Christmas Decorating

Our Christmas tree top and a close up of our angel Moroni!


A closer look


Our whole Christams Tree


Our Christmas village!


A few Nativitys that we like. I like Nativitys where baby Jesus is smiling!


Our 3 tree outside, the star shows through from behind.


Sierra posing with the 3 trees.


Our new little penguins that light up our walk way.


Our lights.


Our outside Christmas decorations!

Christmas Tag

Eggnog or Hot Chocolate?
I like both. Hot Chocolate is for cold snowy days! and Eggnog helps ring in the new year. A little goes a long way though because it is so sweet!

Does Santa wrap presents or set them under the tree?
Both. Family gifts are wrapped under the tree and most Santa gifts are wrapped and in your part of the couch, but some left out unwrapped so you can see them first thing Christmas morning.

Colored lights on tree or white?
Colored lights! I LOVE that my tree is pre-lit.

When do you put your decorations up?
Just after Thanksgiving weekend

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
We make Doug's Grandma's potatoe dish the night before and put it in to bake and when it is ready we take a break from opening presents and have a quick breakfast!

Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
I have many!!! but since we are cousin in laws... I want to share this one. One year when we had Christmas at Grandma M's house. All the cousins were sleeping down stairs and we we so EXCITED for Christmas and we kept waiting and waiting and there were no clocks downstairs. So finally we thought it MUST BE time to get up. So I being the oldest cousin was designated to go upstairs and see if Santa had come yet. He had been there but I looked at the clock and it was ONLY 4 AM but I had seen my Marie Osmond tee shirt and I was to ANXIOUS to go back to bed. So we talked until someone came downstairs and said we could come upstairs to open presents. Adults can sleep sooo late. It was 7 AM. I think I was 10 yrs old.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
No! We usually are out on Christmas Eve really late and so we just wait until morning!

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
We have ornaments we have made or found over the years we decorate our pre-lit tree. So it has all sorts of different ornaments.

Snow! Love it or Dread it?
It is a love hate relationship! I love it when it snows and I am inside warm and cozy! It is so beautiful and makes everything so serene looking. But if I have to DRIVE in it I HATE it! It scares me! Go figure, because I grew up in Utah and live in Colorado. That is a plus of Colorado though, because it snows and usually by noon, the streets are free of snow. Unless it is really cold and then I try to stay home. I also like family SNOW DAYS but I do not like to be cold!


Can you ice skate?
No, I tried once and it was painful. So I chose not to!

Do you remember your favorite gift?
One year my Mom gave me a book of all the Christmas letters she had written since she and my Dad were married and I cherish it and add my Christmas letters to the book every year. Sime day I will give it to my daughter.
Also 1 year I got a book about my Great Grandma Mortensen from my Grandma M and I really got to know my great grandma through reading the book written by her children. It is a gift I truly treasure!


What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
I try to focus on CHRIST and the gift He gave to all man kind.
But I do tend to get caught up in the comericalism sometimes.
FAMILY! is key to Christmas!

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Doug's almond toffee and peanut brittle!

What is your favorite tradition?
Spending Christmas Eve with my in-laws, reading the Christmas story as a family. My MIL sharing her new Christmas story and then eating goodies and playing Rook late in to the night.


Which do you prefer, Giving or Receiving?
Definitely giving! I love to find that perfect gift.

What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Silent night

Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yum

Don't be a Scrooge

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? It really doesn't matter. I like what is inside best! :)

2. Real tree or Artificial. I love real trees. But with a fake tree I don't have to worry about my tree dieing before Christmas !! A few years ago we went to a fake one with lights on it! So cool not to have to put lights on every branch!

3. When do you put up the tree? Day after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down? The day after New Years Day

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, some! It is soo sweet.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Depends on the year. Fisher Price House, Farm, and Village, Sunshine family Dolls. Stereo!

7. Hardest person to buy for? My husband, Acts like I should keep a list of all his wants all year round!

8. Easiest person to buy for? My daughter. I ALWAYS know what she wants!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, a few!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Either! I just love to hear from people!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't ever remember getting something I didi not like !

12. Favorite Christmas Movie! They all make me cry! It isn't a movie but I just read " the Christmas Sweater by GLen Beck and LOVED IT!!!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually about Halloween, Once Fall starts I start looking for bargins! I DO NOT shop on Black Friday!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Only to goodwill!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My Mother-in-laws Shrimp dip with crackers!

16. Lights on the tree? Yes! Colored

17. Favorite Christmas song? I love Silent Night! I also enjoy Carol the Bells as festive music for the holidays!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I love to see family! But being a home is the best!!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Comet, Cupid, Doner, Blizen, and of course Rudolph.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? The angel Moroni!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? As a kid we opened one on Christmas Eve but we usually are out late on Christmas Eve so we wait until Christmas morning!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Not being able to buy gifts for everyone!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? THe ornaments with Sierra's pictures evey year!

