{Christmas-2010}

Christmas 2010....can we say I'm a bit behind on blogging? To keep this simple and thus make it more likely that I'll catch up BEFORE Christmas 2011, this is going to be a post of many pictures and few words!

Looks like Santa may have found the Dearden kids and left them just what they asked for.....despite their occasional naughty-ness!

Carlie was thrilled with her Zoobles and their play lands!
Brock was impressed that Santa listened to his repeated instructions about the speed, scale and shocks on his remote control car. (it could have helped that his Dad may or may not have fed all that important information to him, and Dad and Santa are tight!)
Lizard boy looks pretty happy too!

We decided to try something new at our house this year and simplify a bit. We told the kids ahead of time to only expect three gifts from us. We talked to them about the Wise Men bringing the Savior three gifts and that we'd like that to be our new family tradition. They all agreed, but I don't think they really thought we'd stick to it. I have to admit, it was hard not to throw in a few extra things here and there, but we stuck to it.
New shoes for everyone..... including mom, guess I didn't get a picture of myself. Is it just me or do Brock's shoes look huge..... well, my 10 year old wears the same size shoe as me now, and my feet aren't tiny!
The STAR of the day...... FURIOUS DRAGON (quite the name Kaleb came up with), Fury for short.

This picture cracks.me.up.!! Does Kaleb not look a tad bit concerned. Apparently when bearded dragons get mad/agitated, their beard not only puffs out, it can also turn a dark grey/black color. Kaleb was sure something was VERY wrong with his new pet and I think he was wondering if maybe he should have asked for something else!

Is there anything better than Christmas smiles?

After the festivities at home and letting the kids enjoy gifts for a bit, we ventured (the whole 1/2 a block) to my mom and dad's for breakfast. I look forward to Christmas breakfast all year. My dad makes omelets.... only on Christmas, and they are YUMMERS! The kids all got personalized plates and Derrick and I scored the steam cleaned that I'd been coveting. After visiting and hanging out a bit, we headed to Grandma and Grandpa Dearden's where I took NOT ONE PICTURE? I never seem to remember. Ted and Sheri spoiled all of us, and Christmas dinner was fantastic!
Derrick's mom came and stayed a few weeks after Christmas and we had fun visiting and spending some time with her also! (once again NO pictures)

{Catch-Up~ Christmas Eve}

Christmas Eve is always a busy tradition filled day! We always go to my parents for a candlelight dinner. None of us really remembers when or why we started eating by candlelight, but it's been a tradition almost as long as I can remember. You would think candlelight=fancy, right? Not for the Beckstrand clan, we feast on pizza!
We always have to hurry and eat, so we can make it to the Ward Christmas Eve Program. I love that our ward party is still on Christmas Eve. I know some people would like to see it changed, but I LOVE it! That's what we've always done, the same thing year after year, it's our tradition. A quick program, a few fun Christmas songs, a special visitor and some goodies. Quick, easy and fun! This year was a bit more stressful for me as I happened to end up in charge of the program (one of the "perks" of being in the Primary Presidency). I tried to keep it simple and thought it turned out pretty well.
The kids each got one last chance to tell Santa what they hope he'll bring them, (like the poor guy could really do much about it if they change their minds at that point) and he gives them a bag filled with goodies.
We headed home to decorate cookies for Santa. No milk for Santa round these parts, it's Coke all the way!
Then we open one gift..... Jammies! (can't be wearin' old Jammies on Christmas morning) This year Santa emailed each of the kids a special video from the North Pole, so we watched each of those and then it was off to bed to try and get some sleep!

{Santa Came Down the Chimney...}

about half past three....with lots of nice little presents for my baby and me!!!

I wasn't going to do a post about all the fun things Derrick and I got for Christmas, but I've had a few people request some pictures.... so here are a few of our treasures.

Santa got a new SLED! Ok, Derrick got a new sled....one that I think even Santa may be a bit jealous of! I've been waiting till it's either, not in use, or not dirty from use, so I could take a picture of it......but so far that hasn't happened! Unfortunately yesterday it hit a buried tree stump and ended up with a bent A-arm, so now it's at the shop awaiting a part so Derrick can fix it. So, the factory pic is just going to have to do.....just imagine that sled in our garage, with my hubby on it (and he's definitely been on it a LOT.....like 170 miles worth in the last 2 weeks).

Derrick surprised me with a new Kitchen Aid......Yippie! My mixer broke a few months ago and I've been using this horrid little hand mixer with only one beater (because one disappeared) in the meantime. Let's just say after using that little gem, I truly appreciate this gift!
Ohhhh, an electric pressure cooker. I've only used it once so far to make porcupine meatballs and they turned out perfect. I'm super excited to experiment and see what else this baby does!
How cool is this? One purse, three completely different looks...without ever having to empty or re-organize your purse! SWEET! Can you tell I'm loving this gift?

