Feeling the Love: All 12 Days of Christmas!

Well, I have done the 12 Days of Christmas for people almost every year in the past, but have never had it done for me. Well, welcome to the world of my new amazing ward (Or at least I think it is a family in our ward-I have a couple suspicions).

On December 1st we found this "partridge in a pear tree" on our porch...(It is pears) On December 2nd Some Elves left this...
"Two Turtle Doves"

(2 Dove soaps)

On December 3rd our "Three French Hens" were 3 French Breads...

(Extra Awesome as we ran out of bread minutes before they were left!)

On December 4th we were left "4 calling birds"

(One for each kid-note Ender claiming his...)

And today, December 5th we got "5 golden rings" of bagel goodness! Mmmmm...

(And it stopped me from going to get lunch!)

On December 6th, our "Sx gees a layin" left us some eggs.

(Which we cooked, making Solace's day as it is her favorite food)On December 7th we got my favorite "Seven swans a swimming" was 7 Swanson products! LOVE IT!!! (We had some awesome, creative Elves)On December 8, the "Eight Maids a Milking" are yummy milk maid candies.

I had forgotten these existed, and I LOVE them-I hope Santa brings more in my stocking!On December 9, Our "Nine Ladies Dancing" were dancing right on some homemade peanut butter cookies!!
On December 10 our "Ten Lords a Leapin" were 10 leaping frogs on some yummy cupcakes!!
On December 11, our Elves provided our "Eleven Pipers Piping" with some instruments.
And finally, on December 12, our wonderful Elves left us the best "Twelve Drummers Drumming ever...Drumsticks... The 12th day came with this note from the Elf family...this told me that the family I thought was our elves was NOT, but I also think I know who it was...

How blessed and loved do we feel? Very!

Thank you Elves-I have had a hard time feeling the Christmas spirit this year. I have sick kids, I am not going to see my family, I don't know how we can afford to decorate and get all the food and trimmings (Thank goodness the gift shopping is over thinks to Black Friday), and I have been grumpy every time I hear Christmas music. I usually LOVE that. I am grateful for the Elves that have reminded me that though we are far from home and from family, we are loved and not forgotten. I love this time of year and have been touched by this fun and very thoughtful gift of the season. Though my elves will likely never read this, thank you for thinking of us! Now I am ready-bring on the music, bring on the programs, and bring on Christmas!!!

Catchin up again-last Swim lessons

On December 6, the kids had their last swim lesson, which was actually a free family swim day. It was way too cold for Kindle, so I swam with the other 3 while Wes stayed on the side with our baby girl. Since it was just me and 3 kids, we opted for life jackets on the younger two. Here are a few pictures.

They say its your birthday...

So, today is the day I can say I have 6-year-old. That's right, Solace is celebrating her 6th birthday today. We put her hair in curlers last night to have fun curls for teh big day and this morning before we headed out to school, we took a few pictures of the 6-year-old. Here she is:

Happy Happy Birthday to one of my all time favorite people ever!!! We all love you Solace and are so proud of all the things you learn and teach us every day. You are a GREAT big sister and daughter and we are blessed to have you in our family! Thanks for just being you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOLACE!!!

Dear Santa

Solace handed this to me this morning and asked me to get it to Santa. It says (I have adjusted the spelling) "From Solace, Dear Santa Claus, what I want for Christmas is a Hannah Montana guitar, and a Troy with a microphone, and a cool kids radio, and a scooter. To Santa Claus."

As soon as I posted this letter, Armour grabbed Solace and asked her to help him write a letter and Ender grabbed a marker and his dad (to help with spelling) to write his own. Here they are:

Ender gets right to the point and just gives a list: Doll, ball, scooter, top, cooking set, house set, wagon balloons. And the top right is a heart (meaning love) End/Ender. Armours says: "Dear Santa Claus, I want presents, and a balloon, and a Curious George, and Armour soap. Bye! Armour."

Monkey Bunny, E Dawg, Sugar Pup and Kindle Cat

I just thought I should share a story of nicknames and funny kids. Ever since she was a young baby, Wesley has called Solace "Monkey Bunny". And when Kindle Catherine was born, I started calling her "Kindle Cat". Well, Ender decided our boys needed some solid nicknames. So we were all sitting together at Lindsey and Tyson's house last weekend when Ender announced that Armour is now to be called "Sugar Pup". We laughed but humored him. He also informed us that he was to be called "E Dawg".

Now, Armour will answer to only Sugar Pup. As a matter of fact a few minutes ago, Wes asked him to say the family prayer, and he said "No, I not Armour, I Sugar Pup!" So, I am foreseeing a future of teen-aged boys on some sort of high school team calling my children E Dawg and Sugar Pup...why did I anguish over their names so long again?!

Oh well, I love Monkey Bunny, E Dawg, Sugar Pup and Kindle Cat and I think their names and their nicknames ROCK!!!

Driving home

It took us 2.5 hours to get from Colorado Springs to Denver. This is why...

Then we hit horrible wind with more tumbleweeds blowing than I have ever seen.

This is a pic of the tumbleweed that was stuck to our front grill for many, many miles-look closely, you can see it...

You can sorta see the tumbleweeds in this one...

You may not be able to tell, but there is a fence in this picture that is totally covered with tumbleweeds...look closely and you might be able to tell-it has excellent camo though...

None of these pictures do it justice, but you get my point...

Garden of the Gods

We drove to the Garden of the Gods, where we took a very short hike, took some great pictures and saw the biggest wild buck any of us have ever seen. Sorry Eli-no hunting here! Here are the pics...