Things have been so busy around here that I haven’t had a chance to post! So here’s a summary of our Holiday Happenings!

We stayed here in AZ for Christmas this year, and celebrated with my parents and siblings that live here. Scott and his family just moved up to Utah, so they weren’t around and Ali and her family and Jena all celebrated up in Walnut Creek, CA. It was definitely a quiet Christmas compared to the usual family gathering, but money was just so tight for all of us that it just didn’t make sense to try to travel. Work has been beyond slow for Pete so he was able to spend lots of time with the family which was nice, but has been difficult financially. We are praying that things with work pick up VERY soon after the new year, otherwise he will be on the job hunt…again!

This is the first year that Kayli has really gotten into Christmas and I couldn’t keep any presents under the tree or they were open in a flash! Bethy sent a gift for each of the kids early in the month (THANKS Sniders!) and Kayli found them up on the bar when I was changing Caiden and was already playing with BOTH presents when I got back into the family room. Oh and since she opened both gifts she thinks that they are both hers LOL! So she LOVED Christmas this year and had a blast opening up her gifts and any others she could get her hands on. I thought she would open something, get distracted by it, and play for a while before moving onto the next one. Boy, was I wrong, she was a present opening MACHINE!

Caiden of course had no idea what was going on, and was content just to play with and eat the wrapping paper. He let Kayli open all of his presents, not that he had a choice. She was so cute, she’d open them and then say “Look baby brother it’s for YOU!” She was showing him how to use everything too. She can be such a sweet big sister sometimes! Here she is opening one of his presents *with* him! There are TONS more pictures of Christmas fun here.

Thanks Great Grandma and Grandpa Bocker, Grandma and Grandpa Madsen, Grandpa and Goddess, Sniders and Ortegas for all of the presents!

Yesterday was my birthday and Pete and I got to sneak away for 5 yes, FIVE hours all by ourselves. We went and saw Valkyrie and then grabbed some dinner at Inn-N-Out. It was so nice to have some time away, and now that Caiden is eating solids I didn’t have to worry that he was starving and fighting a bottle. Thanks Mom and Ian for watching the kids!

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR! We will be at home ringing in the New Year tonight. Probably with New York at 10pm our time…LOL! That is if I don’t fall asleep putting Caiden down at 8:30.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper, except when it comes to clothing, then boxes/bags are just easier!

2. Real Tree or Artificial? Real (its our first family Christmas tree this year)

3. When do you put your tree up? Dec 13, but next year Ill probably do it closer to the 1st. I just want it to still look alive on Christmas.

4. When do you take your tree down? This is the first year so we will see. Sometime after Christmas.

5. Do you like Eggnog? Nope, and thank goodness its expensive!!

6. Favorite gift received? Im really not sure, I think I treasure the memories of family time more than any gift I can think of! Although Dooney Christmases were always fun!

7. Hardest person to buy for? Parents/Grandparents

8. Easiest person to buy for? The kids

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Somewhere I have one (in a box), but the kids do have a Little People one that it really cute that Kayli and I set up at least once a day.

10. Mail or e-mail Christmas Cards? Mail, this year’s haven’t happened in any form though. I guess they will be Happy New Year Cards!

11. Worst Christmas present ever received? Not sure any present is that bad, but one year my shirt that went with my Christmas Eve jammies had a picture of Santa telling a reindeer with huge antlers “Nice Rack”. Thanks Mom!

12. Favorite/Worst Christmas movie? Favorite: A Christmas Story Worst: Im not sure?

13. When do you start shopping? November usually

14. Have you ever recycled a gift? I don’t think so

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas time? Santa Cookies!