This beautiful print was given to me by my sweet best friend Ann. I saw it an issue of the Ensign earlier in the year and wanted to have it in my home. I looked for it online and couldn't find it, then started thinking I was pretty sure Ann had it hanging in her home. I called and asked her about it and she said there was only one place to get it and she'd pick it up for me. When she went to get it, it was no longer available. One of her ancestors actually had the copyright to the picture and after much work, her dad was able to get a release. Not only did she go to a great effort to get it for me, but she wrote the sweetest note on the back, that of course made me cry! It's now hanging on the wall in my bedroom to remind me of the things that are truly important in life!

{Christmas~2009}

Is is just me or does Christmas take so long to get here, and then it seems to be over in a flash? I love the spirit of Christmas, and wish it could last all year!

A few days before Christmas, we loaded the family up to spend the day finishing up our shopping and to visit temple Square, something we try to do every year. I love the Spirit that we feel there, and the reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. I always dread the drive and the long day, but in the end I'm always thankful that we made the effort. After the annual Meadow ward Christmas Eve party/program and candlelight pizza dinner at Gram & Papa's we came home and the kids got to open their Christmas jammies (not that they really needed any more PJ's, but it's a fun tradition for them). Carlie was so funny....her jammies had ballerinas on them and she just had to show us her dancing abilities. She'd do a kick and then pause to look at her leg to find another move, copy it, then pause to find another. What a crack-up she is!

Santa found our house and all the kids were happy! Brock asked for Eyeclops Night Vision goggles, and Santa came through for him. He also surprised him with a Bionic Eye magnifier.

All Kaleb asked for, and wanted more than anything was a Nintendo DS! Well, Santa brought one, but he also wrote a letter and made a deal with Kaleb that in return for the DS he had to work extra, extra hard at being good this year!

Carlie has been asking for a tiger for months....we kept thinking she would change her mind, but she didn't., so a tiger she got (yes, I know it's really a cheetah, but Carlie liked that one best, and to her it's a tiger). It's sudden movements and even it's eyes sort-of give me the creeps, but Miss Carlie is in love!

I am thankful for the Holiday season, for the joy on my children's faces, for the time spent with family and friends, for the generosity and love we've felt..... I am simply thankful, we are truly blessed!

{Traditions}

I ♥ Christmas! I think it must be a trait I inherited from my Grandma Ainge, she lived for Christmas, she truly loved it. In fact she even passed away on Christmas day in 2005, making sure that Christmas time will always be her time! I was thinking the other day about the many traditions we have in our family at Christmas time, sometimes they change, or we add new ones, some years we skip a few, but traditions are what makes Christmas special for me. So, throughout December I'm going to post about some of my families traditions, and I'd love to hear about some of yours.

First, and as much as I hate to admit it, it's become a tradition for me to procrastinate at about everything......getting up my decorations, shopping, everything! Why, I have no idea? I love Christmas, and I love when everything is decorated and shopping is done and I can enjoy the season, but alas, I put it all off every year. I'm hoping today will be my decorating day, but most likely, I'll put it off again!

Our next tradition, and it's a favorite for our kiddo's, was started last year. Grandma and Grandpa Dearden got the kids these great advent calendars. The boys get Lego's and Carlie got Polly Pocket this year and Barbie last year. Each night they get to open a door to find a surprise. I think this is the only time of year they look forward to bedtime all day! The first Saturday of every December is set aside for the annual Beckstrand Family Christmas Party. We all get together, eat yummy food and enjoy the chaos each others company. It's also (hopefully) becoma traditions for my cousin Brian's family to stay at our house when they come for the party. They have two boys and then a girl just like us, and the kids get along so well. The kids play while we stay up late and laugh! Carlie has been asking every day when "Awie", (Allie) can come back to sleep over!

All the kids 18 and under draw names and exchange gifts. The boys both got Lego's this year (score!), but my camera battery was dead and Carlie got a FurReal Pet Kitty that she hasn't put down since (I had to bribe her to leave it home from Church).

My sweet Uncle Don made each family one of these beautiful Christus statues! He is the same Uncle that made my Nativity that I showed last year here. A few of my pieces had been broken in one of our moves and he replaced them for me this year. What a talented and thoughtful man he is!
We always know what to expect from my sweet Grandma, it's her tradition. We each receive a small bag, with money, socks and a handmade ornament. I knew there was a story behind this, and my mom reminded of how the sock tradition came to be. Grandma's mother had a rental home, every year she saved some of the rental money and at Christmas time bought stockings for the family a tradition which Grandma has carried on. She also makes each of us an ornament, this year they were doves.....our little tree in the basement holds a few of the many she's done over the years. Each family receives a handmade dish cloth (or hot pad) and a scrubber. But the gift I look forward to each year is her homemade caramel nut roll.......HEAVENLY! Each family gets one..... I have to admit the first few years we were married, I didn't share, I ate the entire thing myself. I figured if Derrick never got to taste it, he wouldn't miss it, right? Notice, no picture of the nut roll, yea, it's gone already!

I'd love to hear some of your traditions!

{Merry (late) Christmas to ME}

Look at all that paper.... 561 sheets to be exact~

That will make A LOT of cards!

