Family...It's Great!!

Here are some pictures of what's been going on these last weeks. Plenty of game playing (even Papa got in on it!), visiting and presents. Like Charlotte said, with the three little boys (Logan, Ryan and Bremen), it's like having triplets! Makes shopping easy - 3 of everything!! We had a fun time and were happy to have our Idaho, Canada, and Slovak families with us. Now, if those Utah folks wouldn't have been so stubborn...oh well, another year maybe. We did miss Patrick and Heather a lot.

Lexi loved clapping to the "Shout" singing Santa Claus!!



Do you smell trouble when the boys are whispering in the hall??













No, your eyes are not deceiving you. Logan found the Easter egg coloring kits and he just couldn't understand why we couldn't color eggs. And, upon thinking about it, I, too didn't understand why we couldn't color eggs - so we did! And, when we were done, we put them in a plastic pumpkin to hide and collect them! We are an all-inclusive holiday family!











Santa was not disappointed when he stopped at our house - there were beautifully decorated cookies waiting for him!!

The temple lights - words can't describe them. And, my camera cannot capture them. If anyone has better pictures, let us know so we can look at yours!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

Happy Anniversary to Patrick and Heather! This is the first year they aren't in Arizona "celebrating" with family. Hope they can manage to get through it this year without us!!

Here's to a wonderful couple who are truly good for each other. May they have many more years to inspire each other and love each other!!

Gingerbread Houses

Mess makin' merriment at Teresa's house!!


CAITLIN working diligently on her gingerbread house. (See, she DID, TOO, do some of the work!)


BREMEN


RYAN
LOGAN




Stuart was really happy when it was all done!

Papa's packing it all up to bring home!










And what do you do with them? Have them with your breakfast the next morning - what else! Next year we'll save some argument and decorate the houses with oatmeal and cereal!

An Assumption is Being Made

Jamie did a Christmas tag game and tagged "Laura." OK. She has a friend Laura (not just a MIL Laura), so is it me she wants to tag or the other Laura? Hmmm...well, rather than wait for a response I'll go ahead and play.


1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate.

2. Do you wrap presents or not? Wrap, 98% of the time.

3. Colored Lights or White? Colored on the tree, white icicles on the house. (We almost had a change to the outside this year. Dave wanted to do LED lights (he's been wanting to to this for a while). So, I relented and he made this elaborate system of white LED lights that are set in gray plastic pipe and all you have to do is hang the pipes by hooks on the eaves and PRESTO - instant house decoration! He spent a lot of time on this and he finally got them up. As I stood in the street and looked at the house as he's standing there smiling and proud, all I could say was "It looks like a low-rider house." Seriously, you've seen those cars that have the rope lights at the bottom of the car going down the street. That's what our house reminded me of. A couple of days later Cathi and I left for a while and when we got home, Dave had taken all the LED lights off and put the icicle lights back up!)

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No - I like to kiss my husband the other 11 months of the year, too.

5. When do you decorate? Right after Thanksgiving. UNdecoration begins whenever Logan and Bremen show up.

6. Favorite holiday dish? Breakfast burritos!!

7. Favorite memory as a child? My kindergarten year we moved from Illinois to Wisconsin right at Christmas time. Our furniture, and decorations, didn't make it to our new house for Christmas. We decorated a tree with construction paper rings and decorations and popcorn strings. It was the weirdest Christmas ever, but the most memorable.

8. When & how did you learn about Santa? I think I was 8 when I informed of his actual identity - school children can be so cruel!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No, I have patience.

10. How do you decorate your tree? With decorations that are fun for kids to look at and with ornaments given to us by family and friends. Some of my favorites are ornaments that have all 6 kids' pictures in them, one Patrick made in 1st grade (1988), our "Carly" square, and the one's Patrick and Heather made for us.

11. Snow...love it or dread it? Love it - just helicopter me to a lodge with a roaring fire and helicopter me out.

12. Can you ice skate? No, is it required for the everafter?

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Not really. Sorry if that offends anyone, but the gifts really aren't what it's about, so....

14. What is the most important part of the holidays? Watching all the grandkids open their gifts, being with family and exchanging cards with people you don't normally see or talk to the rest of the year, but have a fond "Christmas relationship" with.

