{unrelated happenings from last week}

I can't believe it is already December 19 th.... that came fast! I have been way to busy this year and feel like I have not really enjoyed the season like I should. All I know is, is that this coming week, WILL be different! I am close to having everything checked off my list and most of my presents are wrapped.

Happy day

so here is what we have been doing.....

Sophie has been making LOTS of Christmas lists for Santa and the things she is asking for seem to change every time a new list is made. GEEZ.... poor Santa! The only thing that has stayed consistent is, the pink bike and a pink easel. I told her I think Santa's elves only make red, yellow and blue easels. She agreed, it would probably be okay if it wasn't painted pink.

Cannon has made several lists as well, but his have stayed consistent. I can't believe all of the things that little kids can come up with and that they think they might get all of this.

It's crazy.

{Cannon's list}

1. I pod touch
2. D S light
3. X box games
4. Harry Potter books
5. nano shoots video
6. new x box controls ( he notes... not wireless.... he doesn't like to change batteries)
7. dragonology book
8. egyptology book
9. sonic mario in the olypic games
10. lots and lots of books

{Sophie' list}

a new i pod and pixos and a babey uliv (baby alive) and umerikin girl boll (american girl doll) a pink bike and a wesl to pant (easel to paint) on that is lite pink and a painting for me and Trey (a kid at school and our ward that she supposably likes?) and a her stilis that has a sink and the sink riley has wotr kuming awt (water coming out) and a boll set (doll set)and a piktr of Jesis (picture of Jesus) and a boor bell (door bell, for her room) and a cup kack makr.

Wow.... that's a lot of stuff. Hopefully they aren't disappointed?

One of my favorite things about Christmas time is going to the mailbox everyday. I love getting all of our family and friends Christmas cards and seeing all the changes that have taken place in the past year. Our cute girl has also realized how much fun this is and has become my, "official letter opener." She feels pretty important using her dad's letter opener and then taping each card up on the wall in the kitchen. It has been a highlight after school, to look through all the cards.

At the beginning of the week, Sophie had a dance party/dinner that we attended together with Tiff and Ava. The girls had so much fun running around with all their little friends. It turned out to be a long night, however, the food was sure good or I was just really hungry by the time it finally got there!

We are so excited that my parents and little sisters are here from Laguna. We haven't seen Lacey since last July, she has been away at BYU Hawaii and is home for a nice little break, before she is headed off to Jerusalem, in January.

This morning Taylor hurried and finished up all her Saturday chores so she could go with her aunts and Grandpa McCleve to lunch and to pick out their Christmas tree. I came home from running some errands with Scott and found Taylor laying and waiting for them, with the front door wide open. Of course, she looked so cute laying there, that I couldn't resist taking a couple of pictures.

and sure enough, it turned into a little photo shoot.

(but I only posted one picture)

Austin, our entrepreneur... is working for his dad on a few projects around our house, to earn extra money over the Christmas break. So, I have been listening to this grinding going on in the back yard.

I am grateful he is such a hard worker and always motivated to make an extra buck!

Last Sunday, Scott and the boys set up the badminton net and they have been outside, nonstop.... enjoying this beautiful weather. My kids are so lucky to have a dad who loves to play with them as much as he does. I think Scott will always be a kid at heart!

(It looks like today it turned into a little volley ball game)

And, last but not least, I have been stuffed away in my storage/craft room, wrapping presents and trying to talk to the kids through the door. Cannon and Sophie are just dying to know what and who I am wrapping for and what the heck I am hiding!? Sophie seems to always have something super important to talk to me about, as soon as she realizes I am wrapping a present!