A Christmas tradition

Grandma and Papa Phippen brought a gingerbread kit with them so the girls could do one with them. I think they did a superb job on it. Grandma helped, but Kate really did great with the frosting. AND Sarah and Abby even held back on eating all the candy so that there could actually be candy on this gingerbread house! It has been touch and go in the past. You all will not believe me when I say that I didn't even mean to dress them the same that day. Really it wasn't just for the picture with the gingerbread house. Promise. muchos gracias Papa and Grandma

Merry Christmas

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! And that you party it up this New Year's Eve! :o) Ya know, Mormon style.

Christmas 2008

Our tree this year:

I would be lying if I didn't admit two things about Christmas this year. It was Grrrrrrrreat! It was wonderful to not get in a car and load the presents both for family and for kids, the stockings, the snacks, the clothes, the mittens, the gloves, the coats, the kids, the pillows, the sleeping bags, the diapers, the wipes, the EVERYTHING but the kitchen sink. That was one of the really great things about Christmas. I know our families are deeply offended by this. But WAIT. My next admission will make it all better. The LAME part of Christmas was not getting in the car and seeing family! We missed you all terribly! We missed the UT snow, the AZ sunshine and clear blue skies, we missed aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters and parents. We missed my Mom's homemade soup on Christmas Eve and the beauty of Mt Timpanogos in falling snow. Now don't get me wrong, like I said we had a wonderful Christmas. It just would have put an extra sparkle on the day to have spent it with family. We are very grateful that Darin's parents swooped in and saved the season by coming to visit us on the 29th. We had a mini Christmas again the night they came and it really was great!

One of the highlights of December for us was doing a 12 days of Christmas for a couple in our ward. I don't mention this to make ourselves look good, instead I share it because it definitely made Christmas SO FUN. We chose a couple that we love so much who are amazing. They weren't giving each other gifts at all. They were taking the money they would have spent on each other and spent it on a family in need. So we decided to give a little cheer to them. The kids had a blast taking turns ringing the doorbell and running. In fact, Sarah asked me today if we could do it again tonight. I hope this will be a tradition we ALWAYS do every year.

Other highlights of the 2008 Christmas Season:

1. Darin's work party at the Lamplighter Inn. It was actually fun this year. And we went to see Twilight afterwards. I LOVE DATES WITH DARIN!

2. Making granola. We had fun delivering it this year to friends and neighbors (although they fall into the same category).

3. Eating all the goodies. Especially Taija Stagg's plate. It is something to look forward to all year.

4. Abby and Sarah's Christmas parent day at kindergarten. Darin got to go!

5. Shopping at the last second. I got myself a douzy of a kidney infection right before Christmas. So I was just getting to my shopping two nights before Christmas. It is a highlight only because I want to remember to never, ever wait that long again. :o)

6. Grandma and Papa Phippen coming

7. Getting Christmas cards from family and friends. Wahooo! Great job everyone, especially those we haven't heard from in years! We won't mention names of those we STILL haven't heard from. LOL!

8. The Christmas tree remained standing. Although the poor thing was torturized this year by little girls building tall slides with the couch cushions while Mommy read "The Host" in bed on a Sunday afternoon. We won't mention that Daddy was snoring in the same room and didn't hear the poor tree moaning as it was the designated home plate. Duct tape and super glue might be the only way it still stands next year.
9. Christmas Eve and the story of Jesus Christ's birth.

10. Caroling with Ellie. She said, "Merry Christmas" so CUTE this year. And one night in the car while we were looking at lights she said, "Santa says, Ho Ho Ho!" It was darling!

The gang waiting to see the Christmas tree and presents on Christmas morning.

Santa really did come!

Sarah and Abby are sporting their capes that their cousins sent. Sarah and Jill, you are so creative and talented!!!!! They are so dang cute.

We hope your Christmas was just as eventful and just as fun!

Eeeee Gads!

Holy cow! Holy cow! Holy Cow! How did it become December? Yikes! (that is one too many exclamation points in one line, but hey I FEEL the exclamations!) I am not panicking. I am not panicking. If I say it one more time does it work like it does for Dorothy?

Last night was our Young Women in Excellence. You can tell from the way my house looks that this event has consumed us since Sunday. It would appear that either A) a bomb went off B) the washing machine exploded C) a tornado ripped through D) all of the above It is definitely D! But hey at least the clothes all over everywhere are mostly clean. We just get dressed out in the living room every morning instead of our rooms. Who needs clothes in dressers? I was so grateful for the help of all of the young women leaders. I feel so much support from all of them. It feels so good to know that we can call on each other at anytime. What a blessing! Heavenly Father really knew what he was doing when he formed presidencies. And I truly feel that the Lord inspired these certain women to be leaders for these girls in the Visalia 1st Ward at this exact time. They are amazing women. The night went well. We had all but one girl bring a project to display a value experience they accomplished. I was THRILLED. It took a lot of reminding and work to get these girls to be prepared, but in the end they all came through. They are fabulous girls. Their projects were varied and so awesome. I forgot my camera so I hope that a father with a camera will remember to email me pictures. We even had a laurel get her young womanhood recognition award too. We had her last YW president speak about her, we gave her a picture of the Fresno temple, and then the bishop awarded her the medallion. She then spoke. What a great job she did! I don't know how her parents contained their pride, because I felt so proud of her! All of the speakers did great and WHAT A RELIEF to have it done! Now on to New Beginnings. And now maybe I should focus on my family. I still don't even have a tree up!!!!!!!! This is totally going against all Amy rules. I am fanatical about holidays and decorating. I feel tired this year. I need to snap out of it. My kids are going crazy that we are not decorated. I don't blame them one bit.

Thanksgiving was one of those I don't want to forget. We so enjoyed having Darin's sister's family here with us from Heber City, UT. They have 6 of the most fun, well behaved, kind, helpful and sweet kids ever. Our kids are still lamenting their departure. We really enjoyed talking, playing, visiting and of course EATING! I was impressed that we actually had dinner only an hour later than planned. :o) It was delicious. I dare say that I have never heard of the turkey being cooked like the Rhees family cooks it, but it was darn good. A new turkey tradition! I have yet to download pictures so look for some.. . . . .later. And yes we did hit Black Friday. We had to! We didn't have hardly any presents yet for Abby and Sarah! And Black Friday was their birthday. It was crazy, but not too bad. We mostly bought clothes. I know, boring. But we can't go around naked can we? Well Darin wouldn't mind if one of us did. Hee hee. (he is going to kill me when he reads this! Ha, we'll see how long it takes for him to read it. If I die soon you'll know why!) And by the way, all my racy comments are for you Darren. Well not for you, but in honor of you. I learn from the best.

Well this has been super duper quick. Homework has got to be done. And dinner. If my kids have to have soup again for dinner there might be a revolt. They love soup, but even they can hit overload. Someday I'll read all your blogs too. I am light years behind. I miss you all.
Take care!!!