I copied this from my friend Naomi’s blog…

A Christmas Meme

The last time I went caroling – Probably when I was in high school and still in Young Women’s. We used to take fruit baskets to the elderly people in our ward and ride on a huge flatbed of hay and sing. The funny thing is….my parents got caroled to the other night!!! Hahahah (the ward claimed they were visiting the “empty nesters”)

My favorite Drink in the winter is – Dr. Pepper. It works for all seasons. I don’t like chocolate so Hot Chocolate is pushing it. Maybe once a year???

My favorite Holiday meal – Umm, definitely the Christmas Eve dinner at my parents house. Each year my parents have everyone over and cook more prime rib than I care to ever see. I hate prime rib more than anything but we all LOVE to watch my parents fight about if it is cooked rare enough. My mom prefers meat that can walk across her plate so between her and my dad fighting for a few hours, we definitely get some good holiday entertainment.

I think Fruit Cake – something I’ve never eaten!

One tradition we had growing up – we always got to open our presents to each other on Christmas Eve. We still get together on Christmas Eve with the whole family and exchange gifts with one another.

One tradition we have now –
- We choose an ornament to hang on the tree each year.
- There is also a house on 800 S. in Orem that we always have to drive by to see what extreme holiday décor they have displayed in their HUGE front room window.

I get my Christmas tree from – the basement.

I decorate – The week before Thanksgiving.

On Christmas Eve I/we usually – go to my parents for the annual prime rib fight, exchange gifts with the family and then go home to get the kids to sleep and get all of their stuff put out.

On Christmas morning I/we wake up – We wake up before Addison does so we can see her reaction when she wakes up.

One special thing I make at Christmas time is – hmmmm, I don’t bake, so……

My Favorite Christmas song is-
“Ave Maria”,
“Carol of the Bells”
“Oh Holy Night”,
“Celebrate me Home”,
“Still, Still, Still”,

Every Christmas – we go to my siblings house to see what they got, play with toys, sometimes we go to a movie, sleep, relax, feel sad that it is all over!

I hang my stockings – on the stair railing.

Something I look forward to at Christmas time is – the Christmas music, singing around the tree at school, Christmas lights, finding just the right gift for people, the annual prime rib fight.

My Favorite Thing about the Holidays – EVERYTHING!!!

Something I want to start incorporating is – not eating so much crap! (yes, mom, I used the “C” word)

"The Blanket with Sleeves"

This is Becky, a fellow teacher, and I modeling the snuggie at our school. These "blankets with sleeves" are in our faculty room for the teachers to use when they feel like cuddling up on the couches. (I'm assuming, though it is only my guess)

Becky and I decided to try them out last week when our school was doing our S.E.P. conferences, (a.k.a. Parent/Teacher) and we were at the school until 9:00 at night. Unfortunately, the lovely Snuggies hadn't been washed, delinted, defuzzed, or whatever you want to call it and I met with three parents before I realized my BLACK shirt was COVERED in blue Snuggie fuzz. I'm very thankful to the kind parent that started to de-lint me in the middle of our meeting.

"Yes, your child needs to work on turning in assignments and getting those multiplication facts memorizzzzzeeedddddd....excuse me! Why are you slapping my arm like that? OOOHHHHH, well would you look at that!

DARN YOU SNUGGIE!!!!"

Ichthyosis Awareness!!

With Jace's 6 month milestone reached last week and as I was "greasing him up" in preparation to take him to his 6 month well child visit tomorrow, I realized that October celebrates Ichthyosis Awareness. Jace, my nephew Stockton, and my little brother Matt (as well as my mom's two brothers) all have an x-linked ichthyosis skin condition. Luckily, Jace and Stockton have a lighter complexion so it isn't as noticeable. Unfortunately, my brother Matt is very dark complected and spent most days of his childhood "greasing-up" in order to hide the scales that covered his body from people. We always joke, that when short and sandal season comes each spring, Matt complains because he "hasn't shed his winter coat." Luckily, most days I don't even notice Jace's skin....just when I hold other babies and realize how soft their skin is compared to his....

