5 days until the Sugar Bowl!

How do you like our awesome jammies? Thanks, Andrea! You may have to click on the picture to see the lovely fabric...

Go UTES!!!( Make sure you turn up your speaker volume to view this post. )

Gingerbread Houses

We decorated a gingerbread house this year over at the Harris'.

The best part about gingerbread houses is eating the candy. They are basically a sticky, disgusting pile of sugar and saliva. Hope the Health Inspector doesn't stop by.

Lights, Camera (well, lights anyway...)

We loaded up the kids, blankeys, cocoa and headed out in search of the best Christmas Lights.

We weren't looking for the most tasteful lights, it was more like the most insane lights we wanted. You know the ones I mean. The kind that make you slam on your brakes and turn around yelling to the back seat, "Did you guys SEE that?"

I have to say that these pictures don't do justice to the crazy lighting jobs we saw. First of all because I don't know how to work my camera well enough to take great pictures in the dark, and also because there was no way to stand back far enough to get it all in.
The secret to finding these kinds of lights is to stay away from rich country club neighborhoods. Anyone who has professional lighters is automatically disqualified.
I personally think our house looks great this year. But as you can see, it is not in the running for the Moore Family Lighting Award. It's actually a little boring.

Traditionally...

For some reason, people insist upon Christmas Traditions. Is it just a comfort thing? Is it because it worked so well that we want to keep doing it? Is it because our parents did it, so we do it, too? Is it part of the "old days" that we want to hang on to?
As Tevke says in Fiddler on the Roof: "Here in Anatevka, we have traditions for everything... How to sleep, how to eat... how to work... how to wear clothes. For instance, we always keep our heads covered, and always wear a little prayer shawl that shows our constant devotion to God. You may ask, "How did this tradition get started?" I'll tell you! [pause] I don't know. But it's a tradition... and because of our traditions... Every one of us knows who he is and what God expects him to do. Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions our lives would be as shaky as, as... as a fiddler on the roof!"

Well, for whatever reason, Christmas around here is steeped in tradition.

Here is our Advent calendar where we count down the days...Youngest to Oldest, of course.

We decorate every room in the house. This is my beautiful Christmas quilt that Eileen made for us when we got married. The kids all have Christmas pillowcases.

And ornaments on their bedroom doors.Everyone loves to decorate the tree.Christmas cards...Stockings hung by the chimney with care... Kitchen chairs...Cute Christmas plates... The front porch... This year, we started a new tradition. My mom and sisters and I each bought 4 pears and traded them to put in our "pear tree." How do you like my partridge? Just wait a few years, it will be awesome... We got this cute idea from Allison. This is our "Elf on the Shelf." He reports to Santa each night if kids are naughty or nice. Then he is in a different place every morning. They love finding him...

On Christmas Eve, we open a present. We have to explain that it is going to be jammies, because one year, the dissapointment was too much for one of them. I mean seriously, to look at all the presents under the tree, wait, hope and finally get to open one and have it be jammies was a little too much. This is last year's picture.

We give gifts to our neighbors and friends. The 3 big boys gave their friends "whoopie cushions" this year. Talk about something you never grow out of.

Little Joe gave his friends "play doh."because whoopie cushions aren't funny when you are still in diapers.

Christmas is so magical for the little ones. This year, Andrew has been talking so much about Santa and Baby Jesus. I have been pointing out the characters in nativity scenes we see and Joey gets so mad when I point to the baby and tell him it is Jesus. He points to Joseph and says, "Jesus." Which totally makes sense because all the pictures he has seen of Jesus are of a man with a beard--not a baby. This is my favorite decoration of all--my Nativity. I love it. My parents gave it to me a few years ago and i have been adding the pieces as they come out. Last year, I got the shepherd and his wife and child. I love that Joseph is holding the baby. I love the cool wisemen and the camel. I know we get totally pre-occupied with Santa and presents and shopping and all those things, so it is nice to be able to look at this sweet scene and remember the Savior and the real meaning of Christmas.

What are YOUR family traditions?

Christmas Decorating

Well, once again it's time for the Ward Christmas Party. Lisa and I were in charge of making a "Santa area" where the kids could go and sit on Santa's lap. So, here is our blank canvas:And here is Lisa putting the finishing touches on the "Winter Wonderland." Andrew was pretty excited to tell Santa that he wants a "Spike the Dinosaur."

We've got the blues...

How do you like Andrew's new look? Today was "Crazy Hair Day" at Preschool. So, needless to say, I got pretty excited. Did you know there is a whole line of Hannah Montana hair color, glitter, gel, etc? Neither did I.

I think I'm getting some pink for me. Maybe I'll try it out at Frank's work party tonight.

Turkey, anyone?

Thanksgiving morning, Ed and Mimi got up early to get the turkey stuffed and in the oven...Save the neck for me, Clark.Everyone has to help. James and Ben set the table. Then, they went outside to play a little football.Um...I think it's behind you.Turkey's out, time to carve it.Alright, get your plates, line up youngest to oldest.Everything is delicious.Time for pie!

Thanks to Mimi and Ed for a great day!

Wanna see something gross?

Ok, besides the fact that I am in pretty desperate need of a pedicure, that little purple piggie is broken. I'm pretty sure it is. It is kind of bent and swollen and kills! But that's not the weird part. I broke it a long time ago and it has been numb for years. Whenever I wear a certain height of heels, it pops up and down because it isn't hooked in right. But, the other day when I fell and banged it, it started to hurt. Yeah, pretty bad. Ok, worse than bad. You know how professional athletes can't play with a broken toe? Well, that's because every step causes them to see stars and cry for their mommy. Anyway, so my piggie is in excruciating pain. So, does that mean it is better now that I can feel it again? Am I going to be able to wear my black pumps without that weird popping? It's kind of one of those "Falls down a well, eyes go crossed, gets kicked by a mule, eyes go back,"things. So, I'm thinking that even though I want to curl up in the fetal position every time I go up the stairs, that years-old injury is going to be fixed once this little guy starts to feel better! I'm basically a medical marvel.
Talk about the glass being half full.