Definitely NOT Orphans!

"Annie" times three!!!  Annaka LOVES Annie.  She was first introduced to it this summer when our friends the Ferrells had a daughter performing a part in the local community theater.  We only got to watch half of it since Justin got sick but she LOVED it!!!

Then, we discovered that Grandma had the movie so she watched it over and over and over until I happened to walk in when Ms. Hannegan (i.e. Carol Burnett) was swearing like a drunken sailor....none of us had remembered that little detail!  Aunt Elena sent Annaka a newer version of Annie for her birthday that thankfully had a child-proof Ms. Hannegan!

A couple of months ago I took Ashlyn and Annaka to see "Annie" at the Hale Theater and then Santa gave Annaka three tickets to see it again at the Arizona Broadway Theater along with her own little "Sandy".  It never seems to get old for her!

After the performance all of the characters are on stage and Daddy Warbucks invites the audience to sing along with them the song "Tomorrow".  We were close to the stage and Annaka was standing holding her puppy watching and Daddy Warbucks knelt down and looked out at her and waved.  She gave him the cutest little wave back!

She couldn't wait to get a picture with Annie afterwards and she went and talked with Daddy Warbucks who asked if she saw him wave to her but she didn't want a picture with him.  She also did not want to get anywhere near Ms. Hannegan!

Annaka's cheeks have been quite red since we returned from Utah.  They look dry and chapped but she also has a cough and congestion so they could be a sign of sickness?  Seems like it has been quite a year for yucky-ness!

After the performance the three of us went to the mall and Annaka and I had an ice cream and Ashlyn got Panda Express and ice cream!  Brittany had taken them to the mall earlier in the day to play at the kid's place and go to the Disney store so they had a special day!  No "Hard-Knock Life" for them!!!

A White & Wonderful Winter Wedding!

I grabbed these pictures from my sister's blog of when Grandma first saw Annaka....they are out of order on here now but I have the hardest time getting things to move around!  

The Pace family left to right:  Angie (Donny working), Tiffany with John behind, Rod, Bob behind Lexi, Melissa,
 Nate & Nicole, Allen with little Will, Hali, Scott, Mary & Richard

The newleyweds with Nate's siblings:  Hali & Lexi

with parents and grandparents

grandma promised Annaka a shopping trip next summer to ease the pain of not taking Tangled doll home

Annaka loved having a moment in the snow and when Grandpa walked around the corner to turn on the outside Christmas lights she yelled..."snowball fight"!  I love how she turned her back to Grandpa (#5) when it was his turn to throw one back!

grandma watched "Annie" with Annaka

The Romneys are in Utah from Texas for Christmas so the wedding was perfect timing!

Annaka really wanted to hold Skye but Skye wasn't too sure about Annaka

Annaka was thrilled to see her other grandparents at the reception!

Scott with his uncle Phil (Mary's brother)

I don't think Annaka remembers Nate but I had to grab a picture anyways

Yesterday Scott's nephew, Nate Mendenhall, got married in the Draper LDS Temple.  Scott and I decided to head up on the earliest flight (6:15 a.m.) and stay in Utah until the latest flight (9:15 p.m.) yesterday so we could join in the festivities.

It was a whirlwind day since we had to get up at 3:30 a.m. and didn't get home until 1:30 a.m. this morning but it was very much worth it!

We took Annaka with us since it was also my mom's birthday and they have been missing each other.  We didn't tell my mom and we didn't tell Annaka until late the night before so that was a fun surprise.  Nichole took some pictures of Grandma with Annaka surprising her so I'll try to add those when I get them.

It was snowing lightly all day and Scott and I decided we really don't miss the snow but it was very pretty to see.

We went from the airport to the temple (my sister, Nichole, picked up Annaka from there) and then after a brief visit with Scott's parents we went to the luncheon.  Then we visited with my parents and picked up Annaka and went back to the reception.  After a brief 20 minutes or so visit at the reception with family members we were off to the airport.  The plane was delayed so we could have stayed longer but at least we were able to share this day with all of Scott's family!

Tonight my neighbor's son, David, had his reception.  I got to help with the food so it was a fun wedding-filled weekend!  Such a fun time of life!

Our Gifts from the Heart

We always start with our "gifts from the heart"!  These are always so much fun to receive but equally as much fun to give since you put so much time and effort into them.

Tanner had Annaka and thankfully Brittany stepped in to help him create a doll for her since he was struggling with an idea and didn't like my suggestion of creating file folder games.  She was as big as Annaka but Annaka has been lugging her around all day!

Tyson had Ashlyn.  He got her a journal and then came up with 90 prompts that he taped to popsicle sticks for her to write about in the journal.  She was thrilled and already wrote about her best friend!

Annaka had Justin and she created a unique tick-tack-toe game with her painted rocks.  Tyson and I helped her out with the game board.

