The Middle Ground

We get more than a fair shake when it comes to meeting in the middle.

All of Dan's 5 sisters live in Utah near his parents. Only he and his brother live away.

Dan's only brother lives in Henderson, Nevada.

So when we meet in the middle, John has a lot of company and alot of mouths to feed, towels to wash and sheets and beds to make.

The girls have a 6 hour drive and at this time of year that can even be through snow and ice.

We jump in the car and have a great vacation in a simple 4.5 hour drive.

Thanks John and Tenniel for a lovely time. The Bilagio gardens,mediterainian food, frisbee in the park and hours of hanging with the Strode's!

a ride in a hot air balloon

It started Christmas morning when 4 children found an odd yellow balloon with a basket hanging from it attatched to the tv stand. They read the words "Tomorrow 7 am - Love Mom, and Dad" Confusions set in for about 3 minutes and then excitment!

It ended with an orange Juice toast and an Irish prayer for balloonist.

But it's what came in between that was amazing!

Some street hockey sticks, and Wicked tix!

A brand new lap top, an owl to cover her mop.

Ipod's and scooter hot rods!

Presents and presents galore-

A giant mess for them all to ignore!

Hot chocolate and Cinimon roll.

Who do you think cleaned -lets take a poll...

Clothes, shoes, dolls, makeup and games for the WII,

Still wondering who cleaned it all up?

ME!

The stockings were hung....

The cookies were left out for Santa, but unlike past years there were no carrots for the deer. I had some in the fridge, I had bought special for thier visit.......
Last year we told Seth that there was not a jolly old elf that came to our home Christmas eve. He was crushed, he flung him self on the bed and yelled out "Everything I've believed" he then excused himself from our room and took a few moments to collect himself. He came back a few minutes later and verified that Jesus did infact exist. We reasured him that all was good and he quickly cheered up and began to feel some pride in being part of the "Big Kids" and having a little known knowledge.
So we thought another year maybe before it was Paige's turn. However at Easter she looked a little sceptical and then a few months later she looked right at me and said "Please mom- I saw the easter presents in your closet."
And that was that-

So I guess for a family of non- belivers, carrots is a bit over the top.

Christmas Eve 2011

As adventures go not too many of our traditions are all too adventurous. I kind of think that tradition and adventure are on the oposite side of the word wheel.

However our birthday cake for Jesus has a habit of being a bit adventurous!

Like the one year the kids decorated the cake with straight food die instead of coloring the icing.

(That had a bright colored out come for all)

Or the year that there were a bunch of hard candies and gum balls like land mines accross the whole cake!

This year I thought Id throw them off a bit by making a shapped cake and see what they did with it.

It was pineapple flavor with a coconut cream filling. I could have eaten it just like that!

It's funny how much they love to make the cake but even they don't want to eat it.

There are left overs if anyones interested!

In all it's splendor and glory

We have had many different trees over the years. They have stood in houses in different countries, states, and living rooms. Some of them have been fake, and some times we splurge on a real one.

We enjoy looking at all of our ornaments as we unwrap each one and find just the right branch for it. We talk about the memories each ornament has. Places we have lived,or visited, People we have known. Some have been hand made from friends, and some gifted to us that hold meaning.

There is the angel I had bought for my grandmother the year she died. It never made it to her. The ornaments the kids have gotten each year that reflect thier interests and personalities. You have to love the crafty ones the kids have made each year at school.

It makes quite a patch work tree and we love it.

This year we splurged on a real one. It was a lot of work to get it home and get it up. It's an important year for our tree. This is the year it has reached its full splendor and glory. You see I had as difficult of a time with the first tree we bought. It was real then too. I surprised Dan with it in our little trailer in Utah. I handpainted some small glass balls to decorate it with. Some of those still hang on our tree. Since then it has been gathering memories,till this year when it is complete.

When we remove the ornaments this year some will be removed and placed in a special box for Logan to take to her own appartment for her own tree.

This is the year of all of the ornaments to hang together!

Of course there will be new memories and friends as we have much more fun left in our bones, but seemed silly to not note the splendor of this years tree!