Christmas PJs

Does anyone else get sad when Christmas is over.  I think I get some Christmas blues.   It goes so fast and takes so long to come again.  I woke up after Dec 26th and the girls changed it to 364 days on the Christmas countdown tree....SAD.  I guess I will focus on one of my favorite Christmas Eve traditions.  Grandma Rowe always gives the kids matching PJ's to open on Christmas Eve.  She has done this every year since we have been married for all her grandchildren.  She does a great job and we love and appreciate her for helping make our Christmas Eve's special and full of fun memories.  Here are some past PJ photos.

A really old one...pre-digital camera 2001

2004...One of my favorite PJ choices.

 2005

2006

2007...Brody was 4 days old

2008

2009

2010...Taylor did not like these night gowns....She felt like she was from little house on the prairie.  The other girls loved them...you can't please everyone.

2011

2012...I wanted a pair of these candy cane pjs bottoms this year.

Can't wait to see the PJ's for 2013!!!

Brody is 5

Brody turned 5 a few days before Christmas.  He asked me when he was born.  I told him December 21st..  ..."Hey, that is my birthday!!!"  Crazy how that works.

Merry Christmas!

The word JOY does not make me happy at Christmas but I am not a total Grinch.  These are some of my favorite things that make me happy at Christmas.  I love Nativity's...I think it is probably the only thing I collect.  My mom started this obsession...she has sooo many she can't even put them all out every year.   She has to rotate them.  I love to collect unique ones from different countries.

This one is made of all leather from the Amazon jungle.

This is my new one I am just starting to collect made from imported hand-spun yarn.

I bought this one in Germany because I loved the palm trees.  I was so scared bringing it back on the plane. 

This is one of my favorites and one of the least expensive at 25.00.  This one is from Guatemala.  Scott was trying to bargain down to $20 and walked away hoping they would come after us.  I was not going to let $5 and a little pride stop me from buying it.  I went back without Scott.

This silver one is not from another country, but I thought it was so unique I bought it from a guy who makes them out of his garage.

My dad bought me this one from Peru.  I love the dark faces.  These are just a few of my favorites that put a smile on my face.  I also smile every time I walk by my Christmas tree.  It is huge...probably about 15 feet.  It has lasted 8 years so far.  If you look close one strip of lights are dead...I told the girls it is a new trend.

Merry Christmas!!

Santa and the Mist

The kids got their photo taken with Santa at Disneyland...Scott and I took a photo with Santa at our church party.  It is actually the same Santa.  Our church has connections...

 We do have one child that is missing...our oldest.  She was too busy for us and Santa.  The only time I get to see her is if I take her to seminary and watch the mist of the morning at 5:30 am.  It is really weird how little you see them when they hit high school.  She says it is just preparing us for when she leaves for college and how boring it will be without her.  She is probably right, but I thought I had 4 more years with her.  I can't wait for the holiday break to come so I can get to know her again.

Elf

Sometimes my kids crack me up!!!  

Basketball Basics

Brody just started his first basketball season.  We are a little frustrated and disappointed with his level of play.  He has been playing for a month now and should understand the basics of basketball...  Screens, picks, 3 seconds in the key, defense, offense, 3-pointers, free "shows", zone defense, man-on-man defense, quick transition, breakaways, swipes, stacking, steals, shot clock, shot percentage, fouls, forwards, center, guards...etc.  You know this should be basic, basic stuff for a 4 year old.  :)     

He does get a few things...He knows his spot is the red square!!!  He does not want to leave his spot.  We have tried to explain that your spot is not literal... just a general area.  He does love running from transition from offense to defense. 

 There is my square again.  I missed you when I was on the opposite end of the court.

 He also is a pro at always keeping his hands up...for offense and defense.  Every photo he has his hands up and ready.

 He has improved his dribbling skills...I did not even know he could dribble the whole length of the court.

He always looks to see his passing options...very unselfish or maybe just does not want the ball stolen.

