Pink Saturday~ Deck The Halls

Joining in with Beverly over at How Sweet The Sound 

for Pink Saturday 

The theme this week is ~Deck the halls~

This year I have not gone all out with decking the halls like years past.

I am not sure why. It isn't that I don't like Christmas I love Christmas 

Something is different this year I am calmer, not stressing and wanting more of the true 

meaning of Christmas to fill the home as never before.

It seems to have gone from 169 days till Christmas to 10 days till SO FAST! 

Now for the sharing of Deck the Halls 

This is the Christmas tree that Gabby set up in her's and Faiths room

 An ornament she made from packing popcorn (or as we call it ghost poop) 

when she was in the hospital in 2009

 The pretty Angle she made for the top of the tree

 Down to the kitchen 

My Mary Engelebreit "Bowly Chair"

 My collection of soft Santa's in the dining area

 Herby hanging on a candy bar ornament in the kitchen

 This is in the entry way of our house

My snowman collection

Many of these were gifts or I made

Opps cut of snowman's head

 In the living room on my hope chest are the tree trees.

This is a book that many years ago I thought was so sweet so I have 3 trees (several sets of different kinds) 

due to this book The Tale of Three Trees 

On the piano are my manger collections and of course my Jesus statue that is always on there.

 Our 9 ft. Christmas tree in one corner

 And my Pink decorated tree in one of the other corners.

I am excited for Christmas time 

It will be much different this year than in years past

We only have 3 of our kiddos living at home

Coco & her family will be down around New Years 

 We will then celebrate Christmas with a gift exchange with them and Dallas & Sara.

Enjoying the season as much as I can

Happy Pink Saturday! 

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Belated Happy New Year

Goodbye to 2011 and welcome in 2012! 

What a great New Years Eve Day I had. I had 2 massages and the clients were so much fun to work on. It was a fun way to finish off the year. 

On New Years Eve Alan and I just couldn't stay awake to ring in the New Year so, we asked the girls to get us up at 11:40 so we could celebrate with them.

Alan had bought some fireworks for them and they couldn't wait to set them off.

They woke us up and we went outside where a lot of our neighbors were already letting off fireworks.

This is Gabby lighting the first of the little fireworks

This is Gabby running with a sparkler down the street.  

 Fireworks in the street

 You can see on the ground all of the fireworks 

 On Sunday the 1ST day of January we headed up to Pinetop to celebrate a late Christmas with Coco and her family.

Dallas wasn't thrilled with me taking a picture but it is kind of my thing on every road trip

 Our goofy kiddos. I love them! 

 This is Talmage, Kyle's legs, Naima, Gabby and half of Coco.

It was so great to spend time with Coco and her family. The grand babies are so much fun.

 Naima, Coco and Faith

 One of the reasons Kyle is such a perfect son in love for our family is this.

He is such a fun person. Naima had gotten a hair extension from Gabby so she could play Repunzel. Anyway, Kyle put it on and was goofing around. I went to the bathroom and came out and he was wearing one of Talmage's Army hats and being so funny. We all got a good laugh out of it. 

 This was outside the bedroom window. I loved how the frost looked on the shingles. 

I sat in the second story room looking out and thinking about all the great & not so great things that had happened in 2011. It wasn't the worst year but a challenging one of growing and learning. 

I am so excited about this New Year I have felt for the past few weeks that this year is going to be an amazing year. I have set my goals, the steps to make them happen and I am ready for this year.

Wishing everyone an amazing 2012!! Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Christmas Tree

This year we down sized our tree and our Christmas decorating. 

I have had a 12 ft. tree for the last 7 years. The problem with my massive 12 ft tree was the guys that I need to help me set it up didn't like doing it too much. 

So Coco offered to sell us her 9 ft tree that she got on clearance a while back but couldn't use, due to her ceilings being to low. She sold it to us and it worked out just great. 

The downsizing of the decorations have come due to me just not feeling like decorating everything this year because of other (what I feel more important things) needed to be taken care of.

So not all of my trees got up and not every room is decorated this year. 

This is Gabby who requested that she put the topper on the tree this year.

This tree has mostly homemade or ornaments that family & friends have given us over the years. 

 There is 24 years of love on this tree.

 The pretty tree topper that Coco & Kyle got me a couple of years ago.

 Another angle of the top of the tree.

 Our display of the three trees and a picture of the in the process of being built Gilbert Temple 

 9 ft, tree with gifts under it

 My girly tree that Faith and Gabby decorated for me. 

My dog Nellie is on the left side of the tree. Guess she thought she would sneak in for a picture.

More Christmas to come a little later. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Live Nativity

 On Saturday night our ward put on two shows of the Nativity. The shows were held at one of the community parks in our subdivision.  Faith played a shepherd so I had to get some pictures to share. I didn't get a bunch of pictures. The spirit that was felt there was awesome. It was so well done and the music was beautiful.

This is Faith.

