My apologies...

Jared has expressed some disappointment in the lack of photos with my posts. You want pictures?? You've got pictures!


Our week in photos...

We started the week with a project that puts the paper turkey and tree to shame!! The first graders had a "Teddy Bear Parade". So we had to make a "float" for little Joey Bear. (aka: Tree Hospital) We were instructed to wrap a shoe box with wrapping paper and decorate. Have you ever tried to wrap a shoe box? It's not as easy as it sounds. I aborted that real quick, and found a nice blue box with just a few words on it. We busted out the curling ribbon and wa-la!! The real kicker?? Luke had an appointment with the neurologist Wednesday afternoon, so guess who didn't get to be in the Teddy Bear Parade? (Stop laughing Jen!!)










Jared got to go to Park City from Sunday to Wednesday night for a seminar and a little skiing. We are glad he's back. I watched way too many CSI episodes while he was gone. I'm becoming quite the crime solver.

Seth had his preschool Christmas program. He was so darn cute. Lots of dramatic faces and movements from that boy--not all were supposed to be part of the show. He cracks me up--put him in front of 300 people and he'll dance his little heart out...but if someone at the grocery store acknowledges his presence he hides his face in my legs! Silly boy.


The decorating is complete. I do like my Olive Wood Nativity on our mantle. It looks nice with all the other wood.

Jared and the kids got our tree the other night while I was at a church function. They picked out a nice one. I requested a noble fir this year. I can't take the long needles anymore!

Our tree is a bit of a hodge podge--but we love it. I did get some white glass ornaments this year to try to tie everything together. Every ornament has a story. We started collecting ornaments on trips a while back. It is fun to remember where each came from.

The nicest ornaments on our tree are courtesy of my Aunt Ann who sends the kids beautiful ornaments each year--usually from the Smithsonian. The kids love them. The other nice one's are from our good friends Mike and Sara Olsen who live in D.C. and send us the White House ornament each year. They are so beautiful.

And thanks to the Hoppe's for adding the gifts to put under! We can't wait to open them!!

I just had to share my favorite Christmas thing...my oil burner. It is so cute and smoke comes out the chimney when you burn the oil. My favorite is Peppermint. Jared says it makes the house smell like a dentist office, but I love it--so I just say well open wide!


So the catastrophe of the week?? You know there's always somethin' with me...

My vacuum isn't working and my hair dryer blew up on me the other day. So I have no blowing or sucking powers. You don't realize how important blowing and sucking are until you can't do them.

While Jared was gone, the kids and I drove around the neighborhood to see the lights. A little tradition I had in Houston when Jared travelled a lot and I didn't want to go through the torture of bedtime--I'd just drive around until most of them were asleep--at least whoever was littlest! The kids had fun rating each house. Johnson's--you generously got a 9 from Jonah...it would have been a 10 but the lights on the house were not on. Maybe next time.