Christmas Day!

The infamous picture on the steps

The boys are into anything that is Pokeman

WHAT WAS SANTA THINKING WITH THIS?!

Christmas Morning we get a wake up call from Nancy and head over for presents. We like to spend Christmas with the whole family. When we get there we all sit on the steps and wait for grandpa to give us the go ahead to run into the family room to see what Santa brought. We usually let the kids tear through their gifts first. Then Harry makes us breakfast. After that the adults open there gifts one at a time so we can see what everyone gets. My family usually stays in PJ's all day(hey it's Christmas, right). Then the adults take turns going to the movies. What a perfect way to celebrate the holidays. We thinks so anyways.

Christmas Eve

Surprise! Sam drove down to be with the family for Christmas!

* remember eating at the kids table?*

The grandkids with their presents form Grammy and Papa

Christmas Pajamas!

Every Christmas eve we go over to my in-laws. We have a lot of fun Christmas traditions that we do. Like..........

1. We always have a nice candle light dinner on the fine china. Nancy always makes chicken pillows.

2. The kids get to open a present. Which is usually their Pjs. 

3. We all bundle up and go Christmas caroling. This year we went to six houses. four were not home, one we got SHHHHED! Apparently she told her daughter Christmas wasn't until Saturday. Then finally one was home for one awkward rendition of Rudolph.

4. We come home have some Hot Chocolate and a Sees candy

5. Then the kids go to bed. And Santa begins.

I love Christmas eve. I swear I can never sleep, I just get too excited.

Have yourself a very merry christmas!

Christmas is upon us. I did send out Christmas cards this year but unfortunately I couldn't send it to everyone. So if you didn't receive one, sorry, I still love you though. Consider this one big Christmas card for you only. I really do hope you have a great Christmas and a happy new year. Give a big hug to all your families for me.

                                                                   joy to the world

HO HO HO!

Happy Holidays!!!

Merry Christmas!!

Pictures courtesy of Vanessa Lamb

She's awesome, huh?

Happy Birthday Jennie!!

It's my sister Jennies birthday!! She is my sister who is closest in age to me(4 years). I shared a room with her until I was 12. And even when we had separate rooms I would still climb in her bed(c'mon she had a water bed!)

*She was the coolest dresser growing up. I thought she looked like Molly Ringwald. I would always sneak and wear her clothes. I think it really made her mad. But I was really well dressed in Jr. high thanks to her.

*Jennie is my"call-if-I-need-a-good-idea-person". Whether it's a talk in church, craft, school project you name it. The girl has a ton of ideas. I call her the crafty sister.

*She was the first girl in our family to graduate from college.(Unless you count  my beauty school,HA-HA) She is a 5th grade teacher. And mind you she did this with 4 kids, lupus and a husband as a bishop. She is definitely an inspiration.

 * In fact she was the one who inspired me to start running. So thanks to her I have run a 5k and 10k.

* Jennies Birthday was always the forgotten birthday. December 21st, that's a hard one to celebrate. She always got the bum deal like combined Christmas and birthday gift or the old "quick grab one of the presents from under the tree" gift. Sorry Jennie. Hopefully you birthdays have gotten better.

* I love going to visit Jennie in Vegas. The first night I get there we stay up until 3 am talking and laughing. She has great kids, who are so helpful. My boys get along with them so well. They love their cousins Jacob and Gracie.I wish so bad that she lived here though. I almost got her down here, but things didn't turn out. I still pray for it daily. It's kinda a bummer not having my sisters living by me. But we do make the effort to see each other often.

 My favorite memory of Jennie was  the night she was getting ready for prom. She was so excited because my Mom gave her what was supposed to be one of our Great Grandmas necklaces. She was so proud of it, She said, can you believe mom gave this to me?! I couldn't take it anymore, I had to confess..... I actually stole the necklace when I was 5 from my friend next door. When I told her we both laughed so hard we started crying. Of course the one thing that gets passed down to her was stolen goods.  I was always ruining her life. Do you still have that necklace Jen? Cuz I should really give it back to Jill Hill. 

Well Meljean Virginia you are my Favorite sister don't tell the other ones. :) Have a really Happy Birthday!!!

                                                     That's Jennie and me on the end. I am the one who looks like a boy.

Ollism15

Ollie is officially in a booster seat. I had no choice in the matter. Apparently Scott and him struck up some kind of deal that I wasn't aware of. Because I got into my car and his car seat had been replaced by a booster. He is pretty proud of it. But I don't like it cuz he undoes his seat belt constantly to get things. It bugs. On the way to church this Sunday I heard him unclick his seat belt U-gain........

Me- Ollie put your seat belt back on!!....Now!...Ollie if we get in an accident your going to go flying threw the windshield and die!(dramatic I know, but I was trying to make a point)

Ollie- Uhh Mom, If we get into an accident I'll just grab on to my seat belt and swing around like Indiana Jones.