15. Favorite holiday dessert? Definitely sugar cookies (insert this answer for any holiday - Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, etc.)

16. Favorite tradition? Breakfast with the family.


As someone else did, I will not mention any names. Anyone wanting to play - go for it!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

All I Want for Christmas...

Seems this time of year we all get crazy with Christmas decorating, shopping, etc. I usually do (and have had my share of moments already this year), but this year I want to focus on family and friends. With the out-of-state/country grandchildren coming in this weekend, I've attempted to get as many of the "have-to's" out of the way so I can enjoy spending time with them. But that doesn't mean I haven't already had some fun! Here are some of the things I've been doing lately --




Spending one day a week with Jack has been on my agenda for the last couple of weeks. Isn't he a handsome little guy? He has such a sweet disposition. (His Aunt Charlotte talks of his ability to regurgitate on her on a regular basis - he doesn't do that to me!) :)






I've had the opportunity to spend some fun time with Kailee and Caitlin these last couple of weeks. (Caitlin is not in the pictures - she refused to let me take her picture. I honored her request, as I, too, do not like the camera!) One afternoon we painted ornaments for their friends. Last Saturday evening I had the chance to play a lot of games with them and even taught them how to play Bananagrams. (Dave thinks I'm crazy over that game and groaned when he saw I was teaching them how to play!)









Our annual Cookie Party was great fun. We bring six dozen cookies and go home with six dozen of assorted cookies. All kinds of good cookies came to the party - pretty poinsetta cookies, wonderful meringue date cookies, turtle cookies, brownie cookies, sugar cookies, mint pillow cookies - you just had to be there! The best part of the party is getting a chance to visit with friends, some that we don't see very often. It's becoming a day we look forward to every year, more for the friendship than for the cookies!


So, I've already started on my mission to have this season be more about friends and family and less about the commercial aspects associated with Christmas. Wish me luck on continuing my quest!!

If a Tree Falls in the Woods...

Compliments tend to make us feel good. So, if a compliment is given by someone who doesn't really know what they are saying, is it still a compliment? And should we still bask in the glow of the faux compliment?

Today, Dave and I were shopping in a man's store. By this I mean, tools and manly equipment abounded. This was no sissy Home Depot trip, this was a testosterone filled trip to Harbor Freight Tools. If you've never been, it's a store for manly men. Anyway, I'm wandering around while Dave is drooling over some piece of hardware and this nice elderly lady said something to me as I passed. I didn't quite hear her, so I said, "Pardon me?" She then replied, "I said you are very pretty." Well, I thanked her, somewhat taken aback. It's not every day someone you've never seen before makes such a bold statement. I did smile as I thanked her and went around the aisle. A little while later, in a different aisle, the same lady came up to me and said, "You look beautiful." At this point, my one eyebrow goes up and the thought processes start turning. Hadn't she already commented on my looks? Is this some freaky test on people's reaction to compliments? Had she forgotten she already saw me and was just telling every woman she saw in a manly store how beautiful they were? About that time, she begins telling me she "used to operate a travel agency up north and she knew beautiful." OK, that's plausible. Should I congratulate her? Before I could say anything, she says "I used to make clothes for them." OK - who's them? I'm sure I've heard everything she's said. Right after that declaration she says, "I made a lot of money. Five thousand dollars." To which I responded "Good for you." She then tells me she's there with her husband and son. At this point, we start recycling the conversation when she said, "You know I used have a travel agency." We go through all the other statements previously made. Then I'm aware of what I'm dealing with - the poor dear wasn't really living in the here and now. So, I try to converse with her the best I can until I say I really have to go because my husband's waiting for me.

So, for a short while, this little old lady made me feel really good with her compliment - even if she didn't know what she was talking about!

A Poem for You

Thanksgiving came, Thanksgiving went,
The next day came, all our money we spent.
The turkey was carved, the potatoes were mashed,
The leftovers are now continually rehashed!

Let’s light up the houses and light up the trees,
Get up on that ladder with your rickety knees!
The season is here where we all seem to hurry,
We shop and we wrap in such a grand flurry.

