Movie at Gram's

 Last week in between Christmas and New Year's we went to the movies at Gram's new place.

Yes, you read that right.  Gram's assisted living center has a movie theater right there, on site.

It has lots of nice comfy seats, a huge screen, and the best part, they provide free candy (theater box size) and popcorn (from a theater popcorn machine).

We had such a good time.  My kids beg me everyday to take them to watch a movie at Gram's.

(By the way, you'll never guess which movie we're watching, so I'll just tell you. It's a Deseret Book film called The Miracle Maker).

Did I mention Gram's place also has a billiards room?

The boys ended the night with a friendly game of pool.

Thanks Gram for moving to such a fun, family-friendly place!

Gingerbread House Throw-Down 2015

 Last year, we started a new Christmas Eve tradition-

The Gingerbread House Throw-Down
Guys vs Girls

  This year, the guys meticulously planned out their design

 They really thought through how they wanted to decorate their house.
When I say they thought it through, I really mean they THOUGHT it through.

 While Team Girls was halfway through with their house,

 Team Guys was still thinking

 and thinking. . .

 Team Girls is almost finished

 while on the otherside of the table, Team Guys have finally finished all that thinking, and have come up with a plan.

 I've got to give credit to #2 who instead of going for the 'WIN', she went for the 'GIVE', and let her little sisters do most of the piping and decorating.

I love how the kids place boxes up so the other team can't see what they're doing and copy off them.

 Finally each team was finished, and it was time for the reveal. . . . .
Which team would you choose as the Champions?

Here we have TEAM GIRLS

front 

and side

 And TEAM GUYS
front

and side.

The judges (Dad and Grandma & Grandpa) chose TEAM GUYS as the winner!

Holiday Peak

Last week was rough on my nerves, and I can honestly say that I'm glad to be done with it.

The kids were out of school the entire week, which was great and awesome except for the fact that they were ALL "jacked up on Holiday Dew".  They were bouncing off the walls with Christmas excitement - even my teens.  Combine that with a husband who was very busy working super long hours being Santa's helper at work all week- Saturdays and Christmas Eve included.

It's a wonder I made it.

All week long I was like the 4th Destiny's Child chanting:

I'm a survivor

I'm gonna make it

I will survive

Keep on survivin'

Last week we had a jolly-holly good time at our local water-park turned North Pole.

Here we are riding along on the lazy river.  We went sledding down a waterslide and saw Santa.

It was really weird being at the water-park at night in the middle of winter wearing our snow gear instead of our swim suits.

We also went to Temple Square with my parents, Gram, and my sister and her boys.

I love Christmas at Temple Square. It's beautiful and the Christmas Spirit can be felt everywhere.

"The spirit of Christmas is something I hope all of us would have in our hearts and lives—not only at this particular season but also throughout the year."

-President Thomas S. Monson

Gingerbread House Throw-Down

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Please enjoy this "super fierce", competitive Gingerbread House Throw-Down!

 Team Girls begin by making a plan and getting everything set and ready.

 Team Guys does the same.  They will not be outdone by Team Girls!

 Halfway through the competition:

 Team Girls' house is practically finished and lookin' good.

 Team Guys. . . .

well, they're making progress!

Team Guys scramble to catch up.

 Deciding that their house is not turning out quite the way they had envisioned, and they're getting a little bored, Team Guys resorts to randomly making their own contest "Which teammate can throw the most candy and make it stick?"

 A touch of green snow to the roofline adds a nice touch,

OH and it looks like the icing tube is going on as well.

Very nice creative Team Guys.

 Meanwhile over at Team Girls, we have quite the blizzard going on. . . 

 and now apparently the blizzard has crossed over to Team Guys.

 It's down to the wire.  Time to put on the finishing touches.

AND THE RESULTS:

 Team Girls- beautiful, edible house.

 Team Guys-  creative, messy, 

 definitely non-edible house.

Christmas Vacation

Christmas is here, including Christmas Vacation for the kids, but not for Clint.  Just like Santa, this is also his Busy Season.  He's been working Saturdays and he even had to work yesterday, on Sunday.  BOO! HISS!

That means I'm on my own to keep these six little cuties not only entertained but also CALM as the excitement for Christmas day draws closer (thus the reason I'm blogging so late).  Today knowing this, I woke up extra early (almost as early as Clint) to finish my Christmas shopping.  After an hour in the store and an hour in the check-out line (so much for trying to beat the crowds), I am happy to report MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING IS FINISHED!  

Crowd Cheers with Applause and clapping: YAY!  

Now to wrap it all up (pun intended), and get it under the tree.

Other things that were done today:

(because I know you're interested)

1.  Hung the stockings by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be here, but not too soon because I'm not ready yet.

2.  I broke up an argument between the two little girls.

3.  Deep cleaned the playroom and bedrooms.  Boy was that was a chore!  We went through every box, drawer, and cabinet of toys, organizing and getting everything back to it's proper place.  We also tossed a few Barbies that have been beheaded or lost a limb or two over the year.

4.  I broke up another "disagreement" between the two little girls, who got sassier and sassier with each other as the day continued.  This time I told them Santa's Elf just called to tell them they were on the Naughty List.  They straightened up and shut their mouths.  -It was awesome.

3.  As a reward for such hard work, we had a gingerbread house building/decorating contest.  The boys -vs- the girls.  (More on that later).  Boy was there a lot of smack talk going down at our house!

4.  I played taxi driver, running kids to play excuse me, hang, with friends, to the bank. and to a Basketball scorekeepers meeting.

5.  Finally turned a Christmas movie on for the girls while I take a hopefully long winter's nap sans kerchief.

  Man, it's going to be a looooong two weeks.