Can I Just Say...

That I will be SOOOO glad to see 2008 come to an end!

Christmas Day

We stayed at home on Christmas morning. I made my traditional Christmas Casserole and some sweet rolls for John. Marshall was so fun to watch this year! About a week ago he asked me if I would put up the safety gate halfway down the hall so he couldn't sneak out without us knowing and open all his presents without us. He actually remember me doing that from last year! He reminded me again on Christmas Eve. He was so excited to see what he got. He told Santa 4 things: a Darth Vader Ship, a laptop computer, Kung Fu Panda, and Curious George movies. Santa did good!

He also wanted a PINK car from the catalog I made him of on-line stuff. When your boy wants pink, you get him pink.

The "laptop" computer, very educational.

Kung Fu Panda and Curious George...Way to go, Santa!

Even the Toy Snob has to bend her plastic/character toy rules once in awhile to make her kids happy! I am actually coming around to all these action figures. Just stay away Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles, and Pokemon!

Coen joined us after sleeping in 'til about 9! He has his days and nights all mixed up again.

So cute! This was Marshall's stocking his first year.

Coen got a few Haba rattles/teethers.

And this cute little wrist/ankle rattle.

It was so funny. Marshall got to open Coen's presents for him and just kept piling them on top of him.

Later that night we went to my mom's for Christmas dinner. Marshall also really really wanted a Storm Trooper helmet and would NOT stop talking about it all month! I had it in my cart at Target but just couldn't bring myself to get it. First, I'd already spent his alotment of our Christmas budget. Second, I thought he probably wouldn't use it all that much. Third, the thing is huge, heavy, and cumbersome and I didn't think it would be comfortable to wear. Fourth, the age is 5 and up somy mom told him he couldn't have it anyway. This made Marshall come up with a theory that it was magical and Santa would make it work for 4 year olds. So, after puting it back on the shelf and glad to do so after my mom talked me out of getting it she goes to get it the next day! She just couldn't see her grandson disappointed on Christmas (heaven forbid)!

And, I have a funny little story. After opening all his presents Christmas morning we were at the table eating breakfast and Marshall said, "but I didn't get the Magical Storm Trooper Helmet!" I said, "We're not the only ones who got you presents." Without missing a beat he responded, "Can we go to Grammy's house now?" He's a sharp one and doesn't miss a THING!

He thought these were pretty cool too - decorate your own Monster Truck. How WT is my child?

My mom and Coen

Grammy and her boys!

Christmas Jammies!

The boys looked liked little elfs in their Christmas pajamas.

Christmas Eve at the Bradley's

Every Christmas Eve we go to John's parents for a tamale dinner. Afterwards his dad reads the Nativity Story while we dress up and act the parts. Then we sing Christmas songs while Kate and James play the guitar. Kate and Coen

Kirsten plays Mary, "great with child"

Coen, the youngest, plays the part of baby Jesus

Josh and Sarah are such a cute couple!

Marshall played Joseph

The cutest puppy ever!

Grandma sings and plays

Grandpa reads from the scriptures

Paul and Grandma

Making Cookies for Santa

This year I finally made the time to make cookies for Santa. Each year I've always meant to get around to it and just have never made the time. So I made myself do it. It helped to do it with friends and made it so much more fun. I doubled the sugar cookie recipe and she brought the frosting. We let the boys roll out the dough a couple times and then we took over. We made about 6 dozen cookies that day! They turned out so yummy and Santa had no problem eating the ones we left out for him on Christmas Eve. It was so funny, I poured a glass of milk to leave out for him and Marshall said, "No mom! It will get too warm for him!" So I told Marshall "Santa is watching, so he'll see me put it in the fridge and he'll know it's there for him when he comes." I thought it was so thoughtful of Marshall to think of Santa's milk being the right temperature.

Celebrating Advent

This year some friends of ours invited us to celebrate Advent with them. Each Sunday we read different scriptures leading up to Christ's birth. Afterwards we would sing Christmas songs and snack on yummy treats. Marshall got to help light the candles on the Advent Wreaths. He got to light the second tallest candles since he was the second oldest child. Hopefully this will be a new tradition to our family to keep the meaning of Christmas in our minds throughout the season.

Ward Christmas Party - December 6th

The party was nice. We were served a nice ham and potato dinner and afterwards the children acted out the Nativity in full costume while a member of the bishopric read the story from the scriptures. Marshall and his Sunbeam friends were little sheep. They looked so cute! After that they lined up to see Santa. Our ward had them bring a gift for a child their age as a Sub-for-Santa instead of getting a gift themselves.

The ward primary. Marshall is hidden behind the tree to the right, you can see the sole of his shoe sticking out.

There he is!

My little lamb.

Telling Santa he wants a "bad T-Rex." Luckily there is still time before Christmas for him to forget what he said and for us to convince him otherwise since Santa definitely didn't get a "bad T-Rex."

Bah Humbug!

1. I can't get into my email account at hotmail. Everytime I log in my internet browser freezes and I have to re-open it! It does that on John's computer when I try to check it on there, too. Is anyone else having problems with theirs? So if you've tried to email me and I haven't responded, that's why.

2. I had yet another doctor's appointment on Monday. He has been cauterizing my incision every week because it is still not healed. There is just this one inch that the skin will not come together. So next Wednesday I have to have surgery to take care of it. He thinks the reason cauterizing isn't working is there is something under the surface preventing it from healing all the way. So he'll cut out the skin around it and stitch or staple it back together. Yuck.

3. The other extremely great news (I'm being sarcastic here) is that our car broke down today. Merry Christmas to us (again with the sarcastic tone). We were taking the boys to see Santa at the mall and were just turning into the parking lot when we heard a "thunk" sound. I asked John what it was and then noticed him pulling over to the side of the curb, just barely in the parking lot. The check engine, battery, and oil light all came on. We rolled to a stop and tried starting it again but it wouldn't turn over. It was almost 5:00 so I hurried to call our mechanic before they left for the night. Luckily they are in tomorrow so we had it towed.

Then...Santa decided to go to dinner for an hour!!! I guess the guy has to eat but he kept a huge line full of kids waiting. He left at 5:15 right as we got in line, took an hour long break, and the "elves" told us that it was another hour from the point at which we were in the line. Our boys were great (as they always are) and the girl in front of us was nice and talkative. By the time Santa got back from dinner (and reading Warcraft, I saw the book by his chair) Coen was ready to eat so the breast-feeding-friendly store, Motherhood, let me feed him in the dressing room. Just as he was finishing up, John sent me a text to tell me we were up soon, it was perfect timing. Marshall smiled and Coen slept soundly in Santa's arms. It was great, except the quality of the print, but that's another story. Anyway, a BIG HUGE thanks to John's mom who came and picked us up after an almost three hour ordeal. You're the best!

BAH HUMBUG! I mean...Merry Christmas!

Pictures of Coen

Coen plays happily on his new Haba play mat from Grammy.

'Sup Yo?

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Love these little pouty lips!

I went in to see what was taking John so long and found this. It just melted my heart! So I grabbed the camera praying that John wouldn't wake up and move in the mean time.

The Cutest Lil' Ute Fans Ever!

The other day Maddie came over sporting her Utah shirt. Naturally Marshall wanted to wear his as well and if both of them were going to wear their's, I might as well put Coen in his! They made a cute little red trio that day! Coen's praying they continue their undefeated season in the Sugar Bowl on the 2nd!!! Go UTES!!!