Who broke their toy first?

December 27, 2012
I should have known that the dog was going to be the first kid to break their new Christmas toy.

Snowy walk

December 26, 2012
Blu doesn't care that we are the only ones crazy enough to be out on a walk in 8 inches of snow... with more coming down as we speak!

Merry Christmas

December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight.

White Christmas

December 24, 2012
It's going to be a white Christmas.

Zit! Me win!

December 23, 2012
In our household, white horses are known as "zits." And whenever you see a zit, you scream, "Zit!!! Me win!!!" (as Cole does) as loud as you can because he who gets the most zits wins.

It all started when I was a kid and my Grandpa Jewkes needed something to entertain me and my brother. He told us that whenever we saw a white horse, to say, "zit." I really have no idea if he actually played the zit game when he was a kid or just made it up to keep us quiet in the car. But it's something that I'll always remember about Grandpa. And it works pretty good for distracting two whiny, crying kids in the car.... until they both claim they saw the same zit at the same time. Or argue about how you can't say zit for every single horse no matter what color they are (apparently we need to work on colors with Cole). Or get in a debate with your husband about whether a zit was really a zit or a "golden" zit or a "dirty" zit.

Card sharks

December 22, 2012
This picture was taken exactly one month ago today. It's a heck of a lot cuter than the one I actually took for today's daily picture.

My little card sharks. Learning from the best, aka Grandpa (although I did beat him), how to play Pitch and Hell.

Love 'em.

I have completely lost my mind

December 21, 2012
I must have completely lost my mind.

I walked into Walmart at 11:00 at night... four days before Christmas.

I just couldn't bear the thought of having to enter the bowels of Hell in the daylight. With my children. And dealing with thousands of Walmart crazies (instead of dozens at night) who like me, had a few last minute gifts to buy.

Wrap party

December 20, 2012
Jeff and I have a deal.

If he takes the kids to Logan one night before Christmas, then I stay home and wrap. Every single present. Even my own.

It works out great. I get an entire evening to myself to rock out to Celine Deon's Christmas CD, with twinkling Christmas tree lights in the background. The kids get a fun night out with their Dad. And Jeff doesn't have to wrap a single present.

The REAL Santa Claus

December 20, 2012
The REAL Santa Claus came to the kids' school today.

Seriously. He's the real deal.

He lives in Alaska and comes to Utah for the holidays.

He lives on a reindeer ranch. A reindeer ranch!

His beard is real.

And his Santa outfit just looks authentic.

I'm telling ya. The man is the Jolly 'ole Elf himself.

Holiday craft

December 19, 2012
Today was my annual staff retreat/Christmas party. As per tradition, there was a holiday craft involved. And a lot of giggles. And food. A ton of food. The party planning committee has outdone themselves once again.

This year's craft was a paper tree. I will admit, every year I am a bit hesitant to craft. I sort of sit back and watch the gun-ho ones get started to see just what I'm getting myself into. I'm not a real crafty type. But I can handle a glue gun and Christmas paper. Especially since I didn't have to do any cutting... the Cricut machine did that for us.

I'm pretty impressed with my little paper tree. Now will someone please convince my husband that I really did make this myself?!

Wanna treat?

December 18, 2012
When Jeff called me on the way home from the store and asked if I wanted a treat, I said, "Duh."

Seriously. Who turns down a frozen custard?

Bribery

December 17, 2012
I'm not a very good mom.

Oh sure, I feed my kids. Clean their clothes. Comb their hair, brush their teeth, and provide for them.

But most days, I am impatient and yell. A lot.

I just can't believe that it takes 15 times of asking before they act like they can hear me. And that's before I start yelling. It's obvious that I have no clue what I'm doing as a parent. No clue.

But I have two ups on my kids. One. I know they are well behaved when they aren't at home. Especially Pearl. And two. My kids will do just about anything - anything - for a doughnut. So when I broke the news that we had to go to the store after work, and that there would be absolutely no whining, crying, or running off, I knew the tried and true parenting method called bribery had to be enacted.

Thank heavens for Krispy Kreme!

BFFs

December 16, 2012
I've said it before, but Cole loves Blu.

Whether she knows it or not, they are BFFs.

But sometimes, I don't think Blu minds the poking and pulling and tackling. Like today, when I overheard Cole tell his "Sweetie" that they were going to build a fort.

Best friends forever.

We froze our "A"s off

December 15, 2012
We came. We saw. We won.

And we froze our "A"s off.

Epic road trip to Boise to watch our beloved Aggies win the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. But the best part? Next year we move to the Mountain West Conference which means our bowl games are somewhere warm!

Across the pond

December 14, 2012
We mailed the last of the Christmas cards today. Across the pond to England (to Jeff's sister and her family). Hopefully it gets there before Valentine's day!

Christmas time memories

December 13, 2012
These are the result of my late night hard work yesterday. 

