Christmas day at the coast

My kids were so excited to see that Santa had stopped by our house to get our stockings before heading over to the coast to find us

My sweet little Christmas gift.

Ainsley's new baby. She cries drinks out of a bottle and wets her diaper.

I just can't get enough of this kid.

Its not going to the coast if we don't get some time in the hot tub.

Look no snow!

After the week we had I think that this picture says it all.

Our Christmas with my Famaly

We left our house at 1ish and because of the snow and ice and bad traffic on I-5 we arrived at my sister's house after 4.

This is what they were doing.

and this is what we were doing.

We did get to see the temple in the snow. But its pretty any time of year.

I didn't care that it was dark. I had to get one run in. Josh did such a good job on making that one that I almost wet my pants it was so scary not that the dark helped.

Everyone but the Laytons.

Papa and Emers

They all got matching jamas this year.

I think they were just being nice when they said that they LOVED the matching scarves

This was Ems first Christmas gift ever. And she loves it Auntie Becky.

My Grammy opening a gift

Thanks for the uni Uncle Richard

Bad wife. Bad bad wife.

Today is the day before what is our Christmas Eve with my family and I had Jeff run what I had thought would be a quick errand.
He was going to work again in this snow and his buddy Ron asked if Jeff would come out to Dallas and get him so he did.
The nice man that takes care of my yard lives in Dallas or at least that's what his address says and he needed to be payed. He had said that he would be by on last Monday but as you all know the snow started last Sunday. I was getting worried that Christmas was upon us and he may just need this money so since Jeff was going to Dallas anyway I thought why can't he just drop it off.
Jeff agreed to do this and headed out. He stopped and got Ron first and they went to find the house. After driving up to the top of the highest hill on the outskirts of town they found the road and also found that the truck didn't want to go any further in that deep of snow so rather than get stuck they started to walk.
I just have to stop and tell you what Jeff left the house it this morning. He was wearing jeans a collared shirt a lite jacket and loafers and I'm sure that Ron was wearing something similar. I did try to get him to take his snow boots and some gloves with him this morning. So my conscious is clear.
Where was I? They were walking in the snow. They walked and walked and walked and a tree falls right by them. They walked some more and here's a man cutting another tree that had fallen. They ask the man if he knows where the house is that they are looking for and he says its just up a ways and the description he gives is like this.
You're going to walk a ways and come to this silver car stuck in the snow then you ll walk some more and come to another car stuck in the snow and just after that is the driveway to that house.
They say thanks and head on their way. Ween they get to the "drive way" it's more like another road or as long as one.
When they get to the house the first thing the nice man says to Jeff is why did you do that and Jeff says if I didn't my wife would kill me and the nice man showed the boys around the property. The nice man said to the boys that he wishes that he could give them a lift back to the truck but his truck was stuck in the snow too. They said that was ok and thank you anyway.
Before they headed back down the hill they asked the nice man's wife how far they had walked. She informed them that they had walked a mile and they were now going to have to walk back a mile.
What made things even worse was that they didn't even get to get warm or anything because the nice man had lost electricity.
So needles to say Jeff was not so happy for having to do that but he had a smile in his voice every time he called so I think I'm in the clear. Besides his Christmas present will more than make up for it.

Ainsley wet the bed last night

That fact on it's own is not note worthy I know but just let me tell you my side of the story.
I was sleeping quite soundly and was in no way aware of the fact that we were not alone.

On another note you all know that Emery sleeps through the night and therefor I do not have get up and nurse her. Let's just say I'm really full in the morning. So I had assumed that when I felt a wetness on my shirt that I had just leaked and tried to pull the damp part of shirt away from me. When that was unsuccessful and I discovered that my shirt was actually soaking wet I decided to just remove it. As I was doing this I detected the unmistakable odor of that's right pee.
This was so disturbing to me until I saw that Ainsley had gotten in to bed with us and I realized that it had been her pee and it hadn't been me or even worse Jeff that had peed in the bed. Not that either one of us have ever done that. I guess it's just not as disturbing to think of a kid wetting the bed.

What do you get with snow, ice and then some more snow?

The Week Before Christmas

It was the week before Christmas when it started to fall.
Down towards the northwest and covering it all.

Covering the houses and covering the street
and when the snow was done, down came the sleet

With a thick sheet of ice, the rain covered the snow
and leaving the houses was barely so so

Putting the buses on snow routes and the airport is closed
from the looks of things here, Christmas was hosed

And down from the sky the snow came again
covering all and trapping us in.

Now here we're all trapped into our houses
trying real hard to not yell at our spouses

Not dreaming at night of sugarplum treats
but warm trend and rain and the clearing of streets

I wasn't done shopping, I have present to buy
but if I try to go out I'll certainly die

Slide on the ice and into a tree
what should I do? woe is me, woe as me

An old fashion Christmas, that's what I'll do!
I'll go round the house and happily get to

Some paper bag puppets and marshmallow dolls
Will make this work who needs the malls?

No picture with Santa for my kids this year
But some wonderful memories we'll have right here.

MORE ICE!!!!!

MORE ICE!!!!!

The ice just started

Our Christmas Lights in the Snow

Look at how much snow is on the roof of Jackson and Ainley's playhouse.

Can you see the white lights under the snow?

This is my neighbor Ron's house.

Da Da Da Da

Wouldn't you just know it? Emery is making noises that sound like words and her first and favorite is (you got it) "Da Da Da." All day long it's "Da Da Da." She says this for about 5 minutes every 20 minutes or so. But she also has recognized the cat and calls her Ca Ca. No kidding. She was watching Yui and said Ca Ca. Isn't that just like one of my kids and once they start, they just don't stop and it just gets louder and louder. But as for now, it's not really words and she is so cute that she can say whatever she wants to.

Santa's little beard.

Snow snow and more snow.

There's nothing like hot chocolate at the end of a snowy day.

Hello all Blog friends

I am doing my Christmas cards and am in need of some assistance.
I have found that it's not just the people that have moved that I'm having problems finding an address for. So if you're not related and I can get your address from my mom, then shoot me an email or something and I'll send you a absolutely adorable card.

Emery's first snow day

I'm not saying that she liked it, but she didn't hate it.

You all missed it.

Jackson and Ainsley had their Karate testing on Saturday to advance to their next belt rank. Here are some pictures of the class.

This is Master Lyon awarding them their medals and new belts.

Some pictures from The Gala of Trees

Thank you, Brooklyn, for sharing your pictures with us.
I didn't bring my camera to the gala and was so happy that she was kind enough to send these ones my way.

The Girls
( from right to left) Ashley, Brooklyn, and me

Ashley and TimBrooklyn and Doug

Jeff and me

The Boys
Jeff, Doug and Tim