CHRISTMAS TAG

"Getting to Know You... Christmas Edition"
I have gotten these Christmas questions in an email a few times so I decided to put them on here...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually a little of both... this year I have just wrapped

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial... we have 6

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the day after Thanksgiving but this year it was a little later

4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime during the week after New Year, I hate taking them down because it is sad that Christmas is already over!

5. Do you like eggnog? I love eggnog, but add a little milk so it is not too thick and sweet

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My HUGE barbie RV (maybe that is where my boys get their RV obsession?! He, he!)

7. Hardest person to buy for? My parents and Robert's parents

8. Easiest to buy for? My kids!!! Toys, toys and more toys :-)

9. Do you have a nativity scene? I have 4

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I always mail, but I haven't gotten them out yet this year. I gotta get going on that or they may be emailed this year

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Not telling... wouldn't want to offend anyone! :) He, he! No, I usually get some pretty great gifts!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Rudolf, Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas--all those classic cartoons

13. When do you start shopping? I start after Christmas and buy stuff all year

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No but I recycled a few duplicate wedding gifts

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? HAM! Yum! And homemade sugar cookies.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, I like white lights

17. Favorite Christmas song? I love Christmas music, can't decide on a favorite

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home... my parents come to our house because we have the only Grand children, for now

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yup

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We open on Christmas Eve with Robert's family and Christmas day with mine

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? When people forget the reason we are celebrating Christmas

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like stars

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham, funeral potatoes (it's a Mormon thing!), my moms jellos

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I just want to see my kids enjoy the magic of Christmas... so much fun!

26. Do you peak at presents or wait? I wait now, but I used to peak every year. I was sneaky!! :)

27. What is your favorite tradition around the holidays? Just being with family and friends, going to the Temple Lights

28. Who will you tag to do this? Whoever is reading it and would like to do it!

29. Who is most likely to do this? Who knows?

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: 4TH, 8TH, 12TH, AND 16TH FOLDERS

I have been tagged a few times to post the 4th picture in my 4th folder. I decided to add a few others too.

4th Picture in my 4th folder...This is Sydni last 4th of July. I took the kids to the park across the street and took pictures of them before we left for a day of swimming, eating and fireworks. I remember having a hard time getting Sydni to look at the camera.

8th Picture in my 8th folder...
July 2006... we had a family reunion in California. While we were there we went to Disneyland and to the beach, which was freezing, so no swim suits or swimming that day! Sydni was only about a month and 1/2. I remember Robert and I being beat tired by the end of that trip from lack of sleep... you can kinda tell from the picture, we just look like "ugh!"

12th Picture in my 12th folder...March 2006... we went camping at Usery Pass with the O'Neills over Spring Break. It was also Carson's 2nd birthday so we had a camping birthday party for him. I made invitations that looked like little tents and we gave all the kids flashlights for party favors. In this picture you can't really see him but he is opening his presents. I was about 7 months pregnant with Sydni. I remember it was FREEZING and windy the whole time, but fun.

16th Picture in my 16th folder...

This is Carson's blessing day... May 2nd, 2004. This is a picture of who stood in the blessing circle. From left to right: My brother Marvin, my dad, Robert holding Carson, Uncle David, Robert's dad, and Robert's brother Steve. I don't remember too much from that day other than we had everyone over for dinner after the blessing. I think we ate nachos.

I tag anyone who reads this... yes, you... really. :) If you don't have that many folders or pictures just pick some random folders. I might do this again, it was an easy flashback!

TAG: THINGS AS THEY REALLY ARE

Okay, I was tagged a few different versions of this "tag" by a few friends a few weeks ago and I put it off... and I guess I sorta cheated. If I would have done it at the time I got tagged, my house would have looked like a tornado hit because of our camping trip and trying to get back to real life... and I just did not want anyone to see it! :) Now that the kiddos are in school and things have sorta calmed down (well not really, they never do here) and I am catching up on my routine, I am finally getting around to it.

The object of this "tag" is to show people the way you really live. Here are the rules: Take pictures of the following things below just as they are RIGHT NOW without stopping to clean or straighten.

** One of your favorite places to be**
I love to be HOME with my kids and Robert. I had to hurry and take this picture because Sydni insisted on following me out the door and heading into the road. There she goes!! **The kitchen sink RIGHT NOW**
I did the dishes up this morning. I am one of those who can't sleep with dishes in my sink (I am getting better at sleeping with dishes unwashed... not by choice... there are just some days I just don't have time or energy like I used to, to wash every last dish!)

**Take a picture of yourself RIGHT NOW***
That is me... no shower yet today and still in my comfy clothes a.k.a pajama's. Scary!

**What the kids are doing RIGHT NOW"
Carson and Sydni were playing so good together and building a train track for the Thomas trains.

**The Family Room RIGHT NOW**
Here it is... and it seems like I always have a mountain of laundry to fold. I should be doing that instead of blogging... but it is not as fun! If I have laundry piled on the couch and I find out that someone is coming, then I quickly move the pile onto my bed.

**Your Bedroom RIGHT NOW**
It is a blah room, but much cleaner since we have taken the computer out of it (the kids don't hang out in our room anymore and destroy it) and got a bigger dresser (the top of the dresser is a junk collector though).

