Just the Begining!!!

What a crazy time. I thought if I started early on the Christmas shopping then I could enjoy the season. Not so. It has been one thing after the next. I feel like I havent even had time to breathe. Living so far away from any good place to shop is a nightmare. I have to drive at least 30-40 minutes just to go to Target. I decided on Monday that I was going to take the night, all night if I had to, and get it all done. It would have been a great night had I not locked my dang keys in the car. I had to wait for Bill to get all the kids up, get them in their coats and load them in the car. By the time he got there, it was 45 minutes later and Costco, my next stop, was closed. When Bill got there, he called and said he was outside and asked where I parked the car. I told him where and as I walked outside, I realized the car was not there. I started freaking out. The people outside must have thought I was crazy. I look in Bills car and him and Noah were dying laughing. I didnt think I locked the keys in the car, I thought I lost them in the store. Bill had an experience a while back when he lost his keys somewhere, I cant remember where, but when he came outside to see if he locked them in the car, he saw 2 guys with his keys pushing the alarm thing to see which car they belonged to. I knew for sure thats what had happened..Someone found the keys, found the car, and stole it along with ALL our christmas presents. I could have killed Bill. Not funny. Anyway, I knew I had to go back to Costco the next day because I had already ordered my Christmas cards. So Last night we decided to go after Noahs Christmas program at his school. He finished at 7:10. Costco closes at 8:30. We zoomed down the canyon and got to Costco at 7:45. Bill fed the kids and I shopped. After spending way too much, as always, we literally stuffed every nook available in the car with food. It was so late when I got home the night before that I never unloaded the car, nor did we unload when we got home the previous Sat. night. So needless to say, the car was packed. I think If I packed it nice it would have not been a problem-we really didnt buy a whole lot of stuff, but I threw everything in because I just wanted to get in the warm car. Im not joking, its been so dang cold. When we got home last night at 9, it was 5 degrees and when Bill took the kids to school this morning, it was NEGATIVE 2. I thought I was in Utah, not freakin Alaska. Sorry for all the snow and cold posts, but its whats goin on in my life. My goal is by the end of this week, to be COMPLETLY done with Christmas and have them all wrapped so I can enjoy Bills birthday on Monday and the last week before Christmas with the kids

Noah and Lani both had Christmas programs with their classes. I dont think I have ever been to such a politcally correct "Christmas" concert. They sang a song from every possible Holiday you could think of, except Haunakka, they sang 3. Im guessing their music teacher is Jewish??? Have you ever heard of Los Posadas?? I have now. It was crazy. Bill and I were cracking up. Its sad that Christmas is totally taken away because you dont want to "offend" anyone. It just confirms to me what a liberal place I live in. Beautiful, but liberal.

I really do love this time of year. I have so many great memories. I have never been away from home on Christmas-this will be the first year and im having a real hard time with it. Im used to my familys Christmas eve and my Aunts Chicken pie, and seeing all my cousins that I really only see this one time a year and then running to Bills family Christmas eve for a fun white elephant gift exchange and the yummiest shredded beef burritos that his uncle John makes (soooo good). We then go home to have the kids find their christmas jammies and then we usually go to Bills house or my house for games and then home to wait for Santa. Its a long day and night, but so much fun. Christmas morning is just as crazy. We open our presents with our little family and then go to my parents for presents and then Bills moms house for presents and then back to my parents house for my dads famous omlets and then home to play with what we got and a nap and then back to Bills moms for games and more food. The day after Christmas usually consists of cards with my family, leftovers and shopping if there are any good sales. So many traditions and things that im used to and its going to be really hard to not have those things this year. My family is big and its hard to transport it all somewhere else, so I guess this is where our little family traditions begin. I hate change. Whoever said change is good was waaaaay off.

These are pictures from our massive "2 feet of snow" storm that hit us this past week. So beautiful when it was falling. This first picture was taken at 2 in the morning when I couldnt sleep. It was not fun the next morning shoveling our driveway while all our neighbors had their snowblowers. The kids of course love it.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!