Caping

Yes I'm still talking about Christmas.

These capes were my favorite gift I gave (made w/my early Christmas present... a sewing machine).

I used this tutorial.

I had a Wonder Woman/Bat Girl version my mom made when I was little so I thought Owen and Drew needed their own.

Wasn't their favorite gift but once they had em on they could only be called Batman and Superman.

Then Owen took his off and said he's ready to be Owen again.

Sick Christmas

I've already addressed the fact that Sally was sick on Christmas but I need to post these pictures that I love.

Tender

Bet you didn't get a meat tenderizer in your stocking.

Guess Justin doesn't want me using his hammer anymore.


In other Christmas news...

We had 2 very happy boys (and one equally happy Rachel)
Drew was seriously shaking with excitment when opening presents.

And one sick girl.
She got her doll.

But she likes Drew's Woody better.

And you know I had fun posing that tenderizer for the picture.

So Far

Drove through the night to make it to AZ in time for my visit with Uncle Tom the dentist.

Then to Payson...

Visited Grandpa Webb and Uncle Pete/Aunt Jeane Ann 12/19

Brett gave Owen a missionary discussion

Then to Mesa...

Haircut Day! 12/20
Owen wanted spiky hair like Max.

Another Martindale cousin shot.

We added one more since last time (baby Gwen, far left)

Delivered Sara her Press'n Seal
Played w/Payten 12/21


Visiting the Temple lights 12/22

Nice on a rainy day cause it wasn't crowded.
But that also meant slippery sidewalks that made me fall.

Temple Lights group

Falcon Field Air Museum 12/23

Then Christmas Eve with the Martindales...

... for another nativity, that wasn't so much a nativity as a comedy.

After

Just after enjoying...

An outdoor nativity, which I like better than an indoor one.
Just a little more like a stable.

Before

Don't you hope I hurry and post the "after" picture so you don't have to look at this for very long?

This is why I'm so excited to go to Arizona.

Not the family and friends.

To get my hair done.

Then I can be excited about seeing people.

It hasn't been fixed since my little home dying experiment.

I've got my natural colored roots, then the lighter area below them from the dye that went wrong, and then grey scattered everywhere (it's there I promise).

Cannot wait to get some good hair!

And then I can smile again.

Reason for the Season

You doing this at your house, too? It makes me happy. I love learning new things about the nativity and Jesus' life. I won't say what those new things are, that'd be embarrassing.

Here's the link if you want it.

And here's the long version.

Shauna's Favorite Thing 2008

If I had my own TV show I would give this stuff away.

But I don't so I will give a box of Glad Press'n Seal to whoever posts comment #100.

If you want this real bad you can post all 100 comments yourself. That's totally fine.


Press'n Seal costs a little more than Saran Wrap (which is why it took me so long to try it).

But it's worth it.

This stuff is Heaven.

Saran wrap is the opposite of Heaven.


For some ideas on how to use Press'n Seal you can go to 1000uses.com

I like the lady that uses it to cover a page of her cookbook so she won't get the recipe dirty while cooking. But then again I like getting my recipes dirty so next time I cook I see that little piece of food stuck there and it brings back memories.

The Pillowcase Dress

I've loved these things ever since I saw them in a boutique in NC.

Good thing I had a girl or I would've made Owen & Drew wear one.

Santa Sighting

Caledonia Park

Pacific Grove

Noon on Saturday, December 6


Also spotted there: snow and farm animals
Which don't really go together (do they?) but whatev.

I Wish, I Wish...

...That my family could come for Thanksgiving weekend.

Oh wait, they did!
(good thing I didn't need my wish cause Drew & I couldn't pull that thing apart; Owen & I did and Owen got the longest piece)

Here's how it went:

My parents, Rachel, and Cole drove through the night to get here.

Pretty much first thing Wednesday,
Dad fixed the door to our entertainment center (on a couple hours sleep).

That door the movers broke.

Then when Brent, Errin, Jones, and Derek got here
we went to Lula's Chocolate Factory for our I Love Lucy moment.

Then the aquarium.

Then Bubba Gump's on Cannery Row for dinner.

And then there was Thanksgiving.

Dad was in charge of the turkey.

What, you've never cooked a turkey this way?

Well, it was good.

While it was cooking we went to Lover's Point.

And took lots of pictures.

And Owen got wet and took off his pants.

Chad & Cherisse's family got here after dinner the night before

Then we ate that good turkey picnic style in the front yard.

And ate some more.

And played games.

And looked at ads.


Then the next day...

Shopping.

Clay pigeon shooting (guys).

I got a babysitter so the girls could be tourists.

And ride a surrey.

Babies aren't allowed on surreys
and Mom is honest (that's a compliment)
so we got to take turns hanging with Jones.

Then we sampled clam chowders on Old Fisherman's Wharf to find which one was the best.

I wanted it to be Cafe Fina where Rachael Ray went on $40 a Day but Crabby Jim's won.

Then we took a picture with Bob cause the sign told us to.

And then the guys (minus Derek who flew home early)
met us at Crabby Jim's for the chowder.

And I got fish tacos.

Then Saturday...

Breakfast at First Awakenings (where Rachael Ray did go on $40 a Day)
for amazing peach coconut pancakes.

Then Brent, Errin & Jones said goodbye.

Then the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary

Then we ended with Point Lobos.

Which is still amazing.

And a great way to end a weekend that was the best.

I'd be real bummed right now if Christmas wasn't right around the corner.