**The toilet RIGHT NOW**

I know... it is nice isn't it!? :) He, he!

**The closet RIGHT NOW**
This is my multi-purpose room. Sydni slept here when she was a baby (I know it sounds weird, but it is the size of 1/2 of a bedroom and her cradle fit in it nicely!) I make my phone calls in here too because it is the quietest room in the house. So sometimes I have Relief Society stuff all over the floor. And it is a storage room, there are all sorts of odds and ends in our closet.

My side

Robert's side

**The laundry room RIGHT NOW**
No laundry in here... it is all on the couch! Just the basket with random socks... I keep hoping that I will be able to find their mates one day!

**Favorite room RIGHT NOW**
I like the dining/kitchen/family/computer rooms... they are all kind of in one room. I can see the kids playing or doing homework while I make dinner, check my email, and watch a show (yes, all at the same time).

**Favorite shoes**
I like my Old Navy flip flops because they are cheap, I have a variety of colors and they are comfy. And if they break, I know I can find another pair just like them!

That's it! Now I tag... anyone who reads my blog and has not done this tag yet... consider yourself tagged. That means YOU!!

I'VE BEEN TAGGED...

Just for fun...Me From A to Z............

A-- Attached or Single? Attached to Robert for over 10 years!
B-- Best Friend? Well, I am attached to my best friend!! Lucky me!
C-- Cake or Pie? I am more of a pie person, but I do like some cakes.
D-- Day of Choice? Saturday, Robert is home (sometimes!!)
E-- Essential Item? internet... I can find anything I want there! And it has solved many debates ..."I know I am right so I will prove it!!!" and I can on the internet!! ;)
F-- Favorite Color? Purple
G-- Gummy Bears or Worms? Worms
H-- Hometown? Phoenix, AZ
I-- Indulgence(s): I LOVE to eat cookie dough, sometime I make it just to eat it
J-- January or July? July
K-- Kids? 4 crazy kiddos
L-- Life is incomplete without? Kids, family, and showers (hey, ya gotta be clean)
M-- Marriage Date? June 20, 1998
N-- Number of siblings? 3 younger brothers
O-- Oranges or Apples? Oranges are yummy
P-- Phobias or fears? Anything horrible happening to my kids, getting older, speaking to a group (I really need to get over that one!)
Q- Quotes? "Awesome!", "oh crap!", "sheesh!"
R-- Reason to Smile? Because I have such a great life!!
S-- Season? Christmas, because I love decorating the house and baking and being with family
T-- Tag 5 People?? Whoever would like to do it... I would like to read your answers
U-- Unknown Fact? I tried modeling in High school... obviously that did not go anywhere!!
V-- Very Favorite Store? I could shop anywhere... I love to shop!
W-- Worst Habit? Can't say "No" to people, when I should. I feel bad!... me too
X-- X-ray or ultrasound? Ultrasounds... let's see, I have had 11 I think?
Y-- Your favorite food? Mexican food... YUM!
Z-- Zodiac? Taurus

TAG...I'M IT AGAIN!

Rules of this Tag:

1. Answer the questions about the list of friends and/or family on your blog.

2. If you don’t have the # of names that the question asks, answer the question about the next name that you have not had a question for on your list.

3. Tag your friends/ family.

• When did you first meet the 1st person on your list? The 1st person on my list is Amy B. I am not sure how we met but I met her when she moved into our ward a few years ago.
  

• What do you like about the third person on your list's blog? Brandi S. is so sweet, she is fun to talk to, and just always seems happy (even being pregnant with 2 little boys!). She makes yummy cookies! ;) (By the way Brandi I want your oatmeal raisin cookie recipe... those were so good!)
  

• What do you like best about the 5th and 6th people on your list? Charlene O. is sooo creative and organized and so sweet. Cherisse L. is soo funny, every time I look at her blog I get a good laugh.
  

• How long have you known the 8th person on your list? I have known Fawn B. forever! We were in nursery together in church (so back when we were 2) and went to the same preschool. We were always in the same primary class, YW, and seminary and went to HS together. I have probably known her longer than anyone on this list. I have known her at least 26 or 27 years maybe...wow! We are getting old!
  

• What impresses you about the 11th and 22nd people on your list? Kandice A. is such a great person, so sweet and very funny and really creative. Shauntel is a good friend, very thoughtful and considerate and funny. She is one of my VT's and I enjoy visiting with her. Both are such good moms!
  

• What is a memory you have with the 23rd person on your list? Lot's of memories with Sonnet T. I'll just name a few... when we were in High School would go to swim lessons with our siblings just so we could sit and stare at the life guards... they probably thought we were such dorks! I remember, before we could drive, sitting in her dads Porsche 914 in their garage and pretending that we were driving. Troy and Brent... don't need to say more (Sonnet, remember them??? Ugh!!) and making videos with my parents camcorder... I can't help and look at those and feel embarrassed for ourselves!!! Memories...
  

• Say something nice about the 27th person on your list. Tina B. is Robert's aunt and is so creative and organized and funny and such a good and fun mom! I have gotten to know her better through blogging and hope to see them again soon!

Okay, now I tag everyone that I have mentioned above.... Amy B., Brandi S., Charlene O., Cherisse L., Fawn B., Kandice A., Shauntel C., Sonnet T., and Tina B.