Christmas 2008

Wanted to share pics of our Christmas this year. We had a wonderful Christmas Eve - seeing Santa at the McClellands house and then going to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner, gift exchange, and the reading of the Christmas story.

Christmas Day has been a bit different than past years. The weather was terrible all day long and we decided to play it safe and stay home instead of visiting family. We'll call it our "Snowed In Christmas." I will say it was truly a joy to watch the kiddos open their presents and just play with them all day. Jake is at a great age for the magic of Christmas. The other true joy was that I haven't changed out of my pj's all day and there was no reason to clean the house or run errands :-) I was hoping everyone in the family would enjoy the lazy day ...but Jake and Stevie got tired of being in their pj's and asked to put clothes on this afternoon.



It ended with Jake asking about Jesus' birthday and wanting me to tell him the story again about Jesus' birth. I guess he was paying attention :-) It was a fitting way to end our happy day...the "reason for the season."

Tomorrow the weather is supposed to clear so we can go to Heber and visit with everyone there. I guess it even extends Christmas for the kids who will have more gifts to open. I hope you all had a great day as well. Merry Christmas!

Quotes from the Season

Stevie Kate - "I want a birthday party for Christmas."
I think she means presents.

Jake - "Mom, let's leave Santa a sucker and Santa's reindeer some dog bones."
Steve, later on that night. "I get the sucker, you get the dog bones."

Stevie Kate - "Mom, what is Santa going to bring GranJackie for Christmas? Think...a kitchen just like me."
This was randomly thrown into her rant of what she wants Santa to bring her.

Stevie and Jake - "There's Bob!" The elf...we hear this every morning.

Jake - "Why don't you have very many presents under the tree Mom?"

Jake - "Where does Santa Claus live?"
Me - "At the North Pole."
Jake - "Where?"
Me - "The North Pole."
Jake - "I know a pole, but where? How do we get to that pole?"

Me - "Remember that Christmas is about Jesus' birthday."
Jake - "I know. But when will Jesus be alive to have a birthday party with us?"

Draper Holiday Party

Here are a few pictures from the Annual Draper Holiday Party. Even though some of the family missed due to the winter storm, we still had a great time. Thanks for putting it together Mom and Dad. Grandma Helen and her Jingle Bells were missed this year.

I Love Elf Yourself!

I love these. Create one of your family...and send it to me. Makes me laugh every time.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Bob Has Arrived

Tuesday night was spent putting up the Christmas tree.


When it was time for bed, Steve read the Elf on the Shelf book to the kiddos. Bob the Elf has arrived to spy on them for Santa for the next several weeks. Oh the fun.

Happy 60th Mom!

Happy 60th Mom! You are the best and you are loved by so many people.

Love this picture of Taylor at the party...who thinks he is 9 years old.

And love the Blue Steel look Casey. (Zoolander anyone?)

R.I.P. Puppy

I'm not sure who is more traumatized about losing Puppy - me or Jake. Jake talked quite a bit about it at the Nashville airport and on the way home once we got back to Salt Lake. But I'm the one who keeps bringing it up. Why is that? I guess maybe I'm sad because Jake is growing up and doesn't need Puppy or me as much as he used to??? That is one of my theories. Or maybe I'm just really sad that my son lost his best buddy of 4+ years. I wish someone had turned Puppy in so that I could put it in Jake's memory box. Puppy...you were very loved. We will miss you.

Thanksgiving 2008

We missed Tennessee! Unfortunately, the Thanksgiving 2007 trip didn't go so well with our middle child (I will not mention names). So we waited a full year to attempt the travel part again. It all went much better than expected. The visit was wonderful as usual. To go with the Thanksgiving theme...I am thankful to have married into a family that is so loving, giving, and accepting.

Some highlights of our trip:
* The Nashville Adventure Science Center - even though Jake and Stevie were a little young, GranDaddy really loved it :-)
* Cousins, cousins, cousins. My kids were entertained and taken care of most of the time by all of their cousins. They are the youngest of the clan, so they really look up to the older kids. Stevie is especially in love with Cory and Jake idolizes Sam.
* Road Trip with Steve (and Kelly) to Birmingham to see the Silsbees. I really don't remember the last time we went on a road trip. I miss that!
* Pedicure and Movie with the Girls. Personally...I was hoping Twilight was going to be a little better. But everyone says you have to see it again to love it.
* No cooking for me! Stephanie, Judy, and Krissy cooked. Good good food. I really should have helped more on that end. But thank you very much.
* Playing in all of the leaves. The kids and I are always amazed at the amount of leaves. Utah definitely doesn't have that.
* Sad but true...Jake's puppy is officially gone. Lost somewhere in the Nashville airport. See next post.
* Also, sad but true...Nannie fell while we were at the park and had to get stitches in her knee. Stevie Kate keeps talking about Nannie's big boo-boo.
* Seeing a duck at the park with an amazing hairdo.