Ultimately, the only thing I want him to learn at 4 is that sports are fun and we are always proud of you.  Thumbs up, Brody!!

No Joy!!

 I know that I have an old lady name.  Most of my life people would tell me their grandma is named Joy.  My mom says I was named Joy because I was smiling when I was born.  I believed her and was proud when I told everyone that story.  I don't know if I buy it now that I have had 4 kids and know newborns don't really smile.  I also would get dumb Joy jokes...It is a Joy to meet you..."men are that they might have Joy" (Scott still tries to use that line)...Are you always happy...Is Joy to the world your favorite song?  There was also a popular song when I was a teen that said "Joy and pain, sunshine and rain...pump it up."  All my friends would point to me during that song...actually that was not a bad Joy moment.  I have never, ever, ever liked seeing JOY at Christmas time.  Imagine seeing your name in people's yards, Christmas cards, decorations...it is just weird.  People would give me gifts at Christmas with Joy on it, thinking I collect my name or something.  You will not find one thing in my house at Christmas time with JOY on it.  My kids all know that I won't sing Joy to the world in church...so of course they all sing it as loud as they can.  I love so many things about Christmas--just not "Joy" at Christmas.  I am sure any girls named NOEL are giving me an AMEN sister.

Needs vs. Wants

 My kids tease me that I love my sweat outfits...So.... I definitely do not need anymore of those for Christmas, since I basically have every color.

 This is what my sticker used to look like on the back of my car.

This is what it looks like after 5 years on the back of my car...Scott and Taylor ripped themselves off since they were decapitated.  I didn't really care about the stickers and did not think it mattered...Until...I went to the gas station and this man was being really "friendly" to me as I was filling up my tank (side note...I was wearing my sweat outfit).  We started talking and it became clear why he was being so friendly to me, so I told him I was married.  He said I assumed you weren't married...he then pointed to the back of my car.  I have no man sticker...I came home and told my man that I need a new car for Christmas.  He said I just need a new sticker!!  I can't put a new sticker on an old car...a new sticker only works on a new car. Duh!!!  

Ella the Elf

Our "Elf on the Shelf" is in sooo much trouble!  Last night, she made snow angels in the flour.  Brody was scared one morning when Ella was playing with knives.  I heard that Ella almost had ketchup next to her playing with the knives...but better judgement was used.

High Enough

Every year we try to add some new Christmas decoration to our front yard.  I could not find something that I wanted to buy this year.  I am not liking those new tinsel lawn decorations...I don't think they will last more than a year.  So we decided to decorate our street lamp.  It is higher than it looks.  Carly wanted to go higher but I was too scared to let her.  Maybe next year I will let her go a smidge higher.  Merry Christmas to my neighbors and to our city code enforcement officers!!

Roses

The only thing she wanted on her cake were roses made of icing... I thought it was random, but it is her birthday cake.

Syd is 9

Sydney came into the world so fast that the doctor and her Dad did not make it to the delivery.  

 Sometimes I feel bad because I don't remember her much as a baby because I was so overwhelmed with three kids that I was just trying to survive.   I remember she was an easy baby and just went with the flow.

My favorite age of all my kids is 2...that is when I can really tell who they will be.  She was so hard to figure out.

She loves being a girly....girl.

 She is the best of friends and the worst of friends with her brother.

She loves pictures of herself.

 She says soccer is her life.

 She is never scared to try new things.

 She knows exactly who she is...even though she is in the shadows of 2 sisters.

She is our assassin and tom boy on the soccer field...example...she overheard a coach on the opposite team tell a girl playing against Syd that he wanted to see Syd down on the grass.  Syd overheard his comment and next thing you knew the other girl was down on the grass.  Don't mess with Sydney.

She is a loud little girl...yet she is sooo quiet.  She does not mind just being by herself and her thoughts.

She is our Sydney and we have loved you from the moment you entered the world 9 years ago.   

HB!