My Christmas present finally came today....lots of Stampin' Up! stuff, paper, ink, stamp sets and punches! Wahoo, I'm in heaven! If I could have made up my mind and got the order in, it would have been here quicker, but my wish list was just too long and it took awhile to narrow it down. I seriously can't wait to start playing with everything....the only problem? I can't see my table in my stampin room, it's covered with junk. My goal is to get it cleared off tonight so I can play with all my fun new stuff!

Did you know Stampin' Up! has a new vinyl line called Decor Elements? This was what I chose as one of my hostess benefits and I really like how it looks above my piano.

{Santa Came Early}

Yep, that's right....Santa came early for Derrick!

Derrick has been looking for a good used snowmobile for awhile. We really didn't want to put too much money into one since winter is short and some years there just isn't all that much snow here. His Dad got this in awhile ago on consignment and we've been going back and forth trying to decide if we should buy it or not. With all the snow over the weekend, there was no way we couldn't try it out....and I'm thinking there's no way it's going back now either! The kids all loved it, especially Brock. He and Derrick headed up the road (way faster than I'm ok with, really, when I went with him, we hit 80 or so?!?! I'm better off just not knowing), when they stopped the conversation went like this....

Brock~ "That was really fast, Dad!"

Derrick~ "Did you like it?"

Brock~ "Yea, it was AWESOME!" "Dad?"

Derrick~ "Yea, Bud?"

Brock~ "This is the very best Christmas present EVER!"

Yea, I think we're keepin' it!

{Date Night & Family Night}

Tonight was Derrick's faculty Christmas party. Can I just tell you how odd it is to go to a faculty party at the middle school you went to and sit with all your old teachers, not to mention your parents? I just always feel a bit out of place. When Derrick talks about the other teachers and says Phil, or Ralph, or Vickie, or Stuart, it's all I can do to not just say, NO, NO it's Mr. Blad, Mr. Myers, Mrs. Carling and Mr. Bailey. I just can't make myself be on a first name basis with them, it's weird to me! It was nice to get out and spend a little time with Derrick. We really need to have a date night more often, but preferably minus my middle school teachers.

There was no room for Jesus in the inn, is there room in your heart?

From there, we went and picked up the kids, met the rest of my family and got all bundled up for family night. A family in our area put on a live walking nativity program. If you ever have the chance to do something like this, you really should. It really helped me to focus on the true meaning of Christmas and was the perfect way to begin the season. As we walked to the different stops, the guide asked some questions and Kaleb had all the answers. At each stop Carlie kept saying in her loud voice (with her it's loud, and louder) "Where the baby?" As we got to the stable with Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus, Joseph said, "There was no room for Jesus in the inn, is there room in your heart?" Kaleb didn't hesitate for a second before he said "YES!" I hope our family can keep the sweet spirit we felt tonight with us for the rest of the season and remember the things that are truly important in our lives.

{Food + Family + Presents + Talents = FUN}

Today was the annual Beckstrand Family Christmas Party. It's always fun to get together, but it's usually chaotic too! We started out with yummy Hawaiian haystacks. I lucked out with a super easy food assignment.....rice, measure water and rice in the rice cooker and push the button, could it get any better than that? Next we moved on to the talent portion of the party, we don't do this every year and I have to say I'm thankful we don't, though it was fun!

I'm sure every loved the version of the 8 days of Christmas that Mom threw together for us!
Uncle Kerry's family really got into it with hats and Kazoo's!
Uncle Hal's family accompanied by his "dancing hat"!
Uncle Don was brave and sang us a solo, accompanied by Aunt Marlene!
Uncle Rich's family contribution was by Jamie and Cami.

Grandma told a story. Somehow I missed getting a picture of Garrison playing the piano and representing Uncle Jay's family.

Grandpa talked to us as the Patriarch of the family....What a great man!

I loved this picture of Bryson "helping" Sky play the piano....So Cute!

Of course next was presents. All the cousins (and second cousins) under 18 draw names. The kids came home with fun gifts and have been entertained all evening, sweet for me! one of my kids had Miss Kelsey who will be turning 16 soon. I asked her a few weeks ago what she wanted and she said a car. Derrick wanted to have his cousin tow a junker car over for her, but I knew Kels to well, and knew she wouldn't give it up if we did, so she had to make do with a sweet matchbox car! The only thing that would have made the day better would have been Derrick getting off work early enough to join us :(

Kels opening her car~ Only Kelsey would get that excited over a matchbox car?!?
And a quick pose with the car and her stylin' hat!

Don't I have pretty cute kiddo's?
And one last picture of my cute niece Addison with her darling glasses!

***Edited to Add*** How could I forget? As fun as the party was, the company we had stay at our house was even better! My cousin Brian and his family crashed at our house Friday night. I love it when Mary Ann is around, she always cracks me up and our kids play really well together. I wish they were closer and we could hang out more!

Brian and Mary Ann ROCKIN' the Kazoo's! Come stay anytime guys :)