And the winner is...

Here is the "Official" Christmas card.
I promise I will rest before I attempt to take a good family picture next time.
I promise I will maybe get a professional photographer next year, no offense NIKON.
I promise to have the entire family in the picture next year. (Bridger thought it would have been a better picture if Brandon would have been in it. What am I? Chopped liver? UGHHH KIDS!!!)
Anyway, If you don't receive a Christmas card from our family consider this yours. I have been driving around the valley at night looking at the lights. With gas so cheap I feel like I am getting paid to look at the lights. And I found out that if I stop and buy my kids a treat before we go then I can look longer. Bridger claims they are boring and if you've seen one you've seen them all. HE IS SO MY DAD!! 8 YEAR OLD FOR SALE!! I hope you are enjoying the season as much as we are.

Christmas Pictures

I took some very informal Christmas pictures this year. I was sick of the pictures where my kids all looked like a kid out of JC Penny ad, you know, perfect hair, perfect outfit, perfect smiling perfect teeth, their little face not blotchy from crying about taking pictures.

So I got them into their PJ's and sat them in front of their Christmas trees and let my Nikon take over. I was quite pleased that of the 24 pictures I took, 3 turned out card worthy. I am now going to treat you to a little glimpse of the cards that for 1 reason or another did not make the cut this season.

Bridger kept asking me if we were done yet...NO NO AND NO! Now look happy and smile! Then he starts telling me about the "chicken man" at his school and he lets them do a funny face, why can't we do a funny face? Please Mom!

Oakley sang through out the entire faux photo shoot. I don't know if Brody was entertained or scared. Both big boys are for once looking picture perfect!

I have nothing to say about Brandon's son in this picture.Brody is crawling away, he thinks this whole picture thing is a joke.

Oh, this picture is it! This is the Christmas card for 2008! Wait, where is the Prince? How come nobody is holding the baby? Remember this is a FAMILY PICTURE!! Oh, we could have been done.


Why is everyone smiling so big and the baby is crying like a baby? the Prince was so done it was beyond funny. I know that your dying to know what the finalist looks like. Well, stay tuned. I will post the finished product later.

What November?

Okay, I totally get the award for the biggest slacker in November. I can't say that I was sewing the world's cutest pajamas for my kids Christmas, or that I had hand fed and raised our turkeys for Thanksgiving and was busy baking the bread for the stuffing, or even cleaning my house like a maniac for the holidays. Nothing like that was happening though I was at the computer every chance I could and I will admit that Brandon and I have become terribly terribly addicted to SPIDER SOLITAIRE!! (it is the other free game on your computer, next to free cell and solitaire) I am sure that this has become the addiction of 2008. You may remember the past addictions...
2007 food
2006 coke a cola
2005 food
2004 food
2003 food
2002 coke a cola
2001 food...you get the idea.
While I haven't broken the cycle on the past addictions, I am getting dare I say better at SS (code for spider solitaire while the kids are at home) and am sure I can quite anytime, just look at me record with the past addictions! My top score is 119. My average is @ 128 and yes, we do keep a paper and pen next to the computer to record our scores. I know those do not sound like impressive numbers but give it a whirl. You have to set it on medium level and then just sit back and forget all your worries, unless you totally suck at the game then I suggest you set it on easy.
When we weren't playing the game we were having a great November. We had a fabulous fabulous Thanksgiving dinner at my Aunts house, I made the best yams in the entire world thanks to my friend M! We got all of the Christmas decorations put up, I managed to go out with my sisters on Black Friday and because I wasn't shopping for anything in particular I was designated driver so the sisters that had shopped could look at all their "loot" while I drove us onto the next store. GOOD TIMES!
While I am sure I am the only blogger that hasn't seen the twilight movie yet, I did get a picture of a vampire...



We dressed the Prince up for my sisters Halloween party and I can announce that he won best costume and bushiest eyebrows awards. Here is another picture 1 month late: the kids Halloween picture before trick or treating... So from this day forward, I will make a solid vow not to take 1 month off of blogging again. maybe 3 1/2 weeks, but not 1 month.