Christmas 2009

Making cookies for Santa!

Man those must've been some cookies!!! Look what Santa brought them! Haliee was just a bit excited! :0)

Christmas at Ola's

And my goofball husband taking pics...This must be where Haliee gets it!

YES I am in hiding...

Ok, I have been hiding out. I am guilty! It has been so so nice to have the kids home, no huge commitments; Just chillin', cleaning, relaxing, watching movies, baking, playing wii (minus wii fit we got from Grandma & Grandpa Cook telling me I am obese, thanks so much!) But... *sigh* I have to come back to reality. My poor husband is still working like a slave. He only had Christmas Day off, closing Christmas Eve, and Opening the next day :( So I guess I shouldn't complain. Anyway, we had a great few days. We were way too spoiled this year. Such fun family times, great family like friends, and lots and lots of LOVE! Christmas Eve Church was AWESOME! It was so relaxing and I found myself fighting back the tears all service. I am so thankful for the many blessings I too often take for granted. My New Year's resolution is to make a lifestyle change which would afford my husband working LESS! Please keep us in your prayers that this is something we can accomplish soon. Enough is enough & I think almost 16 years of sacrifice is sufficient. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! :0)

Christmas with the Grimmets!

Last Tuesday we had our Christmas Brunch with the Grimmets. It was so much fun, we have to make this an annual event! It was totally STRESS FREE! So nice to hang as a group! The kids had a blast. We ate & ate, and visited! :0) Drew brought home a recipe for a Christmas Punch which was mostly fruit juice, so I made that along with some yummy fruit and monkey bread (Erin's FAV) Thanks so much you guys for being such great friends and the BEST extended family :0) Love YOU!

The Babies LOVE the new doggie gate! It is their home :0)

YUM!

Present Time! Sophie was so funny if you tried to give her more than 1 present at a time she would refuse it saying: "NO, I already have mine see." She thought everyone only got 1 gift, she kept trying to get us to give her others to Hal, or Drew, or Zoe, lol!

Lov'n the Sit n' Spin Boy did I start a fight between the babies! Sorry Erin!

Mikey & Drew making Aliens....

ON MY COUCH~ HELLO!!!!!!

Zoe loves to play school, so she asked me for a white board like I have for my bow orders! :0)

Fun Times...

We have had such fun this week! Yesterday, we had brunch/Christmas (look Jill I spelled it out :0) love you!) with the Grimmett's. Pics coming soon! It was so fun. The kids had a blast getting to open some early gifts. They played for hours with their new gifts and I think it was even more exciting for them as they just had a few things opened and they weren't overwhelmed. Sophie made my heart melt when she said: "Hey Pabba, Tan I pend the night?" Sweet Baby Girl! It was nice to visit with Mike and Erin too as a foursome which rarely happens anymore.

Then last night Papa Ken took us out to our fav. steak house Wolf Lodge for dinner. The best steak in the world seriously! We had a great time just hanging out. No time restraints, no stress, it was FAB! Thanks Papa Ken! :0)

A few days ago the kids were just hanging out having a lazy day as I finished up some last minute bow orders.

That morning Drew was hanging out with me. Being the creative little man he is...he turned my alligator clips in to Star Wars Spaceships! I LOVE it when they hang out with me while I work!

My Grimmett girls came over a little bit later. Brooklyn, Zoe's cousin was over too and they were dancing and doing what all silly little girls do. Well, Haliee grabbed the video camera and captured it! LOVE her! Here are Zoe & Brooklyn "Partyin' in the U.S.A."! (See Lindsay, you aren't alone!) It was hysterical! I LOVE it! PS, they keep looking to the side of the camera because Haliee has a vanity over there & they are watching themselves in the mirror, lol!!!

Meanwhile Sophie decided she needed to bake something. I was busy in the studio (or as my fam refers to it, the dungeon or the Ebay room, lol) so I said no. Please I need some flour, and my magic sticks, PLEEASE Pabba...Well, how could I say no? *sigh* So we compromised. I thought if I let her on the counter with an empty bowl and magic sticks that would work...WRONG! Silly Me~ She said she needed to dump the water from the kids cups on the counter in, when I again said no, she said, pleeeaaase, I need to make Hal some Bood. LOL! ok, how do you say no to that? Seriously? Since Hal was working, I decided to get that on tape too so he could see they really do ask for him all day, I don't just say that to make him feel good. Well Sophie definitely gave him a show, lol, LOVE this girl!

Lastly, here are some pics from Drew's class Christmas party! Haliee gets out of school 45 min before Drew so she came to visit as a Skyway/Mrs. Olin's Class Alum :0) Daddy even got to come! What a fun day for Drew!

Mrs. Olin opening her gifts

They made their own stockings (Haliee did this too in Mrs. Olin's Class!)

One of the Mom's was in charge of the craft. They made the sweetest little "Love" Boxes. Such a neat little poem.

Ms. Welte read to them and apparently Haliee took pics of him eating. CORRECTION: From the kids, it was Hal taking the pics of him eating! I stand corrected :0)

Drew and Ms. Welte. That day was also the last day for Ms. Welte their student teacher to be in their class. She is going to finish out her student teaching the Haliee's 5th grade teacher Mr. Jones's class. Drew was really sad, she is a total sweetie and he loves her. Hopefully she'll get hired on for 4th grade at Skyway next year. She made each kiddo a goodie bag personalized with a name star she made herself with a note from her on back. I thought it was so sweet of her to personalize 27 different things for each of them. He is really going to miss her.

Miss. Thang thinkin' she's wayyy to old for Elementary School!

PS, that is MY Sweater she is wearing~ So it starts...