What all good Clone Troopers are doing on Christmas Eve...

White Elephant Fun

OK, I have to confess...the White Elephant party is a favorite Christmas tradition. We usually get invited to at least one a year and they are always hilarious fun. It goes way back for me....my family has done these parties off and on since I was very young. I have owned a screaming plastic chicken...twice!

So, you know it is coming. This one, I do believe is the best. WHAT ARE THESE THINGS??? and yes...those are giant tassels hanging from their faces!!Just in case you can't see the faces really well...here's a close-up...

Trust me, they are way freakier in person! Actually, the kids think they are funny. They kept Brooklyn entertained all the way home last night. Nothing says Merry Christmas like these crazy things hangin' on the tree!

Trees and PJs

This year we went with a whole new experience for the Christmas tree! We usually find a lot, or Home Depot/Lowes...something like that...pick out a nice tree and cart it home for decorating. This year, we hiked out into the forest and chopped down our own. Well...sort of...we went to a Christmas tree farm, not a forest...we rode in a hay trailer instead of hiking...but Robbie did chop it down with the saw they provided!! It was very overcast and getting a bit late when we found the perfect tree, so the pictures are a little dark.

NOOOOOOO Daddy...not the Charlie Brown tree!

We didn't get that one...but once we got it home I sort-of wished it were that small! Here's the real one...

Yeah, that's nearly 6 feet of man dragging approximately 8 feet of tree!!!! OOOPS! Good tip for when you're going to cut down your own...bring a tape measure!! We ended up having to tie it to the top of the van!

The evening was so much fun though. The kids loved getting to ride in the trailer and pick out our tree. We went home and decorated the tree for hours. Will finally got too tired of Brooklyn pulling off all the ornaments as fast as he put them on (quite honestly even I lost a little patience on that one)...so he went off to bed before the Christmas pajama box got opened. There's just something about new pajamas...shiny clean kids in new Christmas pajamas...it gets me every time! I love it!! One of the simple joys of motherhood I guess. So, here are 2 of the 3 in their Christmas pjs. We'll take a picture that includes Will soon enough. I'll also post a picture of the monstrosity of a tree in all its decorated glory...but for now...time to be productive while B is napping...

It's Been Forever!!

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know! No blogging in, like...forever. We packed, we moved, we started new projects and new friendships in the new neighborhood...basically, we've been living life!

In the time I haven't been blogging, the kids had their first neighborhood trick-or-treat...and LOVED it! Brooklyn even had the hang of it by the time we were ready to head back home. And hey, it is December and they still have candy left over, so I'm feeling pretty good about not letting them overindulge!

What else has happened...Jackson turned 8 and Brooklyn turned 2! Unbelievable!

Here's the big 8 year old!

And here's Brooklyn's in all her 2 year old glory!

So, the house is "mostly" done...there's always something to be done really. I'm already cleaning out closets again. To those who really know me...I'm sure you are not surprised! I'm not a real "stuff" person...and when the stuff starts accumulating (like we all know it does)...I get anxious to give it all a new home...outside my home!All that really has me thinking about Christmas. We've never been crazy over spenders. We just haven't had the resources in the past. Now, the resources seem to be there a little more often...but is that really what I want my kids to learn. It already seems like we're always giving the kids some lesson on "consumerism"...and we don't even buy them that much stuff! Just a little food for thought. I'm chewing on this daily this season...so I'm sure you'll see me write about it again!!

For now...I did it! I'm blogging again. I know I left out lots of details from August to December!! So, I'll fill them in when I can.