Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree

Usually the day after Thanksgiving we put up our tree.  This year on that day I was at the Nutcracker so we didn't get to put it up then.  We didn't get to put it up the day after that either.  We finally got around to putting it up the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  We bought this tree on the Day after Christmas 3 years ago.  We are not so impressed with it.  It is very slender.  We like big fat trees.  But we are settling for this one this year until we can find a better one.  It is really easy to put together though so that is a bonus.

Natalie and Ella spreading out all of the branches.

Tyler pitching in to help.  That is the first step to a nice looking tree.  Make sure that the branches are spread out.

Then as usual we went decoration wild.  We like hanging as many ornaments on it as humanly possible.  We like it to look very full.

When it was all done I had to get a photo of the kids around it.  Yes Natalie pushing it upward.  It liked to lean a little.

All of my kids liked to lay under the tree and look up at the lights.  They girls I guess are getting to big for that.  Thankfully Ella and Tyler aren't.

A Double Date

Nate and I went on a double date with The Fishers.  We went to Humpy's Bar to eat.  On the way into the bar Nate, JulieAnne and I all got ID.  But her husband Matt did not.  I had fun calling him old man the rest of the night. 

I know that most people think its dumb to put pictures of their food on their blog but I quite enjoy showing what I ate so that I can remember.  Especially if its different or if it was tasty.

We got 2 different apps to share.  This is the lobster nuggets.  They came with a tater sauce to dip it in.

This one is a smoked salmon spread.  Both were really tasty to try.

I got the seafood sandwich for my meal.  It was a lobster and crab sandwich.  Oh my.  It was so good, Probably one of the best seafood things I have eaten here in Alaska.

Humpy's is famous for their beer batter Halibut chips.  Nate and JulieAnne both got this for their meal.  Nate liked it but wished that the fish was longer instead of chunky.

Matt got a Sauerkraut encrusted halibut.  He said that it was Tasty.  He offered me a bite but since I don't like fish and I especially don't like sauerkraut I passed.

It was a fun night to go out.  We saw some very interesting things happen outside the bar.  None of which I care to share.  Mostly because I didn't want to see it and wish now that I can get it out of my mind.  I always have a lot of fun when I go out with the Fishers.  I am going to miss them when they move this summer.

The Nutcracker

My friend Emily and I decided it would be fun to surprise our girls with a trip to The Nutcracker.  The girls had no idea what we were doing at all.  They did know that they had to wear nice clothes.  I picked Emily and Amellia up at 11:30 and Emily and I gave the girls their first clue as to what we were doing.  The first thing that we gave them was an ornament with a moose on it.  It was clue to our first stop.  Mooses tooth.  I love mooses tooth to eat at.  They have the best pizza there.  We ordered an appetizer to share and then we each ordered pizza to share. 

While we were inside of Mooses tooth we gave the girls their second clue.  IT was a candy bar with a nutcracker on it.  It took a little while but Amellia figured out that we were going to The Nutcracker.  Ella was less then enthused about it.  It was not the reaction I was hoping for.  So we packed up the little girls and headed over to the theatre.  We got there a little early and looked around at the many things they had on display.  I bought Ella a snow globe to help her remember our activity. 

Ella ended up really loving the performance.  She would turn to me and hug me and love on me because she was having such a great time.  After the nutcracker we went to the mall and bought a couple of things that we needed and then went to get a pretzel there.

After the mall we gave the girls our last clue as to what we were going to be doing for the evening which was some ice cream flavored chapstick.  We went to get ice cream. 

I had a wonderful time with Ella.  She is so fun to do do things with.  Ella said her favorite part was going to get ice cream.

Emily and her Daughter Amellia with Ella and I at Mooses Tooth

Ella in front of The Nutcracker sign.  The bottom photo is her with her ticket.  She is standing on top of an air vent and it is blowing up her skirt.

Ella and I in the auditorium.  We had really good seats too.

Ella and the rest of the gang

Ella and Amellia looking down at the orchestra pit.

Ella and I buy the pit.  The gate they had up was really wobbly. I leaned on it and thought I was going to fall in.

Ella and Amelia with the giant Nutcracker that they had on display.

During intermission we bought the girls cookies to eat.

Ella with a ballerina that was helping with purchases.

The giant Nutcracker sign they had up over the stage.

All of us with our ice cream

Thanksgiving 2012

For this Thanksgiving this year I had each person in the family tell me something that they wanted to eat for dinner and then they had to make it.  It made dinner a lot less stressful.  It also guaranteed that everyone would have at least one thing that they liked to eat for dinner.  We had quite the smorgasbord of food.  With things like mac and cheese and shrimp cocktail on the menu.  It was a very peaceful meal.  It was my family and of course the missionaries because a big meal at our house would not be complete without the missionaries.

I started a new tradition this year.  I bought a nice book and everyone was in charge of decorating one one page of the book with something that they were thankful for in it.  I also put a picture of each person in the book so that we can see how they change over the years.  The missionaries also wrote in my book.  Everyone that comes to thanksgiving dinner will be given the opportunity to write in my book.

