Christmas Vacation

Wow, was this last week all a blur!!! Sorry for the long post, but it was just all so exciting!!! Read only the highlights if you need!!! It all started the day after my holiday treat party (posted below)
PICTURES TO COME!!!
Friday: Vic's brother's birthday so we all ate out & then played games at our house afterwards.
Saturday: We took treats to all of our neighbors for the first time this year & I didn't realize what a time consuming activity that was! Each neighbor wanted us to come in & talk for an hour! I felt rude cutting all of our visits short! We have the NICEST neighbors though! I am so happy to live in such a great neighborhood. Next, Vic & I invited Vic's neices & nephews to play in the snow, but their mom's said it would be too cold so we decided to play anyway without them! It was fun. We built a slide & a fort. Then that night we had a Christmas Party with Vic's mission buddies & their families.
Sunday: We had ANOTHER Christmas party for Vic's family! We didn't think we'd be here on Christmas so we had everyone over for games & treats.
Monday: I spent hours shopping for a family in need with 6 kids, then we spent the whole night wrapping all of their presents.
Tuesday: We delivered the presents to one grateful little family. (it was so fun, I can't wait to adopt another family next year!)
Wednesday/Christmas Eve: We played in the snow with Vic's sister Cindy's family then just the two of us went out to eat at Applebee's (one of my current favorites)... then we went over to Vic's parents house to watch a Christmas movie & games until 1am. The roads were so bad on the way home, we could hardly see 5 feet in front of us & almost ran into a tree that had blown into the road!!! Yikes (unfortunately it still clipped my car & left it's mark, but I'm glad it was nothing more)
Thursday/ Christmas: I loved having our own little breakfast & Christmas presents... plus there was no rush so we opened one present & enjoyed & looked at it before opening the next. I liked it done this way, but it did take us until 11am! Afterwards we went out to Vic's parent's house again for dinner & games all night.
Friday: I woke up sick :( ... but I promised myself Christmas I'd eat whatever I wanted because I was going to work out the next day so I worked out sick anyway! Then I went out to spend my Christmas money (I was very sick, but I had to get the most for my buck with all the sales!!) Anyway, I found this beautiful red coat that I am SO excited about! I have been wanting one like this forever! That night we had promised 3 nephews a sleepover so I wrote my talk for Sunday while Vic played games with them until late.
Saturday: I woke up even sicker, but I had 3 little boys to entertain so I forced myself out of bed & got them breakfast, played games, and then even went out in the snow for awhile! I made them lunch & then they got picked up by their uncle... THANKS Roger! I tried to recoupe & regain enough energy to go out to Vic's other brother's Christmas party. We played MORE games out there! They had dinner, but we had to leave early to go to ANOTHER birthday party! Happy Birthday to Justin! (Vic's best friend). It was fun & we played our usual rounds of pinochle and... we FINALLY won a round! Usually we stay at their house really late, but by this time I was just too exhausted (being sick & still running around everywhere)
Sunday: I woke up & couldn't even think straight so I slept for HOURS! I missed my talk that I worked so hard on, but my wonderful husband read it at church for me. I finally came out of bed at 2pm and felt a lot better, but still in pain so I took a pain pill from when I got my wisdom teeth out & I felt MUCH better! Enough that we still were able to make it to our backyard neighbor's for dinner... another fun neighbor/blessing! Then I finally got my own calling.... teaching 6 year olds in primary! I love that age & I am excited to start!
Monday: I CLEANED all day & organized every drawer & closet! Then had movie night :)
Tuesday: ANOTHER family Christmas/New Year party at Vic's parents house!
Did I mention we have ONE more party tonight at Vic's parents?!?

Holiday Parties Begin!!!

Last night I had our first party of the weekend. It was a Holiday Treat Party, where everyone makes 4-6dozen treats & then we all swap so we have a good variety for friends, family, & neighbors. It was so quick & everyone made such cute treats!! Here is a picture of some of them:


We all wrapped them in plates, tins, & boxes that turned out pretty cute. I can't wait to give them to our neighbors tonight! I so want to have this same party next year! I am e-mailing everyone recipes of all the stuff so let me know if you want to be added on to that list!

The fun really started when we started playing games afterwards. I mainly had girls from my church there since we are new & that is all I know! It was fun to get to know them better at a casual level... they are SO cute & fun! I have such a great ward & we are blessed to live in it as it really impacts my happiness! One girl, or should I say "lady" that inspired me was Marcie. She is 37 & she could so EASILY pass for 28! I couldn't believe it when I found out. I pray I will be outgoing, fun, & young looking when I am 37!! Hopefully Vic will keep me young because he is so much fun! :)
Last weekend I went home to help my mom after a surgery so I was finally able to see my girls, Ericka & Amber! They are BOTH pregnant at the same time again! I swear their husbands plan it that way (they are best-friend-brothers). Funny thing is Ericka gets another girl & Amber another boy! Here is a picture of us eating at Texas Rhodehouse, one of my favorite places to eat (and is NOT here in Twin)... I LOVED catching up. It is always a good time with these girls! I hope they don't mind me sharing their exciting news!!! :)

Sorry, this post is getting long, but I have to add two more things! This song was on a friend's blog & I thought all you mommies would enjoy it!!! So click HERE to listen.

Also I finally organized my blog friends to pull up to the top when they've been updated so I am excited to do better at reading everyone's cute posts. KEEP Posting because I love reading it!! Thanks, I hope you know I love every last one of you bloggy friends!!

Christmas is here!

I always know when Christmas is here because I never have time to watch my shows or get on the internet. I should be sending out Christmas cards at this very moment, but I had to catch up on all my dear friends first! I love reading everyone's updates & seeing pictures.

Last week we worked every day to get all the light up on the house (I'll have to take a picture later)... and to get the tree up & every room decorated with a little Christmas cheer. Vic thinks it is his crowning moment to be able to put the star on the top of the tree so here he is!

We feel so very loved to have had our friends from England come to visit us! (Vic actually lived with Matt for a couple of months after I moved home early.) They were here from Thursday to Sunday so we took them up to Island Park in hopes of showing them what real snow is like & snowmobile. Unfortunately winter has come late this year, but we did still have a little snow to play around in. Here is their cute little family in front of the cabin/by the lake.

We wanted to get out one day so we went to go find a restaurant & found Lakeside Lodge right by our cabin! I can't believe I've been going up there for 10+ years & never tried out this hidden treasure! The view was beautiful & all of the food was SUPER yummy plus I expected the prices to be high because of the atmosphere & good portion sizes, but it was great pricing so if you are ever headed to Island Park this is a great place to stop! (It is right before Bill's Island)

Vic & I dared to go out on what looked like thin ice so we took this picture, but Janita cut off the clear ice part... oops!

Our English friends left Sunday morning & we had a busy day Sunday with friends over for dinner, then over to our neighbors to watch the Christmas devotional & then out to Vic's parents house to plan Christmas time! Then yesterday we had an ADORABLE family from the ward that I've been wanting to get to know, invite us over for FHE and the lesson was on the true meaning of Christmas. We talked about the birth of Christ and one of the things that came up is how some people think it is overcelebrated when in all reality we should be having lots of "birthday" Christmas parties to celebrate this wonderful season to remember Christ. I love celebrating Christmas & there is no better reason to throw a party! I am so grateful for this special time of year & I hope everyone has their fair share of fun & also have time to serve others as Christ served us.