Is it bad....

......that it is noon and I am still in my pajamas, sitting at my computer scrapbooking while the girls run crazy? I didn't think so!!!

Enjoy -

Out for the count

Sorry I have been MIA for the last week. Sickness has befallen me and my house. I need to put a Quarantine sign on the front door! Paul has been suffering from a head cold, Abby had one as well, and then last Thursday pressure started to form behind my eyes and then I had a tickle in my throat and I new what was coming - my dreaded illness that I catch if it is within a 10 mile radius- Strep! Friday afternoon my wonderful brother-in-law Steve so kindly took me into his home office, ran the test which quickly sealed my fate for the upcoming weekend. I sat at the AF wal-mart for no lest then one hour and twenty minutes to get my prescription filled (worth it
though because the drugs were only $4 on the new plan there!) with three kids and not feeling well. My down fall was swift and devastating to the whole family. By the time Paul came home from work I was on the couch under three blankets with a high fever giving me an intense case of the chills. Now as bad as this all seems, and how much I hate being sick, I was mostly upset because our only Party and get together with friends this month was that night and I was unable to go, oh well, Paul went, and took Abby, and they had a great time while I was home sweating out my fever in bed tossing and turning amid sicky dreams comprised of unnerving hallucinations!!!! Thank goodness by Sunday night I was feeling much better. It did make me think how lucky I am to live in a time that we have antibiotics available, what in the world did people to without them!!! And thank you to Paul, who reminded me to take my medication (I am one who just doesn't think to take some Advil to bring down the 103 temp, I am crazy!) and did the cooking and cleaning and child care all weekend.
With that all said I now have to jump into overdrive this week to catch up on everything that had to slide while I was out for the count. I would share all the Christmas projects that I have been working on but all the people that I have this year read the blog so alas, you will just all have to wait for the family parties to see what I am soooo excited about!!! (well some of you have already had a sneak peak!) And just to leave you with another glimpse of my life here is a picture of "Ariel" that helped to take care of me all weekend by getting up every day from Friday through Sunday, put on this crazy wig and hike her fin up so that we could see her cheeks and strut around giving me this sweet grin.


Now that did make my burdens a little lighter!

Finally here is Eva experiencing her first snow fall. Paul went out for the 10th time to clear off the dish and left the door open. She crawled out and was just laughing and grinning away as it gently fell on her head and nose.

She was so upset when I brought her back inside!
Love to all

25 Christmas things

25. How many more days til' Christmas?
19...the excitement is really starting to set in!!!

24. What color is your Christmas tree?
Green, all ornaments are wood or rusted metal, I just love it.

23. Bought any gifts for anyone yet?
I am almost done, except for a couple of cousin gifts.

22. Are there any Gifts under the tree?
One for Abby from Liv, one for Liv from Abby, one for Paul from me.

21. Will it snow this Christmas?
I do hope so, as much as I hate it Christmas HAS to be white...

20. How many family members live in your house?
Four good girls and One very patient boy!

19. Is Santa coming?
yep...although it is threatened otherwise on a daily basis to Liv!

18. Have you been naughty or nice?
I am always nice :)

17. Favorite place to get presents from?
I don't care, It really is the thought that counts to me.

16. How many places do you go to celebrate the holiday?
Christmas Eve with the Davis' and Christmas day with the Griffiths. I love having both families close, especially during Christmas.

15. Ever 'peeked' inside a present?
When I was a child we would ransack the house when Mom was gone, we found quite a few, but I learned that the surprise is really much better.

14. Ever tried egg nog?
The Mormon version, and I love it! Paul thinks I am crazy!!

15. How cold is it now?
I'm not sure but it feels like 32 degrees

14. Decorated your house yet?
Yes, and thanks to Audrey we have two trees this year, one in front of the bay window and one down stairs by the TV.

13. Do you still leave the cookies and milk, just for the fun of it?
yes, Santa truly does leave better presents!!

12. How many presents would you say you got last year?
I think it was seven, I am so spoiled to have such a large family.

13. Name 3 things you asked for this Christmas:
I am only asking for one thing, a membership to the Rec center so that my Triathlon training can officially begin by starting up the swimming. Thankfully Paul has said OK!!

12. Ever watched The Christmas Story?
Yes, it is the best part of Christmas.

11. Have you ever been sledding?
Not since college when a friend and I went down Old Main Hill at 2:00am, it was very fun!

10. Do you get more money, or clothes for Christmas?
Money

9. Ever had a snow ball fight?
Yes, but not since I was a child, Paul better watch out when he gets home!!!!

8. How many stockings will hang from the fire place?
We don't have a fireplace, but we have 5 Davis tradition felt stockings hanging from hooks on the front room shelf.

7. Does your dog/cat get a stocking?
Thank goodness we don't have one!!!!

6. How many people would you say you buy for a year?
I am counting 12, I sure hope that is right!

5. What kind of food do you celebrate with?
Oh, where to start! On Christmas day my mother makes a whole turkey dinner with all the trimmings, she also makes fudge, caramels, chocolate drops, divinity, orange drops. But it still wouldn't be Christmas with out Orange sticks or a Chocolate orange to whack!!

