Christmas was wonderful

I was way to busy to blog about Christmas so you get to simply see some pictures of the blessed event. We also did the Nativity as usual on Christmas eve, but this time there were too few kids so the adults got to take part. The first pic is the two shepherds acting afraid of the angel. LOL

Joseph and Mary (Cole and Jennedy)
The angel speaking to Mary
The whole crew. We had three wise women, as their were no wise men around. Trenton said he wanted to be a horse, we told him he was the donkey and he did not like that, so Mary got to ride a horse to Bethlehem.

Melakalikimaka

For our ward Christmas party we had a Hawaiian themed party and it was amazing and the food was delicious, they even did a pig, yummy. Well our girls were asked to learn and perform a hula dance and they loved it. Here are some pictures of their performance and a video of the cute dance. I made the skirts for all the girls and worked on their cute flowers for their hair. I have not sewn in so long that the next day my whole arm hurt and I had some tendinitis in my rotator cup. It was worth it though to see my little darlings up on stage.









For our ward Christmas party we had a Hawaiian themed party and it was amazing and the food was delicous, they even did a pig, yummy. Well our girls were asked to learn and perform a hula dance and they loved it. Here are some pictures of their performance and a video of the cute dance.

Thanks giving

I did not blog about this so I am gonna drop in some pictures so you know we did celebrate and enjoy ourselves with our wonderful friends and the missionaries. We also made sugar cookies shaped like turkeys for FHE one night, the kids loved it.

First try at family pictures

We went out this weekend to get our yearly family picture for our wall and Christmas Cards. Unfortunately we did not do very well. It started to rain and we had to stop before we got "the perfect one" But I thought I would share all the best ones. Even though they are not the ones we will use and that I can not see on my wall for the next 50 years. They are fun and of our cute little family.

Some people have asked who takes are pictures and truth is, no one. We just head out to a location I choose with our tripod, I set it all up, push the timer, run to get in place and tell the kids to smile at the camera. I am amazed at how we get such great pictures.

Then I edit them and make them look somewhat professional. Did you know that I love photo editing? I do, it is one of my favorite things to do. I even have friends who send me their pics so I can edit them for them, just because I like to do it.

One on One

I miss my seven year old daughters who go to school daily. I feel like I don't get enough alone time with them. So this week I took an evening to be with each of them alone out of the house and found it is something that I want and really need to do more often.

Jerika, my oldest is growing up so quickly, she is quiet, emotional and she says she is shy. Talking to her was a struggle, she only answered my questions with short statements with no elaboration. It is so different than me so, I am always wondering what is going on in that blond little head. She is precious, full of many strong emotions but oh so loving, I wish that I she talked to me so I could understand her more.
Jacqueline is getting taller and smarter every day. Our trip together was non stop talking by her. I did not have to ask any questions, she had so much to say. When she ran out of things to say she started telling me about songs she learned at school to learn her alphabet and sang through the whole alphabet and numbers. She is so vibrant and full of energy and happiness. And did I mention that she is a talker. She always reminds me that she is like me, "We are both Chatter boxes mom." she says. I feel so blessed to have these two wonderful seven year old daughters but wish I had more one on one time with them, they are growing up too fast and I feel like I am missing so much of it because they are at school.... Maybe I will home school.... Yeah right LOL.

The good old Halloween blog.

We had a wonderful Halloween week, we had lots of party's and then spent actual Sunday night, Halloween at grandmas. Trenton was Superman, Jerika was Cinderella, Jennedy was a princess and Jacqueline was Belle. Here are the pictures you are just dying to see.

Today im bugged a bit, but I have a cute son so im gonna make it.

Last night while I took my older girls to a movie my husband decided to build some fires, one in our fireplace downstairs and one in the stove upstairs. And guess what happened He blew out the glass in the fireplace, and guess what?!??! He left it there, all the rest of the evening and into the next day, for all the kids to touch and knock out more and get cut and make my day difficult. Isn't that sweet.
On a cute note, my son got this cute little hat from his grandma in China. He loves it. He wears it all the time, everywhere and looks simply adorable, don't you think?

Get out and Vote

So my awesome friend and one of my favorite bloggers ever, you know Crash test dummies? Well she is trying to get a job blogging for Sam-e.

She is so sweet and funny, and used to baby sit me when I was a small person. So could you do me a favor please? Could you vote for her on every computer you have every day for the next ten days? You can vote once a day from each computer.
Lets see if we can get her to the finals!!!



Good Mood Gig from SAM-e

Rock band

We had a fun couples get together with some of our freinds last weekend, It was a total blast. We had a Rock Band Gig, and I brought all my wigs so we could all dress up like the avitars on the screen. We sang, played instruments and totally rocked the house. I have the funnest friends ever!!



We also ate yummy food, Heather brought these amazing carmel, chocolate, and peanut butter cups. They were amazing, we also had fondue with fun stuff to dip. Well we ate and Rocked and had a wonderful night.

Adventures in China

I have another interesting tidbit about China.

The electrical system in china is Hilarius, there are electrical wires hung everywhere, but not hooked up to poles, they lay in trees, on houses, in house gutters and they even grow vegetables on their power lines. There must not be a regulating government body that makes sure things are safe for people. But hey at least they have electricity...Here is an example.

Memories of China

I thought I would write more about China, since I don't want to forget and all.
So here goes...

1. It smells in China, horrible smells, from strange cooking smells to toilets and urine, I had to cover my mouth as I walked down the street often. It was a strange experience to have my nose be accosted so often walking down a narrow alley.

2. The first moments in China, we were heading to our hotel and got off the bus where people told us was the right place to get off, and we were so lost. We had a map with a dot on it where it said where are hotel was. I said we needed to got the opposite way in which we were walking, but we didn't, eventually we just got a cab to take us there, but it would not go down the alley where our hotel was because it was so narrow, so we got out and walked again, still walking and walking, eventually asking a nice girl if she could take us there, and she did, we turned around and walked back the way we came, down another alley and finally found it, all the while pulling our luggage behind us. Well not me, Joe and my Dad pulled our luggage. What sweet fellas.

3. The open market was amazing, it reminded me of my days in Italy at the open market with food on the ground and non refrigerated meat laying out. But in China there was even more strange meats, fish, bugs and such.



I have much more to show you and discuss, So be prepared for some more interesting tidbits about my Trip to China coming to soon to a blog near you.