Christmas in Arizona

I was excited to get back to Arizona for a Christmas party with my family on the eve of the Eve (Dec 23rd). Of course my mom and sisters made yummy treats and we played this 'Getting to Know You' game - which is the best name I can come up with since we already know each other, so it's more of a game of who-knows-each-other-the-best - and the best part is that you get money for right answers! The subject: Shelsi - the oldest child in our family. I was happy to win $3, but now I wonder if that's worth bragging about...there were lots of questions and I only knew $3 worth of info on my big sister?

my lovely mom directing the game

Some of my game earnings

Tom, Julie, & Sundae

Before the game and present opening - and while the kids were still cooperative - we did our best version of the Nativity story starring:

Jalyn: Mary
Briggs: Joseph
Grant: Angel #1
Gage: Angel #2
Gavin: Shepherd
and a special appearence by one of our old Cabbage Patch dolls as Baby Jesus.



A post or two back I alluded to a present I made for my mom this year, but couldn't yet show because she hadn't recieved it. I'd like to say 'not to brag or anything', but I'm going to brag anyway. I made this Picture Rag Quilt all by myself! It was my first time making any sort of blanket or quilt and I must say it turned out quite good. I found this great printable fabric that you run right through your printer, then sew and wash like regular fabric. I bought way too much of the fabric so I intend to make another for myself with pictures of our little family.

Mom definately loved it - and even if she didn't, I would have taken it right back and used it myself, so it was a win-win situation

brother Sam and sister Sundae after present opening-festivities

Christmas Eve

Spent this day with Landon's family with one of the goals being getting me a Blizzard at Dairy Queen and taking Grant to see Santa at the local mall. Grant visiting Santa is just something that you have see with your own eyes to appreciate. So we stood in the huge line for a bit then inquired about the prices and policies for visiting this particular mall Santa.

Uh, mall-Santa must be feeling a financial pinch lately because he seems to have needed to raise his prices from past years! You couldn't take any pictures of your own and the cheapest package was $20 (in past years you could take 1 picture with your own camera and prices started around $10). Combine our cheap-ness, the line being a bit too long, and with having already sat with Santa 3 times already and the result is pictures with the beautiful background instead.

Grant is getting quite good at walking around like this-we traveled through the mall very slowly, but it was good practice

Christmas Morning

Without an eager, excited, older kid to come get us at 4:30 in the morning, we didn't open presents until late in the morning. Among our presents: jewelry box for the wall, camera bag, little Nikon camera, HP photo printer (me); grilling stuff, How I Met Your Mother - Season 3, partially completed mission scrapbook (Landon); Fisher Price Computer Learning system, FP Animal Zoo Train (Grant). This is not an inclusive list, so suffice it to say, Santa and our families were good to us this year, as they are every year.

If you can take your eyes off that ravishingly plain and un-made-up blonde in the above picture, notice the box she is holding. I told Landon that the #1 thing I wanted was a nice camera bag for my new fancy camera and I recieved not only that, but a new point-and-shoot as well! My other P & S was just getting old and beat up, so I was surprised to not only get my first request, but my second as well. Landon got a good deal on it and it's nice to have a less expensive camera as the smaller companion to my big Nikon. So this picture is a Nikon taken by a Nikon. I think 2008 shall be forever known as the Year of the Cameras.



We had a Merry Christmas - hope everyone did as well!