Ode to Christmas Break

Please forgive my slacking - 

My blog...it has been lacking.

Around here we've been lazy,

And sometimes a bit crazy.

Here's a list of what we've done,

Believe me, it's been loads of fun!

Watching movies, sleepovers with friends, 

Eating out and sleeping in.

Mom's been reading lots of books (non-school related)

and twice I think she's even cooked!

We give REDBOX lots of money,

We got TP'd, not so funny :)

The TV is always on, I think.

Our house is totally clean (wink wink).

This two weeks has gone by fast,

We all are wishing it would last.

Lazy, crazy, laughing, happy - 

When school starts again it'll be so ________ (fill in blank).

Hope ya'll have loved your break!

Now a nap I'm off to take!

Ice Blocking

 This one's for you, Kaitie-poo! <3

Ice....Arizona....hills...pitch black of night.

What do they have in common, you ask?

We had an amazing time ice-blocking with the cousins while we were in AZ for Thanksgiving.

 There were some little boys that LOVED having cousin David home!

He was a great ice-block partner.

Pretty sure the little toothless wonder in red (below:) took every opportunity 

he could to hitch a ride with David.

To quote the Rydger:

"it's beast!!" 

(add toothless lisp)

Ready...set....go!

My favorite to watch was the train.

The yahoos all lined up on their ice blocks and hooked together to go down the big hill.

They made it every time! 

Some without ice under their rump! (maddie...)

Pure awesome. 

The happy choo-choo!

Thanks AZ cousins for the best break EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grateful #28, #29, #30

So I've been a bit of a slacker with my grateful this year. 

Too dang much on my plate.

But this does not in anyway mean that I am

not grateful for all of that stuff filling my plate! 

I am one LUCKY girl - and I know it!

Here are my last few grateful thoughts:

Grateful #28

Bath & Body Works lip gloss. 

It's the best.

'nuff said.

Grateful #29

MY DVR!!!!

I still have my same old TV addictions.

Modern Family, Grey's, & Raising Hope. 

They bring me happiness.

Here's my new one I just can't miss.
(Thank goodness again for the DVR!)

It can have a naughty moment here and there,

but makes me LAUGH! 

(and it's kind of romantic, too:)

  

Grateful #30

Last but never least.

Smashburger. 

They have the BEST fries. 

YUMMY BURGERS. 

and FRIED DILL PICKLES. 

Could be my love for this place and many others like it that have contributed

to my layers of muffin top....

but I've decided to embrace my fat

self for now - cuz I enjoy every moment of the yummy-liciousness!! 

This was a pretty superficial post.

I'm pleased and grateful for the simple pleasures.

I recognize I am blessed beyond measure, and especially now,

with Christmas approaching....

I'm so very grateful for my Savior, His gospel, His holy temple, 

and the eternal family He has blessed me with. 

Grateful #27

I am so grateful for these people!

They are amazing & I am so privileged to 

be theirs for eternity!

Thanks for all you have done and still do

 for me and mine!

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!

Grateful #26

As much as I LOVE school,

I am SOOOOO grateful that 

finals will be over on 

Tuesday!

Grateful #25

So grateful for my husband's family.

If I had never married my bald beauty, 

I may have never known and come to love 

all of these awesome people!

Grateful #23 & #24

Grateful #23

 I am so grateful to be a

Grateful #24

I have grown to treasure my 

membership in this amazing organization. 

I'm so grateful for all of the RS sisters that have

influenced my life and choices.

I have had some absolutely amazing relationships 

with my sisters in the RS!

So grateful!

Grateful #21 & #22

Grateful #21

HE'S HOME!

I'm so grateful for my awesome nephew, David,

who just returned from serving an honorable 

2 year mission in Paraguay.

He also ROCKS at making videos and totally

saved my rump by helping me with my school project.

Love you David!

Grateful #22

I love these big kids. 

We had SO much fun playing in AZ this past week.

