Happy Holidays! I think this is a record for the greatest number of pictures in one post. After I started creating this post I thought I should have split them up, but oh well. Hope you have a tub of popcorn and a jug of hot chocolate!

Lee and I at Lee's Christmas "work" party. We met and ate at a Chinese buffet in town. It was YUMMY!


Roger and Brittany arrived the 20th. The kids loved the attention, and playing with dad too of course.




Clark loved playing the Wii over the break!



My parents and Sheldon arrived the evening of the 22nd. We are enjoying ourselves--just concentrating. Carcassone is a great game!


We made gingerbread houses the 23rd.




My dad's


Lee's


Clark's


My mom's


My first one


Roger's


Brittany's


Cal's


Like my haircut? I gave it to myself. I know haircuts aren't that expensive, but I just can't bring myself to fork over $15-$20 for a haircut! I went to a nice salon this summer, but I think I won't visit a salon until 2010.




Sheldon's


The night of the eve of Christmas Eve we went caroling with the missionaries. We gave two of our neighbors the Mr. Krueger's Christmas DVD and a gingerbread house.


Christmas Eve!


My dad turned 61 on Christmas Eve. When he was born of course my grandma was in the hospital Christmas day. And that particular Christmas day, one of my uncles received a doll from Santa. Guess the real Santa wasn't around to get things straight! Anyway, Roger put the candles in a cinnamon roll I made that morning, and then put it in the middle of the bunt cake.



Christmas Eve my dad read the Nativity Story from The Book of Mormon and the New Testament. Normally we dress up, but it was late and I hadn't thought about it, so the boys acted it out with a kid nativity while my dad was reading.


Excited for Christmas! Sam arrived about 10pm Christmas Eve.


Christmas Day!



We've started a new tradition. Now the kids will get a can of olives in their stockings. They LOVE them!


I thought it would be funny to have Sam and Sheldon see a tiny stocking (I used a pair of the girls' socks) Christmas morning. And it was. They had a big stocking too, but they were covered.




Shanna must think the bottle is a bottle of eye drops because she puts the bottle on her baby's eyes.






Haley loves her new stroller!




Clark "hid" a present in the Christmas tree and retrieved it for opening.









The day after Christmas. Shanna loves her new scarf from Clark and of course loved eating all of the candy. Here she is enjoying a sucker.


Deborah and family, Darrell and family, and Lena and family arrived the 26th.



The 27th we went to the St. Louis Temple and we siblings joined Sheldon as he went through the temple to receive his endowment. It was a good day. Seven of us siblings were together for the event! Shanna in the annex of the St. Louis Temple.


Cousins enjoying each other that evening.


Sunday morning Roger and Brittany left. Everyone else came to church with us. The Bishop was happy because so many people were in Sacrament meeting that day. I had a full class for Gospel Principles and I really enjoyed that. And new nursery leaders were called, so we won't be helping in the nursery on a regular basis anymore. Mike has some photo equipment--a backdrop, two lights with the umbrellas, and a nice camera. He took some pictures Sunday afternoon.


Sunday night we had a fun family talent show.


The 29th was Darrell's birthday. After lunch a group went fishing.





Darrell's cake!


The 30th brought about my 29th birthday! That morning some people visited Miller Cave here on base.




That afternoon we went to a park on base.





At 6:30am on base over some sort of intercom, revely is played, then 5:00pm retreat, then 9:00pm taps. We left the park right at 5:00 and when you're outside and hear revely you're supposed to stop and put your hand over your heart, and since Lee was in uniform he had to salute.


Because we had cake on the 24th, then again on the 29th, for my birthday I made a mousse-type-cream-cheese-strawberry dessert instead of a cake. I used the last piece and a half of Darrell's cake for my candles...and I should have saved some of my dad's candles for my cake!


Lee and I stuck to our $5 budget for Christmas presents for each other, basically. Well, Lee went about a $1.50 over and I $0.25 under, so it worked out fine. I should have put a "limit" on my birthday, but since I didn't think to say anything, Lee spoiled me! He surprised me with Settlers of Catan--I love that game!--and a knife sharpener. Plus I got some Dove chocolates from Darrell and Stacie and TimTams from my parents.


New Year's Eve we toured Lee's work at the hospital and at the 43rd.


We then enjoyed bowling. Our lane kept acting up, so they gave us free passes to come again. Free dates! YEAH! It was Clark and Cal's first time bowling. I think they enjoyed it. Deb bought us all french fries and that was a fun treat!



Every New Year's Eve we have a party with my family. Yummy snack food, like chips and dip, veggies, cheese balls, meatballs, little smokies, rootbeer floats and pizza. We also always play Monopoly and watch Star Wars. I couldn't believe it, I was the first one out of Monopoly! I had a bad first several rounds. My dad is the champion two years running now! The picture is of Lee and I at 12:00 midnight. We stayed up till 3:00am that morning.


Later today, before dinner, Mike did a little magic show for all of us, which was really fun. This afternoon he set up his camera equipment again and took some pictures of our kids. I was going to get "school" pictures for Clark, but the package I wanted was around $12 and I can get them done at Walmart for $5. I kept putting off getting pictures of Clark, and I am glad I did. Thanks to Mike the only thing I have to pay for are the prints!


Today, January 1, 2009, I went over our budget and am really excited about the prospect of being debt free before my 3oth birthday--my golden birthday--this coming December. Lee and I will have to be extra careful every month, but I am hoping for the best! I already figured out an estimate of what credits we'll receive for filing taxes this year, and that money will be key in helping us reach this goal. I am also looking forward to adding more food to my food storage. We've started our food storage a little bit, but I really need wheat, among other things. We have an AWESOME food storage coordinator in our ward, so I have some great help right here.

Happy New Year everyone! We hope you all meet your new goals, and reached your goals you set for 2008.