Snow, Snow, and More Snow

Well as you know we have been hit with a ton of snow lately. I even think there is more out there now than we got all year last year.

Last night we had just settled down as a family to watch The Sound of Music and the doorbell rings. It is Jared from across the street. He is in the Elder's Quorum Presidency with Bryon. Pretty soon Bryon comes down and puts on his snow gear. He said that Jared was shoveling out some snow away from his mailbox tossing it on to his neighbors yard when the neighbor lady came out and complained about the extra snow he was putting in his yard. So he was going to go out and help Jared move some snow around. I figure it wasn't a big deal and he shouldn't be gone long. From my family room I can see lights flash in the window occasionally. I decided to go upstairs and see what was going on. This is what I saw on my front lawn.

Oh yes, the recruited the help of a neighbor down the street. The basically took most of the snow out of this lady's yard and were distributing it between Jared's yard and our yard. Now we have a huge, probably a 7 foot hill of snow in my front yard. Sam and Conner are so excited. They want to go out and try it out today. We will have to see!

Christmas 2008

I know I haven't been the greatest at updating my blog lately. I am promising to do better. We had a great holiday season. We have enjoyed reading a couple of Christmas stories together as a family, we made sugar cookies for Santa (of course we had our fill also), we braved shopping the Saturday before Christmas together as a family, we held our traditional family slumber party underneath the Christmas tree, and we have just enjoyed being together as a family.

It was our turn to spend Christmas with the Kennedy side this year. With our children being older and four of them it makes traveling for Christmas very hard to do. We decided when Sam was little to quit the traveling part and stay home and spend time with our little family and then try to see both extended families sometime over the holidays. Since Bryon's parents only live 40 minutes away it makes spending time with them on Christmas a little more feasible. This year Dorothy, my mother-in-law invited us down on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We spent the majority of the day finishing those last minute Christmas things. We left here and stopped and picked up Bryon's grandpa that lives on the way. Christmas at my in-laws was a little quieter this year. Bryon's two sisters from Utah didn't come up and Bryon's brother that lives in Tennessee isn't coming out until January. So that left us and Bryon's two brothers and their families that live in Idaho Falls. Bryon's family's Christmas Eve tradition is more casual than mine. We had clam chowder, crackers, a relish tray, and cheese for dinner. We then had peppermint ice cream and sugar cookies for dessert. Several years ago, my mother-in-law made each family a binder of the Christmas story. In it, it has pictures and songs that go along with the story. So after dinner we sat in the living room and took turns reading the Christmas story and singing songs. Everyone was anxious to get back to their own houses to get ready for Santa to come. The kids had fallen asleep on the way home. We had to wake them to open their Christmas pajamas and to get out milk and cookies for Santa.

Bryon and I both woke up before the kids. We woke up at 5:50 (thanks to Bryon's alarm). Bryon wanted to go out to shovel the snow and get a fire started before the kids got up. The kids got up about 6:10.

We had a wonderful Christmas. Here is a little run down of what we got.

Bryon, Sam, Conner and I got the Wii. We each got a game that goes with the Wii.

Sam -- Sam got some Playmobile, some Bionicles, and a nice CD/Stereo for his bedroom.

Conner -- Got Marbleworks, some Tech Deck Dudes, and a nice ATM machine to keep his allowance in.

Logan -- The Geo Trax Airport, V-Smile Pocket and some cartridges for it, and a new quilt for his bed.

Natalie -- She got the Loving Family Dollhouse and all the room accessories for it, she got a new Barbie, a Barbie Styling head, a new lamp for her room, and some new Barbie movies.

Bryon -- Bryon finally got the part that makes his bike an indoor bike. I think I managed to surprise him.

Me -- I got the new Wii Fit. I am so excited. Now if I can just figure out how to sink it with the Wii.

Santa also surprised Bryon with tickets for he and I to go to Salt Lake this spring and see Wicked.

We enjoyed spending the majority of the day together. Bryon's parents came up that morning to deliver their Christmas presents to us and to see what the kids got for Christmas. They said the roads were terrible and so we were hoping to be able to make it back to their house for Christmas dinner.

It snowed pretty much all day here. We had talked all day about probably just staying home. About 3 we finally decided to try to go to Idaho Falls. We took pajamas just in case we couldn't make it back. The roads were a little treacherous. Dinner was fabulous. My mother-in-law cooked a nice roast for dinner. The kids were so excited that Santa even found Grandpa & Grandma and brought them a huge new bucket of Tinker Toys! While the kids played, we watched an old family video of the Kennedy Family together for Thanksgiving of (I think) 1988. What a blast from the past. Bryon had just gotten his mission call. It was so funny to watch.

