Christmas '08, St. George, New Year's and Vegas

I love Christmas! We had so much fun following our different traditions and just hanging out together as a family! Christmas Eve celebrations start first thing in the morning when we all open our new pajamas that we wear all day long. These were the kids pjs this year...unfortunately Hunter's red Handy Manny jammies don't exactly coordinate with the girls:)

Ashley decided to help Rob wrap the "pass-around" gifts this year. He of course wrapped the first layer, and then Ashley helped with the rest.
Hunter and I got out first...I love this picture with the present flying through the air as Alyssa threw it to Rob.
For our pass-around gifts, we give everyone a new game and then we play it as a family on Christmas Eve. Hunter got a new puzzle...
Ashley got a Pet Shop game, Alyssa got Apples to Apples, Jr. and Brooklyn got Mystery Date (my 9 year old thinks she is a teenager) I got Clue Jr. and Rob got In a Pickle...we played every one's except for Rob's...we didn't notice the 10+ age suggestion when we bought it:(
We watch a Christmas movie every night the week before Christmas...the Christmas Eve movie of choice was Polar Express and It's a Wonderful Life (that is such a good movie!)
We eat appetizers as our dinner...this year's favorite was Rob's bacon wrapped water chestnuts...YUMMY!!! We always end up throwing away half the food because we make too much, but who wants to only choose between 3 or 4 appetizers?!!!
My favorite tradition would have to be watching my kids do the Nativity. Hunter will most likely always be Joseph (except for the year he was born...he made a great 6 day old baby Jesus). Ashley was the lucky one to be Mary this year, Brooklyn was the angel and Alyssa was a Shepard.
On second thought...maybe Hunter won't be Joseph next year:)...he wouldn't keep his clothes on, and he kept picking up and throwing our baby Jesus...maybe next year he will not be so naughty:)
We also had a talent show this year. Since the older girls take piano lessons, they each played a Christmas song for us. Alyssa played Jingle Bells...

Brooklyn played Jolly Old Saint Nicholas and Ashley sang Frosty the Snowman. Hunter sang and did the actions to Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree...So cute!!!

We also made our Christmas sugar cookies for Santa...Can you guess which plate I decorated? Now guess which plate we gave to Santa? That's right, answer 1: right...answer 2:left...Lucky Santa!!!

For breakfast Christmas morning, everyone gets to choose a box of sugar cereal. I hardly ever buy sugar cereal, so this a quite the treat for my kids...and me...no mess to clean up:)

Hunter liked this cereal so much he hijacked one of the girl's bowls and ate his cereal with 2 spoons:)
Hunter's favorite present this year was his "choo-choo". He played with this all day!

Ashley's favorite present was her own DS

Brooklyn & Alyssa's favorite present was their electric powered razors...these are sooo much fun! I even love driving them. They go 10 mph. When I first saw that Santa had brought them, I was worried that my girls would kill themselves on them. I can't believe how much control they have...they drive it better than I do!

Hunter thinks he is quite the stud in the girl's pink Barbie jeep...Ryan, this may make Hunter fail the "man test".

I don't have a picture of this, but what would Christmas break be at our house without a ride in an ambulance...no, nobody got hurt on the scooters, Alyssa was sick again. Last year you may remember she was hospitalized the day after Christmas for pneumonia...we then spent 3 days in the hospital. She had a hard time getting over that pneumonia and so every time she gets a cough, I worry that she is sick again. On Christmas night the cough she had had for a few days suddenly got worse and she told me she couldn't breathe. We immediately called 911 and the paramedics came and took her to the hospital. They told us she had croup and luckily she came home a few hours later. Next year's goal...no trips to the hospital for ALL of Christmas break!!!

Friday we were sitting at Gecko's eating lunch and said, "What are we doing here in Arizona when our kids don't have school?!!!" So, we packed up the next day and went to St. George to stay in my Grandpa's condo. It was very cold there, but we had a great time. The first day we drove up to Enterprise and played in the snow.