Scott had Tanner.  He gave him his own pazzuchi (pizza cookie) pan and then made up batches of cookie dough that he put in baggies for him to pull out and make his own cookie as desired.  He was hilarious as he was trying to watch a show on his ipad while he made the dough.  He asked me about something and I discovered that he was looking at the wrong recipe!  He figured out how to make it work but men can just not multi-task!

I had Tyson.  Tyson dutifully packs a lunch for school every day and I always feel bad that I don't have homemade goodies ready to contribute SO, I baked for several days and put individual servings of chocolate chip blondies, no-bake cookies, chocolate mint brownies and pumpkin muffins with caramel glaze in freezer bags for him to pull-out and take as desired.  The whole bottom freezer rack is for him! I'm thinking it will take him through the next couple of months at least.

Justin had Brittany.  Justin created "bookmarks for college" for Brittany to take with her next year that had a picture of each of her family members in a circle cut-out behind a paint chip card.  He picked out two paint chip cards per person (one color behind) then also picked out which craft punch to use to embellish the bookmarks.  We laminated them and added a ribbon to the top.

Ashlyn had me.  She wrote me an adorable story about a teacher who didn't know what the meaning of Christmas was.  I love her spelling and beautiful illustrations.

Brittany had Scott and she created a video of the Savior for him.  We watched the video before we preceded with the rest of our morning.

Scott wanted to make Cafe Rio for our dinner tonight.  It was awesome except he put in too many jallapeno seeds in the tomatillo sauce.  He actually started sweating as he tried eating his sauce drenched serving!  While we sat around the table Brittany asked everyone to share what their favorite thing has been this Christmas.

Annaka--"Ashlyn's gift" (Ashlyn gave each of us an envelope with a gift she will give us...like for me she said she'll help me make my side of the bed and for Scott she said she'll help him make his side of the bed!)

Ashlyn--her American Girl doll

Justin--the Cafe Rio dinner

Tanner--thinking...never came up with anything

Tyson--putting up the Christmas tree at the beginning of the season (this answer surprised Scott!)

Brittany--doing our drop and runs

Mom--the cub scout trip with Justin, visiting with the Cockerills, and working on our homemade gifts

Dad--watching the reactions of each of us to our homemade gifts

Although our answers varied, we all felt very blessed and very spoiled and very loved.  It was a wonderful day and I'm thankful we have several days to enjoy being home with each other before school and work begin again.

As I close my Christmas blogging this year, may I just share how thankful I am that we have a Savior who was willing to be born in such humble circumstances and to live a perfect life--so often without thanks or appreciation.  I can't imagine how difficult and frustrating it must have been to realize all the mocking and misunderstanding and ridicule and cruelty you suffered and endured was for your accusers as well as for your believers.  I am so thankful that he never called it quits or gave up on us.  A world without Christmas would be a world without purpose or meaning.  I look forward to 2013 and the opportunity to strive to be more worthy to bear the honored name of "Christian".

Merry Christmas!

Santa and Stockings and Cinnamon Rolls

Brittany making the traditional Christmas morning cinnamon rolls--(I would have just bought them)

All-time favorite

Ashlyn and "Emily"

 

The four puzzlers

Looking good in his new black t-shirt.  He had picked out this shirt for another boy in his school when we did the Christmas tree angel and I thought it looked good when he held it up to himself so I got him the same one.

We told the kids they could not get up before 4:00 this morning.  Annaka came down twice before then not feeling well.  She was congested and her ear was hurting her.  After some medicine she was finally able to sleep.

At 4:01 a.m. I heard someone in the downstairs bathroom and I stumbled out to find Justin, Tanner and Brittany.  Brittany decided she didn't want to go through her stocking this year until after everyone was up so she could prolong the moment.  So she got busy making the cinnamon rolls.  She made enough to deliver a pan full to a girl in her seminary class whose family is going through a rough time.  She and her dad made a little trip to door bell ditch before we got started with our celebrations.  They were finally able to get Tyson up shortly after this and the little girls got up around 6:00 a.m.

In our family, Santa always does a fun stocking full of little things and gives the kids one gift that he doesn't wrap so the kids are always having fun from the moment they get up.  This year Santa gave Brittany some new luggage for college (but the Tangled ornament in her stocking was her favorite); Tyson some Liberty colored basketball shoes and new bball outfits; Tanner a new amp for his guitar; Justin a remote controlled car and helicopter; Ashlyn an American Girl doll and Annaka three tickets to go see the play Annie along with a "Sandy" dog.

Annaka didn't want to put anything down when she opened up anything new!  She was thrilled with everything including the "carmonica" she found in her stocking!

Santa must have heard the story about Scott going over to a date's house as a young man and having her psychologist father give him some mind puzzles and being frustrated when Scott was able to solve them in a matter of minutes because he gave Scott a box of four mind puzzlers.  He still has it!  He was able to solve all four of them way before the boys.  Tyson was finally able to do all four but the other two boys weren't able to get past two.

