"Mom Arms" defined

So one of the great mysteries of life...not so mysterious at my house...is why do some of us get them and other don't. Are we born with them, inherit them, create them or just get lucky. I know for one I inherited them. My mom has them, her mom had them, and her mom before that had them. Around our house we lovingly refer to them as "Holy Bat Flaps Grandma". My children have annoyingly jiggled them every time i raise my arm around them, and heaven forbid I should ever attempt to lead the music anywhere. I have disguised the disorder (and i do consider it a disorder) by wearing three quarter or long sleeve shirts, but sometimes the Arizona sun just makes me want to take them out and let them blow in the breeze! The only consolation i have is "What goes around comes around, and these flaps are my little bit of family heritage handed down from generation to generation.

Yes Virginia...there really was a December!

Let me define my December..."lost forever in the subconscious of my mind." I'm sure it was fun, I'm sure my kids all came to visit, I'm sure I cooked, I'm even sure I bought gifts and received gifts, but if it wasn't for the pictures we took, it would all be lost forever.
To start the month off, I was able to work at Scrapbooks.com for the 3 weeks preceding Christmas. It was really fun but...I have forgotten what it is like to work full time and still function as wife and mother...something had to go and I'm afraid it was wife and mother.
Summer came home from collage during the last week of work, and I think I said hello to her. I don't think she minded however because truth be known they never really come home to see the parents.
Calli, Brendan, Taylor and Keaton came the last day of work...also Arlons ***drum roll*** 5oth B-day! So started the festivities that continued on till Monday the 5th when the last trip was made to the airport, school started, I walked in the door and said...listen...I was all alone again.
So since I have no memories of the events that took place after December 1st ending January 5th, I will share what my camera said happened.

After a Yummy dinner of Fried Chicken we headed off to the Temple (all except TJ, who later payed for his desertion, by rolling over in a jeep, which he was not driving, but who lived to tell the tale, minus sore muscles and new fodder for the Lewis memory book!)

One Fish

Two fish

Three fish

All my girls

Presents

Lindsey and Mike were forced to take Amy and go visit the LAUDIES in Utah...so they got to have presents after the mess was over

Pickles

The Pickle is always very competitive at our house especially when Calli is in the house. We have gone to two pickles just to give someone else a sporting chance. This year Calli and Jessica where the winners

Pinatas

Christmas eve Fiesta, Gecko grill, gingerbread houses and the pinata.

PJ's

and of course the PJ's. Mrs. Clause use to sneak in and leave them on Christmas eve, but now she is old and overworked so she sends them early and they are under the tree.

Happy Birthday Calli

Today I celebrate the birth of my first born...she is many things...

Always an attitude...

an innocent smile while keeping her sisters in check ...

A true fashion diva...

Always has her eye on the prize...

An excellent judge of men...
a good mom...a good daughter (though there were times...) but mostly...

One of my great treasures!!

Happy Birthday Calli

Yabba Dabba Dosey of a Halloween!

Lindsey always does so good at finding just the right costumes...and then sewing them herself. She brought Amy over for the "Grandma Run" a tradition she participated in most of her childhood, sometimes missing a little trick or treating. It is another of those "defining" moments when you realize you are now the grandma they're running to see. I don't think I ever had to drive quite so far though so cudos to her...and can I just say...Mike is really a good sport!

Jessica and I also got into the Halloween spirit by carving our pumpkins...they were terrible... really old pumpkins, they were weird to carve, very brittle, (Happy Hal's tooth just fell out) and the next day, even though they were in the house, they were moldy. Then the next day they were just spluge, but carving them was worth it because Arlon lit the fire and we had Smores. Jessica like to tell people that she has no childhood. I don't camp anymore, I don't let the birthday fairy come decorate for her birthday...and she has even been known to be Santa' helper(cause hes in bed). So this is another good reason to blog...Proof that I carved pumpkins with her!

Want some Smore!!!
Happy Hal
Frank-in-stien