Sledding

We had a great day yesterday. We went sledding with Grandma and Grandpa Jaussi and Tricia and her kids. I didn't get a lot of still shots, more video but here's a fun one of Grandpa and Eliza about ready to make a run.

Jack loved the snow! My mom tried to take him in the car because it was getting cold and he cried until she started to put his hat back on to bring him back out. He's such a boy.

And here are Eliza and me getting ready to take off. It was so much fun and the best part was nobody got hurt!

Santa Found Us

We must have been nice because Santa sure did find us! We had the best Christmas. The kids were so excited and happy on Christmas morning! Aiden was the first to wake up at 6:50 am-so not so bad.
Here is Eliza, Aiden and Jack by their Christmas socks. They are all wearing their new pajamas.

My mom made Jack his sock this year and it is as big as he is! He wasn't really interested in what Santa brought him, he wanted what Eliza and Aiden had. All of the small toys that he could choke on! :)

This is in front of the tree before opening the presents. All Jack wanted to do at this point was drink his bottle.

Santa brought Eliza what she wanted - a pony set. She was really happy.

Every present Aiden would open he would say "I think this is my DS," finally the last present under the tree was a Nintendo DS for the Liston Family. I didn't see his eyes for the rest of Christmas day. He was so caught up in playing his game!

Thanks Santa for such a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Tag

Ok, anyone who wants to play, can copy this and put it on your blog. Just answer the questions with what you prefer! Have fun!
1.Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper and gift bags-I like to mix it up.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial-I don't remember ever having a real one.
3. When do you put up the tree? After Aiden's birthday.
4. When do you take the tree down? Usually a day or two after Christmas-I like to get things back in order.
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, in small amounts and for sure in an egg nog milkshake.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I loved the cabbage patch doll I got one year-he was bald and cute.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Russell's mom and dad, they have everything :). And Aiden, I've given him too many things throughout the year!
8. Easiest person to buy for? Eliza, I could pick up a million things for her.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?If I sent Christmas cards it would be by mail. Maybe one year I will.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Russell bought me a shop vac one year-why? He must have wanted it.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I don't have one.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The first of December.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I really don't think I have.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Artichoke dip, eggnog milkshakes, cheese fondu-all of the appitizers my mom makes for Christams Eve. Oh and of course chocolate.
16. Lights on the tree? Of course!
17. Favorite Christmas song? Feliz Navidad sung by my brother Curtis! (I had to steal that answer from my sis Tricia, because it was the best!)
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home. Now that we have 3 kids it's too hard to go to Idaho :(
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? It gets a little dodgy at the end.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning with the exception of opening our new Christmas PJ's on Christmas Eve.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Buying the WOW presents-the filler stuff is easy.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Right now I am liking blue and silver.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I again have to go with Tricia's answer- the big sandwich on Christmas Eve.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I am pretty content this year, maybe a new shirt.
26. Who do you tag? Anyone who wants to play

The Last Straw

We read a great book a week ago Sunday called The Last Straw, about a family who secretly did nice things for each other and each time they did they got to put a straw in a bed for Baby Jesus to sleep in on Christmas Eve. It was such a good book that we decided to do that in our family this Christmas season. We had one of Eliza's doll beds out to put the straw in, but Aiden didn't think it looked like a bed Jesus would sleep in, so Russell, Aiden and Eliza built a manager on Saturday afternoon. Here are the workers out in the garage.

They hammered, they sawed and they worked really hard to make a great bed for Baby Jesus.

Here is the finished product with the book that gave us the idea.

As you can see the we have all been working hard to fill the bed. Every time we do something nice we get to add more straw. It's been a great way to remember what Christmas is all about.

Candy Houses

Aiden and Eliza both made candy houses at school this week. I went and helped Aiden in his class and it was fun to see how creative he is. He had a lot of great ideas and it turned out really cute.

Eliza's turned out really cute, too. She was really proud of her work. I am glad that I took pictures, because neither one of the houses lasted very long. The candy looked so good, the houses just had to be eaten! :)

I Love Your Blog Award

Thank you Tiffany for giving me this awesome award. I am glad that you like to read my blog. I have really enjoyed my life in the blogging world. And I love to read blogs as well. It's fun to hear the day to day stuff about my friends that we normally don't tell each other because we forget, or it may not be the important stuff. But it is usually the funny stuff! Thanks again.

Okay now I get to pick 7 other blogs that I love to read. If your blog makes the list you get to put the I love your blog icon on your page and then thank the person that gave it to you (that is me) and then choose 7 others who you want to give the award to! Fun, huh. Here are the people I choose:

Joleen

Becky

Kimber

Jennefer

Rachel W.

Logan

Rachel B.

Happy Blogging!

Jack's 1st Birthday

It's hard to believe that my baby is 1! He was excited to see what was in the bags. So excited that I couldn't get him to look at me. We had a fun party with Tricia and her wonderful kids, Jean, Jane, Megan and Kenny. Jack loved all of his new toys.

But what he really loved was the cake! Russell was holding it in front of him so I could get a picture and he just went for it!

You can see the corner of the cake missing where Jack grabbed it. Russell thought it was awesome- I was just thinking about the mess. But it was really funny.

He had so much fun eating his piece of cake. He has never really had anything sweet like that in such a big amount and he couldn't get enough. I was afraid that he was going to throw it up-but thank goodness he never did.

I think that Jack had an fantastic birthday-if this picture doesn't say it all I don't know what would! :)

So we just had three birthdays in one week and now it's on to Christmas!!

My Birthday

I had the best day yesterday on my birthday. Russell woke me up at 5:50am with my birthday present, a new video camera and told me I needed to be ready to leave in 10 minutes. I told him I wasn't running today because it was my birthday, but he told me to get up. At 6am my friends came and got me and took me to breakfast! It was so much fun. Thanks ladies. Then on the way home my awesome sister-in-law Joleen told me she would watch my kids if I wan't to go and get a pedicure. So I took her up on her offer. Here are the results:

The Christmas trees are quite festive, don't you think? Then Russell took me out to the Red Lobster last night with our friends the Dayton's and the Sundberg's. I got the lobster pizza- mmmm. Then we went and saw the movie Australia. I thought it was a good movie. Thanks to my wonderful Aunts Jean and Jane for babsitting for 5 hours! :) My birthday didn't end there however, Jean and Jane took me out to a fabulous lunch today to keep the celebration alive. Thanks everybody for making turning 33 a little less painful!

Happy Birthday Aiden!

Aiden had his 7th birthday yesterday! I can't believe that I have a 7 year old. It felt like we celebrated for days and days. Yesterday he opened his presents from us. a Ninja Turtle, a backpack and...

A skateboard. He was really happy with his presents and kept giving us hugs and telling us how much he loved everything. I was glad that he loved them.

Then it was on to Grandma Liston's for another party with cake and ice cream. Aiden helped me make his cake. He added all of the sprinkles. This morning when he woke up he told me it was the best cake he ever had and he could still taste it in his mouth. :) This is Aiden and his best friend/cousin Kyler.

Then today we had a friend party. I made cupcakes that I was really proud of.

Aiden had his party at Classic Skating. Here he is with Addy and Kyler. I think everybody had a great time scooting and playing arcade games. He got loads of great presents. Thanks friends!

This pictures is kind of crazy, but if you can tell there is a spotlight in the middle of the floor and the dj at classic skating had Aiden stand in the middle while everybody sang Happy Birthday to him. I don't know if he could have had a better 7th birthday! We love you Aiden.