Game Nights

i love when the family gets together to play games. sometimes it gets so crazy! tonight we played hearts. it was me, ej, mom, and dad. we all stayed pretty close in score and then the last round we played the scores were 96, 97, 98, and 99. we were only playing to 100, so it was crazy! i won because i was the only one to not go over 100. we were having a great time.

S-A-N-T-A C-L-A-U-S! Hurray for Santy Claus!

all my christmas decorations are down. i took them down last night and now i just have to hide them in the closet until next year. i got so many good gifts. the kids and derek got good stuff, too. derek's mom made us a new quilt for our bed. the back was so pretty i thought it was the top. then she told me to open it up and the top was even prettier! so, today, mom is coming over and she's gonna help me rearrange my living room so i can fit my new elliptical machine in! hurray! i've been wanting one for so long and derek completely surprised me with it! it was waiting at someone else's house and i got a picture of it inside of a box, inside of a box, inside of a bag. derek's mom wrapped it. i almost started to tear up. it was the most thoughtful gift.

Traditions at Christmas

who'll stand under the mistletoe with me?

who, who will come hither?

who, who will it be?

with a hey diddley-hi

and a hey diddley-hoo

i'll stand under the mistletoe with you!

everytime we hang mistletoe i sing this song. i haven't hung mistletoe in years, but greenolive reminded me about this song and i realized i'd been forgetting the mistletoe. unfortunately, i don't know where to buy it. growing up we had fake so we never had to buy it. in college people sold it door to door. now, i'm gonna have to do some research to find a local place to buy mistletoe. i wonder if there are any other traditions i've been forgetting.

on another note, i've moved our stockings. they were hanging from the key holder, since i had no where else to hang them.

so my dad built a stocking holder for us using some wood and stuff he had just hanging around. now the stockings are with the tree.

now, here are some cute pictures of the kids.

Emmy's Receipt

the other night we were at walmart. we got everything that we needed and checked out. emmy was given the receipt because she likes to hold them. whenever we go to costco the person at the door checks our receipt and sometimes at walmart our receipt is checked, so like to have it handy 'til i get out the door. well, emmy wanted the door greeter to check the receipt, but when we got to the woman emmy acted shy and wouldn't do it. we left the store and emmy started freaking out because she didn't get her receipt checked. we tried to explain to her that she didn't need it done, but she wasn't listening. i took emmy back inside and had the greeter "check" the receipt. the lady was very nice and looked it over, tore the top a little, and gave it back to emmy. she then kissed emmy on the hand and talked to her a little. emmy was happy and we went home. derek says that emmy get her OCD from my side of the family. whaaaaat? that doesn't sound even remotely like us at all.

Happy Holidays!

well, i guess it's time for another update. not much has been going on. i've gotten some more gifts done. when i'm all done making things i will divvy them up as i see fit. i was telling a sister about the things i'm doing and she commented on how i was not giving everybody the same thing. she seemed surprised, but okay with it. i'm not giving her anything, though. she lives too far away and i don't want to mail anything. luckily, i was assigned to give a gift to the sister who lives near me.

i tried to get my family to stop drawing names this year, but i was overruled. not out voted, overruled. not that i think we shouldn't give gifts, i think we should just stop assigning it. that's how we're doing it in derek's family. i don't have to give a present to everybody, and i'm not expecting a present from everybody. i know that i will get something. a few people have already told me what they are doing, so i'm expecting something.

this year christmas will be very busy. we will wake up and open presents here at home, then go to my parents' house and open gifts, and then go to derek's parents' house and open gifts. usually we don't go to my parents' house, but this year my brother is coming and my mom wants us to be there. we were going to open presents with them on boxing day, but derek has to work.

anyway, i've got all the presents that we're giving the kids wrapped and under the tree. they are leaving them alone, which is good. they'll both get something that they really wanted. emmy is getting a tea set and doll, and andrew is getting a talking thomas and star wars blaster. they will also get a video and they can open their jammies on christmas eve.

christmas eve we are going to a birthday party. i've been assigned to bring the relish tray. that's easy enough. that's something i enjoy because i don't have to cook and keep something warm to take. cold things are much easier to transport.

well, that's all for now. i'll try to post more often.

I'm in My Kitchen

i got some stuff at Michaels to start making gifts. so far it's going well. turns out i need more supplies. good thing i have a couple of weeks still.

Gift Giving

i love homemade gifts. i like to give them and i like to receive them. of course i love store bought gifts, too. this year i want to make gifts for the family, but i'm gonna see if i can get some help. i can't blog about it though, because the people getting the gifts read this. i just wanted to dangle a carrot in front of your noses.