Asher and Luke's Favorite New "Show"

The Awesomeness of Blogging...

...is that I don't feel the need to write an annual letter.

Happy Holidays!

Las Vegas Christmas

These pictures don't do our front yard justice, but since moving back to Arizona, Nate goes a little crazy with the Christmas lights. The first year we moved back to AZ, I was a little surprised because (not to put too fine a point on it) I remember hanging Christmas light in Massachusetts one year when I was 7 months pregnant while Nate watched TV. So, the year, he came home with the Santa train from Home Depot, I thought there was a joke I wasn't getting.

I joke that Nate goes to town on our yard because he's from Las Vegas. We don't do those white lights--we've got color EVERYWHERE plus the Santa on the train and a Santa on a carousel.

(I asked Nate is it was ok to have Santa in two places in a Christmas light display. He told me I was overthinking it.)

So, Nate does this every year, and I worry about the expense and the burning of fossil fuels. Not to mention that the first few nights, I think there are people who are casing our house because I notice cars slowing down in front of the house. Hmmm, I'm probably admitting too much about my neuroses here...

Still, Nate loves it and the boys love it, and I've been feeling a little better about it, too, since I hosted a preschool moms' night a few weeks ago. One of the moms said, "Oh, your house has the Santa train!" Then, she told us that last year, on tough nights when she and her daughter needed something to do, they would walk down our street, and our house was a favorite because of the Santa train. And, it would lift both of their spirits.

So, while I may think it's a little silly, I figure if one person told me it was brightening their holidays, it must brighten others' (including Nate).

I Guess the Phoenix Boys' Choir Won't Be Calling Soon...

(Asher is the kid in the middle row with the white long sleeved shirt and a grey shirt on top who spent the first half of the song ringing his bell right in front of his face and the second half yelling, "JINGLE BELLS!")

The Holiday Merry-Go-Round

I know, little guys. Some day, I feel like I'm barely hanging on the holiday merry-go-round, too.

Family Pictures

So, there's not usually a lot of family pictures on this blog because a. I can't compose a good photo, b. our family doesn't like to sit still unless we're on a train (and even then...), and c. I worry a lot about spending a lot of money and not getting a single. good. picture. (Hello, Sears photo shoot of 2007!)






But, I have an uber-talented friend, Jessica, and I figured she would be our best bet for getting some usable pics out of us because a. she has excellent taste, b. my boys are very comfortable with her (including Nate who is completely fine with sharing his sometimes inappropriate sense of humor with her), and c. she has boys of her own and knows how to work them.

While Jess was willing to work with us longer, I'm afraid 20 minutes was about our limit. Still, she knew right where to take us at the Mesa Arts Center to get the best backgrounds, and I was thrilled to go online this morning to order my Christmas cards and have more than 1 to choose from because that has NEVER happened to us before. Nate and I usually sigh and say, "Well, I guess this one doesn't look THAT bad."

It's so nice to have that done and have it turn out beautifully. Thanks again, Jess!

Luke's thoughts on potty training

While changing a poopy diaper...

Emily: Luke, wouldn't it be cool if next time you had to go poop, you did it in the potty?

Luke: Yeah, next time I go poop, I do it in the potty!

Emily: Yeah? (getting excited and hopeful)

Luke: Mom, you a funny cowboy!

Scenes from a Marriage: a gift for whom?

Nate said he got this for me.

But, the back of the magazine makes me wonder...

Because we all have our holiday traditions...

http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/