If you have never heard of it before, It is a genetic skin condition that causes "scales" to build up on the body. In "normal" skin, there is an enzyme that causes the dead skin cells to shed constantly. With Ichthyosis, that enzyme is either missing or malfunctioning so that the dead skin cells collect as scales. This skin is tight and itchy. When the scales do come off, they can tear the thin skin beneath. We try to keep Jace's, ( as well as Stockton and Matt) skin well moisturized with creams to help protect it, but it leaves them feeling greasy all the time. We use medicated creams because it can help remove the scales, which are very uncomfortable, but sometimes these creams burn, and so we have to be careful. The thickness of the scales also makes them prone to overheating...and ALL of them sweat so abnormal because the scale build-up. Not to mention that Stockton can't hear most days of his life because he has so much dead skin skin and wax in his ears!!! =)

Here are some pictures of what it can look like, especially if it isn't treated regularly....Thank goodness for lac-hydrin!

preview of things to come

Here is a sneak peak of our photo shoot from Payson Canyon.

White Snake, eat your hearts out!

Lucky Number 7!

Yesterday, the 14th, marked our 7th wedding anniversary. I heard a saying once that said if you can survive the 1st, 7th and 15th years of marriage, then you've got it made forever. We had an AMAZING 1st year of marriage where life was so simple and free of responsibility. The biggest decision we had to make was what movie we wanted to see or what was for dinner that night.

We just finished our 7th and have had more chaos this year than all the past years combined...

I was pregnant with baby #2 for a good portion of our 7th year. While this should be a celebration, I'm here to say, I HATE every moment about pregnancy. I don't have pictures taken, I don't cradle my belly as I walk around, I don't keep a journal of weird pains or take notes during my Dr's appointments. However, at week 14, I was happily in the middle of teaching school when I thought I was going to pass out from pains that I've never felt before. After throwing up all over the main office, I was taken straight over to the Dr.'s office and he admitted me into the hospital for a week with kidney stones. Positive point: during ultrasound after ultrasound, we found out we were having a boy!

3 weeks after kidney stones, we move into our new house in Santaquin. We decided that my kitchen table was just too big for the space it needed to fit in and also allow room to go out the french doors to the patio. Because I loved my table more than the countertops that were in, we decided to get new counters that didn't include the bar area. This wouldn't have been so bad had the contractors not measured wrong, and left us without countertops for 5 weeks. I think the whole, "measure twice, cut once" philosophy should be their company motto. (this time period also had no kitchen floors, no lighting, no trimwork, no appliances hooked up, etc)

A few weeks after we finally get a kitchen again, and didn't spend our entire salaries on fast food 3 meals a day, Willie starts feeling major pains in his lower abdomen Diagnosis.....DOUBLE HERNIA SURGERY in February. So NO lifting moving, bending, driving, sitting, etc for 2 weeks and then only light lifting for the next few months. This means a pregnant wife, an energetic 2 year old, and a slug of a husband (and a kitchen that still needs the floors finished, trimwork, paint, grout in the tile backsplash etc)

In the midst of all of this, I had my district portfolio due which was a pain in a half to do as well as my state test. So I was basically writing and studying all day and night while enduring the most challenging bunch of 4th graders every day. Willie was also hot and heavy into his BioMedical, Pathophysiology, Pulminary Anatomy classes etc....which means he was going a few days without seeing the kids during the week because he got home so late and left so early.

A few weeks after hernia surgery, we had Jace in the middle of April. He was born and had aspirated the meconium which made him a delightful shade of green and blue. He was rushed to the NICU and later developed a pneumothorax condition (tear in lungs) because of his mechanical ventilation. He also was Coombs Positive and had horrific jaundice so lived under the lights round the clock. This resulted in him being incredibly dehydrated and so was put on a feeding tube along with IV's in his arms and head. Jace was finally able to come home when he was able to maintain his body temperature and oxygen levels and eat on his own. Yahoo! Thank heavens for PROZAC!!!! (for me, not him)

We hadn't even been allowed to bring Jace home from the hospital when Willie went to the dentist and had 3 major root canals in one day! He was NOT pleasant to be around during this time, let me tell you. If you want to see a grown man cry, touch his teeth! He thought he was going to be strong and not have any pain pills after....HA! You couldn't pry those little white pills out of his hands when he got home.

A few other side notes, we got a dog, got rid of a dog, potty trained Addison, bought a new car (I know, we do this every year), went on a few mini vacations, enjoyed doing our yard, getting to know our new ward, had family dinner at our house each Sunday and basically have tried to keep our heads above water most days. By the way, the tile in the kitchen still does not have grout...any volunteers?

If our 7th year was this crazy...what will year 15 be like?

Enjoy some pictures from 7 years ago....