My Parents Save the Day

On my prior post I informed all of you how bummed I was about not being able to get Gracee a little recliner....Well my parents saved the day and I AM SOOOOOOOO HAPPY. My husband actually had the brilliant idea, but my parents took my grandparents (my mom's parents) to Spokane today for my Grandma's Dr's appointments and he said I should have them check and see. So I got online to find the nearest store and called to see if they had any in stock--they had tons w/ several different colors to choose from, but I had to convince them to take a trip to the valley. I am not so sure they did it for me, but they will do ANYTHING for their grandchildren. Good thing Krae does not read very well or read my blogs because this is actually a santa gift to go along w/ his BB hoop.

My other happy moment today was when sears was able to work w/ me after I lost a gift card and for the life of me can not find it--its in one of those really good hiding spots. So I called and told them that my reciept was w/ the card (which it is) and asked if they could look it up by using the debit card I used to purchase it (I found out by the people at shopko that everyone can do this--so why are there so many stingy places like target that are sticklers about returns). Guess what a new gift card is waiting for me to pick it up at sears. Oh happy day!!!!!!!!

I included the pictures of our visit w/ Santa:


Here we are as a happy family since both of our kids were trying to be difficult--doesen't Santa totally look like a high schooler--good thing my kids had no clue.


This is Gracee before mom and dad got to be in the picture--the rest of the night when I would ask her about Santa she would just whine.

December Update

I decided to update my blog since I woke up at 3:30 this morning and could not go back to sleep (crazy I know) but I startd worrying about if work/school was going to be delayed and I knew someone form wk would be calling me etc, etc, etc. Once my mind gets a working I have a hard time getting it back to sleep and because I never find time to blog--here I go--starting back at the beginning of Decmeber.

Did I mention how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the holidays? Not a fan of winter in general because when I was growing up that meant being outside from the crack of dawn until after dark doing stuff for those stupid cows (like cracking ice to their water, bringing babies in so they would not freeze to death, and feeding those moma's, so they could survive), while I no longer could feel my toes or nose, and all the old farm rigs had NO HEATERS. I am sure part of the joy comes from my Dad being a huge fan of them also, busy man and all but he always could find time to do the annual christmas rituals-- boat parade, driving around looking at christmas lights (when we really were suppose to be christams shopping), decorating our house until there was no wall space (I am sure they have enough decorations now to decorate 3 houses), listening to Christams music, and getting to unwrap Christmas presents on Christmas Eve (in our house that is when santa came) and all the other things we found to do. I also have to say that I have a boss that LOVES Christmas also. He loves to ask everyone if they have been good and what there list for santa consists of and if he actually had any control at the office (w/ 15 women) he would start listening to Christmas music in October.

So here goes what we have been doing:

beginning of Dec 6th-- Ladies day to Spokane to see the Nutcracker (a 1st for me)

Quarter ended dec 12th--survived round 1 (I think) and onto round 2-- I have been trying to finish power points on the last couple of chapters

Dec 12th--Attempted to be in the boat parade- I have always watched the boat parade on the river but never been in it although my Uncle Corey has entered his boat several times. On the particular night I decided to go the wind was blowing like crazy (I was on pins and needle the whole time becuase this is a LARGE boat (actaully a yatch w/ 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, living room) and the wind was throwing that thing around)and the darn thing got cancelled once we made it to the blue bridge because of wind gusts-- I was happy and bummed at the same time.

Dec 13th--Baked 9 different goodies for Christmas platters w/ my sister-in-law Crystal. Showed up at 10 am and did not get done until 5:30 and then went and watched the boat parade from the shore.

Dec 14th-- started wrapping the 1st round of presents-- Gracee has already attempted to open 3--probably come time to unwrap presents she won't have a thing to do w/ them. Later in the Afternoon headed down to Hermiston to Ryan and Amy's for Gingerbread house decorating party and had lots of great food-- did not leave Hermiston until 9:00 when it was snowing like crazy and had to drive 40 MPH home.

Dec 15th--school got delayed and we got to sleep in (since we got home late).
Finished Christmas cards. went to town to finish some Christmas shopping but did not get a whole lot done.