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Grandma's potatoes

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A new Camera

26. Favorite Christmas Tradition? Spending Christmas Eve with family!

To MANY blessings to name them ALL

I have SO MUCH to be GRATEFUL for!!!

My FAITH is EVERYTHING! and because of my faith
everything that is important to me is just that much more PRECIOUS!!!


My FAMILY!!!!!! EVERYONE!!
The fact that know FAMILIES are Eternal!!!
My DAUGHTER!! Through her I get to be a MOM and I know what a GIFT
that truly is!!!

My HEALTH!!!! and my family's health!!!
Miracles!! When there are trials! I believe in miracles!!!

TECHNOLOGY that not only makes my life easier but it also allows me to stay in touch with my family and extended family!!!

and so many, many more!!!

TWILIGHT MOVIE

I can't believe I am the first to post anything about the TWILIGHT MOVIE!!!
IT WAS AMAZING!!! INTENSE AND MADE MY HEART SKIP A BEAT MANY TIMES WHETHER BECAUSE OF THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN EDWARD AND BELLA OR THE FRIGHT FROM A UNREMEMBERED MOMENT!
I can't wait for the rest of the movies to be made!
We (Sierra and I and 2 friends) went on opening night, NOV 21, 2008 at 10 PM and stood in line for 1 hour and sat in the theater for another hour! It was FUN just to be part of all the EXCITEMENT!!! I finished the last 5 pages of TWILIGHT just before they seated us. I have a few pictures I will post later.
It moved FAST but it had to, to tell the most important parts of the story! I thought it was really well done and the director stayed true to the story where it really mattered!
I want to see it again and will definately OWN IT!!!:)

The Lake in the Autumn

Remember I told you that I wanted to show you the transformation of one my favorite places to walk as each Season came? Well here is another change. Autumn
There is less wild life there right now. A few ducks and sometimes a few geese and too fast to take pictures of rabbits!
This was the 3rd week in October that I made it up there to walk around the lake.

Halloween Night is ALL about DRESSING UP!!! okay the CANDY too!

On Halloween we went to our annual Fall Harvest dinner.
A chili and cinnamon rolls cook off and then there were
games for the kids and then Trunk or Treat before it
got too dark!
I took my camera and had a blast! We had pirates and
princesses and witches and fairies and ninjas and
supergirls and cheerleaders and pioneers and pumpkins.
Most were camera shy! We even had a 2 month old Hotdog.

Doug dressed as a Chef he called himself Disco Stew?!



Sierra created her costume idea..... Can you guess?



She was Mrs.Phantom of the Opera. She loves that movie and goes around singing the songs from it all the time with her i-pod!

I was a Hippie / flower child!
I even got my face painted...



It was a fun night and the weather was nice!
Sierra went to a Halloween party turned sleep
over for the girls and Doug and I watched
Beetlejuice and then Doug was done. He went
to bed early! I stayed up and watched Hallween
and some Zombie movie and then cartoons to take
away all the scary movies I had watched. When
I got home I had eaten 6 mini candy bars, Just 1
of every kind I liked! Well it was enough to
give me insomnia so I couldn't sleep and I
was up until 4AM

We only had about 4 trick or treaters.
I guess when you don't get home until around
8pm most the little kids are gone! But now
we have this HUGE bowl of most of my favorite
kind of candy bars right in the house! SCARY!!!
I got canker sores from all the candy I ate
prior to Halloween so that is helping me use self control!
On to the next Holiday.....

Happy Halloween!!!!

I am a Social Blogger

You Are a Social Blogger!

Your blog is more of a semi-private affair for your friends. You don't consider yourself a journalist. Your blog is more of a diary. Your blog is how you keep in touch... Sharing stories, jokes, and pics. No one outside your social circle probably gets your blog, but they're not supposed to!

What Kind of Blogger Are You?

8 Things TAG

8 Favorite TV shows...
1. NCIS
2. CSI (all)
3. Sci Fi- channel
4. Law and Order
5. Charmed
6. I don't watch a lot of TV.
7. We have movies and I watch them sometimes
8. We have a DVR so we record what we want and don't watch the rest.

8 Favorite Restaurants...
1. Mimi's
2. Heavenly Dragon
3. Culver's
4. Golden Corral
5. Famous Dave's BBQ
6. Taco Bell
7. Country Buffet
8. Wendy's

8 things that happened yesterday...
1. Mostly played on the computer :} Avoiding walking as planned
2. Picked up the kids from High school (carpool)
3. Got Sierra some new eye glasses finally!
4. Watched Sierra's church volleyball practice
5. Went to a cross over scouting program
6. Went to Taco Bell for dinner
7. Took a long HOT bath after everyone went to bed
8. Read Children of the Mind some (Orson Scott Card Ender's Game series)

8 things to look forward to...
1. HALLOWEEN TRUNK OR TREAT AT THE CHURCH FRIDAY
2. A Saturday where there is nothing to do..
3. Singing in the choir Sunday
4. Getting Healthier! dang it!
5. Any time I can squeeze in some scrap booking
6. Thansksgiving hopefully with my parents!
7. Time with my family
8. Christmas!

