don't even think she cries anymore. I cherish her, and treated her like a real baby, probably till I was eleven or twelve. (This image is of one on e-Bay...apparently she's vintage and worth $200...My Puddin is Priceless!)

7. Hardest person to buy for? Ryan...he just buys it if he wants it that bad, and I can't keep a secret...though this year, I am bound and determined!!! I hope he likes it!!!

8. Easiest person to buy for? Tanner...he knows what he wants!!! Not to say that he gets it, but he keeps reminding you, over, and over, and over, and over!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Kinda-Sorta. I have a cheap set from Deseret Book for the boys to play with, but they're choking hazard size. My Grandma Crandall gave me a carved nativity...of Mary and Joseph holding the Christ Child, carved from olive wood. I think the birthday following that Christmas she gave me three camels to go with it...I'd like to add to it... Someday I also want a Nativity with a removable baby Jesus...funny, I know, but my set is carved and attached. We had a tradition growing up that each morning (during the Christmas Season) to get Baby Jesus from the mantel and kiss him before catching the school bus. Fond memories!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Hmmm...Totally Mail...but I was going for inexpensive this year, and those of you who were not blood related got our 'blog-mail card'...if you 'happened' to get a card, your address is known. Everyone else, consider yourselves hugged. (I do have four left...any takers?)

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Hmmmm, again...I remember one year I had been pleading for a new watch...mine had broken and I really needed one at the ripe ole' age of about 12. Well, Christmas Morning came and my little sister, Stephanie, who was probably 6 got a watch...was she even in 1st grade? I don't remember, but I do remember catching my mom looking at my dad with a "that went in the wrong stocking" look as my sister was fastening it to her wrist...they didn't have the heart to make her give it to its intended owner...I laugh now, but I was pretty bummed.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Gotta say that one about Sesame Street...We watched it EVERY YEAR! I kinda miss it. When Ryan and I got married, I begged for us to have the classic "Frosty" and "Rudolf"...the one where he gets stuck with the misfit elf who wants to be a dentist...yeah. Those are my favorite.

13. When do you start shopping? With three birthdays two weeks before Christmas, we shop starting with the sales after Christmas for the following year. Just to spread out the expense, you know?

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Can't really think of an instance, but I do recycle the gift bags, if they look presentable...and Ribbon is if can be pressed and re-used. I know, I'm a dork.

15. Lights on the tree? Only wrapped around every single branch and twig! We grew up with color, and until this year, I used the lights my mom used...wow. I think when she 'graduated' to a nice tree without all the kids' ornaments, she got white lights and I got the old, shorted out ones. I have finally thrown them out, but am keeping the tradition of colored lights alive by purchasing our very own, four strands of multi-colored lights. No shorts this year! (rest easy, Stevie!)

16. Favorite Christmas song? Any Christmas hymn, particularly Angels We Have Heard on High, Picture A Christmas from the Children's Song book, and Amy Grant's version of The Night Before Christmas.

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? This year we're changing it up a bit by driving to St. George after opening presents on Christmas Morning to celebrate with Ryan's parents. They're working at the Temple there for the winter. We have always spent it at my parents' house, and not to break tradition, will stop there on the way home for a few days. It's going to be a quiet Christmas morning at our house...I think we'll keep it that way. It's too frustrating to haul everything down and back.

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes. Can You?

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Currently, a red light...Our star is too heavy, but it's also new. Up until this year, I had a bow, with the 'tails' streaming around our tree.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Morning? What kind of question is that!?!? Christmas Morning, always. Exceptions: Pajamas on Christmas eve, and things bought for Christmas before Thanksgiving that we couldn't live without...yeah, those are opened right away. :)

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People who say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". I can respect other's beliefs, but somehow, it wouldn't be CHRISTmas without CHRIST. Some have forgotten the reason for the season.

22. Favorite ornament theme or color? My favorite color has to be red, especially for this time of year, but I someday want a Christmas tree filled with Stars. And not just on the top.

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? hmmm...something that says comfort...Like Ham and Au'gratin potatoes and pistachio salad. I think we're doing McDonalds in Tremonton this year...unless we are on top of things and fix peanut butter samwiches for our cruise to Southern Utah.

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? For us to arrive and return safely from St. George and all that traveling and screaming in the car. I'd also like for us to quit finding things to buy...maybe learn to exercise some self control on the spending side of things. It's starting to get a little out of hand.