The holidays come, the holidays go
But let’s not forget what we already know
The spirit of Christmas can last through the year
Just remember our Savior, our Christ, oh so dear!

More Santa Stuff!

Isn't my little helper cute? Aunt Charlotte got Jack a new onesie and we're showing it off!

That's all - no other reason to post than to show you Jack! (Isn't that reason enough??)

What Would You Give Them for Christmas?

Yes, I know Thanksgiving isn't even here yet. But, I want to get my Christmas shopping done and wrapped before December 8th. On that day, my Bremen, my Logan and my Lexi are coming to stay with us! (Oh, their moms are coming, too, and the dads later.) Anyway, I want to be as "done" on the shopping front as I can get because I want to be able to spend fun time with the kids (and their moms, too!). I have done some of my shopping, in fact a lot of the kids stuff is done. But what I need help with is the "older" kids. I have some ideas and some of those ideas Dave and I don't agree on. So, fill in the blanks for me so I can get really inspired in my Christmas shopping and quick!

Teresa is telling Santa she wants ___________________ for Christmas.

Stuart would love ____________________ for a gift.

Kevin really wants _______________________ to unwrap on Christmas morning.

Marcy would be happy if _______________________were waiting for her under the tree.

Charlotte would love ____________________ so much she wouldn't need a gift receipt to return it!

Bill would think ______________________ is an awesome gift.

Wendy would have a big smile on her face if _____________________ was her gift.

Jon has been hoping for _______________________ for Christmas.

Jamie has __________________________ on her mind as the perfect Christmas gift.

Patrick wants ___________________ for Christmas, even though he says he doesn't want a present!

Heather would be happy to see ________________________ when she unwraps her gift.


So, put on your thinking caps and tell anyone you know to help me complete my Christmas shopping list - I can use all the ideas I can get!! Oh, just to head off the Scrooges, coal is not an acceptable fill-in for any blank!

We're Ba-aack!!

The discussion at the beginning of the year went something like this -

Dave: We're ALL putting in for hunting this year. Somebody will surely get drawn.

Me: Sure, ok, whatever.

At the same time my brain is quickly processing what I've just said. I'm really not looking forward to freezing my patootie off in a tent in below freezing weather for days on end. But, he wants me to go, so I'll figure it out. So, the planning, plotting and figuring begins (takes research to even put in for the draw, you know!) When the day comes that it is crunch time to put the names down and how many to put on one application, the discussion went something like this -

Dave: OK, Terry, Cathi, you and I will be on one application together.

Me: Nah. Don't put me in, I don't want a tag.

Dave: WHAT? You don't WANT to hunt?

Me: No.

Dave: But you'll go with us, won't you?

Me: I suppose.

Now, I'm still thinking about freezing my aforementioned patootie off and wondering, can they be persuaded to get a room at the lodge?? Will global warming REALLY happen as quick as Al Gore says it will?? My thoughts were all focused on how to keep warm for a week in the Kaibab area, north of the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

Less than one month to go before the day the hunt begins and Terry and Cathi pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. THEY BOUGHT A CAMP TRAILER!! Allelujiah!! NOW I know how I'm going to keep warm!! So, here are the pictures from our wonderful stay in the woods - enjoy because I sure did!



Dave and Terry preparing for the eventual hanging of deer.



Getting ready for the hunt by drinking lots of hot chocolate!!



Home away from home. Two doors - one Terry used all the time, the other Dave used all the time - guess they thought they couldn't use each other's doors!!



The scenery going home was beautiful. It's amazing being in the forest, surrounded by trees and then you come down right into this!!








Our travels for the year are done - we have venison in the freezer - let the holiday season begin!!

Catching Up

It's been a while since I've made my presence known, but I have very good reasons for my negligence. First, we spent a week in Utah with Patrick and Heather. It was fun cooking for them, visiting and playing games (even though Patrick wins). We even got to see Tammy and Micaela - added bonus! Then we had the privilege of attending the Saturday morning session of General Conference. That was pretty awesome to be there when President Eyring was was sustained. It was fun to see President Hinckley "knight" him with his cane - that was the part where everyone laughed but nobody watching on TV knew what was going on.

