Gingerbread Competition 2011

I have to hurry and finish this before the end of the year.  I only have 2 hours and 15 minutes left!

Here's the prep:

Here is my clean kitchen and dining room before the madness.

And it begins.....

...with 13 boxes of Papa John's dinner.

I had to throw this picture in.

These 3 little stinkers sneaked away to play up in Sam's room.

Sam, Jack (cousin twins--born on the same day), and Sophie

L to R around the table:

Ethan, Sam, Yale, Jack, Ben

Dave and PJ are SERIOUS about their creations.

They cordoned off the entire dining room.

The aftermath.

Oh, how I wish you could see (feel? hear?) the floor.

Notice all the diet cokes on the tables.

This party went into the late hours of the night.

PJ had to make a diet coke run for everyone (except me--I'm off it......again).

The finished designs:

Jeff and Jakers made Cougar Stadium

Dave made a roller coaster.

Keri called him a cheater for using some inedible products.

Bottom:  Sophie

Middle:  Keri

Top:  Lucy

The volcano was PJ's

Top right:  Steph and Mike

Top left:  Katers

Keri and Dave smack talkin'

So, so, soooooo much work and mess  fun and family togetherness.

LOVE this party.

Seriously!

And that ends my posts for 2011.

I can't wait to print out my book.

I have lots planned for 2012...........lots of projects, home improvements, another paint job (*gasp!).

Can't wait to get going.

Parties #2 and #3

I need to hurry all my posts along so I'm posting two parties at once.

I was going to put party #4 in here but it really deserves its own post.  It's too epic.

I'll do that tomorrow.

Maybe.

Every year Jeff's law firm hosts a black tie party for all the attorneys and their spouses.

Like I said in my last post, we drove home from Brigham City and literally only had about ten to fifteen minutes to change before we had to drive all the way back up to Salt Lake.

That is no small feat especially when Jeff needs numbered, printed out instructions to tie his bow tie.  Ha!

This is the famous Mike Larsen and his wife Teresa.

Mike Larsen was Jeff's boss, mentor, and good friend.

Funny story:

Jake was about 4 or 5 years old and he says to Jeff,
"Dad, let's play lawyers.  You be you, and I'll be Mike Larsen."

Mike Larsen still tells everybody that story around the law firm.

On to Party #3

After Julie and family, and Stacey and Chris got to town, we met up with dad for dinner.

Then we headed over to Orange Leaf for frozen yogurt.

Only in Utah can a frozen yogurt/ice cream place stay in business during the winter.

It was 24 degrees outside and the place was packed!

Tomorrow:

The famous Gingerbread House Competition in which Dave, Keri, and PJ start the smack-talking and personal insults.  :) :) :)

Christmas Party #1

I can't think of a better way to label all the December activities except by numbers.

So, here is Christmas party Numero Uno.

This one is a big one.

Look at the picture below.

There are 16 wrapped gifts in that basket.

(The picture doesn't do it justice--it's HUGE!)

Lucy does not leave the sides of her two older girl cousins.

(Maddy, Lucy, Sadie)

L to R:

Lucy, Greg, Kathy, Jeff, Dallin, Aliza, Jeni, Gabi, Chris

Kimberlee, Kim, Zach, Brian

Adin, Sam

Sam got cookie monster slippers from Maddy which he did not take off for 3 days straight.

And a Cookie Monster from Grandma and Grandpa.

Lucy got a charm bracelet from Sadie

And a Doodle Bear from Grandma and Grandpa.

Jake got a New Orleans Saints watch (and toothbrush) from Tyler

And a Brees jersey from Grandma and Grandpa.

I don't have a picture, but Josh got an iTunes gift card from Austin

and a Peyton Manning figurine and pencils from Grandma and Grandpa.

Jeff's mom gave all the daughers and daughers-in-law an apron that her mother made before she died.

Jeff and his siblings never knew their maternal grandparents, so this was a special moment.

L to R:

Kimberlee, me, Kim, Jeni, and Heather

(Missing is Mel--their family was sick--AGAIN!  They missed the Halloween party, too, because they were sick.  Boo hoo!  We missed you!)

Jeff's parents made a gingerbread man for each grandchild.

Quite impressive.

This party is the biggest one of the year and we LOVE it.

My kids talk about it all year long.

As we were getting in the car to go home Josh said, "Awww, it's over now.  We have to wait a whole year for the next one."

You would've thought Christmas itself was over.

Next post:

Party #2 in which we drove home from Party #1 all the way up in Brigham City, had 15 minutes to change into formal wear, and drove straight back up to Salt Lake.

Some News

AHHH!!!

I said I have a small bit of news and everyone is going to be so disappointed because it is NOT what you think it is.

I am not pregnant.

(Although, I would like to be but I have a heart issue that I/we/3 different medical doctors/1 homeopathic doctor/55 blood tests/an EKG/an echocardiogram/a stress echocardiogram/2 holter monitors cannot figure out.

I am praying that I can find an answer soon so I can have one last baby.  I'm not getting any younger here...)

But there is some really good news for our family.

Jeff has a new job.

He accepted an offer for an in-house position.

While we are very sad to be leaving his current law-firm and the wonderful people there, we are thrilled for this new opportunity.

That's all.

Are you disappointed?

P.S.

I also have to take this opportunity to give a "shout out" to one of the best people at his law firm.
Jeff has the most amazing secretary, Kimberly Merrill.
Jeff will miss a lot of people, but I think he will miss her most of all.  
She made his job SO much easier.  And when his job is easier, it makes my job easier.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Don't Give Up On Me!

I have totally been a slacker when it comes to my blog.

December is soooo busy and I'm a little overwhelmed.

Here's a little of what's been going on:

Lucy's second grade class donated and decorated a tree for the Festival of Trees.

They also got to perform and sing a few songs.

This is the only picture I could snap really fast.

Jeff and I attended the annual Salt Lake County Bar Association Christmas dinner at the Salt Lake Country Club.  Once again, this is the only picture I snapped AFTER it was all over and I realized I left my camera in the car.

So, I don't have a picture with all our friends or my cute new dress from Anthro.

All I have is this.  From inside the car.  Jeff and Seth.  BOOOOORIIIING!!!

(No offense Jeff and Seth.)

We took the kids to Thanksgiving Pointe to see the real reindeer.

Whoa!  Look at me wearing a coat!  I NEVER wear coats.

I hate coats!!!!

In fact, I'm seriously considering starting a campaign to get major retailers and the mall to LOWER THEIR THERMOSTATS!!!!!!!!!

Crowds, body heat, and multiple layers of clothing make it completely unnecessary to keep the heat blasting at 80 degrees!!!  Who's with me??

I digress....

I'm going to be better at documenting the rest of December  

And

I'll be sharing a small bit of news in the next post.  

Christmas Chaos

You know what?

I didn't think the holiday season was quite busy enough, or stressful enough.

We only have AT LEAST ONE (SOMETIMES TWO!!!) MAJOR FUNCTIONS OR PARTIES each weekend for the next 4 weekends, not to mention school programs, and gymnastics programs, and class parties.

Oh, and then there's the tiny detail of CHRISTMAS!  And shopping for everyone.  And Santa Claus and gift exchanges.  (At one party alone, I am required to bring 16 gifts!  SIXTEEEEEEEEN!)

So, to add to the madness, and the messes, and the chaos

I let the kids each get a 3' tree for their rooms (only 7$ at Tai Pan) and decorate them all by themselves.

Guess who got into it the most?

My teenager.

He spent hours planning, shopping, and arranging things just right.

Who'd a thought???