If All Else Fails... Just Dance!

We tried to go sledding yesterday up at Hyak on Snoqualmie Pass. Checked the weather. Checked the web sight. Yup. Open for sledding. Pay the park pass. Drive for an hour. Oops. They weren't really open for sledding... So our friends and us illegally (apparently snow is highly policed here in WA...) sled (slid? sledded? Who knows what the past tense for sledding is? Crashed?) on the side of a ski slope that was closed because the lift got destroyed in an avalanche. The ranger guys let us slide for about half an hour before they kicked us out. Which was nice of them. At least all the kids got in a slide or two...

Alix and Sam (who was so fatly dressed up that she could barely stand so she fell face-first in the parking lot, in a huge puddle of slush, which is why her hair is all wet...)

Brooke's finest crash landing
Erin had the champion run of the day. That girl can slide forever...

So, if all else fails and you can't sled as planned, what should you do? Dance! Of course. We have discovered the GREATEST new game for Wii. It's called "Just Dance" and you follow the little dancer person on screen. It's hysterical. We played it at our New Year's Eve party and we all came back to our house and played some more after the non-sledding event. It was great. By the way, don't ever tell Tom that this video found it's way here...
Tom, Corwin and Derek - The Dancing Kings!

Christmas 2009...

Uno anyone? We played for a LONG time on Christmas Eve.
This year's Christmas Eve Pajama's rock. If I don't say so myself... They're my favorite ones ever...

Some people sing around the piano. We choose to sing on the piano.

First annual re-enactment of the Savior's birth. Might be the last annual. Mary was a single mother of a pink leopard print baby Jesus. No one wanted to be a boy, so there was no Joseph... World War 3 broke out when only Mary got to ride on the donkey (that would have been me...), the shepherds weren't in love with their head gear, the wisemen wore birthday crowns and Sam tried to steal Jesus. Could have been worse. Possibly.

Christmas morning. Santa really does exist. I truly believe, every single year, for that first split second. It is so great.

Nice construction ladies!

family picture 2009

Dear Sue...

Dear Sue,

I know that you are my very own person muffin top, but really, must you be so large? I would appreciate it if you would take a less obvious role in my day to day life. I'm not asking you to leave (well, really I am...) If you would just hide a little better... I am also tired of your best friend, Betty, who resides in my rear... I think I would be happy if I could just be me. Alone. No Sue. No Betty. But alas. My muffin top is so large, she's taken on her own name. Perhaps it's all the Christmas baking...

Tip...

For all you bloggers out there that like to print out your blog at year end (I always do and stuff it in a three-ring binder) I have found an easier way... It is www.blog2print.sharedbook.com . It prints your blog in hard or soft cover, with all your pictures and entire posts. You can set what dates you want to print from or just print the whole thing... My blog works out to be 110 pages and would be $45 for a soft cover or $55 for a hard back. In my world, that's as much as I pay for all the printer cartridges I go through printing it off every year... There you go. Tip of the week. Or year. Or just a one time offering...

911

911 Operator: "Is this an emergency?"
me: "Uh, yes! (Isn't that why you'd call 911?)
911: "Ma'am, what is the problem?"
me: "My swimming pool is spewing 5000 gallons of water all over the backyard!"
911: "Are you hurt?"
me: "Only my feet."
911: "Your feet, ma'am?"
me: "Yes. I'm currently standing in shin-deep ice cold water."
911: "Hmmm... Is there any flooding?"
me: "Other than a river flowing through my backyard, we're fine." (Luckily enough, our house and the neighbor's are a little higher than the yard... and the yard slopes to the street a little...)
911: "What can I help you with?"
me: "Other than letting me vent... probably nothing."
911: "All right ma'am. Go inside, put on some warm socks and have a Merry Christmas."
me: "Hmmmm...."

Stupid pool. Apparently the winterizer kit that we bought doesn't actually prevent ice from tearing a large hole in the side of your pool.

Quote of the Day

Alix: "Throw-up in Spanish is puke!"

What are they teaching on Dora these days?

Baby Brother

Did any of you think I was posting that we are having a baby brother? We are NOT. I'm talking about Ben, my baby brother (who towers above me, by the way...). He and his (super cute) family came and spent Thanksgiving with us. We loved it. Come any time guys!

Freezing cold pic-nic lunch at Owen's Beach

Some homeless man with A LOT of kids

Skyler, Heather, Ben and Lily

Checking out the old fire boat
The one picture you HAVE to take if you visit Seattle

It's weird how in my head, Ben's still 7. Where did he get this cute little boy?

And to top it all off, dinner at Favorite Aunt Karen's (that really is her name. Ask my friends. That's what they call her when she rides in on her white horse and saves me...) Lots of family were there and it was a great night as always!

Better Than A Backpack

The sister missionaries stopped by today and while they were visiting, the twins came down laughing hysterically. So we looked over to see what they were doing. They were using one of my bras as some sort of transportation devise for their barbies. Beautiful.

The man in our lives

Happy birthday Tom.