Then, we spent a week in Idaho with Jon, Jamie, Logan and Lexi (or Spencer and Chloe, depending on what day it was or what was happening). Logan will use his alias sporadically. He introduced himself to a kid at the playground as Spencer - but we didn't know this until they were running around and the other kid is yelling, "Hey, Spencer." Then, one day Papa and Logan were sitting at the table and Logan was doing something he shouldn't. Papa asked where he learned to do that and he said, "Logan taught me." Papa said, "Well, if Logan taught you, WHO are YOU?" The reply, "I'm Spencer." Whatever their names, they are cute!!

While we were in Idaho, we had a pumpkin carving night. Logan liked "poking" the pumpkin, but he sure didn't like getting the guts out of it!! So, who's pumpkin gets the prize?








To cap off our wonderful vacation, I have a sinus infection that has layed me low for several days now, but I'm on the rebound and stalking the blogs again!!

The Birthday Girl!!

On October 2nd, the matriarch of the Lambson family will be 80 years old - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOM/GRANDMA!! We all got together and surprised her a few weeks early - because of scheduling and because, well, it really surprised her! She had not one idea that this was happening - I can't believe we pulled it off. Those that could gathered together and yelled "Surprise" when she opened the doors to the cultural hall at church and boy, was she!! The whole fam damily pitched in and got her a 42" LCD television. She was very shocked and very thankful. She is one of the most generous people I know - she'd give you anything she had if she thought you needed it, and sometimes just wanted it! It was so nice to see her get something really nice that she needed for once.


She also got a big surprise when son Gail showed up from Oregon! The picture of all 4 of her boys is the best one of the bunch - they never all look the same direction when a camera is pointing at them!!

A big thank you to Kim, her granddaughter, for the wonderful photography job and for sharing the pictures. Her help was so appreciated!! (Check Kim's blog every now and then - you might see pictures from the party appear. There were some great shots of the kids!!)

Jack Jack Attack!!

I got my fix for my Jack Jack attack today!! I got to stay with him while Mom and Dad had a few hours of play time today. The best part of it was - I got to feed him twice (normally Teresa has had to do that when I've been there!) and he was awake for a few minutes (normally he's been sound asleep when I've been there!). We got to talk about life, about how he's getting so big and how he's such a good eater, about what a great Mommy and Daddy he has - and he was attentive - for a few minutes.

I do have to say that his awake time was very limited. Right after feeding him and having our conversation, I put him in his bouncy seat so I could get some good pictures of him. Well, I had to snap fast because he was heading off to dreamland quick!!

Called to Serve....

no, just called to dinner! We just fed the missionaries this evening and it reminded me of the feeling we had when we had our own missionaries in the field. We tried to sign up to feed the missionaries whenever the list came around while our Elders were serving in the hopes that like kindness would be shown to them. Now, when we have the Elders (or Sisters) for dinner, we just wax nostalgic about our missionary experiences - vicariously, of course!
These young folks in our area aren't likely to relate to raw hamburger, or ketchup and rice, or not eating because you paid for people to get married, or any number of other reasons why food wasn't as plentiful for our boys - but they have the same job to do.

So, here's to all the missionaries in our family - past, present, and future - you are awesome!!

BLOGGING RULES??

I have been informed that one should not post more than once a day - that it confuses the masses when there are more than 2 posts in a single 24 hour period. Guess seasoned blog stalkers whip through their list of blogs and look at the recent post and go on to the next one. Well, my last postings (yes, that's plural) were done on the same day, which illicted the blogging reprimand. So, I publicly apologize for my blogging ignorance and vow never to do it again.

That being said, don't you wonder what other important things I would have said if I could have done another post today?

THE "LODGE"

While in the Show Low area, Dave and I took the opportunity to visit the cabin/lodge Jim and Karen are constructing. The pictures are somewhat blurry, but enjoy the "aura" of the structure anyway!

Yes, that's a picture of Dave in there. He's coming in from shooting his gun holding a "bullseyed" target. His eyes are closed, but if he's trying to tell us he did that with his eyes shut, I'd have to call him on it. He's good, but not that good!!