25. What is your all-time favorite Christmas Tradition? My all-time favorite would have to be going to our grandparents' and great-grandparents' and some aunts and uncles to 'perform' the Nativity. I usually got to be Mary, Keith got to be Joseph, and whoever was the youngest was always the Baby Jesus, everyone else filled in. I know it was hectic for my parents, but we really did enjoy going to visit family and making those memories...no matter how many times we went kicking and screaming.

Do share! What are some of your traditions...from growing up, or what you've started with your own families?

Bring on the Christmas Cheer!

Check out the dance moves we've been working on this holiday season...don't forget to cut the music clear at the bottom of the blog! Enjoy!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

{Are you kidding me?}

Yeah. How long do you think {this} took? Taylor had a teeny-tiny corner...I sure couldn't find it. I left them alone for ____ while I visited with a sister from our ward at the door...it wasn't for as long as you might think...when Ryan asked if I'd like to see our new interior decorators. Hmmmm...let me think on that....(gently usher sister back outside)...Bwaaaa! I put back every item just moments before the doorbell rang...Seriously.

I'm actually laughing at this now, but at the time, it wasn't funny. I just had to keep reminding myself..."nobody's hurt, nobody's hurt. It'll be alright."

I'd like to share with each of you mothers out there (and any fathers...wait, you're probably putting the kids to bed or doing dishes or somethin noble like that) my new motto. It goes for anything and everything...

Next...some random pictuers...just wanted to share.

For my {Super Tanner}. I totally stole this idea from plum pear apple. I am not offering or even slightly willing to do this for anybody else...maybe Taylor, but he could really just use Tanner's...so if you want one, go to the website above! It wasn't complicated, actually quite fun, but it took me three episodes of The Office and one or two CSI's to get me through...needless to say, it was three o'clock in the morning when I finished this bad boy. ***Side Note: never, ever, EVER start any sort of project after 11:00 at night. It's just not a good thing. Therapy, maybe, good thing, not. ever. well, maybe sometimes....

{Nudie Babies!} I just couldn' resist. I'm suprized they haven't drown each other, honestly! This is actually one of the best times of the day, if I haven't drown next to the tub. They {heart} bathtime, and love to play with their new sea aminals. Especially the walrus and the shark (don't ask me why...I thought the octopus was especially cool). :)

Below are my two youngest {studmuffins} in their new cowboy git'up from Grampa and Gramma Crandall...gotta love birthdays!!!

"I a cowboy, mom. A cowboy!" end quote. (Santa, could you bring a little boy a little hat?)

Just dancin'...This ballerina shot was captured at our Ward Christmas Party...Tanner was totally stoked to get to see "Sanna Cawse".

Hope you're all enjoying life...and if you aren't, just look around you and count your blessings! (My mom is especially good at telling me this on a weekly if not daily basis, just thought I'd pass the noteworthy advice along. Take it as you wish.) I know I'm pretty blessed, which makes me kinda wonder exactly what I'm doing right...the Lord has blessed us beyond measure, and we sure are thankful for our two most precious gifts...no matter how many times the Christmas tree is pulled down.

Good Day Anyway

Alright, so I was feeling down and out last night...maybe a little stressed. After reading through that post, it was downright depressing! So sorry for that.


I realize we all have down days, but today is looking up, so I want to rejoice!!! Even at 4:22pm, I think I not only will survive, but I'll make it out with only a scrape or two.


Tanner is playing a vTech game console Ryan's sister kindly passed on to us...I personally can play it better than any wii game...move over Tanner!




As I was panicking last night about a 'deadline' for work, I tried doing it at home, then opted to wake up at the crack of dawn and go into work before my kids would be awake...from like 6-7ish. After all, I promised Ryan he could do homework ALL DAY LONG! I got up at five, persuaded Ryan to help me get the computer working (operator error, duh!) and got my work done before the kids were awake, at home!!!


I ran several errands after Ryan come home for a break from homework, played with some friends outside, made four dozen ginger cookies, and ate one of those dozen (with the help of Tanner...he had a couple...I hope :) ) and I'm hoping I'll get my visiting teaching done for the first time in a long while. I got 5 loads of laundry done...and only have one left to put away...it's still in the dryer...it has to age to be good, you know!