8 things I love about Fall...
1. The colors of the Leaves
2. Hot cocoa
3. The pumpkin patch
4. Halloween! I LOVE to dress up!!!
5. Snuggling up in a fuzzy blanket
and reading... when I am finally alone
6. The first snow, it is so pretty!
7. when Doug leaves and tucks me in
because my schedule allows me to sleep in
8. Thanksgiving Any gatherings!

8 things on my wish list...
1. Doug's back to heal and not be in so much constant pain!
2. Get healthier, weigh less by b-day
3. Sierra to find a really good true friend
that she can do things with, COUNT ON and who
has the same values.
4. Go home, to Tooele for a visit
5. Go to Hawaii with family!
6. To be financially secure
7. A basement to scrapbook in
8. To be spiritually, physically and mentally in balance!:) HA

I tag.... All my family and friends!!

Celebrating 17 years of Wedded Bliss honestly!!!!

Yesterday was Doug's and my anniversary.October 26th 1991. It is hard to believe that is has already been 17 years and then again it is hard to believe it has ONLY been 17 years.... since Doug is so much a part of me!
I was looking through some pictures of the day we were married and I thought I would share them with you.

Doug looked so handsome on our wedding day!

I felt so beautiful that day!


I love that someone captured this moment when I saw him and gave him a look like "Ready or not here I come!" I was so Excited to be marrying Doug!

This is what I saw as I walked down the isle...Doug waiting for ME!!


We were so HAPPY to be married!!!


Who can forget the cutting of the cake...
All the promises not to smear cake in eachothers faces.. what fun would that be... so you do!


Our rings




Finally after all the millions of gizillions of pictures are taken and you realize later that some you wanted did not get taken.., oh well.
You finally get to leave on your honey moon.

It has been a blissful 17 years!! I look forward to eternity!

TAG HAlloWEEN COSTuMES

I have this idea for a TAG...
List what you were for Halloween each year of your life !!!!
Go as far back as you can!!!! Good luck!
I am working on it and it is HARD!

What are your Halloween traditions?
Well as you saw from the last post, we love to decorate for Halloween!
Then a few days before Halloween we get together with friends and carve pumpkins!
We always take pictures of our pumpkins! With the lights on and then all lit up with the lights off!

How do you usually spend Halloween?
We usually go to Trunk or Treat. We have a fall dinner with a chili and cinnamon bun cook off and then the adults go out to their cars and hand out candy as the kids parade around the parking lot! So many people just do this in stead of trick or teating any more. We ONLY had 3 people trick or treat our house last year.

Please also SHARE any photos you have!

Most of my childhood is on slides. I am going to have to call on my Mom to help me with this one. Maybe by Halloween I will have the TAG done.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Until then Here are the Costumes I have been since Sierra started school 99-current

1999 Forest Nymph- Cheap costume. I had fake flowers in the house. So I bought a vine and put flowers all over it and wore a green toga sheet!
2000 Steve Irwin Crocodile Hunter-I had lots of stuffed Crocodiles! Quick and easy and last minute!
2001 Witch- with green hair with green and black striped tights and a cool hat!
2002 Gypsy- I had the coolest shoes that year! I just wore all my silver clothes and my jewelry!
2003 Velma from Scooby Doo!-The sweater I found was see through so I had to wear a white shirt underneath it and also because it was itchy!!
2004 Disco Diva- I already had the gold shirt and fake leather skirt! Gotta check out that BLUE eyeshadow!
2005 COMFORTABLE costume- Doug and I found Peanuts tee shirts and then he made us matching pumpkin pants so that is how we went that year COMFORTABLY!
2006 Leopard- I bought some leopard material and made my ears out of a pair of cat ears on a headband, I just hand sewed the leopard to the back and I also made a tail with wire in it so I could curl it! I already had the coat!
2007 Fairy- I used flowers in my hair a green dress I got at good will and I bought some cheap wings!
This year I will be a Hippie!

HaLLoWeeN DECORatioNS!

Here are our Halloween decorations!


This is our little Haunted House that we LOVE!!! We actually bought the display at Costco because it was the last one! When you push the skull it plays creepy organ music with an evil cackle laugh at the end! Love it!!



Especially at night when it is all lit up!!
Over the years we have made polymer clay figures and added little toys to our haunted house.

Here is our "cute" little spider we either hang in the window or from the ceiling!

This is our stacked pumpkins that light up!

A couple of stuffed ghosts
A couple of super Fun ceramic ghosts!

A glow in the dark pumpkin!

My Black kitty that I really like!
These are all things I have picked up at after the season sales. Very cheap but very cute! I put them in my window!


Here are a few festive things we hang around the house.

Our FAVORITE thing to do is make WINDOW ART with window markers. (Sierra drew everything except the tree with the owl that is my creation)