Ashlyn had asked Santa for an American Girl doll but had wanted "Kit".  He brought her "Emily" instead.  So the only thing she actually go that she had asked for in her letter to the big guy were some Polly Pockets.  Thankfully,  she seemed very pleased with the substitution.

Tanner got his "beats"---actually the knock-off brand but he was excited.  He wasn't sure he should keep the wild colors or trade them in for black ones but he decided to keep them after all.  I think the colors suits him well!

Christmas Eve

"The Littles"

"The Bigs"--passing on the attitude to a little--check the corner of the picture!

"Sleep tight!"

Scott's family used to do fondu during the holiday season so I have tried to adopt that tradition into our celebration as well.  It hasn't always happened but this year we were able to do fondu for our Christmas Eve dinner.  We had three pots but when we got them out we discovered that the last time they were borrowed, one of them was returned incorrectly.  We got somebody else's pot and our cord and the two didn't match up!  So, we only ended up doing a cheese and oil fondu with the intention of coming back after a little Christmas run to do the chocolate fondu but nobody felt like it at that point.  The kids loved this especially cooking the steak cubes in the oil.  Yummy!

Another Pace tradition we have adopted is the new pjs for Christmas Eve.  Tyson said in Seminary they were talking about traditions and he was surprised how many people said their family does this as well. Daddy got new pjs too but he didn't want to put his on yet.  He usually gives me red ones but this year he went with navy blue---love them!  It may not snow in AZ but flannel and I are buddies all year long!  (I have found I have to wear long sleeves even in the summer time or I get a sore throat--can't take the air conditioning!)  The little girls looked adorable in purple!  I'm not a big fan of purple so I don't often buy it but I think I'll have to mend my ways!

Big Box...Little Gift...But it's the Thought that Counts!

Ten years ago....I was David Beck's Sunday School teacher.  He was 14 and I loved this group of kids.  For one of our lessons on marriage I created a "wedding capsule" for them.  I knew we did it and I knew I put something in there and asked their parents and grandparents etc. to contribute but I couldn't remember what it looked like or what it contained.

David is also my next-door neighbor and he had saved his on his bedroom closet shelf until LAST NIGHT!  David got married on the 20th to Cristyann in California and they are having a reception next door on the 28th but they were spending Christmas Eve with the Becks so they invited me over for the unveiling of the wedding capsule!

Drum roll please.....we were all so excited and what did we find.....JUST this.....a wedding Christmas ornament and a letter with some wedding advice from yours truly.  Nothing from his parents or grandparents.....We were all so bummed, especially his mom.  Now, she is sure she would have written a letter and I am sure she would have too so I am thinking that David actually got into the package years ago and forgot about it.  (Only the top was wrapped so it lifted right off without ripping anything.)

It may not have been worth the effort of saving for 10 years but I'd do it all again!  This time I would be sure there was something from everyone in there AND I would seal it completely!!!  Congratulations David and Cristyann!  Hopefully they will have many years together and add many more ornaments to their Christmas tree.

Caroling Cub Scouts

not the best picture with my phone but we got one!

This is the cub scout tradition that I look forward to every year.  Every year they assign a senior citizen at a local care center to each of the boys and give them a couple of ideas of a gift they would enjoy.  Then we wrap our gifts and go and sing to and visit with them.

The lady Justin was originally assigned was no longer an option (not sure why) so we ended up with this delightful "young" lady!  She was supposedly 100 years old but you would never know it.  She said she was "all natural" too!  She only had one daughter and both her daughter and her husband are gone so she is the only one of her family still around.  She said she keeps asking the Good Lord why she's still here but she said He must have a reason.  She was very sweet and a very gracious receiver of the CD player and CD even though she seemed to have no clue what they were!

We had slipped away from home without eating and Daddy had a night off from meetings so he was home with the girls.  So, as we were leaving the care center I asked Justin if he would want to go out to eat.  He was THRILLED that he got to choose.  He decided on Panda Express so we hit the mall where he got his desire and I got Paradise Bakery!  We then went to a new kid clothing store that I had heard about and I got some warm clothes for the girls and he found a much needed jacket for himself!  It was fun spending one-on-one time with him!  The highlight for him was having a guy in Panda Express line telling him when we went to get a to-go box that from now on he needed to always ask for it "to go" because they always pack it in there and you get more food.  He was thrilled with that revelation!  I know you wouldn't know it to look at him but every morning this kid asks me what we are having for dinner!  "They" say food is a way to a guys heart...."they" got it right for Justin!

Mood, part 2

I just found these pictures Brittany took while we were on our date.  Apparently there were pictures of Ashlyn's face painted.  Tyson is such a good sport!  Looks like he had he job of putting the gingerbread house together!  Looks like it was taking longer than Annaka had hoped for!