16. Lights on tree? Umm, YES! People don’t put lights on their tree?

17. Favorite Christmas song? The First Noel (LOL) No its really It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

18. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Comet, Vixen, Prancer, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph how many are there? LOL

19. Angel on top of tree or star? Nothing right now, waiting for the after Christmas sales

20. Open presents on Christmas eve? We have always opened up Jammies on Christmas Eve.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Crowds

22. Favorite ornament? Dont have one yet…

23. Favorite food for Christmas Dinner? Potato Casserole

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? Nothing for myself, we are only doing a small Christmas for the kids this year!

Friday Pete and I took the kids (and Ian) to see The Tale of Despereaux. It was the first time we had taken Caiden so I was a little nervous about that, but I just nursed him once the movie started and then Pete bounced him to sleep and he slept for the entire movie. It was an interesting movie to say the least and Kayli was a little bored I think, I had to keep talking to her in order to keep her awake. Heck I was bored at times and I understood the story line so I don’t blame her. It was opening day so when we left the theater they had Despereaux right outside greeting everyone and giving away freebies. Kayli was so excited to see him that she was dragging Ian down the Exit ramp, but she did patiently wait her turn. So patiently that eventually Despereaux’s assistant came over and walked her over to the mouse and told all the other kids that were rushing him that it was her turn! My camera wasn’t in the diaper bag unfortunately, but here is the picture from my phone!

From December2008

Then we walked down to the pet store to check out the puppies, which is something that Pete and Kayli do every time they go to the movies (the theater is at the outdoor mall). The dogs were all so cute, I wanted soo badly to “visit” with the chocolate lab, but Pete knew it would be over from there so he quickly moved us out to the play area. Once we buy a home I am getting Kayli a dog, maybe not a puppy, but a dog for sure. She just loves them soo much! She was walking around the pet store taking the toys that were for sale off the displays and trying to give them to the 2 dogs that were in the gated area “exercising” it was too cute.

On our way down to the pet store Kayli had spotted Santa, but he was on his way to his 1 hour break so we had to entertain the kids while we waited for him to get back. I really didnt want to wait, but I knew that unless I brought her back she wouldn’t have another chance to see Santa and this year she really wanted to. So we waited and it was so worth it. Kayli LOVED it and didn’t want to leave, Caiden really didn’t mind it and was even laughing and smiling. Since I didn’t have my camera we paid to have the best 3 pictures uploaded to a USB (ahh technology) so they are in our photo album.

Saturday night was our ward Christmas party, A Trip to Bethlehem. Everyone brought blankets to sit on and we ate homemade soups out of bread bowls. Kayli didn’t really know what was going on and was wondering why we were at church sitting on blankets, but she was excited to see Baby Jesus. Caiden was content to sit and play for the most part, but he is crazy about food. So once everyone had their food he was trying to get at it. At one point he threw himself forward and the side of his head landed in Kayli’s soup bowl it was pretty hilarious, but he was pretty frustrated that he hadn’t aimed right! Too bad I didn’t get a picture of his cheddar broccoli soup covered head!

Apparently Kayli cant stand it anymore than I can. I was typing an email when I hear a little voice, I just thought she was talking in her sleep so I just ignored it. She fell asleep in our bed earlier and Pete was too tired to move her before going to bed and they were cuddled up so cute that I didnt want to disturb her until I was ready to head to bed myself. The little voice gets louder and louder until I can finally make out what she is saying despite the snoring. “Daddy go out there, you’re too loud. Daddy you need to listen to me, go out there right now.” Kids sure do say the funniest things. I guess she really does hear me when I remind her that she needs to listen to me and do X right now. Of course Pete was still snoring away and I could hear her hitting him and repeating herself over and over so I woke him up and asked him to roll over which he did, hes used to that request afterall. Kayli breathed a sigh of relief thanked me and cuddled right back up.

Kayli was singing the Monkeys in the tree song the other day and Caiden was getting a kick out of it. At first she was just singing to herself until she realized how entertained he was and then she started singing to him. I cannot even begin to count how many times she has sung this to him in the last few days, but he never gets sick of it! Click on the picture to see the video!

From December2008