Here's a few pictures from the last LONG while...



We put the Grizwalds to shame. The ride home after Thanksgiving Dinner was pleasant and we had no problems! Thanks Dad and Keith, for rigging this!





One VERY happy boy...Gramma and Papa Crandall gave Tanner Bwoo Cowboy Boots! for his birthday. The boy is in HEAVEN!





Tanner with his Bwoo Shark Birfday Cake. The fishies are flatened Starbursts...and that shark is his favorite tub toy! We'll have to sanitize it before Saturday:)

It's hard to be one, and it's hard to have a hand full of frosting when you're tired and just want to finish your nap.

"Mom! Mom! Mom!!!" Yeah...by like the seventh time this tree has fallen over, we have almost given up! Poor little thing!

" I didn't do it!!! I was only looking at the lights! With my fingers."

"Whose birthday part is this anyways?" I don't think Taylor opened a single present...Tanner was a big helper...I think it will be like that for a while.

Conclusion:

"Birthday Party" for Tanner at our house,

Saturday the 13th at 3:00 pm.

We'll be eating cake (shark cake) and ice cream and playing a fun game in the snow or something if there isn't snow...Come if you'd like!

Come if you've got nothing else to do!

Slacker Mom

Ryan's Birthday was last Wednesday, the 3rd, Taylor's was Thursday, the 4th, and Saturday the 13th is Tanner's birthday.

{I am such a slacker mom!!!} I didn't post a single thing, and am contemplating not doing a 'party' for Tanner...he'll never know, right? Grandma and Grandpa Poulsen and Grandma and Grandpa Crandall and aunties and uncles came on Sunday to 'celebrate', and I'm all caked out! Anybody want some cake that two little boys have 'creamated' with their little fingers? I'm not even eating it!!! & I'll eat almost anything with frosting on it.

Maybe, just maybe, I can pull myself together and pull a party together...and make another "bwoo shark birfday cake!!!" that a little boy has been vividly describing for months.

I think I'm already too late to send out 'invites', so if you need something to do on Saturday at 3:00, party at the Poulsens' place! Call us or email us for directions...and if you're that desparate for entertainment, bring it on! It's free, and there'll be cake...lots of cake. Lots of cup-cakes with sprinkles inside!!!

Bring your friends and their kids...if there's snow maybe we'll make a snowman or something. MMM....gotta have snow. Pray for SNOW!

Alrighty, off to addressing Christmas Cards...which brings me to another important point.

I've already printed close to the same amount of cards as my parents, and because we live in this great electronic age, I'm wishing you all an impersonal Merry Christmas through our blog unless you are blood related (Aunt, Uncle or Grandparent). Here is our Christmas Card, feel free to copy and print it...sorry I can't get it any bigger.

Apparently I need a big lump of coal, I'm running out of STEAM!!! Good thing I'm taking tomorrow off, to take a chill-pill...I love that I can just tell {work} I'm not comming in...now if only my paycheck would pay for the darling little house I want...hmmm...gotta work on that, literally! Guess this will be my last 'day off at will' for a LONG TIME!

{Good Food, Good Company, Good Memories}

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with family in Chesterfield, and I've finally gotten our pictures to our computer...so for your viewing enjoyment...

Good Food - We always have yummy hors d'oeuvres, and then a scrumptious dinner...unfortunately, something went horribly wrong with my mom's oven and our turkey was roasting for a good nine hours...it was still moist and yummy, we just had to eat it for desert. None of us can figure out what went wrong!

Good Company - All of us were home but Reed, who is serving a two year mission in Phnom Phen, Cambodia. I think he went to the senior couple's home for dinner...Grandpa Crandall was a good sport and came for dinner. I know we wear him out, and we're a handful, but we really enjoy his company and love to have him here.

Good Memories - We all had a lot of fun, helping to get dinner ready and making this a pleasant experience...I know, an odd way to phrase our preparation for this feast, but it's true...Many hands make light work! Whomever wasn't in the kitchen was out removing skunks from the barnyard and playing with my boys (thanks, everyone, who helped!). The pictures I took of us eating didn't turn out...but I really liked these ones... We used my grandma's china, and the food was delicious! This photo was taken the day of Thanksgiving...it was so warm outside, we didn't even have jacktes on!

