Yes, I am back....

Hi all....

So I have been very absent in the whole blog world, but never fear I am back and have a million and ten pictures to post! But I won't because really a million and ten pictures who has the time for that?!?! Anywho here we are over halfway through January and alas I have no mention of the Holidays at our house, this year was crazy for me.....in fact there are some that will testify that I was in fact CRAZY! I don't know why but the whole month of December felt like nonstop stress, crazy-busy life, what with holiday parties, birthday parties, crafts, stamps, cards, homemade gifts, and let us not forget the treat bags!!! I don't feel like I got all that I wanted to accomplished and really I felt like I was hanging on by a thread for most the month...leading me to my number one resolution of 2009----DO NOTHING! :) I have done really well at keeping this resolution so far. Its awesome. Okay onto a quick and I do mean rough rerun of our holidays (you know you want to see the cute kids celebrating)

First things first...a visit with the man in red....our family has an annual Christmas party that for the past lot of years has had a special visitor. For as excited as Lexie was about Santa this year she was a little nervous when the caroling started and the jingle bells rang and in through the door came St. Nick but she still hopped right up on his lap to tell him she really wanted "Barbie and the Christmas Carol the movie, and I'm three my birthday was yesterday" After he and his elf sang to her, and she received her gift she hopped down and rushed to my mom to whisper "it wasn't that bad afterall"

Brenten however wasn't nervous in the least this year, and was just fine to go sit on Santa's lap and get a gift, his most important question for the big guy "umm Santa which list am I on? Have I been good enough for the nice list? Cause I really want a Wii and Lego Batman."

All the kiddies this year...Mckenna and Hailey, Brenten, Kaitlyn, Lexie and Lindsey

I wanted a picture. Is that too much to ask? Apparently as I learned over and over and over this holiday season, that yes, a perfect, better yet "okay" picture is alot to request from my family. Doesn't everyone look so thrilled. Holiday Joy I tell you, holiday joy.

Here is our Christmas dress, already for church, where's our brother you ask? Again...all I wanted was a few pictures this year...just a few nice pictures of my kids....way too much to ask.

Really...have I whined enough about the pictures? I don't get it I know others who tell their children to stand and smile...and strangely enough they do it. I have been snapping pictures of my kids since they were ten minutes old (okay an hour maybe 10 minutes is an exaggeration) you would think they would be used to it by now. But no I get the strangest looks! Please just smile!!

Okay, let me rephrase that...please LOOK AT ME AND THE CAMERA and smile!

The stockings were hung...last chance letters to Santa were written, new jammies on, and The Night Before Christmas read...its time to dream of sugar plums....

Christmas morning at last...and there it is.... I guess Brenten really was on the nice list...

Brenten got just what he asked for, a Wii and Lego Batman, Lexie also got her wish, Barbie and the Christmas Carol, and the matching Barbie. He was thrilled, but did she care? Oh no, she was way more impressed with the "Makeups" (chapstick) in her stocking. That girl will have the most moisturized lips EVER! They both were very spoiled, and loved everything they got!!

Dinner time...means time for "Crackers" Shanna brings these every year, and they are fun to pop open and read a little joke, or fortune, and of course put on the paper hats...so lovely.

Alas the fun can't last forever and it was time to head home...we had a great time spending Christmas at Grandmas, we had fun eating way too much, we had fun shopping in Park City, and visiting with our cousins and with Shanna and Ashlee and Craig...the list goes on and on but it was time to head home.. these are the two children who are not going to sleep while we drive...nope not a wink.

This post really should end here but I figured I would throw a few pictures of our exciting New Years Eve on as well....if you can handle it....so exciting

Yep...a whole lot of wii playing....

But I did make cherry sprite for my kids...my mom used to make this for us on New Years, I thought it was so fun to drink out of the fancy goblets with such a pretty drink...memories...

Happy 2009!!!

A few weeks late....

Oh oops....

One thing I sortof forgot on the last post I did...I need your email to enable you to view my blog...if you don't want to leave your email out in the open you can email it to me at stampinwithshelly@yahoo.com! Thanks!!

One more thing...

So I am thinking of going private in the whole blog world....if you still want to be able to view my blog please leave a comment on this post so I can make sure you are able to...Thanks!!

Stage Fright? Umm....no.

So last on Monday Lexie got to have her first dance performance, it was so cute...I was a little nervous how she would do in front of a crowd...you be the judge...did she look nervous?? :)

Much to be Thankful for...

Happy Thanksgiving!!! Hahahahah

Yeah totally behind on all my posting, I have been a blogging slacker...too many other things calling my attention, but I am sure being the holiday season that is true for all of you! Anyway I thought I would post this cute picture of my kids at my grandma's on Thanksgiving!

Isn't it sad how huge they are getting??? Where does time go???

I was tagged...

Hi friends...so it's been a while for me in the blogging world, I keep having these ideas of things to blog about but then don't get around to it..but alas Natalie AND Alicia tagged me so I guess I'll play along! Here goes...