After the shows they had light refreshments and a chance for everyone to visit. Christmas should be about the birth of Christ, this was a great reminder. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Time Is Flying

WOW! 20 more days till Christmas. I am not ready but I am also not stressing! Also 1 month from today I start school. So much to get accomplished before I start school. Working on things each day.
 Since boot camp my upper thighs are so sore. I did my cardio yesterday and will doing it again today. Amazing how you can think your in decent shape and you do exercises that are so different than what you have been up to that it just totally kicks your butt. I love it though and I know in the long run I will be a stronger person for it. Hope everyone is having a great day. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Feeling a The BLAHS

Yesterday morning I got in my van to go pick up Coco and Talmage for the after Christmas sales and turned on the radio and NO Christmas music. That was when it hit me. OH BLAH! I love Christmas music and singing with the songs, it was now gone on the one radio station that started playing it before the Thanksgiving holiday. I was sad and I didn't have my CD's in my van either.
We only hit 2 stores and then Talmage was ready for a nap. He does get up about 4:30 or so. I had a gift card to use and I bought some useful items: 1 6ft. tree for our bedroom, 2 sets of Christmas plates, ornaments for my Pink tree, a cake plate, new garland w/ lights for my banister, rapping paper (so cute I couldn't pass it up) and 2 magazines. I had fun! Coco got some great deals and is competing with me on the Christmas trees. I couldn't believe all of the wonderful Christmas things were left at the stores.
Then last night Coco called and said that she had a little gift for me that she got on clearance. This is what she got me:
It is a cookie jar and it is big! I love it! Thank you Coco for my cool ornament.
Today Coco and Talmage are coming over to hang out with me while Kyle is at work. So I am hoping to get started on some planning and making of decor for the kiddos bedrooms and Valentines Day. Hope you all have a great Saturday. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas everyone!! This morning Coco and Talmage showed up about 4:35 at our house. Kyle had to work today and the inmates have to have someone watching over them. So I woke up the kiddos to open gifts.Last year I got everyone up at 4. Sheesh I am a lazy bum! he he I am sitting here posting this and missing MARKS homemade fudge. Sniff Sniff This would be my brother who went to Colorado with his last daughter and wife to be with the other 4 children for Christmas. Every year he makes chocolate and peanut butter fudge. I know Janel this definitely is NOT on the program for 2009. I wanted to share a few morning pics with you: Dallas and E'lyse
Faith, Gabby and Alan
Talmage, Faith and Gabby
Gabby and Faith on their new scooters.
Talmage in his Elmo PJ's.
After the gifts were open and cleanup done I made bacon, eggs, toast and hot chocolate. Then Dallas and Alan went back to bed. The girls were playing with their toys. Coco was trying to get Talmage to sleep but he just kept wanting to flop around so being the very comfy grandma to fall asleep on I took him for Coco and he was out in a few minutes. Shortly after that my going to bed at 1 am caught up with me and I was out for a while too.
Coco and Talmage went home so she could work on a few things in her home and they along with Kyle will come over again later.
I have a turkey in the oven and it is starting to smell so good. So I am off to do a few things around the house and we are just planing on staying home today to enjoy each other. Hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas. Check in later. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Moving & Family Christmas Party

As I mentioned on Saturday that Coco and I were going to start painting her house. We got a very late start and got a good portion of the downstairs and the starting of the loft. I have been feeling like my body is trying to fight off something so I wasn't as productive as I would have liked to have been. So this weekend was filled with Coco and Kyle trying to get housekeeping set up (this is a term my parent's always use). Kyle's dad came down from Pinetop to help out and Alan went over and helped to build shelves in the garage. I can't wait to see the house decorated.
It was odd to wake up this morning to now here Baby Einstein or Elmo playing and see little Talmages face. Hopefully I will see him later today.
Last night was Alan's family Christmas party. This has been held every year since I have been married. The family has grown and the program has changed throughout the years. It was held at Alan's sister and BIL house that has a Grandmothers house that was built for his mom after dad past away. It is in a neighborhood that is known for it's beautiful houses on the three streets. They have their houses decked out each year with a Santa that sits out near the street, passes out candy-canes and talks to the little kids. This is a picture of their house as we were walking up. Linda made the JOY and painted it a couple of years ago..
There was hot chocolate, treats galore and lots and lots of people. We missed the families that were unable to make it. With 9 children there are many grandchildren and great grand children. This is my niece Angela and her sweet little baby, Colton:
The next one is Coco, Kyle and Talmage :
And Dallas & Talmage:.
Here is Gabby and the coloring table and then some of the family members that stayed outside to visit and eat. There were several of the teens and pre-teens that went inside to hang out.
Eating tables in the common area by Grandma's house and then the treat tables by Linda's house. It was nice to see family that live out of state and missed all those who didn't make it. I didn't want to be the annoying relative with the camera so I didn't take as many pictures as I would have like.
Today I will help out Coco and Kyle with watching Talmage or moving things and prepare for Christmas Eve . Have a great day! Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Thursday

Embarrassed to say I haven't gotten a bunch done today.I made lunches this morning and cleaned up the kitchen, unloaded and loaded dishwasher. After everyone was up I vacuumed the house upstairs and downstairs, I ran an errand and came home. I have been working on my Defensive Driving Class on line.

This is the picture they got. Too bad I wasn't dancing or something fun! Nope just driving a long.
I got a ticket a while back and so I have to take the class. NO it wasn't anything earth shattering that I got a ticket. I was going 36 in a 25. I shouldn't have driven when I was upset, bad me I know better ! Now I am paying for it. So I will be completing this class hopefully in the next few days and then taking the final test.
Yesterday I painted a snowman face he isn't done yet. I didn't care for the eyes on him so I had to repaint it. I am wanting to do a few more things today but we will see how much I get done. I have so many ideas going through my head of items to make for Christmas. Last year we made the 2 younger daughters Barbie houses so I am going to make the blankets, pillows and finish up the furniture for them this year. I picked up 2 dining room tables w/chairs for them yesterday that were a great price at the store.
So this is what I am up to today. Hugs, Bobbi Jo