For the past 18 years, we've ALWAYS gone to the ranch in Wyoming to harvest a Christmas tree ... this year we decided to change it up a bit, after living in Idaho for ten years, we went just behind the ranch here, and got four darling trees. The gorgeous tall one for my mom and dad, one for us, one for Keith and Tricia, and one for Stephanie's apartment at BYU. These Idaho trees are definatly not as prickly for wrapping lights, but they hold slightly less ornaments...they just don't have 'the bone structure' that those Wyoming trees have! Nonetheless, we love our tree, and always joke our trees are "Charly Brown" trees, when they are actually absolutely beautiful!!! (even after our kids pull them down repeatedly!!!) I am obviously taking the picture, so I'm not in this fun one, and Taylor is asleep on the floor in the cab. Poor baby, had nasty pink-eye the whole weekend...Thankfully nobody else has contracted it...yet!
We hope and pray you all had a memorable Thanksgiving as well, and wish you all a happy holidy during this Christmas Season!!!

(I should have grabbed Taylor for this picture, our FIRST IDAHO CHRISTMAS TREE, but couldn't bring myself to wake my sleeping babe.)

Yay or Nay?

WOW! What a wonderful response! I liked all of your votes :) but do I have a suprize for you! In making my mom & dad's card, I decided to make some slight changes. So, scroll down if you'd like to see what I ended up doing...It's going to press Monday afternoon, so, tell me what you think!

Yay or Nay? The idea is to print three to a page of photo paper, cut and stuff into standard envelopes...speaking of which, I need addresses - if you'd like one!

Credits go to:

S. Colbert - Christmas Tree Stamp/word art - Altered to my liking :)

FeiFei's Stuff - Frame & Staples

DSP Suzanne Walker - Paper - Thinking Green Back Pack Kit

Wood Paper - I have no idea, and no clue to a place to start looking...sorry! I did change the color though, but can't remember the original color...oops!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious,
And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

Happy Thanks Giving, Everyone!!!

What do {YOU} think?

I can't decide and Ryan won't decide.


Option A


Option B


Option C


Option D

I'll spare you Options E, F, G, H, I, J and K. They're pretty much the same, only minor tweeks. I'll obviously add our name and the year, but over all, which would {YOU} pick for a Christmas Card?

Or would you just start over or forget the whole shebang?

Lookie-lookie!

So - Tanner has pink-eye, and I finally got someone willing to substitute for me in primary...with how hard that is, it's not worth leaving town - at all! Phew! I was NOT taking him or Taylor to church with that gunky goop!

While Taylor and Tanner napped, I did this:

Place Cards! There's only going to be twelve of us, and we'll probably drive Grandap bonkers, but we are going to rock down the house!

I am so stinking excited for Wednesday, to go to my parents house and see my family...we are going to have one royal blast!!!

Unfourtunately, we'll be coming home Saturday night, instead of staying till Monday, but I am not going to put myself through calling another 14 people to see if they'd sub. I'm just not! :) No biggie, since we'll be plenty busy decorating our tree, we can do that all Sunday evening and Monday!!! I can hardly wait!!!!! !!!!!!!!!, !!!!!!!. !

Oh, and we're going to get some nice $80 eye drops tomorrow...Pink-Eye-Be-Gone!!!

Results...

After having overreacted to my sitemeter crisis, I have some results. They are:

Each of you is documented. Thank you for your response. I am not going private. As of today, anyways. (Shucks, that sentence has only four words...I'm creating a trend of five-word sentences to sound official and robotic-like. I failed that one!)

After much diliberation, I realized that there are many possibilities as to why I was getting such random hits on our blog - the 'public' journal of our life. (I know, you're shocked..there's more to our life that what I post, but that's okay!)

I have decided to...

Not go public at this time. I will let you know if I should decide to limit who can comment, or better, VIEW our life in the future. But for now, I don't feel we are in any grave danger.

Be forewarned, I may change my mind by morning. I'll keep you all updated and posted!

Who are YOU and where did you come from?

Okay, this is kinda creeping me out. Please, Please, Please! If you look at our blog, leave a comment. Something as simple as, "Hi" will do. I have SO MANY random people that are being monitored, I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ALL ARE!!!

So, de-lurk today...but don't put it off any longer! I know where most of you are, including my brother in Cambodia, yet I keep getting random visits from Germany, Austria, Austrialia, Spain and Switzerland. Um, who are you? And to my friendly visitor from Canada, have you any snow up North yet?