Hunter didn't move much...he just stood still in the snow.

The girls found these icicles hanging from a tree.

Can you guess what my girls want for Christmas next year??? SNOW!

We also went to see the lights at the St. George temple and went to the visitor's center.

Check out this patch of snow at the temple! Crazy!!!

We also went to the Wildlife Museum...Notice the empty parking lot?!!!

Rob put Hunter up next to some stuffed bears...he didn't like that very much...one more lost point for the "man-test".

These are the binoculars that the kids get to use to get a better look at the animals...I think Rob liked the Swarovski scope that he got to use better:)

Apparently, my family couldn't get back to the car fast enough. They all had a race, and as you can see Hunter came in last. But everyone was there cheering for him when he finally made it!

Back at the condo we spent an hour watching an old Nascar race with Hunter's favorite "Memomem" car. He seriously stood next to the tv cheering for an hour.

Then we were off to Vegas to spend New Year's Eve with Rob's family. The adults spent a lot of time playing Mario Cart. The kids spent a lot of time swimming. Kris was nice enough to heat up his pool and hot tub.

The kids did sparklers

Oops...one more lost point for the "man-test". Who put a pink lei on my son?!!!

Our Martinelli's toast to the New Year

The kids went sledding both days that we were there.

My mother-in-law went sledding too. She also made snow angels with the kids.

More sledding...

Doesn't Hunter look like the boy on Christmas Story?!!! At least he never got cold!

More sledding...

Hunter loved sledding, and he loved watching everyone else sled...unless it was me. The second I would even say that I was going to go, he would start crying hysterically. He was worried because the first time I went down with Ashley I was screaming...who doesn't scream when the sled down a hill?!!!

My in-laws had so much snow at their house! This is the kids sitting on a snow bank in front of their cabin.

Ashley making a snow angel

Look at these giant snowmen that Rob and his dad made. Rob's on the right and Bob's on the left. They were the biggest snowmen I have ever seen!

It was very sad for all of us to leave the snow, but...I sure love the 70 degree temperatures back here in Phoenix!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday to Hunter!!!

I can't believe my baby is already 2! I absolutely ADORE this kid!...he is the best little boy in the world! Unfortunately this child wasn't strategically planned with fertility pills like my 3 girls, which explains his unfortunate birthday 6 days before Christmas. To make up for this, we have decided to have his birthday party on Nov. 19th every year instead of Dec. 19th. He is just getting cupcakes and his favorite dinner on his actual birthday. It worked out well for us this year because most of my family was in town for Thanksgiving. I love this picture because Gracie and Alyssa are puckering their lips as if they are trying to blow out Hunter's candle...Oh yeah, Alyssa did blow his candle out before Hunter even got a chance to look at it...Don't worry Chonch, I re-lit it for you:)This is officially my first homemade birthday cake for any of my kids. Hunter LOVES anything with wheels...especially dump trucks. I found this cupcake-cake kit at the craft store and I knew I had to try and make it. It was soooo easy and turned out really cute...Hunter loved it!
Of course Hunter chose one of the wheels as his cupcake...hence, the black frosting all over his face.
Everyone gave Hunter some type of truck. Boys are soooo easy to please! After having 3 girls, I had no idea that little boys could be so much fun!
Who would wrap a little boy's birthday present in pastel pink wrapping paper?...Answer-My brother Ryan. This was carrying on the "Man-test" that my brother has going on with Hunter and his son Cooper. This time it backfired on Ryan, and Hunter annihilated Cooper! Ryan bought Choncho a dump truck as his real gift, and bought a pink comb and mirror as his "Man-test" gift. I am so proud to say that when Hunter opened the mirror and comb, he IMMEDIATELY threw it to the side. He had absolutely no interest in that. Cooper, on the other hand, had plenty of interest in playing with the pink girly gift:) Notice Cooper peeking over Hunter's shoulder with great intrigue!!!
Here is Hunter in "Dump Truck Heaven"

