5TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS 2011

What would Christmas be without Charlie Brown, Prep & Landing and COOKIES!!!!  Fun times with the kids on this very cold night!!!!  (would be nice if the tree was put up....but I'm not holding my breath.

4TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS 2011

The only channel that I really miss without satellite is BYU-TV.  Not that I watched it all the time, but I loved being in my own home to watch the General Relief Society Broadcast, General Conference and the Christmas Devotional.  I was so thrilled when I saw that I could put the Mormon Channel on my Roku (with Netflix).  We've enjoyed the channel, especially on Sunday!  But I was so excited to watch the Christmas Devotional with my family in my home.  It was a perfect end to a great Sabbath day.

3RD DAY OF CHRISTMAS 2011

I was so excited for this today....we were bell ringers for the Salvation Army this afternoon!  Colton and Asher's school asked for volunteers for one of three shifts and I signed us up for the 2-4 slot.  The only issue was the weather.....IT WAS SO COLD!!!!!!!  (for Arizona)  Kyler ended up in the van most of the time.  I was so proud of all the boys for volunteering!  I think they even liked it.....even though this photo doesn't show that very well.

 Kyler was so cute ringing the bell!  (don't tell him I called him cute....he won't appreciate it.)

Great job, Stock Family!!!!

2ND DAY OF CHRISTMAS 2011

No pictures today, but we all had a great evening.  Tony and I went to dinner for my work Christmas party.  We had great food and lots of great conversation.  Cousins are the best!!!!!  My mom surprised the boys with dinner out.  Before we left they had discussed going to Olive Garden, but Kyler wasn't happy with that.  We really thought the older boys would win out, I don't know how we could have doubted Kyler!  They all ate at Fatburger - yummy burgers, delicious fries and shakes.  Then the boys came home to watch the last Harry Potter.  Fun evening for all!!!

1ST DAY OF CHRISTMAS 2011

Tonight was a busy night!  The Annual Tamale Dinner at Colton and Asher's school and the Relief Society Progressive Dinner.  Tony took the boys to enjoy tamales, beans, rice, chips & salsa.  They even had pinatas after the meal and Kyler was so happy to beat it open.  He came home with tons of candy, we could barely close the gallon bag!  Of course we have no photos, but this was earlier today when we picked the boys up.  Kyler wanted to read on the stairs and all was well until he heard the footsteps....

 then he moved his little booty as fast as he could out of the path of the Jr. High herd!

Our RS dinner was very delicious and very fun!  It was a great opportunity to wear my blinged out necklace from Audra's wedding.  The RS gave us advent candles as a gift to light and read a scripture each night with our family.  I joked with my friends that I would light the candle every night as I slipped into a bubble bath, but as soon as I got home the whole family gathered to light the candle and read the scripture.  We even read a short Christmas story after that and they opened the first window in their chocolate advent.  We were on such a roll that we all jumped in the van and drove around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights. 

 Just before bed Kyler needed this photo taken.  I'm not sure what he's doing.....is he an angel? is he the ruler? is he just 7?

It was a great start to our 25 Days of Christmas!

PRE-25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS POST

I can't wait to start the 25 days of Christmas tonight....but for now, I'm going to post a few random things.  Here goes...

 My Halloween Banner.

I finally finished it this year.  Isn't it so cute on the piano!

 A closer view...

 and even closer!

While I was busy getting a little work done, Colton kept himself entertained.

It's really killing me that he's growing up so fast.....he's much taller than me now.

Oh these two!  They are very lively...and very loud.  

Kyler wants to be just like his brothers....in EVERY way!  Colton and Asher have been getting more lectures than normal lately and Kyler didn't want to be left out.  As I asked him to pick something up he said "Stop, Puncturing Me!"  I told him that the word he was looking for was "lecture", he let me know that he wanted the word to start with a "P".  OK, then.  

Then the other day Kyler kept feeling the skin under his arm.  When I asked what he was doing he replied, "Just feeling the hair under my arms"  I told him he didn't have hair under his arm, he was very bold about letting me know he did and invited me to feel.  I did and let him know that was dry skin, he replied "no, it's dead hair"  What is he going to come up with next?!?

 Well, I bid you goodbye from the House of Steve.

Tonight will start the 25 Days of Christmas!

 Hopefully they won't all be as humiliating as this!

Don't you love when even your dog looks embarrassed.  Poor Roscoe!

THANKSGIVING 2011

I couldn't take the Thanksgiving decorations down without recording it this year.  I love Thanksgiving!  Here's our table near the front door.

 I love these blinged out pumpkins so much!

 Decorations on the hoosier in the front room.  The framed pumpkin is new this year.  It didn't turn out exactly as I imagined....but I like it.

Can you tell that it's a bronze glittered frame?

 Our fireplace....again, I LOVE these pumpkins! 

 Another bronze glitter creation.....not as happy with this one....or the product.  I do love that little pumpkin.  Real Deals was a great store for little items like that, I miss them!

 Kyler was the one that demanded we decorate.  This was his masterpiece.

 King of the Pinecone

Colton squirrel

 Sneaky little Kyler squirrel

 New Teenage Asher Squirrel

Udder Buddy

(he's always on our mantel.....because of this movie)

Favorite morning tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day - 

GO TO THE MOVIES!!!!

We're so sad we won't be able to go on Christmas (it's on Sunday - we'll go on Saturday or Monday though), but we made it to Puss in Boots Thanksgiving morning.  Kyler was so upset that we wanted to see the new Muppet Movie...but we ended up seeing the Muppets on Saturday. (and yes, he LOVED it!) 

 Silly Kyler!

 After the movie, we came home to enjoy the Thanksgiving spread.  I'm so proud of my new placemats.  I saw them all over the blogs and really wanted them. My mom made them and I stamped them.  I used six different words and 3 different styles...what do you think?

 Another craft I knew I had to do, this idea came from here.  I really love mine, too bad I forgot to put them out on the kids table.  Oh well, they're ready for next year!

I love reflecting all month on what I'm grateful for and family tops the list.  Our family hosts the extended family for dessert on Thanksgiving evening.  It's lots of fun, lots of goodies and lots of noise!

(my dad sent me this plant in January when my Mita died and it's been my mission to keep it alive for at least a year {don't know why - just roll with it}....it's still alive and I have a little over a month to be successful!) 

And for the finale: Kyler's Thankful Turkey. 

It was his present to us this year.

This is what he's most thankful for...

 Turkey

Santa

Money

Santa

Food

My Birthday

Presents

Bakon (bacon)

(and last, but certainly not least to Kyler....)

I am thankful for me.

Well, it's true what they say...

To know Kyler is to Love him!