Christmas 2011

For some reason I had a really hard time feeling the Christmas spirit this year. It just seems like we were constantly on the run and never had time to really take it all in. So I was really glad that it was on Sunday this year and I was able to participate with the choir in the program. We practiced on Saturday morning and as we were singing the last song, "Silent Night" I finally felt the spirit. The program was excellent as well. Each of the bishopbric members spoke about the important parts of the nativity, the shepherds, the wise men and the Christ child with his parents, Joseph & Mary. It really was a great way to start the day.

We actually got up and opened presents before church so the kids could go to Brandi's after church. We were all very spoiled. Tanner was very pleased with his trail cam and had it mounted on the front porch before church....stalker alert!

Layne didn't really have any surprises this year. He circled everything he wanted in the Sportsman's warehouse catalogue and pointed out the bullets he needed on the website. Oh, well at least he went away happy.

Nikon binoculars also put a smile on Tanner's face.

I had to pull stuff together at the last minute for Zak, since I had already sent a package to Mexico. Luckily he gave me a few ideas. These Skull Candy head phones will come in handy when he needs to block out his siblings fighting.

This is what Zak brought home from Mexico. It is like a racing shirt. Bimbo is similar to Wonder Bread here in the states. The funny thing is that the back has a beer logo on it.

He was able to find one for Karlee without any alcoholic advertising.

They didn't have any racing shirts in Tanner's size. So he got a wrestling mask. Take a mental note if you see this on any bank robbery cameras!

This was the highlight of my day. Tanner has a real problem leaving his dirty underwear on the bathroom floor after he showers. After many warnings I told him when I found them there I was going to take them. So over the last few months I have been taking them, washing them and putting them away. He thinks it is creepy that I take his underwear. But I told him I think it is creepy that he leaves it on the floor for guests to see when they use the bathroom. So anyway, I decided to give him back his own underwear for Christmas. He got 10 pairs back! He said he was starting to run out and was excited to see some of them were practically new. I told him we could start the game over again and he could get them again for his birthday in April.

Karlee got several new dresses and some new jeans and shirts.

You can tell she is growing up when there were no dollies or toys on the list this year. She actually requested an i-pod touch, a cell phone, and a Wii or x-box. When I got done laughing I told her that is what her DS was for and she just needed some games for it. So she got three new DS games that made her happy.

Yes, most of Tanner's gifts came from Sportsman's Warehouse. He loves shooting his bow and this target will help him prepare for next years hunt.

This is another one of Layne's gifts that he picked out for himself. It is a hard side gun carrier, for when he goes on his fantasy hunt to Africa and has to take his guns on the plane....

Zak has a few guns now and when I cleaned his room after he left for his mission I stacked them on the shelf in his closet. I was quickly made aware that it was hard on guns to do that and they might get scratched. So this gun cabinet should resolve that problem. It holds eight guns, and he only has three so of course you know what that means...

So why on earth would I get Layne a ten gun cabinet?!?!?

This was the shock of the day. I had given Layne my list of needs like shoes, slippers, and work out clothes. He went shopping with Karlee and I got everything I needed. Then he pulled this last package out. I have been talking about wanting an e-reader but knew that it would be the only thing under the tree if I got it. So I was determined to save my "blood money" and get it later. So this picture is me saying, "You are grounded! I can't believe you did this!" Yes, I need to work on being a more gracious receiver of gifts. Layne spent his side job money to get this Kindle Fire for me. I love it because I can read books as well as listen to audio books on it. Of course Zak had it hooked up and downloaded the scriptures and a few other things on it before I even had a chance to think about it. I feel I am already aging out of all this new technology. But I guess these kids have to be good for something, right?

These are the new Christmas dresses that Karlee and I got. Like I said, we were all very spoiled, but I was definitely the grand prize winner.