And here is Cooper, combing his mommy's hair:) Hunter wins again!!! At least Cooper is pretty!!! :)

"A Christmas Carol" at Hale Theatre & Wacky Hair Day

It has been a few years since we have seen Charles Dickens' play "A Christmas Carol" at the Hale Theatre. I am so glad that we took the girls this year, this story always reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas. We went with the Miners and the Ashbys...can you see Chris smiling at the camera in the background? My girls didn't know what to do with themselves being the only girls with 6 cute boys. Cameron Ashby was kind enough to babysit Choncho for us. I think Hunter would have been scared to death by all of the ghosts in this play:)We were lucky enough to be one of the first ones out of the theatre so my girls were able to get their picture with Ebenezer Scrooge. I think Brooklyn was a little nervous! He also gave each of the girls a chocolate coin...he's a nice guy after all!
Snow??? in Gilbert, AZ??? Afterwards the cast all stood out in front of the theatre where they had fake snow (made of bubbles) falling from the rooftop. Very cool!!! It actually felt like Christmas...for a moment anyway. We miss the snow! However, I will say that I love how we can walk around the neighborhood every night and look at Christmas lights (a.k.a. make sure Rob has no competition) with only a slight breeze.
We stood outside pretending to be freezing...my girls don't know what cold is!!!
Wednesday was Wacky Hair Day at school...this is all we could come up with...Good thing Brooklyn has so much hair!!!

Since Ashley has afternoon kindergarten, she didn't get her hair done until later...hence the picture all by herself:(

Rob and his Christmas Lights

My dad likes to write funny poems about the people in our family. Here is the lastest one that he wrote about Rob...

Flying into AZ in the middle of the night,
The pilot came on and warned us of a an apparent meteorite
As he came in for a landing at the airport runway,
The town was lit up as if it were noon-day.

We raced to Rob’s house at a tremendous clip,
And arrived thinking we’d ended up at the Las Vega strip.
So we turned onto Amy’s street named Boca
And saw the whole town outside doing the polka.

It was a little strange seeing Rob move among the masses,
Handing out the OSHA required sunglasses.
And I was surprised when the Mayor gave me permission,
To enter Rob’s street only after the price of admission.

I noticed that on the door now shaped like the Eiffel Tower,
Was a letter from the Head of Phoenix Water and Power.
Stating any future Christmas decorations would be banned,
Until federal funding was approved for a dedicated damn.

And the airport manager had written a letter sternly worded
Informing Rob that due to the light air traffic had been diverted.
Then over the news came a NASA statement none to subtle
Complaining the light was blinding the crew of the space shuttle.

But the ultimate happened with a call from Barack Obama,
Who had seen the glow while flying over Oklahoma.
Saying “Anyone who can eclipse solar power this far,
Has to be appointed as my new Energy Czar.

Well we were notified Rob’s freedom was at significant risk,
And we were bluntly told this was no gist.
The FBI was worried Rob might become an Iranian Capture
Assigned to develop their nuclear reactor.

Well his project took about nine months gestation,
Rob, this isn’t the movie Christmas Vacation.
At this point Amy sat down and start to bawl,
“My husband has turned into Clark Griswald.

But sadly Rob’s decorations created what became a real mess,
When Santa took off from the North Pole he sent out an S.O.S.,
And the newspaper headlines on the very next day,
Reported no presents were delivered cause Santa had lost his way...

Rob, you have sure come a long way from that day that you sat on the roof of our 1-story house in Utah for 2 hours without moving a muscle. You were soooo scared I almost had to call the fire department to help you get down. I can't believe how you can now walk around on top of our 2-story house!!! I am loving the lights this year because even though we have a few more, I can actually vacuum my house without tripping the circuit breakers. It even rained last night and didn't short anything out...Way to go Rob!!! The picture above of the lights may not be Rob's final product this year...he keeps going to the store to buy more lights. Our friend Steve has offered to take away Rob's ladder so that he doesn't add any more lights...Steve, maybe I will have to take you up on that offer. Either that, or I can just let all of the neighbors borrow it:) Anyone need a ladder???