Wax on Wax off

For the past couple of months the boys have been learning the art of KA-RA-TE!!! They quickly decided that It was the sport for them when they realized they could hit each other and not get into trouble. Last Friday they had a ceremony where they got their yellow belts. They were really excited about this and took it very seriously. We were really happy that Grandma and Harrison came because we didn't realize that we were to take part in the ceremony. So we all tag teamed it. First Scott took Harper while I worked the video camera. Then I took Harper(He was teething) while Scott and Harrison learned Karate moves from the boys. This was my favorite part. Ollie took it so seriously. I kinda got choked up. Then We gave Harper to Nancy so we could present the boys with their yellow belts. Was the evening hectic?...yes. But this is what we parents do. We take screaming babies to long ceremonies, all for the sake of the kids. 
This is us presenting the boys with their yellow belts. Pictures courtesy of Harrison. (Thanks dude)

The Aquabat Show

Friday Night We took the boys to see DJ Lance open up for the Aquabats. It was a YGG reunion. Everyone was there and my awesome father in law catered an amazing spread of food. We're talking chocolate fountain, shrimp, fresh fruit( the good kind like berries and stuff)And plenty of coke 0(thanks Harry). Max and Ollie Danced like crazy when Lance went on. It was really cute to see all the little kids that came to see him. One little girl drew him a picture with her # on it. It was so cute. I kinda want him to call her. Anyways Max kept telling me all night how Christian said he would throw him off the stage to"surf the crowd". I said Nah, that doesn't sound like a good idea. Of course Scott was fine with it.  During the song Pool Party Max went on stage and threw off pool toys and was dancing and loving it.

 Then Christian brought him up and asked him(in the mic)

 What was his name(Maxon Schultz) 

How old are you son? (7)

Anyways to get to the point he asked if he ever staged dive(UHhh)And max started to run to dive and Christian picked him up and chucked him into the sea of aquabat fans!!

 My knees gave out on me and my heart started racing. I just imagined 

Max falling to the floor. But he didn't. He made it back safely, ran into my arms and yelled(with his lisp)THAT WAS  SO AWESOME!!!!! THAT WAS THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING I HAVE DONE!!! I wish I could do it again, then stop and rewind and then do it again!!! By this point my heart rate was normal and I was so happy that Max was that happy. So thanks Christian for giving Max the night of his life.
                         Ollie after a couple rounds of the chocolate fountain. He was in heaven.

Max dancing during Pool party.

                                                                  Max answering the questions.

I believe this was after the crowd reeled him back in .

Thanks Jenn for taking pictures. I was in no state of mind to do so.

 And yes Scott is rockin a Stache

The (un)Happiest place on earth

Well it is when you go with my 3 kids. Sarah invited me to go to Disneyland today. I thought it would be so much fun to go see the snow(soap suds) and fireworks. So we loaded up 5 kids in the car and Harper immediately starts screaming as soon as we leave. That should have been my clue that this was not going to be fun or easy. As soon as our feet hit the pavement of downtown D-Land it starts. The "I want that, can I get this, pllleeease buy me popcorn, what no roller coasters?! I wish We didn't come here!" Then on top of that add some Harper screams. Harper would not go in his stroller so i had to hold him. We ended up going on 1 ride(buzz lightyear) which always spits you out in the toy department. And every time Ollie gets upset cuz he wants me to buy him a $50 toy, which I always say no. Then he throws a fit and the party is now over. The one bright side was as we were leaving the Castle lit up and it started to snow. The boys jumped around trying to eat the soap suds.  So we got a good 5 minutes of fun. I don't think I will being going back unless I have a Scott or a Beth to help. Please feel free to tell me your Disneyland nightmares.

                                                       I took a picture so I can remember the crappiness

Happy Birthday Beth!

Last Friday was Beth's Birthday. I am a little late with this but that's because I spent all day shopping with her instead.(totally worth it) Ok here is the Beth lowdown.....

** It was really hard to find any pictures of Beth. And I realized that's because she's been taking them. The only pictures I have of me as a youth was thanks to her.

** growing up i thought Beth was so pretty. I thought she looked like Belinda Carlyle from the Go- Gos.

** Beth is not afraid of anything(except heights). She once fought with a guy who was trying to rob her. She has quit 2 of my jobs over the phone for me.(we sound the same on the phone) I know my other sisters have used her services. She also will take things back and complain about horrible service for you too.

** She is the most unselfish person I know. I have seen her give people cars, $$$$, the shirt off her back(literally), free wedding photos, cameras and too many other things to name. Anyone that knows her has has been given something from her. 

** There is a joke in my family that all my sisters try to claim being the" Favorite Aunt". Well she totally deserves this title. She just gave one nephew a new guitar, one a gameboy, clothes and her time. She will take all the niece's to Disneyland. And of course you all know about how she takes my boys every Wednesday and does all sorts of fun things. Now my boys are in love with her and she is #1 on their list.

**She is the organizer in our family. She plans pretty much everything. I don't think we'd get much done without her.

** (Mom and Dad this is a slight confession but just know I was a very good girl) Beth was such a cool sister growing up! She would take me and my friends toilet papering and she once let me spend the night at her house so I could go to a concert. Charles locked up the house and i was to nervous to ring the doorbell so I slept in my car.

** She has given me 3 out of my 5 jobs in my life. Cleaning model homes, photographers assistant and Nanny.

**Beth is The BEST Mom. I always tell her girls, You don't know how lucky you are!

** She really is my second Mom. I can always count on her for anything. She will shop for me at Costco, cook Sunday dinners, pick up my boys from school and clean up my house. I guess i should tell myself how lucky I am!

 Ok for those of you who know my lovely sister Beth please leave a fun memory on my comments!

I knew I loved the Brits!

YGG won a BAFTA award. Whats that you ask? It Stands for British Academy for Film and Television. We won best international kids show(not just preschool). I always knew British people were a little bit cooler. I just we wish we could have gone. Anyways congrats to you my lovely husband,  you deserve that and more. Click here for more info.