Thank you in advance. If my numbers don't add up (or come close), I will consider, yet again, going private, yet again. This isn't a threat, it's a promise! I don't want to do that, but I can, and I will.

There. Said. Done. Please let me know who you are. :)

Catch Me!

Fishermen catch Fish.
Cops catch Robbers.
And Moms catch Poop.

Yes, moms catch poop - it's in the fine print, and a thankless job. But it's either that, or let it fall on a clean-and-laid-out rug, just pulled from the dryer moments before.

I think I've finally and formally and officially been introduced to motherhood. And I feel lucky. Yes, I do! (I'm being completely honest!)

Tanner came to me yesterday (after NO ACCIDENTS, but potty breaks every 20 minutes) and said, "Mommy, I poop! Help! I need a bwoo smiley face sicker." And as I look at my distressed two-year-old, he has indeed pooped - and after eating half a box of fruit loops, it was easy to catch. Solid. Solid. And, Solid. So sorry for the graphics. I'll keep it down from here on out.

So while he's dry-heaving and gaging next to the toilet, I'm dumping what's left in his underwear (the cutest little briefs with lizards all over them). I think I'll print myself up a little certificate. If you'd like one for being a hero-mom, let me know and I'll print one up for you, too! Seriously. You all think I'm joking! I'm not.

And just in case you were wondering, and you shouldn't, but if you should, I washed my hands thoroughly at least five times, and once with straight Clorox. I think I got it all. I'm sure I got it all.

Bring. It. On.

Thimble Blossoms

You've got to check out this fabulous site, anyone who as any appreciation for fabric, sewing, quilting, snuggling, wrapping up on a cold day or taking a Sunday afternoon nap...
This gal, Camille who owns Thimble Blossoms is doing a free give-away...so, if you're feeling LUCKY, enter, but if you'd like me to win, then don't! :) Just kidding...feel free to enter...and take a look at the gorgeous patterns and quilts she has! She has patterns and fabric lines everywhere! From Las Vegas, Nevada, to South Jordan, Utah, to probably Rigby, Idaho, and more! Apparently I need to take a weekend and go find me some fabric therapy!

If you are wanting a chance to win one of these beautiful quilts (or the fabric and pattern to make one) click on the Thimble Blossoms link to go to the post and enter. Directions are there. I, for one, am hoping to win so I don't HAVE to make the quilt...I simply don't have the time! (And they're beautiful!!! :) )

Anyhoo, enjoy!

We don't bite!!!

For the longest time, Tanner bit...everyone and everything. It was just a phase, and he did get over it, we thought...

Tanner bit a light bulb tonight on a strand of Christmas lights. Plugged in. Yup. I know. We're effective parents.

Here's how it all went down:

Tanner refused to nap today, so when I got home from work, Ryan took off to get dinner on his way to class. I thought, "Humm. We could play with a strand of lights...it might be kindof fun!" After all, Ryan left with Christmas music playing. Wonderful!

So we got out the NEW strand of lights (no worries Stevie, no shorts this year!) and taped them up in our front window. The boys loved it! I thought I'd spice it up and put in the blinkers, so they'd blink, and that was fun, too!

However, the REAL fun started when the top section tape gave way. Tanner's immediate words were, and I quote, "Oh, Hell!!" and a disgruntled little boy went over to the window and tried to put them back up. I have NO idea where he got that phrase. Not from his daddy, anyhow. Did I mention that we're effective parents?

So I chuckled to myself, started getting a bar of soap for his mouth, then got sidetracked getting the camera...they were playing so cute!!! Taylor giggled everytime the lights wiggled.

So I snapped a picture to blog:

And while editing it to post on our blog (it was really blury, still is, need help from Stevie!) I heard something like a little boy kicking the wall, a pop, and suddenly Tanner is across the room, SCREAMING!

What the!

Come to find out, he had black (GREEN) specks all over in his mouth, and teaching an almost-3-year-old how to swish while he's screaming bloody murder is not the easiest task.

And as I write this, he's spreading butt paste (Desatin) all over his bed sheets. Obviously he got over that fast!

Another no brainer in the Poulsen Household, "We Don't Bite!"

What a day. What a glorious day! I am SO grateful for my children...they are so wonderful to come home to, and I love them to pieces...even when I think I might 'bench' them for the duration of their life!