Thanksgiving, Black Friday & the Ghost Town

Alyssa had her 2nd grade musical 2 days before Thanksgiving. She was obviously an Indian and did such a good job saying her part..."This song is called the Corn Grinding song." Way to go Lulu...you are amazing!!!

Yes, my daughter is the only one in her class wearing a striped shirt...they were supposed to be in solid blue...at least my daughter was easy to pick out of a crowd!

The kids all helped decorate our gingerbread tree...the next day while the girls were all at school, I rearranged all of the decorations...shhh, don't tell!

Brooklyn had a cookie and pie contest at school and so my mom showed us how to make these cookies. Brooklyn won 2nd place...Thanks Grandma!
This is one of my other trees that is off limits to the kids. Hunter just couldn't keep his hands off the ornaments. Why can't kids just look with their eyes?!!!

Unfortunately I don't have any GREAT pictures from Thanksgiving dinner. My parents, my sister Kristi and her family, and my brother Ryan and his family all stayed at my house for the weekend. You may be wondering why my brother Ryan is getting his Thanksgiving dinner buffet style...and why he is using a paper plate. While we were waiting for the turkey to cook, Rob turned the TV to the horse racing channel. While we sat in anticipation for the Hollywood horse race to begin, each adult picked 1 of the 9 horses that they wanted to win. Everyone had to have a different horse and the top 3 winners had the prize of not having to clean up Thanksgiving dinner. We all sat there cheering our horses on like we had a lot of money at stake. In the end, the only horse that wasn't picked came in first, mine (Built for Thederby) came in second, and my dad's came in third. After that the adults all made a collective decision to remove my china from the table and replace their plates with paper ones. We then all decided that buffet style would be nice as well. Unfortunately, I didn't actually get out of doing the dishes...at least I had help though:) When the time came to carve the turkey, we carved piece after piece and only exposed dark brown meat with a lot of bones. How many adults does it take to carve a turkey??? Well, this Thanksgiving it took 8. After we almost threw the whole turkey away, I said, "Are you sure it isn't upside down?". Once we turned it over, it was perfect. I'm glad I'm the smart one in the family...I always have been:)!!!

All of my kids worship my niece Mckinzie...Hunter is no exception!

All of the kids took turns doing a pyramid...thanks to help from Aunt Stephanie who coaches cheer:)

The Clark grand kids (some of them anyway)

Who do you think is manlier? Hunter, right? Once again Hunter won most of the "man-tests" that were administered by Uncle Ryan. I will tell about one when I blog about Hunter's early birthday party.

On Black Friday we started the day by going to Oreganos. Yummy!!!

We then got free pictures with Santa at Bass Pro Shop. I'm glad we took our camera because our pictures turned out a lot better than the free one.

The kids love this store almost as much as Rob does. Rob has taught them well!

Rob and the kids outside of Bass Pro Shop

On Saturday we went to Gecko Grill for lunch and then drove out to the Goldfield Ghost Town. This is Rob and Hunter waiting to go on the train. Aren't the Superstition Mountains gorgeous?!!!

The kids in a mining cart

Wouldn't this be nice for time out?

The girls are sitting next to a cowboy that is about to be shot in the shoot out. The girls thought he was pretty freaky!

These actors take their roles very seriously! All of the kids were scared to see them get shot, and they were very relieved when everyone stood up when it was all over.

Our final stop was panning for gold.There was a whole lot of "fool's gold" in these pans...Good thing the girls didn't hear that part of the demonstration. They thought it was all real...apparently Rob and Steph did too-see below...

This started as Gracie's pan but was quickly taken over by Rob and Steph...nice!Hunter loved just being a boy with Cooper and Grandpa...they threw rocks the entire time the girls (and Rob) panned for gold.

This picture was just so cute, I had to include it. Alyssa is my one kid that I never have to ask to do her homework or read her books. I love that!!!

Stay tuned for Rob's Christmas lights...