Off with a bang!

I feel like someone shot a starting gun on the first of December, and the race won't finish until the end of the year! Running, Running, Running. With two December birthdays (I know, we're SO smart) and Christmas, our house is even busier than usual.


I started the month in Oregon actually...Dad had some surgery and I went up to hang out with mom. I know they didn't need my help, but I was just using it as an excuse to get few days by myself. I took the baby and stayed for five days. Mom and I had fun getting all her Christmas decorations up and making her caramel chocolate pretzels (I won't be making them myself this year, as I'm burnt out from making all of hers, but that's another story.) It was a great five days, but I was glad to get back to sunny California....I don't know how all your northerners do it...I guess I've lost the ability.


Thursday the sixth was Maggie's seventh birthday. It was a typical birthday for her...76 degrees in December...we loved it! I decided this year not to invite 12 girls to my house for a birthday party, and opted instead to take 6 girls to Red Hot Pottery, a paint your own pottery studio. We had a great time, and ended up seeing Santa downtown and going to Cold Stone for ice cream as well. The best part was coming home to a clean house! That was definately the kind of party for me! Here are a couple of picture of the party....






After the party, the whole family headed to the world famous Madonna Inn (if they're really world famous, do they really need to say it all the time?) for dinner. We had a great time looking at the Christmas Decorations. Here's a picture I took while walking around....it makes me laugh because it reminds me of pictures of my family when I was little...just a bunch of kids crammed together and having fun.


We also learned during this dinner that John has learned to smile when the camera comes out. The funny part is that he imitates Charlie and smiles so hard it looks like it hurts...it's pretty cute though....

We saw Santa twice on Saturday, at the Primary Christmas Party, and again at the Ward Christmas Party. We also watched the primary children act out the Nativity Story. Here a some pictures...I don't know, I guess they were supposed to put their hands up to sky in an act of joy, but it really looks more like a bank robbery in progress...

And here are a few pictures of the kids with the big guy...

We ended the weekend with a birthday dinner for Maggie with the Rober's (who were out of town on Maggie's birthday). I have to post this picture of Maggie and Briggs. I think he'd just been told not to touch the cake, and he does NOT look happy about it!

And now for a portion of the blog I'm calling "The Chronicals of Harry". A couple of weeks ago I found Harry standing at the top of the stairs...we had a converstaion, it went a little bit like this:

Harry: "Mom, what would happen if I fell down the stairs?"

Me: "Well Harry, you'd get pretty hurt."

Harry: "Yeah, but would I die?"

Me: "Maybe, it would depend how you fell, maybe you'd just break your leg or something."

Harry: (with a smile) "Okay, but then would I need crutches?"

You see, Harry has been fascinated with crutches ever since he saw an episode of Curious George where he breaks his leg. Every time we go to the drug store he pulls a couple of walking canes off the shelf and pretends he using crutches. So, maybe it's tempting fate, but in five days, on Harry's fifth birthday, he will be unwrapping a brand new pair of child size crutches. Obviously, Harry was saved for the last days...he never could of survived before EBAY was available for present purchasing. So, look forward to a post in the next little while to see Harry on his crutches - every five year old's biggest dream!