A Little Riddle for You

Okay, so if you haven't figured out my cryptic answer to #24 in my Christmas Questions post, here are a few more hints.

Hayley will need to give up this favorite "toy" soon:

Also, I'll probably be needing some of these:

And some of this:

And I feel like I could do this, all day, every day.

And I'm not even exaggerating.

That's right, I got pregnant for Christmas! So, I'll have to wait until August for my best present. Happy Holidays everyone!

A Holly Jolly Christmas 2008

How many Christmas get togethers can you take in the space of four days? Well, I don't know about you, but I am up to a grand total of six, and loving every minute of every one. Here are a few of the highlights.

Christmas fun started off at Grandma Heidi and Grandpa Bob's house on Christmas Eve Eve (the 23rd), where Hayley received her much anticipated and possibly favorite present of a bike. I say much anticipated because she actually found this present about a month ago. She did not forget about it like my mom thought she would. At least you don't have to hide it from my nosy little wanderer anymore, Mom!

The next evening was spent at Grandma and Grandpa Bachman's house. We were grateful to have Jeremy's entire family in town. Hayley was so excited to see all of her favorite cousins: Peyton, Zekie, Isaac, and Baby Caleb. Sadly, Baby Ryker was still blowing away the nurses with his cuteness, and they decided to keep him at the hospital over Christmas Eve.

Peyton and Hayley

After being up so late on Christmas Eve, we all slept in until I had to wake Hayley up 8:45 and remind her that it was Christmas. Indeed, Santa had visited our house the night before, but all Hayley was interested in was the toy cleaning set she received the night before from Grandma and Grandpa Bachman. It took some convincing to get her stop sweeping and vacuuming with her new toys, and come check out what Santa left in her stocking.

After opening gifts at home, Jeremy headed to work (bummer) and Hayley and I headed to my dad's house. She added some more darling presents to her stash, teased her Aunt Stacey mercilessly with no hugs, and had some quality time with Grandpa Dame.

After that, we all ventured out in the snowstorm to head to Aunt Marilyn's for the Dame Family Christmas Party. The immaculate spread of food was worth the wait, plus Hayley picked out one of the best white elephant gifts (a giftcard to WalMart), and posed for this great photo with her great-grandma, also known as "Grandma Dame with the white, white hair."

From there we headed to the Wright Party, where Hayley cheerfully helped her cousins shovel snow, until she was soaking wet and blissfully happy. I was pretty tired by this point in the day, so my apologies for no pics of this cute event.

Last, but not least, on the 26th, a going away party for my friends Kelley and Mark, and their darling MaKell, that Hayley was so excited to go play with. We will miss them very much, but wish them luck on their newest adventure!

So, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a... crapload of snow, apparently, if you are in Utah. But try to have a good night also!

Christmas Questions

I saw this cute post on Megan's blog, and since she borrowed it fair and square from someone else, I figured she wouldn't mind if I borrowed it too!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? All of Hayley's and Jeremy's get wrapped. I think they would peek! Other than that if it's easy to wrap, I'll wrap it, but if it's a weird shape at all, it's going in a gift bag.

2. Tree - real or fake? Fake, all the way. I have bad memories of tree hunting in the freezing cold K-Mart lot. (Mom, you know exactly what I am talking about.) But, I did go all out this year and get a Christmas Tree Scentsy scent.

3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime in the week after Thanksgiving. This year Hayley did most of the decorating. Our tree is kind of bottom heavy on ornaments. They also tend to move around on a daily basis. Hmm.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually in the week after Christmas.

5. Do you like eggnog? Nope. I don't even really like eggs that much. Hayley must have gotten that from her dad.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? An orginal Nintendo and the Super Mario Bros. game. I also got a typewriter one year that I really liked. I also really feel old right now.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Hardest person buy for if you want it to be a suprise is Jeremy. If there is something he wants, he just goes out and gets it himself. There have been many times that I've had to return his gift before he gets it, because he bought it for himself! I've also had to UNWRAP and return his gift a few times.

8. Favorite Christmas Memory? The Greef Family Christmas Party on Christmas Eve, with all the excitement of being around all my cousins, staying up late, and Santa coming that very night. Every year my cousin Nicole and I would want to have a sleepover, but then we would face the dilemma that Santa wouldn't know where we were, and wouldn't leave us any presents! Also, singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. (Remember that, Stace and Whit?)

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, but I didn't put it out this year. Hayley makes me nervous. Plus, she's been known to steal the Baby Jesus out of nativity scenes. (If we come visit, you may want to keep an eye on your Jesus!)

10. Christmas cards - mail or e-mail? Mail, but this is only my second year getting them out, so if you didn't get one, it's probably because I don't have your address, not because I don't love you!

