It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Confession:  I have an issue with the holidays.  Movies and internet tell me that I need to let my kids help me in the kitchen.  It's fun they say.  You'll love it they say.  I think neither are applicable.  Grumpy mom right?!  They just make such a huge mess.  And they argue.  And fight.  Where is the fun in this???  But I gave in (I grudgingly do this every year).  And I have to say- this is the first year where they have been pleasant.  And helpful.  And fun.  To be fair- I've been having them help more year round (just one on one)- so maybe this has been helpful.  

In fact- after the dough was mixed- I just let them have at it while I sat in the living room and listened.  Their conversation was hilarious.  

December rushed on as only December can and we quickly found ourselves at Grandma Jacki's for our annual cookie decorating.

Klein was SUPER excited to be decorating tonight.  Maybe not...

So many choices so little sprinkles.

I am SO not eating that one!

Careful... careful...

Our only girls on the Kidd side!  I love that they are the same age!

I like my sprinkles shaken, not stirred.

As ever, you will find Shaun with a nephew and a snack to bribe them with.  In this case it was little Mitch and a spoonful of frosting... YUM!!!

Following our frosting party- we got to open presents.  Since this year we were going to be away from Declo, Jacki wanted to make sure we all got to open presents together.  The kids were anxiously awaiting in front of grandma's tree.  It's hard to believe that there are this many now.  We all swear we're done with babies so this may be all we ever get- but it's crazy how it just exploded with kiddos the last few years!

 Grandma getting ready to play Santa...

The girls were checking out the goods...  I think they were impressed!

My mom gave Ty this shirt (okay- if we're being realistic- she gets them all of their holiday shirts.  and jammies.) a couple weeks ago and he thought it was AWESOME!  He wears it as soon as it's clean again.  This time I think it barely made it into the clean basket before he had it dug out.  Still makes me laugh.

The kids also put on the Nativity.  Ty usually narrates, but this year politely declined.  The younger ones tried- but I think something got lost in the translation.  Still sweet.

After the chaos died down from presents and costumes, we sat down and played a game.  I have found that more often than not a deck of cards have found their way into my purse.  This has been extremely helpful at times.  The kids recently took to UNO and so we pulled it out and played a few hands.  I love that my kids are getting big enough to play cards with.  It's one of my all time favorite things to do as a family.

Thanks for the party grandma- we had a great time- as usual.

December is also a time of gift giving- and we have been so blessed this year to be on the receiving end of so many.  Ryan has been exceptionally grateful that most of it so far has been food.  He even got a box of chocolates.  He initially tried to horde them- but decided that it was better to share.  The kids love guessing what it's going to be inside the chocolates.

Kate received a gymnastics Barbie and was super frustrated with all the packaging.  I can't say that I blame her.  I understand it's for security and all, but give a girl a break!  Dad took pity on her though and helped her unwrap all the pieces.  It's times like this I'm a little grateful we don't have a dog- I can't tell you how many Barbie shoes our dog chewed up as we were growing up!

Things are settling down as we get further into the month.  I have learned to say no to a lot of extras so that more time is spent home together.  I know that Shaun wishes I would say no to even more- but I'm doing all I can.  Most evenings you will find us together in the living room, usually reading or sewing.  Sometimes we have music on.  Sometimes one of the kids is playing the piano.  It's a little 1950's- but I'm okay with it.  Here, you can see our stockings are waiting Santa by the fireplace.  Shaun's Grandma June knitted all of these stockings, and they hang together year after year.  She passed away this last year and it's so special to me that she was able to make one for each member of our family.  I think of her every time I pull out our Christmas decorations.  They make me smile.

I love dimming the big lights and letting the lights of the tree shine on into the night.  I love looking at all our decorations- the new and the old.  There are so many strange and random ones anymore, I can hardly see the "nice" ones that I bought so many years ago.  Handmade treasures and school picture ornaments are the majority.  I let the kids decorate it themselves this year.  I think you can tell- there are some branches that have 5 ornaments on it.  But I know in a few years they won't care anymore and my tree will be perfect.  Maybe that will make me sad.  Maybe it will make me happy- not sure yet.

But beneath our tree is one of my all time favorite traditions- it's the Dickens Village made by my grandparents years ago.  Not all of us got one.  I used to sit for hours looking at theirs.  I used to make up the stories of the small ceramic people and their day to day lives in the village.  I think it's funny, I catch my own doing the same.  Sitting on the floor- staring into the space beneath the tree.  Some traditions just live on don't they?