ALL of the Halliday cousins partied till they dropped.

Grateful for lifelong cousin-friends!

Grateful #20

Excuse my absence.  I've been partying in AZ for the holidays.

Back to real life now....

Grateful #20

This is the Gila Valley Temple.

It is built on what used to be my grandparents cotton fields.

It is perfect.

I know my Granny would be delirious to have a temple,

literally, in her backyard.  

So bitter-sweet to visit these lovely grounds.

LOVE the temple.  MISS my Granny.

Grateful #19

Again, sorry for the absence of photo quality.

Today I'm grateful for all you can eat breakfasts.

This is Tyler's breakfast at the hotel this morning.

Yes, he ate it all.

Grateful #18

My poor phone doesn't take very good pics,

but I'm so glad I caught this moment.

I'm grateful today for 18 hour car trips when

my kids are forced to get along.

Even if it is when they are sleeping.

Grateful #17

I'm am so grateful for this beautiful girl!

She is the newest "Lady Warrior"...

LOVE IT! 

And how 'bout those contacts????

I haven't seen my Lulu without glasses since she was two.

She's gorgeous!

Maddie has her first basketball game tonight.

This morning she said, "I have butterflies in my tummy.

I think I have butterflies laying eggs in my tummy, making more butterflies."

She's a tad nervous.

She makes me smile, she makes me laugh, she helps me love.

Grateful for you today, sweet Madd.

Grateful #16

Today and everyday I am grateful for naps.  

I will take one any place, any time!

LOVE me a good nap!

Grateful #15

I'm so grateful I am able to start each day reading words directly from the mouths of our latter-day prophets. 

Grateful #13 & #14

Today I'm grateful (huge gulp) to have all FOUR of my critters playing basketball.

Tyler is playing JV, Kyle 8th grade A-team, and my little Lulu made the 7th grade girls team. The Rydgit is playing league ball.  Hooorrrrraaaaayyyyyyyy for us!

#14

I'm also so so grateful for my kids' friends.  All four have been blessed with buddies that bring out the best in them and I'm so grateful as their momma bear that I can trust the kiddos that are hanging out with my peeps!

There is a HUGE GULP inserted here, too.  Pictures below are of one of Ty's best buds, and his latest contribution to our decor.  

Correct - he bench pressed the weights right through our front window.  Did I mention how much I love my kids' friends?

That's right, buddy.  Keep smilin'.

The bill's in the mail.

Grateful #12

Today I am grateful to be married to a Christmas lovin' man.

Yes - this is our tree up on November 12.

Grateful #11

First of all, how awesome is the date today?

11/11/11

Seriously awesome.

I'm so grateful I was born and and raised in the USA.

I'm grateful I can fly an American flag outside my house.

I'm grateful to be able to worship how I want.

I'm grateful TX still says prayers at their school functions.

I'm eternally grateful for my family and friends that serve or have served in the Armed Forces.

I'm especially thankful for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms.

Thank you, veterans and all who serve.

Grateful #10

Today and am very grateful for

this little miracle.

I would be one grumpy momma without it.

Grateful #9

I'm so grateful for this guy.  Today he turned 38 big ones.  We have had so many private jokes and times where we've laughed till I thought I would die.  He is such an amazing brother, a great husband and father, and just a genuinely wonderful man.  He has the kindest heart of anyone I know. My kids ADORE him. Probably 'cause he is still a kid himself.  I love you, Shelm.  Happy b-day, little brother.

Grateful #8

We've had a lot of this.......

and this today.

And I am SO thankful for it!

Grateful #7

My, oh my! What did I ever do without this little jewel?

How did I survive texting on a flip-phone?

How did I ever know where my kids were?

How did I breathe without being able to check my emails...

whenever and wherever I want?

Without this baby, 

I would never look at facebook.

Thanks for being there for me.

I love you little red.

Grateful #6

 I have truly been born of goodly

...the absolute goodliest parents.

