Holiday Fun 2010---

i don't do very well with things like this. call me "bah humbug" but it's because of the mess and the complitcated "putting it all together" job that it takes. so who better to put this evening together, but my wonderful sister jenny...er bro-in-law aaron.


if asked to tell of one of the many "greats" that came out of this years christmas festivities, this moment would be one of the top 10. any and every moment that i can take to "shove" down my kids throats the importance of giving, of service, and of going or living without, i do. and especially ever since my trip to peru, i make sure that my kids know how serious about it that i am.
this year i gave the kids a challenge. for them to think of one of their most prized possessions and then to donate it. kindra came to me in private and told me that she was ready to make this donation. with tears in her eyes, full on tears, she gave away one of her "big" horses.
is it horrible to say that those tears just made my day, made my year? because they did and they made me the proudest parent of all time. my heart skipped a beat and i was so full of love!
so of course she made sure that i took a picture so that she would never forget. and you know, it's more so that i'll never forget. to never forget that my "shoving" is worth it :)
...and yes i know. it's not the prettiest or the most glamorous horse, but it definatly is the MOST LOVED horse. i'm praying that whoever it is with, knows of just how important this sacrifice was. i now LOVE this horse :)
yep. our first official "snow-horse" of the year complete with a for real "saddle"...lol

one of carter's many talents is his imagination. it doesn't matter what it looks like to the "boring" human eye, he can make whatever it is into whatever he wants. today it was a pair of skis. hehehe
kindra's "fort"...
every year on christmas eve we go up to see the lights at temple square. this year, we changed up the routine and stayed home for our own little nativity scene. let's be honest, it was so freakin cold and i was soooo not feeling it. (though i think that we were the only family in utah that did not go up and see the lights and yes. i kind of reget it. next year FOR SURE!)




i know. i know. it's time for a new "hair do" for kin. the pony tail is just not cutting it anymore...
we were a little slow this year with the wrapping jobs that were needed, so this is at approximately 4am. yeah. no joke. no lie.


christmas morning....









can you say EXHAUSTED?!? yeah. remember? 4am'ish...



then up to my parents house and yes. still exhausted going on 4 hrs of sleep. lol




after the mayhem and don't you worry. i'm still cleaning up after it. grrrrrr......
carter asked for one thing from santa. a "wii" and though i'm not a "computer like" kind of mom, it's been pretty fun playing with it. it can get pretty animated...

...and bonding...
...and aerobic. lol. hehehehe



that's my serious little competitor coming out :)
i had to put this up because it showed her bragging a bit about her pageant...and it's pretty funny too. ps. best christmas EVER in the past 10 yrs. hands down. :)