Growing up, one of our best family friends (and also the family my mom and I babysat/nanny for years) always brought us a batch of mint brownies at Christmas time. It was the only time she made them and I so looked forward to the knock on the door and seeing Irene Hola standing there with an entire plate of tiny mint brownie squares. Oh how I loved them! But she would never give our her recipe. Trade secret I guess.

When I looked through my first Our Best Bites cookbook, I saw the same mint brownies that Irene would bring us every year. I have been patiently waiting for Christmas time and an an excuse to make them ever since.

Well, with it being Christmas time now I just needed an excuse to carve out a couple of hours of precious sleep to make them. I got invited to a Girls Night Out cookie exchange and knew the day had finally come to make Irene's mint brownies.

And now I also know why she only made them once a year. They are addicting!!!

Peppermint frosting

December 12, 2012
This week has been crazy! I started back to work full time this week and we've had something to do or somewhere to go every single night. And it's only Wednesday!

So tonight when I started making a batch of mint brownies for Girls Night Out tomorrow, at 10:00 p.m. - I really needed a pick-me-up to help me get through the final baking process. Welcome peppermint extract. How have I lived without you all these years? I almost ate the entire batch of peppermint frosting waiting for the brownies to cool!

Thank you Our Best Bites. Once again, you've come through!

Don't touch Buddy!

December 11, 2012
If you look closely, you'll see that Buddy the Elf is hanging precariously on the picture frame.

Awaiting sudden doom.

And if you listen closely, you'll hear Pearl screaming, "Don't touch Buddy, Dad! Don't touch Buddy!"

Good thing Jeff is inventive and found the tongs to save Buddy. Otherwise Santa may not get word on whether we've been naughty or nice.

Stamped and ready to go

December 10, 2012
I finally got around to actually mailing those Christmas cards I frantically made and ordered at the last second when I suddenly realized Christmas was actually coming in a few weeks and I hadn't gotten any cards in the mail myself. Apparently you have to give to receive!

Unfortunately, my new ink cartridge ran out of green ink and some of you won't be getting my clever letter with your card.

Baby it's cold outside

December 9, 2012
Mother Nature played a cruel trick on us.

She decided it was time for the real Utah winter temperatures.

Brrrrrr.....

My dog is lucky I like her (alright, so it's really that I get sick of her high energy at night) and that I found this hat in the coat closet. A hat with ear flaps. Because it's cold outside. Especially when you go on a walk at 9 p.m. in the pitch black with ice on the ground and freezing temperatures.

Fernelius

December 8, 2012
I did a double take when I walked by this mailbox.

Then I chuckled to myself.

It's kind of an inside joke.

When Cole was born, Jeff and Pearl started calling him "Fern" or "Fernelius." Random story about Jeff wanting to name him Lavernius Coles who is apparently some NFL player I should know but I ex-nayed that quickly. Pearl couldn't say Lavernius so she shortened it to Fernious or Fern or Fernelius, depending on everyone's mood.

I came home and showed Cole the mailbox and told him it must be his house because it had his name on it. He looked up at me with this confused look on his face, laughed (because the rest of us were), and then said, "No, Mom!"

I thought it was funny.

The guest list

December 7, 2012
I finally made it.

The guest list for the McMinn Christmas party.

Yeah!!!

It only took four years and there was no way I was missing it!

I love my friend Katie, from work, and I've heard all about her parties. Knowing how fun she is and how much of a perfectionist she can be, I knew everything would be delightful. And it didn't disappoint. Katie even made Jeff and I an entire batch of non-alcoholic ginger/apple cider goodness so we didn't have to just drink water. We had dinner, chatted, had dessert, chatted some more, and left with full tummies, smiles, and a little goodbye gift from Katie and Thomas.

And a renewed desire to paint my bedroom the gray I was hoping to find... the gray color Katie painted her bathroom. I forgot to mention Katie is an uber-talented designer, singer, song writer, and seamstress. Thank you McMinn's!

Treat day at the office

December 6, 2012
I am the best wife ever.

Tomorrow is treat day at Jeff's office and rather than make the peppermint brownies I thought we had decided to make, I switched gears when Jeff gave me this sad puppy dog look and said he wanted those peanut butter/homemade Reese's bar things I've made before. Similar to the ones here.

I forgot how horribly unhealthy these delicious treats were. Until I smashed up an entire bag of Oreo's (ok, so I snuck two or three of them for myself), melted over a cup of butter, crushed some graham crackers, dumped a pound of powdered sugar, then slathered everything in peanut butter.

But man are they good.

Nerd

December 5, 2012
Pearl has graduated to chapter books at school. It's quite the big deal. And with chapter books, comes boo reports. Rather than a set reading time each night, we work our way through a chapter book and then when she finishes, she has to do a one-page book report. She has to write down the hardest words in the books and draw a picture of her favorite part of the story. Stuff like that.

What a nerd. 

 She gets that from me. Studious, smart, and a tad irrational at times. 