Say Cheese!

My husband detests this time of year- because I insist that it's time for new pictures.  Fall is my favorite because we're still hanging onto the last vestiges of color from our summer tans and the leaves have started changing outside... it's really the best of all worlds if you think about it.  Which I do- I spend a lot of time thinking about pictures.  

Anyway- Shaun's irritation aside, I hauled my family outside and told them to say Cheese.  

This kid... man oh man how he's grown.  I've started noticing it more and more.  The other day I was standing behind him and I couldn't help but notice how his shoulders are starting to broaden now.  He's not quite as tall as I am, but has already passed two grandmas and one aunt.  Ty turned 11 this summer and is definitely feeling his pre-teen vibes and hormones... I hear it just gets better.  For the most part, I'm loving his emerging personality and sense of humor.  Ty is quite spiritual and loves to learn new things.  

I'm also so impressed with his dedication to his gluten free diet.  I know it can't be easy on this kid- heck- it's not easy on any of us.  But he never deviates.  Seriously.  Never.  His Primary teacher took his class out to lunch to Dairy Queen the other day- and I sat and talked with Sister Christiansen for a few minutes afterward and she commented on how blase Ty was about needing things a little different than the rest of the group.  She said he took charge and told the cashier just how he needed his burger made and then asked about the fryer to make sure his fries wouldn't be cross-contaminated.  I have to admit I was a little bit in awe too.  We do all of these things all the time- it's second nature to me- but it's interesting that it has become the same with our kids.  Ty is checking and double checking all the time to make sure he's doing what's best for HIS body.  It's a maturity that I didn't expect to see in him.  Maybe I don't give the kid enough credit most of the time.  Someone please tell me I'm not the only one??

This little nugget of ours absolutely keeps us on our toes.  Kate is our little drama llama.  Love her to bits though.  I signed her up for dance this year and she's living and breathing ballet- she can't get her cereal without adding an arabesque.  She also has quit walking and instead chasses around the house.  I want to yell a little bit,,, but at the same time- I'm pretty sure I used to do the same thing.

She's loving school- in fact she was sick the other day and burst into tears when I told her she was staying home.  She grabbed her puke bucket and said that Mrs. Schrenk wouldn't mind at all if she brought her bucket to school.  Yeah right kid.  Go back to bed.  I'm in love with her teacher though too- so I kind of understand her reluctance to miss a day.  Kate has passed off all her Kindergarten sight words and First grade's too.  So Mrs. Schrenk tracked down a copy of the Second grade words and sent them home for Kate to practice on.  I am so grateful that she took the time to help out a kid that wasn't struggling- it's refreshing.

Kate loves to spend her time outside with our kitties, and most afternoons can be found under the shade of the tree with a kitty in her arms.  I don't know what they find to talk about for hours on end- but it must be pretty sweet.

Ryan.  Oh sweet Ryan.  He is such a menace.  But look at his face!  Go on... just look at it... you can't help but want to snuggle with him.  I don't know how he does it.  He can be such a rotten little stink to his brother and sister... but when I get after him- he gives me this look that makes me want to apologize to him for yelling.  It's ridiculous.

Ryan hates riding the bus.  I thought it would get better this year, now that he had one year under his belt.  But I was wrong.  I usually am when it comes to Ryan.  He's 8 and he still baffles me.  I don't make them ride the bus that often- usually just when I'm substituting in Burley or Heyburn.  We're going opposite directions and it doesn't make sense for me to take them.  Ry's not okay with it.  He totally pouts every time it happens.

He played some flag football this year and was SO excited when his coach put him in as quarterback.  I'll have to find some pictures of him from my phone and post them- he just ate it up.  He's just as excited for basketball to start.

We actually gathered the whole family for this photo shoot- I think we've convinced Grandma Jacki that new pictures are a good thing- these babies of ours keep changing at an alarming rate!  The rest of us look about the same from year to year- other than I just get more gorgeous.

These pictures were all taken in our yard this year- I seriously love where we live. It's the most picturesque place I've ever seen.  The yard goes on for days and you could take pictures forever and never get them in the same spot.  Right behind these guys are our fruit trees- remember all those apples?