Sister Rivera (L) and Sister Claspell (R) enjoying the frigid -4 degree Thanksgiving Day weather.

Tyler and Ella dishing out some food from our buffet.  We seriously had a little bit of everything.  We had Turkey, rolls, stuffing, ravioli, funeral potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry relish, cookies, and shrimp cocktail.

Sister Claspbell and Nichole dishing up the food.

Natalie and Sister Rivera

Nichole making her hood into a gnome

Ella climbing the tree.  From how this picture was taken it looks like she is just standing on the top of the hill right there but really she is in the tree.  I am on the third story of my house and she is level with me.  If that tells you how high up she is.

Sister Rivera and I 

The sister missionaries writing in my Thanksgiving book

After the meal was done and cleaned up Tyler and Ella went downstairs to play a friendly game of monopoly.  I kindly obliged and played for an hour as well. 

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  My heart is full.  Heavenly Father has given my much to be thankful for.

Breaking Dawn Part ll

I originally refused to go and see Breaking Dawn Part 2 at the movie theatre on opening night.  I did not want to stay up that late.  I did not want to deal with all of the junk that has to do with going so late at night.  But, when all of my friends were going and some how convinced me to go with them.  The thing that really won me over was the fact that it started at 10 pm instead of 12 am.  My friends and I met at 5 pm to go out to eat at a restaurant right next door to the movies.  Then we walked over to Target to kill some time.  By 7 we were all done with eating and Target so we decided to just hang out at the movies.  We went to get in line but the ticket taker said that the only people that were in line were the people with the 10 o'clock showing and the 1010 showing.  Not the 1030 showing which is what we were going to.  We asked when we were going to be able to line up and he said after the people at the 1010 showing go into the theatre.  But my friends and I are smart and just go in line with the 1010 people and when they went into the movies we ended up being the first in line.  We waited in line for almost 2 1/2 hours until we could go back to the theatre. 

When we were finally able to go we raced in and sat on the front row of the upper area so that we had a place to put our feet up.  We also had to save some places for some ladies that were joining us later.

I had a fun time going with the ladies.  The movie was actually pretty good.  The best one if you ask me.  And the twist sure got me.  It got the whole audience too. You know it is a twist when the whole audience gasps over and over and over again.

The whole way home from the movies we talked about the twist.  As a matter of fact as it was happening I turned to my friend and begrudgingly said I HATE THIS MOVIE!! and when it was all over I turned and said I liked that movie so much better then the book.

I took the girls the following Saturday just so I could see the look on their faces.  Worth every penny!

From Left to Right: Erin Nisonger, April Eichorn, Jessica Musil, Brittany Ard, Emily Draper

April and I went to the bathroom and then never went back behind the rope.  We are such rule breakers.

The ticket taker was so funny.  We were trying to make him look at us but he refused.  He went out of his way NOT to look at us.

Ducks lots of Ducks

Text between My friend who was made at my daughter and for eating all of the cake and me pretending to be my daughter.
B- Dear little girl,
How dare you. How could you eat all the cake? I was looking forward to it for the past week. I haven't eaten anything for 4 days because I wanted to save my stomach for such deliciousness. I might pass out of hunger on the drive home, and hit a herd of ducks... and I will be very badly injured. I hope your happy. How do you sleep at night?
Much Love,
Auntie B-

Dear Auntie B-
The cake was delish I saved a piece in the freezer. I am eating it right now. I don't think I can finish so I am going to throw the rest out.
Much love,
Little girl

B- Message send error code 34443- the person you are trying to contact is currently dying in a ditch. With ducks. Lots of ducks.

But really could you be mad at this face?

Flag Football Dinner

At the end of Flag Football season the Flag football teams got together and had a dinner.  The coaches handed out awards and told a little about each of the girls and what an amazing season it was.

Natalie's coach made all of the girls gnome hats because the girls all liked gnomes and would say that they were gnomes hiding under their mushroom when it was raining outside and they were all trying to get under one umbrella. 

I am glad that Natalie participated in Flag Football.  I was really able to see her confidence grow and new friendships develop.

Ella turns 9

I can't believe that my baby is 9 years old already.  I know, I know I say that every time any of my kids celebrate a birthday but, I feel that way every time.  I can't help it.  They are all growing up too fast.  Next thing you know they will be moving out of the house. 

We celebrated Ella's birthday after Nate got home from work.  It was really hard for her to have to wait that long for Daddy to get home.  She got everything that she asked for.  She got a new outfit, nail polish, books, a skylander, and Just Dance 4.  For her cake she wanted coconut lime cupcakes.  They turned out very good too.

Ella is getting so big.  She is in the 3rd grade.  She is now in senior primary.  She loves to sing,dance, and write books.  She likes talking on the phone and just talking in general.  Luckily she has never grown out of the wanting to cuddle phase.  She likes to play cards and to play outside.  She is an excellent climber and will spend many hours climbing trees.  She likes to play outside rain or shine, summer or winter.  She is a happy girl that brings much joy to her family.