Shoes

December 4, 2012
I've said it before and I'll say it again.

My children have inherited their father's shoe obesession gene.

Not only does Jeff and my kids have it, but my mother-in-law and sister-in-law too. It's quite frightening.

We went to the shoe store so I could try on some running shoes. Jeff wanted to buy me some for Christmas but needed to know what size I wear. Well, by the end of the night, we left with two screaming children pleading and promising to clean their rooms forever if we'd just buy them these shoes. Cole said they'd make him "run fast" and Pearl? Well, she said they were, "wait for it.... legendary."

Heaven help me.

White Bear

December 3, 2012
Meet the infamous "White Bear."

When I worked at Dillard's, the company gave all their employees a bear for Christmas. Trying to make up for the crappy work environment that started from the top of the corporate chain... but that's another story. When I brought home White Bear, I had no idea what I had just done.

You see, my then boyfriend later to be husband and my BFF/roommate each wanted MY White Bear. I have to add, that White Bear is really soft. Like really, really soft. The kind of soft that's almost slick and cool to the touch. Both of them have trauma from childhood because they didn't have a comfort item like me, and always wanted soft things to touch or hold. What kid doesn't have a comfort item like a blankie?

Anyway. A fight broke out. With me and my White Bear in the middle.

There was clawing and hair pulling and screaming and teasing and chasing and wrestling. I thought those two were going to rip my White Bear in half! They will admit to nothing, but I know I have photographic evidence of the fighting and pouting somewhere.

I had to beg, borrow, and plead with the dock boys and HR lady (aka, my Mom) for two more white bears. When I brought them home, we had a picture of the three of us with our white bears taken.

And then I wrote each of our names on their paws. I'm no dummy.

The only problem now is that between us, we have five kids who each want their own white bear too.

Need to step up my game

December 2, 2012
The last three weeks, we've had the girls in our Young Women's group teach the lesson on Sunday. Each class has taken a turn teaching and boy are they making us leaders look bad! Table cloths, decorations, pictures and quotes on the boards, object lessons, and cute handouts to take home. Like this quote from Brave and a reminder to "have the courage to try."

I'm need to step up my game.

Beignets

December 1, 2012
Jeff has been patiently waiting for me to make him beignets ever since I got my new Our Best Bites cookbook.

He is a patient man.

But after a few more subtle hints that warm, powdered sugary beignets would make him really, really happy, I finally gave it.

We put the kids to bed and had a beignet date.

Oh, was it worth the wait! Now I've just got to convince him to take me on a date to the real Cafe Du Monde's in New Orleans to see how beignets - or French doughnuts - are really done!

Dear Santa

November 30, 2012
Dear Santa,

If I'm really, really, really good, will you please, please, pretty, pretty please bring me these Lincoln Logs for Christmas?

I promise I'll share with the kids.

Dinner guests

November 29, 2012
My little brother, Kurtis, and his squeeze (I don't get if they are boy/girlfriend again or what) Jenessa, came down for dinner yesterday.

Of course they did have ulterior motives for the visit. We were tasked with getting them safely to and from a concert Downtown of some band I've never heard of. Yellow card? Yellow fin? Yellow something?

Well, since I scrambled to get groceries at 11 p.m. the night before, stayed up late, worked all day, took the kids to the dentist, and had to rush home and make a fruit pizza for Young Women in Excellence and get there early to set up AND make dinner for my family and guests, it was kind of a fend for yourself menu. Make-your-own-pita-pizzas to be exact. Impressive I know. But I did make a salad and popped in some frozen garlic bread in the oven.

It was more of a wish-I-could-make-a-gourmet-meal-to-impress-my-brother-and-Jenessa, but let's keep it real around here kind of evening. The kitchen was a disaster, both sides of the sink filled with mixing bowls, half cut fruit, spoons, baking sheet pans, mixers, and two melted Ziplock bags with white chocolate in them from my fruit pizza finishing touches disaster.

Needless to say, my guests left happy and full. And they got to their concert safely and on time.

I'd say my "dinner party" was a success!

No cavity club

November 28, 2012
For three years I dreaded, dreaded, taking Pearl to the dentist.

Until Cole came along and she had to be the big sister. And we found a pediatric dentist with stars on the ceiling, stuffed animals on the counters, trees painted on the walls, a hideout toy room, and video games in the waiting room.

Now the kids can't wait for their checkups. And so far, we've lucked out with no cavities each time!

In-n-out

November 27, 2012
This is what happens for dinner when you haven't gone to the grocery store in almost a month. Sadly for my cooking, no one seemed to care.

Santa key

November 26, 2012
I can't believe we haven't thought of this before.

We don't have a chimney in our house and Santa is supposed to come down the chimney. How he has managed to sneak in the house all these years, I will never know.

But thanks to our wonderful neighbors, Santa doesn't have to worry about breaking in anymore. We have a magic Santa key.