Make a Smilebox greeting

I got this through Candices' blog, so I thought I would give it a try I am tagging anyone that hasn't done it already!!

.1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrapping paper
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial
3. When do you put up the tree? weekend before Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down?Usually on New Years.
Do you like eggnog? No it gives me the shivers
Favorite gift received as a child? My favorite present was a porcelain doll that I got when I was 12, it was so beautiful! I still have her!
7. Hardest person to buy for? Any guy in the family!
8. Easiest to buy for? Abby
9. Do you have a nativity scene? YesI have several!! I just got a new playmobil set, the kids love it!!
10.Do you send cards or email cards? email this year!!
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of a bad one.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I love the Hallmark and Lifetime chanels at Christmastime, I could sit and watch all day and night
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The beginning of November, this is the first Christmas that I am completely ready!!
14. Ever recycled a Christmas present? No
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Caramels!!
16. Lights on the tree? Yes
17. Favorite Christmas song ? Let it be Christmas
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay Home & Travel
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star with twigs
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning (one on Christmas Eve)22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Not being able to get it all done
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Dark Red & Green
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Just to see the joy on everyones faces!!
26. Santa or Snowmen ? Santa

Kaity's 5th Grade Program

Kaity had her 5th Grade Christmas recorder program on Monday. We searched and searched for a dress, nothing like last minute, especially in Vernal!! We ran from store to store trying to find something that would fit, there was no way she was going to wear something from Wal-Mart!! Jay swears that Kaity should not be this opinionated about clothes this early in life! It makes me wonder!!
Her program was wonderful!! She has practiced on her recorder for a long time! From the minute she walks in the door from school you can hear her play! I am always telling her to not play because it is so loud in our house, but it sounded so beautiful in a large gym, with many 5th graders playing!! She also got a singing part, and she got to sing "Nuttin for Christmas" it was really cute!! It is hard to believe that this is her last elementary school Christmas performance! It is so sad!! She has grown up so much, and she makes me so proud! She is so willing to help out with her little brother, and sister. She has her own opinion on just about everything, but it adds so much to our every day life. I am so thankful for her!!

This is a very sad post!! We had somewhat of a crisis yesterday!! Our dog "Buddy" was hit by "Grandma Nancie." The raw emotion that I experienced yesterday has me completely drained!! I felt so sorry for my mom, she would have done anything if she could have just changed it!! She had just gotten Brody on the bus, and went to leave the house when Buddy ran out in front of her! She had Abby in the car, and Abby kept saying "oh Buddy will be okay Grandma" she tried to explain the situation to Abby, but a 2 year old does not understand. I was at a Chrismas Party for the Board of Realtors, and forgot my phone at the office, so my mom called Jay. When I returned to the office I had 10 missed calls!! Talk about Panic!!! Jay was so worried about my mom!! When I told Kaity & Brody, I couldn't believe how much it hurt!! The pain I saw in their eyes is something I will never forget!! This whole experience has made me so thankful that it was only Buddy, and although he was part of our family, it could have been so much worse!! I think we will all be sad for a while, everytime that Buddy doesn't greet us at the door, or bark when someone pulls into the drive, or wake us up in the morning to go outside!! I think of how my mom must have felt, and if you are reading this mom, I could not be more thankful for you, and all that you do for us!! I am also a little thankful that it was you, because anyone else could have just left him there, and it would have been so much worse!! It also makes me respect you so much, because we buried many animals as we grew up, and now I know just how hard it is to see your kids hurt, and if you could take it all away somehow you would!! I Love You Mom!!

I decided to elf the kids!! Boy can they dance!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

School Pics...

I thought I would scan in the kids' school pics, so everyone could see how much they have grown!! They didn't scan in very well, I think it is the fact that you are not supposed to scan them in! ;-)

Kaity looks so grown up!! It is amazing that she is in the 5th grade!! She is such a great girl!! She has so many friends, including the boyfriend (YIKES!!)

She tends to be a little lippy, and thinks that she is 16 but she helps me so much, and makes me remember being that age!!

Brody's look in this picture tells it all!! He is such a little pleaser!! He loves Kindergarten, and his teacher Mrs. Lewis!! He has grown so much, and is trying so hard to have the perfect smile!! ;-)


And last, little Ms. Abby!! The pic tells it all, she is such a little wild one!! But she is so sweet!! This age is the best!! She loves everyone (if you are doing what she wants) and has the cutest little voice!! She did however learn her first cuss word, and it is amazing how cute it sounds when it comes out of her little mouth!!

Picture Tag...

