Palm Springs

One of my main excuses for this blog lapse is all of the time I wait for people to send me picture that they take of me.  Yes, this is how selfish I am. I never bring a camera, I expect people to take pictures of my children, and then I gripe when they don't ever get them to me.  So many reasons to not be my friend.  Sorry family, you're stuck with me.

We had a great family trip to Palm Springs for New Years.  It was the first family trip where my kids weren't the only kids!  That part was grand.  Add that to getting to cuddle and kiss my two new nephews?  Heaven.


Kylie got endowed in the Redlands temple while we were there.  Then we got tacos.  No pics of the temple... just tacos.

Jon hung out with the kids while I headed for the temple.  They could have just hung around the resort... but dad was in charge.  So instead they found a hole under a chain link fence, climbed under it, hiked up a hill, and found a cave.  They had a blast.  Dad is the king of adventure.

The kids swam and swam to their hearts content.  It was an unseasonably cool week in Palm Springs so kids had a hard time talking adults into joining them by the pool area.  But we gave in and braved the 60 degree weather frequently.

And Grandpa was always around to warm up a grand kid when they realized, yes it is too cold to swim.

 

There was golfing.  And golfing stories I intentionally blocked from my mind.  My brain does not have sufficient storage space for boring stuff like that.  Gotta conserve.

 

My mom gave each group of two a small wooden airplane and we launched them off the balcony to see whose would fly the longest.  It was even more fun than I thought it would be.

 

Our Knudson family showed up and we got to chat with them and catch up.  We also got to take some family photos.

 

Scarlet got some new clothes from grandma and had a fashion show for all of us.  She looked beyond adorable.

We played a lot of tennis this trip.  Jon and I started out really strong but then suddenly Curtis figured out how tall and coordinated he is and swept the floor with us.  I couldn't get a ball past him to save my life.

And these are my kissable new babies

And this is my baby holding a new kissable baby

And this is my baby whom I love dearly.  Even though he's crazy.

The Nielsen Christmas Newsletter

It was a pretty impressive card this year.  The need to top ourselves is getting a little ridiculous...

December... ish

My friend Zannie Collette hosted her annual Christmas bake off contest.  I came in with a real winner, sticky toffee pudding with whipped cream and caramel sauce.  Sadly it was extremely messy and did not mesh well with all the other more utensil free desserts.  And all my dastardly efforts to defeat Roweena were for naught.  She beat me anyway.  She earned it though... even I voted for her.  One of the best events of the season.

From Facebook:

Santa: what do you want for Christmas?
Asher: nuttin
SantA: you want nothing?
Asher; no, I want nuttin, with googly eyes
SantA: okay...

I think he might not understand the song "I'm getting nuthin for Christmas."

We made gingerbread cookies.  My kids definitely enjoy making gingerbread more than eating it.  But they love the tradition anyway.

Scarlet and Rhode had an international day at school.  Scarlet's country was Mexico and Rhode's was Italy.

Scarlet loves to take Jude outside when he's sad and rock him on the hammock.  This day she actually got him to fall asleep right on her.  So dang cute.

Cute pictures I took of my kids on a cloudy fall day.

We had a great Christmas morning together.

Jon opening a homemade gift from Rhode while wearing the hat Scarlet crocheted for him.  Dads totally get hooked up.

Our kids got some fun gifts from Santa Clause that they had been asking for.  We gave the kids an evening at "Tournament of Kings".  So after a Christmas day, we dressed up in our new dress up clothes (Scarlet as a princess, Rhode as a Knight, and Asher as Robo Knight from Power Rangers) and headed out to enjoy the show.

I was nervous about Jude but he double fisted my broccoli and was mesmerized by everything in the show.  The older kids enjoyed the food and loved the show.  Jon insisted we sit in the "dragon" section which means you are cheering for the bad guy the whole time.  Afterward, we got to meet dragon and take a picture with him.  It was a great night.

And here we are in our Christmas Sunday finest.   Thank you grammy for the matching boys vests.  They looked extra spiffy.