Santa Was Here!

It's a White Christmas!

It started to snow last night right after we got home. By the time I got to bed around 2 this morning, the wind was howling and snow was flying sideways. We woke up this morning to white out conditions and the snow did not let up until this afternoon. Ed has been out with the snow blower 3 times and helped rescue drivers stuck in the snow drifts. The Ziter family Christmas dinner at our house has been postponed until Sunday because our neighborhood roads are impassable without 4 wheel drive - we've had fun watching cars try to make it up the hills. The plows have cleared the main roads now but the skies are black and another wave is coming. The kids are out sledding with friends and we're enjoying a quiet day at home.


This is looking out my kitchen sink window - the snow is so deep, you can't see the curb or sidewalks! The wind has created snow drifts that are several feet deep. The french doors in our bedroom have about 2 feet of snow piled up against them. I know that isn't a lot compared to what Denice and Noah have been dealing with, but it's unusual for our neighborhood!

Christmas Eve family party

Christmas Eve with the Evans family at Mom & Dad's house.

Calendar for Mom

For Denice and Cassie ... here is the finished calendar so you can both see it!

Vintage Christmas Video

I am the first to admit that I am absolutely horrible about taking video of my kids. We don't own a video camera, I don't have their first steps or first words recorded for posterity. When we did own a video camera, I never used it. When Harrison was younger, he was quite soft-spoken and rarely sought out attention. He had to learn Christmas songs for a preschool program and I convinced (bribed) him to sing one for me while I recorded him using the video option on my point and shoot camera. This is one of the few video recordings I have of him and I love it ...

lil' bean

My younger (can't call her little because she towers over me) sister Denice and her husband Noah are expecting their first child June 20. She had her first ultrasound yesterday and saw that all is well with lil' bean. We are so excited for their little one to join the family. I'm thinking a visit to Spokane this summer will be in order. Here's the cute little mama with her baby bump:

Alien baby ultrasound photo

The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre

The weekend snowstorm brought an unexpected bonus for us ... my sister-in-law Mary called this morning to invite us to The Nutcracker matinee at the Capitol Theatre. Her friend had bought tickets but couldn't make the trip from Wyoming because of the storm. Olivia and Harrison came with me and we had a wonderful afternoon.

Mary with her girls Bethany and Izabella and friend

Me, Harrison and Olivia

Harrison loved the large nutcrackers in the lobby

Olivia was very excited to attend the ballet

All seated and ready

After the ballet, we had tickets to attend the Sugar Plum Party on-stage. Olivia was thrilled to see the magician Christopher Fair who used to perform at the Winner School Christmas parties. She was content to eat her sugar cookie and watch his performance. Harrison was more restless and tired of all of the "girl" stuff until the head of the Stage Crew heard him complaining and said "Let me show you the really cool stuff." He proceeded to show Harrison how the stage hands create the fog with dry ice and hot water, taking Harrison behind the stage to see the large barrels of water with heated pads wrapped around them. We got to feel the barrels and see the water boiling inside. Then he showed Harrison how the snow is made and how they shift the rigging to make the snow fall on stage. He explained how the pyrotechnic guy shoots the cannon and told Harrison the secret of how they turn the Nutcracker in to a live person on stage. Harrison was fascinated with the technical side of things and was more than happy to play with a cup of fog until it was time to go. When we were leaving, the stage hands gave Harrison a Dixie cup with fake snow in it to take home because he had been such an inquisitive kid!

We got some last photos in the entry on our way out

We had a wonderful afternoon at the Theatre. Thanks Mary!

What Was I Thinking?!

My sweet neighbor Melissa had offered to take family photos for us but getting all 5 of our family members together at the same time is no easy task so our schedules never worked out. Knowing we were down to the wire, I decided we would hurry and use the self-timer on my point and shoot camera to get a photo after we got home from Thanksgiving Point last night. After surviving that little adventure, I have established some rules for future photo shoots ...

Rule 1. Don't start at 9:15 p.m. when the kids still have homework to complete and Ed is cranky.
Rule 2. Don't have cranky Ed and the kids pose until you know the camera timer is working and you've worked out all of the shadow issues.
Rule 3. Never work with children or animals.Rule 4. Don't expect a 7 year-old boy to keep it together when he is 45 minutes past his bedtime.Rule 5. Believe Ed when he says he isn't posing for any more photos. Know that means the girls will break out their Mary Kate and Ashley poses.Rule 6. Send everyone to bed, say a quick prayer, and hope there is one photo on the memory card that you can use. Rule 7. Be thankful for your cranky husband, goofy face making 7 year-old son, uncooperative dog, and two poser daughters. Get the cards ordered on-line and call it a night!

Now aren't you looking forward to receiving your Christmas card from us this year?!

Festive Family Night Out

We spent Wednesday night as a family and enjoyed an evening out. We ate dinner at the new JCW's restaurant in Lehi and then drove through the Festival of Lights at Thanksgiving Point. The kids kept each other entertained with their silly commentary. We went to see the live reindeer, which Olivia and Harrison loved. They bought reindeer food and held their hands in the pen to feed them. The kids took turns reaching in and petting their necks.

Maddie got cold so we went inside the Emporium shops and wandered through the different stores. The kids got a sample of fudge, we bought a Christmas gift for Ella, and admired all of the beautiful tree ornaments, nativity scenes, and holiday decor. Maddie found the Botanical Garden room so we walked the pathways and enjoyed a quiet moment to sit and admire the waterfall.

Harrison was two years-old the last time we bought a live tree for Christmas so he had a blast in the Christmas tree grove. Here he is, scoping out good trees.

He was most excited by the flocked tree

Ed enjoyed the warmth of the fire bowl with the kids Maddie and Me