11. Favorite Christmas movie? Polar Express. I just watched the whole thing all the way through for the first time this year. So cute.

12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I try to do it throughout the year, but I guess I really start probably September or October. And I am gung-ho on Black Friday!

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas Present? We're talking about the paper, right? Of course I recycle that paper.

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I'm not picky, as long as I'm eating it with good friends or family. Favorite smell is those nuts in the mall though. Ohhh.

15. Lights on the tree? Multicolored, blinking ones.

16. Favorite Christmas song? Sinterklass Kapoentje, a Dutch Christmas song. Yes, I know it in Dutch. I also know Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam, if you're interested. :)

And since I just realized that that clip will make no sense to most of you, here's the translation:
Sinterklass, my dear one,
Put something in my shoe,
Put something in my stocking,
Thank you, Sinterklass!

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Depends what you mean by travel. We're lucky to have all of our immediate family here in the valley, but we are usually all over the valley on Christmas Eve and Christmas.

18. Santa's Reindeer's Names? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen. And Rudolph. And Olive, the other reindeer, if you ask any fourth grader. And Holly, if you've watched Playhouse Disney this month.

19. Angel or star on the tree? Star.

20. Do you open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Usually Christmas Eve at Aunt Wendi's and my mom's, and Christmas Day at my dad's and my grandma's.

21. The most annoying thing about this time of year? Driving in the snow and ice. Maybe not annoying, but nerve wracking. I get really worried about my loved ones. To the point where a few times I have called them just to know that they were safe.

22. Favorite ornament theme and color? Our ornaments are really a hodge-podge of what has been given to us over the years. They really don't have a theme. I like the way white ornaments stand out against the dark green tree though.

23. Favorite Christmas dinner? See #14. Although, possibly crepes if I can get my brother-in-law Matt to make them. Hint, hint.

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? I already got what I wanted.

25. Favorite Christmas Tradition? All of the parties, most of them with family. I love to see everyone, and catch up on things, and laugh, and talk, and eat good food. It reminds me how lucky I am to have such wonderful people in my life, and to appreciate all that I have. It makes for a very Merry Christmas indeed!

If you read through this post all the way to this point, consider yourself tagged! It's your turn to post about your Christmas traditions and memories.

I love my husband.

I don't know if Hayley knows how lucky she is. She is lucky enough to have a stay at home dad for three days a week. Just him and her, having daddy daughter time together. Today they went Christmas shopping, bought me a fantastic present (which I helped pick out, but I will act surprised anyway), and then met me after work and joined up with the rest of my family for dinner for my dad's birthday. I feel so much pride about my wonderful husband when my daughter comes running up to me in the evening, eager to tell me what they did that day. They have such a wonderful bond, and have such a fun time together. Watching Jeremy with Hayley, I love and admire him in ways that I wouldn't have thought possible before we had our darling daughter.

Who's the boss around here anyway?

So Thursdays are "early days" at our house. Hayley has to get up early to go to my Aunt Wendi's to be tended for the day. Being early, they are also usually rushed. This last Thursday, I am getting Hayley her usual "car breakfast" of cereals in a baggie, when she pipes up, "Um, Mom? I don't want that."

Me: "Okay, sweetie, well what do you want?"

Hayley: (After some deep thought) "How about you make me some eggs?"

Me: (Looking at the clock, knowing we have to leave.) "We don't have time for eggs. You can ask Wendi to make you some."

Hayley: "Oh." Pause. "Okay. I will ask Wendi to make me eggs."
Me: Thinking in my head, "Whew! Crisis averted, and day not started with a meltdown."

The funniest part of this story was when I arrived to pick up Hayley, my aunt told me about this conversation that took place after I dropped Hayley off in the morning:

Wendi: "Hayley, did you have breakfast yet?"

Hayley: (With a sigh of disdain) "Only cereals!"

Wendi: "Would you like some pancakes?"

Hayley: "Yes, and some eggs too."

And being the fun aunt that she is, Wendi actually made her both. In my defense, I did make my kid eggs this morning. Can't wait till this one's a teenager, I tell ya!

Hmm, you guys were right.

This blog was just as easy to start up as you all said it was. Which makes me feel even more guilty for blog stalking some of you for the last few months. (You know who you are... or maybe you don't... and I'm not sure which is worse!) Anyway, consider this an apology and a peace offering:

And she's even smiling this year!
It could have been worse, trust me.
It could have been this:

Which is obviously not nearly as good when you are asking for forgiveness. Thanks to all of you for letting me view your blogs, and inspiring me to take on this new technological adventure. I just may make it after all!