I was tagged by Dez, and thought this would be kind of a fun little thing to do. Here is what you do. Go to your pictures and go in the fourth folder and pick the fourth picture and post it. Then, go to the six folder and get the sixth picture and post it. This was the first pic!! It makes me laugh, it was last winter, I sent this pic into KUTV, and they put it on the news!! We got so much snow in this storm. I know this is coming.......and I am not looking forward to it!!

My second pic is........Ms. Kaity!! We were at Steph's house in this pic. This is a fun thing to do. It makes you remember pics that you haven't seen in quite awhile!!
I am going to tag anyone who hasn't done this already!!

Halloween

It is so hard to believe that Halloween is over!! That always means that Christmas is less than 2 months away!! We had a great Halloween! We were in charge of Kaity's party at school, and it went over better than expected! I think the kids just know that it was their final elementary school Halloween Party!! We played Mummy Wrap, and the boys seemed a little stronger in this game! Jay was off, and reluctantly came to the party with me!! I was so happy that even though he was a little unhappy about it, he was a trooper!!

Abby was Abby Cadabee, from Seseme Street, she looked so cute with the pink & purple yarn hair!! Brody was the Lowe's race car driver, we don't even know his name, but it said LOWES and that is all that matters. Kaity was a Dallas Cowboy, and a cute one. I think at that age I would have been the cheerleader, but not Kaity!! Even though Jay & I are not the biggest fans of Halloween!! Kaity was bound and determined to Trick or Treat for as long as possible!! We made it through a couple neighborhoods, and the Grandparents, and then we headed home!! We had a spagetti dinner afterwards with Curtis, Amanda, & the Boys. It was overall a great night!! But I am glad it is over!! Now we have got to start getting ready for the HOLIDAYS!!

Deer Hunt.......

So the deer hunt is finally over!! I am always a little relieved when the hunt is officially over. But I do love all of the time we get to spend together in the month of October!! I am looking forward to getting ready for the HOLIDAYS!! They of course will be here before we know it!!

Kaity has been elected into student council, and she is very excited!! I am working this week on getting a Halloween Party together for her class!! 5th grade is a little tougher than any other, they are of course to old to "craft"!!

Brody is loving Kindergarten, and I love to see him so excited about it!! He does have to be tested on Wednesday for speech, they think they can really help him improve his speech. I guess all I can say is "early intervention!" He loves his teacher Mrs. Lewis!! And has just settled in completely. He had a really tough time not going to school during the hunt, but he made it!!

And for Abby she is just as wild and crazy as ever!! She loves going to Grandma's - Both Grandma Cindy & Grandma Nancie!! We are so lucky to live close to both of them!! She is going to be "Abby Cadabee" for Halloween, it should be really cute!! I will have to post a video of her dancing, she absolutly loves to dance!! And has some really good moves!!! I will post Halloween pics next week!! Hope all is well with everyone!! Stay in touch!! J&J

Hunting Season

So I guess I will try the blogging thing!! I know I am jumping on the band wagon a little late, but better late than never!!
So it is October, which means of course "HUNTING!!" We have been camping every weekend since the 4th, and it has been a lot of fun! Other than the fact that the weather will not, or has not been cooperating!! The first weekend was a little chilly but we had a great time!! At the beginning of September Jay had invited a bunch of people to come up and camp, I think he had counted 18! He was so excited!! But between the first of September and October, a few accidents had knocked that number down to just family. Les & Cindy, Sami & Brian, Amanda & Curtis and My Mom & Dave came up to camp with us. Sami & Brian being from "the city" thought camping might not have been as relaxing as the spa, but they had fun anyway. Brian was a little anxious about the whole hunting thing, he was very concerned about the fact that if he shot an elk, they would be taking it home on top of the Four Runner, but they didn't have to worry because the hunters were all unsuccessful, but it is the memories that count!!
In the middle of the elk hunt, Jay took a quick trip to San Diego for work, and the kids and I got caught up, at work and school. We then took the camper back on the mountain for another round. The weather was really crummy, and it snowed and was absolutly miserable!! Jay & Michael took the Prowler out on Saturday night, and froze!! They didn't even see a track!! We woke up on Sunday morning to quite a bit of snow, needless to say "Road Hunting" was where it was at!! When we got back to camp, Jay decided we just needed to pack up and head home. We were lucky he made that decision, because we barely made it out, the roads were so wet, muddy and slick!! Thankfully there were some hunters that helped Jay push our car up a hill, and we headed home!! It is memories we won't soon forget!! We are going back up this coming weekend for the deer hunt, we will keep you posted!! Hopefully I will be posting pics of Jay's big buck!!