It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

It's snowing tonight and we are loving the Christmas feel around our house! We finally got all the shopping done, and the presents are all wrapped. We get to spend Christmas with Shane's family this year, and we can't wait for the party! Seriously, Christmas with his family is so much fun- it's fun with my fam as well, however we switch every other year since they don't live close to each other. We just all hang out at Shane's parents house and eat, play games (bring on the Fear Factor, Adi) talk to each other and just enjoy being with one another. Shane and I learned a new game from our friends Lisa and Aaron called Peruado. It's a dice game that involves a lot of bluffing. It's actually really fun and we can't wait to teach Shane's family. We usually always play dominoes which is another family favorite.

We have had a lot of fun with our kids this year and Peyton is so excited for Christmas. He wrote and list to Santa and left it by his shoes for Santa to pick up and leave him a treat. This is a fun tradition he learned about in school. He was so excited the next morning when Santa left him 3 dum-dum suckers in his shoes. He told us that Santa would for sure get him everything on his list. We told him to choose his 3 favorite things for Christmas. He couldn't quite narrow it down to 3 so he came up with "back-up". Shane asked what back-up was and Peyton explained they are the "back-up" gifts Santa can bring him if he can't find one of the top 3. So clever! Connor just wants 3 "McQueen's" from Cars and a Hippo Hungry. Seriously that kid cracks me up! I don't know where he decided he needed 3 Lightning McQueen Cars, but he's pretty set on needed 3 of them.

Another fun tradition we started this year was chocolate making. The girls in my family came over to my house the other night and we dipped chocolates, made white mint chocolate popcorn (so yummy), and made carmels. My Grandma Moses is a great cook and taught us how to make the carmels. (note-make sure you have a big enough pot to boil the carmels as it's a mess to clean up if it boils over) She also made most of the centers for the chocolates we dipped. The coconut creme's were so good! We had so much fun-this is definitely a tradition I want to keep. We missed MelAnnie and Holly, but hopefully they can make it next year. Jenni brought her cute friend Angie who we have started to refer as the 4th sister. She is so sweet and it was fun to have her join us. Jenni and she used to live across the hall from each other in Louisville. Ang and her family are back in Utah so it's been fun to get to know her better. A funny thing-I found out she knows my really good friend Lisa. So crazy! I love getting new connections with people. Speaking of connections if you are from Alta, link to Kim's blog on my side bar, she has a really cute post about blogging and finding old friends through blogging. If you haven't left me a comment, stop in and say hi! It's so great to connect with old friends. Don't you love getting Christmas Cards at this time of year? I love seeing what old and new friends have been up to and their cute families. Merry Christmas to everyone!

My Favorite Things

So I missed Oprah's favorite things this year so I thought I would share mine:

1-Pureology Volumizing or Pureology Hydrating shampoo and conditioner

2-Bath and Body Works lip balm (mint kind)

3-Bath and Body Works Cherry Blossom lotion, body wash, etc, etc.

4-NY&Co. jewelry (got the cutest silver oval link necklace)

5-BKE Jeans

6- My IPOD

7-Maroon 5 (love "I won't go home without you")

8-Truflex shoes

9-Sammies flatbread sandwiches from Quiznos (Alpine chicken is so yummy!)

10-Cheddar Broccoli soup from quizno's (a cup along with a sammie is just the right portion)

11- Diet Coke with 2 Ibuprophen-cures most headaches

12-mint brownines from Peterson's

13-My fake Burberry wallet (love it-can't find another one like it and I need a new one...whaaaaa!)

14-Kiwi aerosol hairspray (I know it reminds you of Aquanet, but this is some good stuff)

15-Big Sexy Hair smooth and seal

16-OPI glitter toenail polish

17-Orbit gum-wintermint flavor

18-Dancing with the Stars (so sad that the season is over)

19-Cybex machine at the gym

20-Arrowhead flip top water

21-clean sheets

22-Dooney and Bourke zebra print purse (this is a want!!!)

23-Bare Escentuals lip gloss in celebrity

24-The yummy plate of goodies that Shane brings home for Christmas from Shauna every year-I can't wait!

25-The new sweatsuits from Express (I would love one in velour or cotton)

Ok-so this sounds more like a wish list than a favorite things as several items listed I do not own, but I would love to. Shane- in case you read this remember to add: I-HOME!!

kids say the darndest things

So Peyton came home from school, and like always I gave him an after school snack. So about a 1/2 hr. later he was chewing on his sleeve which I told him to stop doing. He then said to me "I'm trying not to, but I'm hungry". What? Seriously.
I tell ya-kids say the funniest things.

the the most busiest time of the year

Busiest??? Is that really a word? I'll have to check that one out. We have been busy at our house as I'm sure everyone else is. We had a fun Thanksgiving this year. We went to my parents house and everyone was there except Jenni, Josh, Abs and Parker. We missed you guys! As tradition, we all went around the table to say one thing we were thankful for. Shane went before me and said he was thankful for me and our family-so cute. Of course I was pretty choked up listening to everyone and feeling particularly grateful as we just got a letter from Connor's birth grandparents earlier in the month. In the letter she told us that Connor's birth mom had gotten married in the temple in August. That was such an answer to our prayers. We haven't had any contact since Connor was 6 months old so you can see how excited we where to hear such great news. Since we got that letter I have been overwhelmed by the sacrifice our sweet birth mom's made for our family. I look up to them with so much admiration for the faith they had to place Peyton and Connor with us. Now that I am a Mom I honestly don't know how they did it. They are amazingly strong and faithful women who we are so lucky to have in our lives. Anyway all these thoughts have been going through my head and I expressed my gratitude to them as the thing I was grateful for-of course I was crying. So then it came Connor's turn to say what he was thankful for-he said " I am thankful for wipes". The whole table started cracking up. It was so funny. Well my little buddy since you aren't potty trained, I'm thankful for wipes to. It's the simple things really.

The day after Thanksgiving I made a run to Target at 5:30 am. I ended up getting everything I was after, however poor Jeff didn't. Hollie and Jeff met me at Target and they were after the $199 LCD TV for their bedroom. Jeff is not the type to shove and push or make a fool of himself and run after merchandise. He's so nice and polite! By the time we made it back to electronics they were gone. I'm pretty sure the store only had like 20 of them since they were only on a small end cap. Poor Jeff. He said he was never waking up that early for a sale again. I felt really bad he didn't get one, and I even asked a guy hoarding 3 of them if he really was going to buy all 3. Yes- yes he was. Maybe Hollie will go with me again next year and Jeff can stay home with their new baby!! Happy Thanksgiving Jeff!