We have continued to party all weekend. We look forward to going to Burley in a few days to spend New Years with my parents and sister's family.

Christmas Tag

I found this little tag and thought it would be fun.
1. Wrapping Paper or Gift Bags?
Wrapping paper. Are you kidding?!? With four little ones I don't have much of a choice. I can't lie, I am tempted to peek, too, with gift bags.
2. Real Tree or Artificial?
Real. It is Bryon's family tradition to go tree hunting the day after Thanksgiving. If we are in Buley they always get one for us. So our main family tree is real. I have bought little artifical trees for each of the kids. They go in their rooms. They get to hang the ornaments they get each year in primary, from Santa, and Grandpa & Grandma Roskelley.
3. When Do You Put Up The Tree?
As soon after Thanksgiving as we can!
4. When Do You Take The Tree Down?
Bryon usually takes down Christmas sometimes between Christmas and New Years. I like verything put back together before he goes back to school.
5. Do You Like Eggnog?
Are you kidding?!? LOVE IT!
6. Favorite Gift Received?
The best gifts I have ever received is the gift from three unselfish birthmothers. It was the gift of life. It is an awesome gift. I am always in awe when I think of this sacrfice. They gave Bryon & I the Ultimate Gift ever!
7. Do You Have a Nativity Scene?
Yes.
8. Hardest Person to Buy For?
Bryon, My Parents, My Brother-in-Laws Brent & Todd
9. Easiest Person to Buy For?
My kids -- They want it all!
10. Worst Christmas Gift You Ever Received?
I don't think there is such a thing. If the person has thought about what to buy you and go to the effort of giving you a gift, isn't that what Christmas is all about?!? Not the gift itself!
11. Mail or E-Mail Christmas Cards
Definitely mail. I love Christmas cards with the family letters and pictures catching up on what everyone has been up to the past year. Speaking of which, I guess I better get started on mine!
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
I love Christmas with the Kranks!
13. When Do You Start Shopping for Christmas?
I usually start pretty early, I would say July.
14. Have You Ever Recycled a Christmas Present?
Can't say that I have.
15. Favorite Thing To Eat at Christmas?
Do I have to limit it to just one? I love wassail, eggnog, cheese balls . . . all those things that are associated with Christmas (you know those things that should only be once a year kind of
things!)
16. Clear Lights or Colored On The Tree?
I have colored lights on the tree. I have to say, I am not a fan. I love white lights!
17. Favorite Christmas Song?
Can't narrow it down. Love them all! I love the oldies. I like the newer Josh Groban, Celine songs. I do have to say one of my ultime favorites is a Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton song "Christmas to Remember" it reminds me of Christmases growing up. Just something about that song!
18. Travel at Christmas or Stay Home?
Stay Home. With four kids it is too hard to travel. We usually try to make it to my parents' house sometime during the holidays. Bryon's family lives close so we usually see them on or around Christmas.
19. Can You Name All of Santa's Reindeer?
Of course!
20. Angel on the Tree Top or a Star?
Star
21. Open the Presents Christmas Eve or Morning?
We let the kids open one (new P.J.'s -- I still don't know why they act surprised you would think after all these years they would catch on!) the rest on Christmas morning.
22. Most Annoying Thing About This Time of Year?
I think the true meaning of Christmas is forgotten between the hustle and bustle and gifts. I think if Jesus were to come to earth, He would be embarrased at what Christmas has become. Last night at the First Presidency Devotional they talked about the simpleness of the first Christmas. Christ was born in a stable, not a mansion. He was wrapped in swaddling
clothes not silk. It just really hit me.
23. Favorite Christmas tradition?
Family slumber party around the Christmas tree, and Danish Pudding on Christmas Eve
24. Up Early or Sleeping In?
UP EARLY!!!! I am usually awake all night to see if it's time to get up. Seriously I'm worse than the kids! I have even been known to wake my kids up Christmas morning in the past. I am the biggest kid Christmas morning!
25. Who Hands Out The Gifts?
No one in particular. We usually all have one gift in front of us and then try to open them in
some sort of order.
26. Does Santa Wrap Your Gifts?
Yes {but with different paper than we have in the house.} This year some wrapping paper from Santa gifts a year ago surfaced. Sam picked up on it. We had to inform him, we must have the same taste!
27. Do You Tell The Christmas Story?
Yes! Christmas Eve, we sit around and take turns reading the Christmas story out of a binder my mother-in-law made us. I have since made one for each of my kids. It even has songs that we sing to go along with it.
28. Do You Leave Cookies For Santa?
Yes.
29. Are Your Stocking Presents Wrapped?
Yes.

Give it a try and let me know if you do so I can read yours! Have Fun!