Cole's enthusiastic Christmas!

Cole and his excitement made Christmas a little extra special this year!  He was truly excited over every present that he received!  It really makes me step back and remember the excitement that I had when I was a kid, not being able to go to sleep on Christmas eve, laying there and wondering what Santa was going to leave out in the front room for each of us, then finally waking up and being able to leave the bedroom to find that Santa had been and left us exactly what we had been hoping for!  

Now being a parent and being able to watch these same things go through each of my kids, makes it even more enjoyable!  Baylee, Tori, Kade, and Cole's  reactions to this and to the other gifts that they opened made it all worth while!

On the 12th Travis woke us all up at 5 in the morning because Santa had left an early Christmas present for us.  He had packed our bags, left us airline tickets, and tickets to the Cowboys football game.  It was incredible!  We had the best time.  And Travis wasn't exaggerating about how good the cheesesteaks and nachos at the stadium were.  We ate ourselves sick at the game!  We also found an American Girl store, ate some great food, saw the Temple there, went to church at a really cool ward, and had a great time being together.  Thanks Santa :)  And thanks to my wonderful mom for taking care of  Cole for the weekend.  Next time he will have to go!  And everybody cross your fingers Romo doesn't mess up and blow their chance at the playoffs this weekend.

Tagged

8 favorite TV shows

1. Amazing Race

2. Grey's Anatomy (I know, Denae classifies this as soft porn, but I put the kids to bed first :) and thankfully they have taken off the lesbian thing so I can go back to watching it

3. Desperate Housewives, yea I know another morally uplifting show

4. Biggest Loser

5. Survivor

6. The Unit

7. Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives (thanks honey, yes I do like this show too)

8. Extreme Makeover

8 favorite restaurants

1. Joe's

2. Austins

3. Cafe Rio

4. Lucilles

5. Buca Di Peppo

6. Geisha

7. Ruth's Chris

8. Hugo's Cellar

8 Things that happened yesterday

1. laundry

2. Jenny Jackson took Kade as a student for violin, YAY

3. Tori had gym, of course

4. went to like 5 stores looking for gumdrops

5. bought Travis's christmas present

6. went grocery shopping at Wal-mart, and apparently they do have gumdrops I just didn't look there!

7. Baylee had an orthodontist appointment

8. Cole had gym

8 things I am looking forward to

1. This weekend, more information to follow!

2. Christmas

3. the sand dunes after Christmas

4. sleep

5. finding out who our new bishop will be

6. Travis coming home from work

7. Kade's school program, kindergarteners are so cute!

8. Baylee's instrument ensemble performance Thursday

8 Things on my wish list (only 8?)

1. pool

2. black Yamaha grand piano

3. new cabinets

4. wood floors

5. one more bedroom in our house

6. built in shelves in office

7. facial

8. tickets to Wicked

 people I tag

1. Misti

2. Monica

3. Mandi

I think they are the only ones that read our blog! 

Family Pics from Maple Grove!!

We went up to Utah and went out to Maple Grove and had our pictures taken in May.  I finally figured out how to use the scanner and get them over here.  We were really excited about theses pictures!!  The kids took great pictures, and Cole was actually smiling in these:)  Tori of course was posing like the little model that she thinks she is!!  And of course my sexy wife looks great!!!  I may be a little bit prejudice, but I think I have the best looking wife and kids around!!!  My Dad's cousin Pat took the pictures.  Thanks Pat!!!

Dinner with the Mickelson's

My kids are so dang funny.  I didn't even know Bay was recording on her camera tonight, but I am so happy she did, cuz they totally crack me up!  This was at Claim Jumper tonight after the girls Christmas Concert.  When I think of all the different reasons I am eternally grateful for my family, one of them definitely is the fact that I laugh more when we are together than any other time.  I never knew that being a mom was going to be so darn entertaining!  I love you guys!!!