Christmas Cheer

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear." from Elf, It's our favorite Christmas movie!)

I feel like I should update my blog. I felt like telling everyone they are fired from reading my blog, because hardly anyone leaves comments any more! So, I began to think my posts weren't very interesting, and then someone calls to tell me, they love our posts. So, Leave a comment, and make me smile!!

We have REALLY enjoyed this Christmas season, for a few reason-- we aren't as financially strapped as we have been in the past, Michael isn't working outside, so he's not bitter about it snowing or the cold, I'm starting to enjoy Christmas music again, and Landen, well, he's a bucket of Christmas fun and he doesn't even know what's going on.

Now, if I could just get a dishwasher to wash all my dishes from the baking and cooking for the holidays!! We've made Candy Cane Fudge, Molasses Crinkles, Paintbrush Sugar Cookies, Christmas Dots Popcorn, and I'm makingChristmas Stollen today or tomorrow. Yes, that's some fun baking.

And Gingerbread houses!! I was called to the Activity Days in Primary. So, for our first activity we decided to decorate gingerbread houses and get to know the girls a little bit better! We made them out of graham crackers, and had each girl bring a bag of candy to decorate with (which resulted in WAY TOO much candy) It was a great success, and I really enjoyed myself.

We had a blast with Justin visiting for the weekend! Landen sure likes him. It's always fun to have family near this time of year, and we're lucky to get to see him on his way home.

My little boy has been growing like crazy too. He's not really getting that much bigger, but he is gaining in intelligence! In the end of November, he cut his LAST TOOTH, until he gets his 6-year old molars. Yes, that means my 16-month has all 16 teeth! I'm very glad for this. The top incisors have still been a little painful for him, but he's cheered up. I think he's been putting on weight too! I think he's broken into 20 lbs! At least that's what he was when I put him on our scale.

He has recently gone from loving books, to almost being obsessed. He brings me a book every time he gets bored, wants my attention, gets tired or sees one he wants. Like right now, he's sitting on my lap looking at his Thomas the Train Engine book. He has started to sit and listen while you read, points to pictures and tries to say the word, mostly car, cow, cat, dog, choo-choo (for train) and the hippo. He also says juice, papa (for dad and grandpa), see and some variation of 'what's this'.

He also decided he was too big for the high chair, and must sit at the table with mom and dad. The library has small chairs, both the kind that sit at a table and the recliners. He LOVES to sit in these. I think it makes him feel like a big kid. We picked out a book about a grumpy dump truck, that is one of his favorite books....at least until I have to take it back. He also gets mad when mom helps and he doesn't want mom to help him.

I've been busy with many projects too. I've croqueted 2 baby blankets, some scraves and have resume my big blanket make-over. I'll have to post about this later. I've also been sewing! Some of those projects are top-secret because they are still wrapped under the Christmas tree! I've forgotten how much fun it is to be creative and make something! It's such a great sense of accomplishment.

We are getting ready to go to my parent's house for Christmas. We're excited to be there, go sledding and have a party with Jerry & Aley and their kids. We hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Great New Year!