Dec 16th-- went to town to do more christmas shopping and came home mad because the gift I was dead set on getting Gracee was all sold out (little reclining chair). Went to Burbank BB game to visit santa (fundraiser for baseball)-- both my kids were crying ( Krae was too cool to sit w/ santa once he got in front of his teachers and Gracee was freaked out)and the whole family had to sit w/ santa (poor high school kid).

That brings us to now-- it has been -6 to 15 degrees and we currently have about 6 inches of snow and counting. Until next time...


Gracee and uncle Wes who smeared frosting all over her face, but she was too tired to even care

Krae and his tree that he decorated (notice he is actually smiling normal). He won the event for the night--thanks to rigging or everyone feeling sorry for the child

Jake, Krae, and Laney-- notice Krae's smile here-- this is why I had about 15 photos to choose from for our Christmas card and not a 1 of them turned out--either Krae was doing this rediculous smile or Gracee was not facing the camera


the 1st day it snowed we took the kids out to play in it and Gracee LOVED it until I finally made her come in and her hands and face were frozen. As a matter of fact her brother chickened out and cam in before her


Here is my Aunt and Uncles boat-- that would be a helicopter on the front there


A few days before it snowed and got freezig cold Gracee found a new love-- riding the 4-wheeler, now everytime she see's it she thinks she needs on it.

Long Thanksgiving Weekend in Review

Weds: I worked but, Jake had the day and stayed home and watched the kids and smoked a bunch of meat from all the game he has killed. When I got home I made an apple crisp and apple pie of which turned out great ( I have only ever made pie 2 other times so I was happy).

Thurs.: We spent the morning relaxing and then went to Jake's sisters house for Thanksgiving. We ate lots of great food (except the pumpkin pie that the sugar got left out of) and played catch phrase.

Fri: For the 1st time in my life I shopped the Black Friday and honestly could say I do not think I ever need to do that again. I was at Kohl's at 4 am and did not get home until 2. I am a very impatient person so standing in line for 45 mins to an hour and a half does me no good. On top of all that I dont think there we any GREAT deals, for the amount of time you spend standing in line and all the sleep you lose, that 5 extra bucks you save is not worth it for me. One good thing about the whole deal is that I got 90% of my Christmas shopping done. The only GREAT deal that I got was the gift thta Jake and I decided we were buying each other and that was a flat screen TV.

Then Fri evening we decided to head to Dayton for their "beginning of Christmas season kick off". We walked through all the shops and watched some fireworks, that we not that bad for a little old town. We went w/ my sister-in law and her family and met up w/ my parents and their friends who have a cabin that was close. We also ran into our friends Chip and Cherie (Chips a grad. of Dayton).

Sat: Jake went hunting goose hunting w/ his friend Clint and my brother Ryan. I then went to lunch and to see Twilight w/ Jess, Amy, and Bobbie. I definately think the book was a lot better because it did not seem so vampirish, not that the movie was bad. The only disappointment I had was the character that played Edward should have been Emmett--because Emmett was HOT. While I was at the movie, Jake dug the tree and and got it set up for me so when I got home that evening we decorated the tree. I forget how hard it is to keep those little hands off the tree. It is going to be the death of me. I thought I was set to go because Krae has a little tree that I let him decorate and redecorate daily and thought that would keep Gracee away from mine but she does not understand why she can touch one tree and not the other.

Sun: We finished decorating the rest of the house (except for the outside). usually I decorate the house while Jake's at work or gone but I don't ever think I will do that again after yesterday. It was nice to have the whole house done (minus the tree) in 2 hrs and not all day.

And to end sunday, beginning of Monday my little princess decided that she was not going to sleep last night. I think she has been talking to her friends Emersyn and Delaney. I think they gave her the scoop on how they wake up all through out the night and their mommies are at their beckon call because she decided that at 2:30 she needed some help so I rocked her and put her back down for her to wake up a 1/2 hr later so I decided I would hold her and sleep in the reclining rocker in her room. she sat there but never really slept (and neither did I) and finally when Jake's alarm went off at 5 I informed him that he got to take care of her while he got ready and I slept. Weird thing is he did not question it and he managed. At 6:15 she decided she was tired and he put her down but I then had to get up to get Krae off to school. Lets hope she just happen to have a bad night because I need my sleep and plus she is 15 months old.