I love them with all of my heart.

They have exemplified all that I want to be. 

I love my brothers, sister, and their families.

I can seriously feel my heart swelling up as I 

look at them and think of each one of them.

I love you Elmer crew!!!!!!

Grateful #5

This chilly morning I am supremely grateful

for this sweet boy. 

As I was snuggled all warm in my bed,

he walked to Dunn Bros. and bought me....

 ...the most DELICIOUS hot cocoa.

What a wonderful way to wake up!

Thanks, Kyle-boy!

Grateful #4

MORMON MESSAGES

I am so grateful for these wonderful little gifts.

They bring my focus back to what is important and

invite love and the Spirit into my heart.

This is my favorite today.

Grateful #3

After doing eight loads of laundry yesterday, 

I'm so grateful for the

 yummylicious smell of this stuff.

Grateful 1 & 2

Wow! November snuck up on me!  I have so much to be thankful for and this is such a great opportunity for me to document!

#1

I am SO grateful that I figured out what 

I want to be when I grow up.  I am so grateful for the sacrifices of my loved ones (and my dirty house) that make it possible for me to get an education!

School makes me so happy! 

 #2

Oh, sweet pizzookie. I need say no more.

Where has all the TP gone?

I was deleting photos from my camera

and I ran across this one.

I didn't take it.

Apparently Rydge is a photographer as well

as an expert in wasting TP.

At least now I know why we keep running out.

I needed that

I saw this on FACEBOOK.

I totally laugh-snorted when I read it.

I needed that!

Critters

We have had a series of odd critters around here lately.

Maddie, Rydge, and I found this little fella a few days ago.

I've never seen anything like it.

I think he's a caterpillar.

I like to think he's going to be a beautiful butterfly someday.

 So weird, huh?

I've heard of eyes in the back of your head, 

but eyes on your butt? 

That's new to me.

 On Sunday I came home from my early meetings and the kids were all out in the driveway looking a bit excited.  That is NEVER a good sign.  Turns out we had this little dude 

sleeping in the corner of the garage. 

An opossum. 

How utterly disgusting is that rat tail? ug. 

He did not love being disturbed.

He hissed at us.

Tyler named him Reggie. 

I hate him. 

So when it got dark I attempted 

to bait this critter out with some tuna.  

I left a chunk near him and dropped tuna bits here and there and then left the can in the middle of the driveway.

My plan was to watch for him to come out of the garage and then run and shut the garage so he didn't make it his permanent dwelling.

As most of my good plans do...it backfired.

I looked outside about 20 min. after strategically placing the tuna and saw this.......

(pic from google - it was night and I was freaked out)

Apparently skunks love tuna even more than 'possums.  

So now, I have a 'possum residing in my garage somewhere.

A skunk hanging out, probably waiting anxiously for more tuna.

And a creepy crawly weird squishy thing that I hope turns into a butterfly.

Awesome.

One Lucky Guy

No, Tyler didn't take two dates to Homecoming.

We met up with our beautiful Hayley-girl for photos.

Sweet cousins!

 Ty and the other Hailee  :)

Cute couple.

I'm not quite sure how we went from t-ball

to Homecoming. Time is flying by 

WAY too fast.

MUM's the word

Let me first premise this post by asking pardon

of any Texans I may offend.

Ok.  So the MUM.

Tyler asked sweet Hailee to Homecoming.

Texas tradition states that the boy gives the girl a MUM

that she wears to school on Friday and the game Friday night.

So we made the MUM.

$90 and hours later....

here ya go.

Tradition also dictates that there is an "exchange".

Last night we took Hailee her MUM and she gave Ty his armband.

The MUM is covered with noisemakers...

airhorn, bells, cow bell... the noisier the better.

Seriously, can you imagine lugging this thing around all day.

And this is SMALL....

I just don't get it. 
I kept asking myself...why???
Purpose?

But I have to say - it was pretty fun hanging

with the kiddos putting it together.