4. Did it snow on Christmas Day last year?
I honestly can't remember, does anyone know?

3. Do you have one or more trees that are decorated for a specific theme?
Just the one described earlier. But my mother-in-law Paulene, has several, Santa's only, silver and white snowflakes and crystals, red and gold stars, the list goes on and I love each and every one of them!!!

2. Do you go to Church on Christmas Day?
Only when it falls on a Sunday.

1. Merry Christmas!

If you have a fun answer to any of these, leave them in the comments!!!!!

Oh, it taste really very good!

This is what Abby told me when I looked outside to find her doing this as the snow was coming down this morning.


They don't get their love of snow from me! Catching the snowflakes on the tongue was quickly followed by this beloved childhood pass time:


As I promised Paulene this evening, as we were sitting around flipping through scrapbook mags. and discussing important details of the sport, here are the layouts that I have been working on for the last two days (leading to much neglect of my home, oh well, sacrifices must be made for things of the up most importance, as scrapping would be!!)

This first one is a complete and total lift from a layout entry into last weeks Digidare. I just fell in love with it and immediately had to try my hand. Here is the result, I did this all by scratch except the tree was a template that I just popped the green paper into and layed on the layout and then decorated to my hearts content with many of my favorite things! I just love it!!


Here is #1 of soon to be 3 layouts for our Thanksgiving adventures (I know that you are all so not tired of seeing these pictures!) I think that it turned out just lovely using a cute two page template, Abby's must have fun little Turkey, and some of Audrey's oh so generous to share bobbles and trinkets (thanks, they are great!)


Hope everyone has a fantastic rest of the weekend, my goal is to get back on track with the dieting and much needed exercise and plain 'ol life routine next week. Somehow my mind and body still thought we were on vacation this week, silly self of mine!!!! I will be better by Monday!

I can't believe it has been a year

A short twelve months ago we welcomed Evangeline into our family. I can hardly believe that much time has gone by. I have often told people that I wish pregnancy would go by as quickly!

She was born in the same hospital with the same doctor and the same nursing staff as her two other sisters, so the day wasn't that much of a surprise. I was induced, like always, and everything was smooth sailing. Two hours and three pushes later we had our darling third daughter.


She was such a good baby from the moment we brought her home, only getting up twice a night to feed, all the credit for that however goes to my mother!


Her birthday fell the day before Thanksgiving this year, but we didn't let it slide. Kevin made the cakes in a cute "bug" pan and I decorated them to the girls specifications. They turned out very cute if I do say so myself!!!!
You REALLY loved that cake!!


Eva we love you very much and are so happy to have you in our family. Your cute scrunched up little smile makes us all happy and we love to hear your excitement as you come down to breakfast every morning waving to your sisters.


Happy first birthday my darling girl.

Talk about a temperature shock!

We have arrived safely back home after a fantastic week spent at Audrey's home in California!

They are always the perfect host and the girls had a great time together (I hope you have all check her link for pictures of all the fun! She took much better photos than me!). As we were leaving we had to take note that the gauge in our car said it was a perfect 71 degrees out and we were sad to not only leave our wonderful family but the perfect weather as well. What other place can you have Thanksgiving dinner (it was so good, thanks for the stuffing!), then go to the midnight shopping sales for "Black Friday" and only wear a light jacket (I had no idea stores did a midnight opening, it was a lot of fun and sooo much better then trying to get out of bed at 5:00am), then go to the beach the next day! I have to say that the first time Paul and I went to visit over the holiday I found it very strange to not have snow, or be bundled up, but now I love it and look forward to it!!! So after all that fun and sunshine we made our way east and back into Utah. After stopping in St. George for dinner we decided that it was starting to get cooler, as we advanced our way north the temperature gauge began to plummet - 50, 40, 38, and yes it was a crisp 27 degrees as we pulled into our garage!!! Thank goodness for the kindness of my father who went over earlier to turn the heat back on in the house!!!! It was fun to see the frost on the houses and lawns this morning and everyone's Christmas decorations out, it has very much put me in the mood to do the same, this evening I think we will do just that!!! Thanks again Wilson clan for a wonderful week in Paradise, we are however, very happy to be home for the Christmas season!!! So without further adue click on the following link that Audrey so artistically created for everyone to join us Davis' in ushering in the Christmas season!!! Be patient, it takes a minute to load. Enjoy!!!!!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9592877683

We found it to be completely hysterical!!!! Check back soon because my baby turned one while we were away and I will be sharing those photos!!!

California or Bust!!

We are on our way this morning, wish us luck on our 12 hour plus drive with three children in tow!! Abby is so excited to see her cousins that last night she told Paul "I just might not be able to sleep because I will be having fun dreams". So check Audrey's blog for updates on all our adventures for the next week and every one have a wonderful Thanksgiving with all of your loved ones!!

Until next week, so long!!!!