Lots and Lots of LIGHTS!!!

First and foremost...these pictures don't do these lights justice...just so you know...

This is Don and Karla's yard at Christmas time! (Shane's parents)
They start putting up their lights the weekend after Thanksgiving...sometimes even earlier!

Don has made everything by hand! He adds a little something new each year. This year, the carriage above is a new addition!

They even have a section that is synchronized to music!

The gingerbread man jumping rope is another new addition!

These are the most amazing lights I have ever seen...and we look forward to them every time we come home for Christmas!

December 21st....

12 years ago today... ...we said I DO!

To celebrate, we went to the Apple Orchard Inn Bed and Breakfast in Durango, Colorado.

It was covered in a blanket of snow...it was amazing!

IT SNOWED...and other stuff!

Look what it did at our house Wednesday night...

YEP...IT SNOWED!!! The kids were outside in the dark playing in it! It didn't start falling at our house until around 7 p.m. We were eating dinner with Devin and Christy...but the snow soon took center stage!
Funny to see a palm tree in the snow isn't it!

Here's our back yard...it didn't snow much...but at least it did something!

The two Mason's!

Rylie and I getting warm by the fire!

Devin took Mason outside to get in on some of the action!

Here are Christy and I...staying dry and warm INSIDE! It was a great night! The kids were disappointed to see it all gone this morning.

Some of the fourth grade moms went in this morning and cooked breakfast for all of the fourth graders! It was so much fun! They had a huge breakfast buffet! Mason had fun hanging out with Evan...his buddy from the other class!

It was holiday craft day in Parker's class...LOVE the hands!

Mason just loves to have fun! The Christmas program at school tonight was no exception! Here he is getting ready to play jingle bells on his recorder!

Here is Parker with Kenny and Brody...getting ready to sing their song! After the Christmas program, we went over to Kathee, Travis, and Julia's for a little Christmas Celebration...well...to be completely spoiled! We are so lucky to have such amazing neighbors!

Sheri had a girls night get together at her place tonight too! (Yes, it was a busy night for me!) Karolin and I decided to dress the same...since we have the EXACT same outfit...down to the shoes, necklace and earrings! The funny thing was...NOBODY noticed!

These are the ornaments from our exchange! It was so much fun hanging out with the girls! We had a great time!

Holiday Fun!

Here's a quick summary of what we have been up to over the past week or so...we love the holidays!

Last week was the children's holiday party for Webb! Santa Claus always shows up with a gift for each child. It is so much fun...we look forward to it every year!

A few nights ago, we made our annual trip to see the lights! We go to the most amazing neighborhood...blocks and blocks of decorated houses and yards. The fun part is that we walk it. The owners of the homes are usually outside selling hot chocolate, churros...you name it! This year they even had really cool glasses that the kids could look at the lights through. We went with the Knolls...here is Jaylene with Mason, Parker, Davis, and McKay.

Here we are in front of one of our favorite houses! It was the perfect night...cold enough to bundle up, but warm enough that we weren't freezing!

Last night Shane and I went out for a pre-Anniversary dinner. He surprised me and took me to the desert to eat at Ruth Chris!

Tonight was our little Christmas. We like to do a little one on our own each year. We started the night off by reading the Christmas Oranges...one of my favorite holiday stories!

Then Mason played Jingle Bells on his recorder. He has been learning how to play it at school. He did a great job!

Aimee...this picture is for you...Look what Shane got me!!! Brings back good memories...you need to come out and watch it with me!

I surprised Shane with a Blu-Ray Disk player...good thing I got him something good...because look what he got me...

THE CANNON REBEL XSI!!! (Can you tell I REALLY wanted this camera?!)

Oh yeah...the kids got presents too...they were so thoughtful with the things they picked out for each other, and for Shane and I as well...but I put pics of us now, seeing as every picture on Christmas Day will be of them...I'm sure!

Tamale's Anyone?

Saturday Rylie and I spent the day at Adrienne's making Tamale's! This was a first for me (and obviously Rylie too)! I had no idea what I was in for!

Here we are just before heading out the door!

It was really funny because when I got there, Adrienne's family asked me if I was ready to work...little did I know! So...here I am spreading 60 lbs of Massa onto the Osa's...yeah, have no idea how to spell (or pronounce for that matter) the Spanish words! Honestly...I can't even remember if that was the right names for them...I think it was...
Here are Adrienne and Sam, showing us how it is done...correctly!
Rylie just liked to play in it...she thought it felt like "moon sand"...she didn't last long!

Here Adrienne, Paula, and I are taking a much needed break!
I actually graduated and got to stick toothpicks in some of them before Adrienne put them into the steamer! Yes, we had tamales coming out of our ears by the time we were through! We made all sorts of different kinds...and here is the bonus...my kids love them! I told them that they are eating tamale's all week...except for Wednesday when Devin and Christy are coming over. Parker's reaction to that was, "why...don't they like tamale's?!" Go figure...the one thing my kids love takes hours and hours to make! I'll definitely have to get in on the fun again next year!

Party in 3-D!!!

Saturday we had Parker's birthday party! He wanted to see Bolt in 3-D...so that's what we did!

Carter, Parker, Kenny, and Brody...waiting for the movie to start!
Here's the "crew" after the movie ended! Aren't the 3-D glasses cool!!!

After the movie, we came back to the house for pizza, cake, and of course, PRESENTS!

Even though we saw Bolt, Parker wanted a Sponge Bob cake!

Parker and all of his party buddies!

Charger Book Cafe

So...I'm going to totally cheat here...we held our first Charger Book Cafe this past Saturday. It was a book drive for our new elementary school! Even though I was on the committee putting it on, my kids were having breakfast with Santa (which I have no pictures of because I was taking them at the Cafe...go figure...) so they weren't there. So...here is a link to Susie's Blog if anyone wants to see it (just click it)! It was a lot of hard work, but it turned out great and we got lots of books for the classrooms!