Aren't we blessed to have people to love, and people to love us. No Matter What!

I am off to rethink my vocabulary. Toodles!

I made it! I survived! I'm alive, and oh, so happy!

Hooray! One more down and ____ to go! Today our ward had our Primary Program...so following tradition, this afternoon, I will start looking for Christmas Music and whatnot for us to sing until January!

The children all did such a great job, and I am so proud of them! I was a little worried a few weeks ago, and my poor & frustrated attitude showed through, immensely. I have some shaping up to do myself, and always look forward to the next 'big thing'. I love my calling as the chorister, and really love the children. They teach me so much!

Because of our LARGE sunbeam class (10+) we had them sitting on the little chairs, on the floor, and when we sang, they'd stand on their chair to be seen. Tanner SO wanted to be a sunbeam today. However, in just six weeks, he will be!!! WOW! I can't believe my little boy will be in primary!

Atta Boy!

So - Ryan and I are pretty much finished with our Christmas Shopping, which could prove to be dangerous, since we've spent our Christmas budget, and still have a month of 'wandering' stores before Christmas...Anyhoo, I HAD to share this...

As I was folding my laundry this morning (an as of 10:00 pm, it's still not done...ADD?) Tanner came into our room to see what I was doing. Mind you, we had purchased "the boys'" Christmas present last night, and they were with us. We decided it didn't matter, since they're so small, but apparently, this 'present' has made an impact on Tanner...I caught him doing this...

It entertained him for a good 15 minutes, studying the diagram on the back of the box, oohing and aahing...

Just sneeking a peek, like his mommy and daddy did with their Christmas presents over 20 years ago! We only have so much room to store things in our apartment...I'm considering taking it all to Grandma's house...because this isn't going to work! And when I say All, it's really not that much, it only takes up a few diaper boxes in our closet, but Ryan and I are really bad about closing our closet doors - they're a pain to open, and close, so everything is "exposed"...gotta work on that! And as you can see, this box didn't even MAKE it to the closet. I caught Tanner dragging the box to the living room at least three times this morning... He.He.He!

My Little Sister

...is my HERO.

She is patient, kind, loving, forgiving, honest, everything virtuous, lovely and of good report, tolerant, talented, and ever so creative! (She is so much more, too...) I love her so much! Just to show you how awesome she is: While studying today, she needed a break, checked my blog, saw these pictures, and put them together...so now I don't have to! Thank You, Stephanie!!! You Rock! If I were rolling in dough, I'd get you photoshop so you could play with it...it's such a fun program!!! But, you're like me, you got creative, and did this in Word...You are SO awesome!

Randomness

Just uploading some pictures from my camera...thought I'd post a few...



Taylor is so stinkin' excited to be a pumpkin! Actually, I think this is the only time he smiled! The costume I made for Tanner, at this same age, two years ago! I absolutely love the hat!!! Our friends' little girl is in the background...she's a parrot...as was her sister...their parents were pirates.



This child is anything but slow. He needed no training for Halloween festivities. After every few cars, Ryan would dump his bucket into my brother's and sister's bags so he wouldn't eat it all!


For as long as I can remember, my brothers were always cowboys and us girls were always witches for Halloween (with the exception of the mouse costume Tanner is wearing, my mom made that for one of us when we were two or three.) Because Katelyn's State Volleyball Tournament fell on Halloween, my youngest brother, Clay, and sister, Deseret, came and spent the weekend with us. We had a blast! They could have cared less about the straw maze we went to (again) but really enjoyed playing on the wii. I'm such a cool big sister! :)



Feeling like a lame-o mom and housewife, I thought I could make it up to my family by making homemade bread and cinnamon rolls...I think we've eaten processed food more now than ever...our systems needed a break from all the MSG and Saturated fat, so...

They look good, alright, but when I cut into the bread, there was a huge air bubble in the bottom of one...and the cinnamon rolls ended up sweating on the bottom, so they were soggy. {sigh} Oh well, I tried!

If they're warmed up in the microwave with a slab of butter on top of all the frosting, they taste real yummy-like - and you wouldn't even know they're soggy because of all the goopy cream cheese frosting under that melted butter. Yumm-o! The MSG and Saturated fat in these yummy treats taste especially good! :) He.He. He!