A Violent Christmas and a Bloody New Year to You Too!!!!!!!!

As you can see Santa brought havoc and destruction to our household this Christmas. But, with proper use of the "force", we'll hopefully manage without too much bloodshed.

Xander and Niko were given a lazer tag game - so, they can hone their battle skills without actually killing each other. They have their fists, rocks, and stones to perform the the actual killings.

Boys will most definitely be boys!!!!!!!!




And what would lazer tag be without Jedi Knight robes (thanks to G-Ma Olson) and light sabers (not savers)? As you can see from the pic, Niko is a very wise and well-trained Padowan. Let's just hope he doesn't turn out to be a Sith Lord. I wouldn't put it past him though - as he's a devil disquised as an angel.

Christmas Ornament Tradition

This is Ella, caught in the act...

The act of what you may ask? Destroying another computer mouse....

Ella, even at 6 months old, is terribly attracted to technology.... and has already broken two computer mouses.

What in the world does this have to do with Christmas ornaments? Well... that very mouse is going to be her ornament to remind us of this year. We've actually attempted to find a "technology" ornament at the local department stores... but were unsuccessful... and why spend money on a perfectly good, non-working mouse when we happen to already have one.

P.S. Niko has received an Angel this year... we were actually looking for a devil because he is often a little devil disquised as an Angel. For example, when I ask him to do a chore or help out, he asks, "Mom, are you going to check?" What a coniver!"

Xander has received a soccer ball, which is obviously becuase he plays soccer, loves soccer, can't wait to play again, and seems pretty decent at playing.

Ann got a "DIVA" ornament. I'm going to have to look up the actual definition of DIVA... but for her she LOVES pink, nail polish, dressing up, matching her clothes and makeup! She is all girl... which is really interesting because I have no time for fashion or nail polish and I'm lucky to get makeup on a few times a week.

December 17th! A day to remember!

I know I should be posting cute pictures of my children playing in the snow... but that happened the next day and I wasn't sure the snow would last that long in Las Vegas!

For the record it took us two hours to get from Dream Dinners to our house...normally an 11-15 minute adventure.

We go a solid 10+inches in our yard on December 17th! This is the back yard (obviously). The kids played all day on the 18th. Happy Birthday Xander!

To Party or Not to Party...

This is really a question at our house.

This year Xander turns 7. And he really wanted a birthday party with his friends. I attempted to dissuade him from the party... or maybe it could be a party but that each friend would bring a gift which we would donate to a needy family or orphanage, or that he could invite one or two friends to go golfing or something.

So after many, many, many conversations... Xander convinced us that he could have a friends party, and that he would plan it.

His first iteration was a list of twenty some-odd friends (pretty good for a homeschooler)... and some amazing (and very expensive) activities... race car driving, bowling, golfing, soccer game, basketball game, egg relay race, pie eating contest, treasure hunt... and a few more I am sure I have forgotten...

When reality struck (after a conversation with me, mom) we paired the list down to 13 kids and some low-budget indoor & outdoor games.

When the day of the party arrived (the morning after the ward Christmas dinner party we were in charge of, where we fed 230 people, without any help except one person on our committee, ... it was basically like catering a huge party, except we didn't get paid... kind of like working at Dream Dinners... Wait a minute... It was just like working at Dream Dinners... we never get paid... at least at the ward party we get reimbursed... Okay back to Xander's Party), all 13 came bounding in with the energy of 13 tornadoes in the small space of our first floor. (Of course the day was 40 degrees and windy, so any hope of outdoor activities was crushed.)

Stan, Grandma Smith and I, entertained these wound up kids with several party games like Balloon Popping Challenge, Simon Says, Whip Cream Eating Contest, Snowman Making Contest, Snow Fights, and a Rock'n Dance Off! What a day!

The only consolation of the morning was that Anna was entertained by Grandpa Smith over breakfast at Uncle Chris's house.

When we asked Xander about the success of his party, compared to several of his friends' recent parties he said, "I think they had fun because there was a lot of screaming & yelling, which they don't do at other people's houses."

Why can't I have a quite party like that?