Monday, January 5, 2009

A Brand New Year - HOLY CRAP!

I cannot believe it is 2009. What the heck happened to 2008?

And yes - It really was -23*F Sunday morning. By the time we left for church at 11:30am it was -12*. I think it warmed up to 2*. The cold is COLD. Luckily we don't have cows to feed. The poor ranchers who have to get out there and feed the beef, I admire their dedication.

We had a great holiday - hope you all did as well. Christmas came and went in a flash of wrapping paper and batteries.

It all started with the SRE Christmas Program. It was so cute. Kendall was all dressed up as a cowgirl and really hammed it up for her performance. She was decked out with a big belt, pink hat and spurs. Dylann had to dance with a boy - yuck. She hurried and deleted the cute pictures of her and the boy holding hands. Drama Queen!


The girls all got the one thing they really wanted. Rylie got her Nintendo DS. She got the Brainage game, so I do not feel as bad when she plays her games all night long. At least she is using her brain! But she spent more of Christmas break reading. She is obsessed with reading. And they are good books too. No more 'Captain Underpants' for her:)

Dylann was the most pleased. All she wanted for Christmas was night vision goggles. Since Thanksgiving Topher and I bugged her about wanting goggles. What kind of 9 year old girl wants those? Dylann Pickles does! And she is stoked. She cannot wait for summer to sleep out on the trampoline and watch the bats fly all night. And to see the potty at night when we are camping. Such fun things to do with NIGHT VISION!

Kendall got a laptop. It is a spy edition V-Tech, with a ton of educational games to play and other languages to learn. She thinks she is a spy and likes to collect spy gear.

Ryann was the only one who did not get exactly what she wanted. She really wanted a sloth. She will have to settle for tips to the Hogle Zoo to visit her sloth ( she thinks he is hers anyway. We spend forever at his window just watching him sleep). I could not even find a stuffed sloth. I might have to figure out how to make her one. She also wanted a 'bird suit' and a hippopotamus. The bird suit did not arrive, but I found little hippo containers and gave those to her. She was cool with that.
Grandpa & Grandma Russell came up Christmas Day in a blizzard, and left in one too. The next day we headed to Grandma Stapel's for a sleep over and to Grandma Salt's Christmas Pizza Party at the "Senior Community". I love Grandma Salt! She crocheted(?) all of the kids little hats and gave them these wild socks. I always will remember my Grandma Salt and her crochet gifts for holidays. She has made everything from crazy clown dolls, candlestick lifesaver covers that looked more like wiener warmers to pooping chickens for Easter. She made horses for Cabbage Patch kids, aprons, quilts and much more. I think that is why I appreciate and try to make homemade gifts.

The girls spent 4 days with Aunt Liz, Uncle Jeff and the boys. Ryann stayed with me and followed me everywhere. Tater was here off and on. It was very strange only having 1 kid. Ryann missed her sisters very much. but the girls had a blast with the boys. Liz is so relaxed and calm - traits I admire. She even got them to eat Pesto, now they are bugging me to make it.

New Years has left us wondering what fun and exciting adventures 2009 will bring. Christopher is saying no to any big vacation, unless it is a cruise. I am voting for some adventure to take the girls on. A trek across to Navoo or Mount Rushmore sounds fun. He can stay home if that is too boring.

Ryann is a Sunbeam now. My baby is officially big. No more nursery. Rylie will go to Young Women's in June. Crazy! I cannot believe I am old enough to have a 12 year old. I am not sure I am ready for all the drama that is about to hit our world. 4 teenage girls is going to be a mess of emotions and tampax! Topher thinks he is going to leave all the drama for me to deal with - NO WAY!!!!! He made the girls, he will deal with the girls!
I hope all you out there in blogging land have a super 2009!

3 comments:

Ronda said...

How fun and its about time you updated! :) Good grief woman! Your daughters and all seriously the cutest and i'm excited to see how much gray hair you get in the next crazy years for you while they are growing up.

Willyerd Family said...

Hi Shell... it sounds like you will have plenty of girly to keep you busy for quite some time. Your family is sooo cute. Kris

Jaz said...

too funny. aren't girls a trip? Three of my sisters were close in age and during our teenage years my father would stay out of sight one week out of every month....he said it was safer that way.