Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!, originally uploaded by Joyfulmommy.

It's a Christmas meme!

Saw this on Cheri's page...

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hate Egg Nog, not a BIG fan of hot chocolate… I really don’t like HOT drinks. Now I will totally take an Iced White Chocolate Mocha, make it a double shot – no wait, TRIPLE, I will be up late wrapping and can use all the caffeine I can get.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them around the tree?
Santa (aka Mike) will wrap and then the presents go around the tree on Christmas Eve AFTER the kids are asleep.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Hmm… tough question. It all depends. I really like both if they are done right. White can look plain and colored can look tacky, it’s all how you decorate it. ;o)

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, and no real poinsettias either – they’re poisonous and if any of you know how my kids are, well you know that it wouldn’t be a good idea.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Hopefully the first week of December, if not right after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Mashed potatoes.

7. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I was never led to believe he was real, so I never had to figure it out. I DID however have to learn NOT to tell other kids that he was not real.

8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? .
No, but I started a new tradition last year that was inspired by my friend Cheri: each Christmas Eve the kids get new pajamas!

9. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for him?
(Copied and pasted from Cheri’s) None...hee hee I just eat what I want while I'm getting it all set out. :)

10. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it. But hate to drive in it. I live in WA and not many people here know how to drive in snow, it is scary.

11. Can you ice skate?
I used to… a little. Not sure about now.

12. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I do remember one year when Mike & I were first dating I made him a list of ideas for gifts I would like… he misunderstood and thought I was expecting ALL of it, so I got EVERYTHING on my list. I was SHOCKED to say the least.

13. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Re-focusing on Christ and family get-togethers.

14. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Chocolate… there’s usually some home-made chocolate candy somewhere and it is always awesome.

15. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Looking at Christmas lights, Kids in the Christmas musicals, making gingerbread houses, putting up the tree & decorating the house!

16. What tops your tree?
A gold star.

17. Which do you prefer Giving or Receiving?
Love, love, love to give.

18. What is your favorite Christmas Carol?
Newer: Mary did you know & Breath of heaven. Older: Silent Night.

19. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Not YUCK, but not Yum either. They are OK if you HAVE to eat them. ;o)

20. What is your favorite holiday?
Torn between Christmas & New Years. I love to watch people open their gifts, but I also love the fresh start of a new year too.

The Aquarium...

New Fish Tank, originally uploaded by Joyfulmommy.

Our new 20 gallon aquarium! It is more Jordan's b-day present inspired by Aunt Eve who bought him a frog for his b-day, but when he opened the box it was dead. SOOO... we did some research before getting a new one and discovered that the African Dwarf Frog is fairly easy to take care of - a good beginner frog. AND it lives completely in water (so no fear of it hopping around the house), eats frozen blood worms (better than live crickets that you have to dust with vitamins and feed to a much larger frog).

We ended up getting 4 frogs and letting the kids name them.

Jordan's - Hip Hop
Kaitlyn's - Hip or maybe Shiny not sure.
Joshua's - Elephant
Ryan's - Back Pack (when asked what he wanted to name his frog, he smiled and slapped Mike's back pack, Katie asked him if he wanted to name the frog "Back Pack" and he waved his arms excitedly and nodded his head - so Kaitlyn assured me that he meant to name it "Back Pack". :o)

Jordan is 8 years old today!

to JORDAN!!

Jordan's birthday breakfast!

Jordan's birthday breakfast!, originally uploaded by Joyfulmommy.

Mike made him breakfast & put a candle in his toast so we could sing to him this morning!

Santa pictures 2005

Santa pictures, originally uploaded by Joyfulmommy.

We have these done every year for my parents... I owe them since I never would do it for them when I was a child. They have all these Santa pics with my sister & brother - but not me. I was not very cooperative back then.

Christmas lights...

This video is soooo cool. I wonder how much money something like this would cost to not only have done, but to keep running through the Christmas season?

http://members.cox.net/transam57/lights.wmv

10 Months Old.

Yep, Ryan is 10 months old now. Scary to think I need to begin planning his 1st b-day party soon. **sigh** He is standing solo, taking a step, then after he takes one step he gets REALLY excited - flaps his arms like little wings on a bird and then falls down. :o) HE is a cutie that is for sure.

He is saying a couple things... 'is' for "this", mom, dad, and then he will occasionally copy the sounds you make - IF he feels like it.

He loves to clap his hands and will say NO by shaking his head. If he is done eating - he will shake his head. If anyone tells him 'no' (like "no touching the tree Ryan.") he will look at you and shake his head.

Although his disposition is very calm & patient... if provoked he will let out a frustrated scream of sorts. He can only handle getting his toys snatched out of his hands so many times and then he will let you know that he is NOT happy about it. But that is all it is, a short scream and then he is off to look for another toy. By the time I get the offender to give back the item he doesn't care about it and will be promptly annoyed by the offender taking his NEW toy to give him back the old toy. ;o)

Jordan is beginning to get very excited about all the events planned this month...
Cousin Cameron's 3rd b-day!
Christmas Musical
Santa Pictures
Jordan's 8th b-day!
Touring Christmas Light Displays
Grammy Sue's b-day!
Dad's (Mike's) b-day!
The Three Wise Men Concert
All the new crafts we get to do this month
Christmas Eve with us
Christmas with family
Extended Christmas with family on the 27th
The possibility of MORE snow

All the above things are basically making him bounce off the walls and drive me crazy. :o)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Stockings are up, originally uploaded by Joyfulmommy.

I can't believe I got almost all our decorations up on Dec. 1st! Hooray!