1. What is your current job? Right now I am juggling to careeers I am a financial genious and human resource specialist for a local enterprise (okay bookkeeper/payroll/schedule chick) as well as World Class Mommy of the Year! (The title is a little long, and don't question my little ones they might say differently)

2. What color of socks do you have on right now? Surprise surprise I am actually wearing socks right now, they are black with some flowers...I feel that if I wear socks they should be "fancy" no boring white socks for me, but I really don't often feel the need to wear socks because I prefer flipflops or sandals and socks don't really go with those

3. What are you listening to right now? Well Lexie is in the next room watching Dennis the Menace Christmas so I guess I'm listening to that..but I also have a holiday station on Pandora playing...have you checked out Pandora its awesome!

4. Whats the last thing you ate? ooohh I should have thought that one through before I started this tag..I just munched on a Little Debbie Snack cake..hmm scratch that pretend the last thing I ate was totally healthy!

5. Can you drive a stick shift? Heck Yeah I can...I LOVE stickshift cars..too bad right now all we have are automatics...I learned on my Nissan Sentra in high school, but the greatest 5 speed I had the luxury of driving was our Wrangler...until we sold it...sad...

6. Who is the last person you spoke to on the phone? Katrina...we have to decorate for our ward Christmas party tonight...fun fun fun!

7. Do you like the person (people in my case) who tagged you? Of course I love you Nat and Geash!

8. How old are you today? K for some reason I am having an age issue this year, I kindof have been fudging the numbers a little...so take your pick....21, 25, 26, 27, 28.....you decide! :)

9. What is your favorite drink? Hmmm I do love all things not good for me, but actually lately I have been enjoying grape juice...and I have been forcing myself to lay of the caffeine and drink more water...so yeah grape juice and water they are my current faves...

10. Have you ever dyed your hair? Umm lots and lots...since I was in Jr. High I think...I am alot darker these days though...I used to highlight but for the last year or so I have been closer to my natural hair color than ever before~

11. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? I guess I'll say football because that is on alot at our house...Go UTES! (k totally kidding but in reading these tags I was loving how many cougar fans are out there!!) We watch the cougars when possible...but we don't have the "right" station so we miss most of Utah's teams! I do love Green Bay though...GO PACKERS!!

12. What is your favorite food? Oh I have a great relationship with food..I LOVE IT ALL! But to narrow it down...something that is loaded with calories, rich and decadent, and definately not good for you...yep that is probably on my list of faves...I really need to eat better...no more snackcakes for me...

13. What is the last movie you watched? In the theatre...Twilight hmm at home...The Santa Clause...gotta love Tim Allen to get you in the holiday spirit!

14. Favorite Day of the year?? St Patricks day of course! I love that day! But New Years Eve is quickly growing on me...and definately my kids birthdays...I love trying to make their day special!

15. How do you vent anger? I think I'll skip this one...I'm not so good at the anger business..usually I rant...and say stuff I probably shouldn't on occasion I clean perhaps I should do the latter more often...

16. What was your favorite toy as a child? My Cabbage Patch Kid...that doll went with me EVERYWHERE even to college at which point I was greatly mocked...but the little thing is now packed away...maybe I should pull her out and give her to Lexie.

17. What is your favorite season? Definately Summer...I like to be warm!

18. Cherries or Blueberries? Both please! I love all berries and fruit!

19-20-21 Okay I am looping all these questions as one cause they all kindof go together. Do you want your friends to play along with this tag...will they? who mostly likely won't?

Yes, I hope, and who knows hopefully everyone will play along!

22. Living arrangements? Kind of a wierd question...I live in my house...it is very messy right now.

23. When was the last time you cried? I try not to confess when I cry and I try not to cry very often..but I did get somewhat choked up (no tears though) reading Yes Virginia There is a Santa Claus last night to my kids!

24. What is on the floor of your closet? CRAP! No actually I was forced against my will to clean out my closet not too terribly long ago so now there is only a few bags of Christmas gifts stashed behind my clothes...on the floor in my room however...there isn't enough space to let you in on that dirty little secret!

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are tagging? Natalie is the friend I've had the longest does that count even though she tagged me?

26. What did you do last night? Last night I took Lexie to dance and Brenten and I ran to JoAnn's Fabric...again...so many projects to work on...oh yeah and I had to clean out my room a little...we had a "visitor" night before last and I had to go to extreme measures to ensure none of his little friends would be returning...ever!

27. What two things are you afraid of? I have to narrow it down to TWO?? Something happening to one of my kids...and the End of the World!!

28. Plain, Cheese, or Spicy hamburgers? Plain please...no cheese for me!

29. Favorite Dog breed? NOT Migge! I like bigger dogs, I used to LOVE labs, but my uncle has a gorgeous golden retriever so I think I love those too.

30. Favorite Day of the Week? Saturday because there is no work and no school!

31. Diamonds or Pearls? Oh definately Diamonds...I love all things sparkly!

32. Favorite Flower? Roses...but really I LOVE all flowers.

33. Who am I tagging??? Anyone that wants to play along...and you ALL should!!