No pictures today just two really cute stories that I don't want to forget. First off, it was dinner time and I decided to play a joke on Jude. I got his dinner all ready but then I hid it and got another plate full of just spinach. I set my yummy dinner down, then Derek's yummy dinner down. I gave Alice her dinner and then I set Jude's spinach only plate down and immediatley he starts crying. It was so funny and I wish I had a video camera. I might have to re-stage it. HA HA HA!

Next, Jude had been super curious about the stars. He always asks what they are and we simply stated "Stars." Well today we were on our way out for a late night errand and Jude sees the stars. He looks as his daddy and asks "Can I go have that star?" I lifted him up as high as I could and let him reach. Then he looked down at me and said "Can I go fly in plane and get that star." it was so cute!!!! CUTE CUTE!! Later on when we were getting out of the car he asked if he could reach again. So I lifted him up and let him reach for the star and he says "I want up that yummy star." What an adorable little boy. It was such a sweet moment. I wish I could pensieve it up into a little bottle and revisit it over and over.

Derek got a package in the mail that was full of packing peanuts. Derek very wisely saved them and I am so glad he did. I took the box and hid all sorts of things in teh packing peanuts. Toys, treats, thing like that. Then I set it in the middle of the floor and let the kids dig through the box. The loved it. And finding the treats was fun but the real treat was in spreading the peanuts all over the floor. Jude kept calling it snow and was having such a fun time filling and dumping the box over and over. They played happily in the mess for an hour till we made them clean up for dinner. But after dinner Jude requested "Snow" again and we wipped it out and spread it around for another hour of play.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I think this is my first new year post. We have never realy done much so I have never really had to post anything. This year we had a good time. We went out for fireworks as soon as the sun went down. Smoke bombs, sparklers, all sorts of fun. They loved dancing around the fireworks and holding the sparklers and running around in the smoke. It was fun for all. Then we went inside and got Tokyos countdown and did a confetti pull popper that Angie made(they were so cute and sooo fun) and did our new years countdown. Then we played in the confetti and drank martinellis till it was time to go. We had such a blast.

We had areally good Christmas this year. First off Rob and Jan came down after 6 long months of not seeing them. The kids were so excited and it was sooooo nice to have them down (We love you guys) Angie and Brian made us a huge CHristmas eve feast and we all at ourselves sick with delicousness. Then we crazily pact our kids and there kids all in the same house and had a Christmas sleepover. It actually ended up working out great. Jude and Alice in one room, Ollie and Dexter in another. ANd all the adults watching movies on the couch till one by one we conke out. We woke up on Christmas and the festivities began. The kids were more excited about ripping off the wrapping paper then they were about what was inside. It was a great Christmas morning.
In the afternoon we had another CHristmas at my moms house. More stuff to unwrap which the kids loved. Jude was so funny though. Anytime he would open up clothes he would just toss them over his shoulder to dive deeper into the bag looking for the good stuff. He had us in tears. Merry Christmas everyone!

We had the most festive Christmas eve! In the eraly morning we piled everyone into the car and headed North. We drove all the way up to Cedar city and pulled over into a field to play with the snow. The idea was to make snowmen but the snow was so powdery that it wasn't even going to sort of work. We ended up pilling up exsisting ice chunks and making ghetto icemen. I made a snow angel. And Jude and Alice were in love with their own foot prints. Derek and I had a snowball fight and we all got really cold. Then we headed to a mom and pop burger joint that had the most yummy food to warm up. It was my favorite thing I have done so far this holiday season and I think I will have to do it again before the winter season is over.

So a couple days before Christmas I went to go grab all something from the closet and while I ws rummaging all my wrapping paper fell behind the water heater and the wall. I let out the most anguished "NOOOOOO" because I was certain it was lost for good. It was such a hard to reach area. PLus paper next to a water heater! Fire hazard. I was in the kitchen brainstorming on how to get it out when I hear banging on the wall. I come to investigate and my husband has wiggld his way into the itty bitty space and saved my wrapping paper. But now I had lost my husband. Especially since he got in an accident and his wrist was useless to him. But lie the hard core tough guy that he is, he just one hand hoists himself up and out. I was so immpressed and grateful that I had both my husband and my wrapping paper back.

It's Santa!! I love him so much and this guy is the best Santa I have ever seen. He does a Q and A session and is just flawless. Both Derek and I got to ask questions and we learned about Santa's magical bag and how Santa and Mrs. Claus vacation in a a volcano in the south pole. Andrea was nice enough(and sneaky enough) to grab us tickets ahead of time. Everyone got to sit on his lap and did pretty well. Alice got a little nervous but other then a paniced face she was fine. I had been coaching Jude all Christmas for this moment. And while I couldn't get him to sit on Santa's lap he did let Santa talk to him and hold him close by. I had been telling Jude that when he sees Santa he can tell him what he wants for Christmas. So the second Santa address him he start yelling "TRAINS!!! I WANT TRAINS!!!" from about 5 feet away. It was so funny. Derek was lucky enough to be asked by Santa to carry his magic bag out to the car. It was so much fun! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!