Christmas Tag (Thanks Lori!)

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping?
Yes and finished!  (Kinda)

2. Tell me about one of your special traditions.
We are just getting started on figuring out what traditions we want to keep in our family.  We did the Advent Calendar this year and it's been great and I think it will prove to be a great tradition over the years.  Another one is that we open one gift on Christmas Eve- pj's and a book.  Traditions I'm going to miss this year are going to the Zoo Lights with Gerald and Rachelle and Christmas at midnight with tamales and gifts with the Dominguez family.  I have also missed the annual Willis Taco Party so much.

3. When do you put up your tree?
Day after Thanksgiving- at least that's the plan from here on out.

4. Are you a Black Friday shopper?
I became one this year and I LOVED it!  Definitely plan on doing it from here on out.

5. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home?
When we lived in AZ we usually went to Show Low for Christmas.  This year we'll be home- but at least we'll all be together;)

6. What is your funniest Christmas memory?
 hmmm...

7. What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time?
There are so many!  I would have to probably say Elf or Home Alone.

8. Do you do your own Christmas baking? What's your favorite treat?
Most of the time.  My favorite is probably the pretzels I made with my cousin Becca- caramel chocolate dipped pretzels.  I miss you Becca!  (Lori I can't believe you didn't mention your amazing cinnamon rolls- those were always my fave.  You too Becca.)  I'm going to attempt to make cinnamon rolls and homemade pies with homemade pie crusts this year so we'll see how that goes.

9. Fake or real tree?
Robert used to insist on a real tree but I finally put my foot down and got a fake pre-lit one this year ($25 at Black Friday sale baby!).  I love the smell of a real one but hate having to water it every day, worry about it catching on fire and cleaning up after it.

10. What day does the actual panic set in to get it all done?
After Halloween:/

11. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve?
Just the Santa ones;)

12. What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas?
I agree with Lori- anytime I'm with my family it's my favorite family fun time.  Probably when I'm in Show Low with my siblings, up late after a day of gifts and lots of eating, playing board games and laughing hysterically and nibbling on more good food.  Man I miss my Show Low fam!!

13. What Christmas Craft do you like the best?
I'm so not a crafty person.  But I had fun making ornaments with Baily this year for one of our Advent activities.  I had fun making special gifts for our YW too- but probably more because I was doing it with 2 of my favorite women and socializing;)

14. Christmas music? Yes or no, and if yes, what is your favorite song?
YES, YES, YES!!, my favorites would be O Holy Night by Josh Groban, Carol of the Bells by Transiberian Orchestra and For Unto Us A Child is Born by Motab- among the many:)

15. When do you plan to finish all your shopping?
I'm done- just waiting for my packages to come hopefully when they're supposed to!

I tag Becca, Karen, Beau & Eben (that means both of you each do one!), Malissa, Julie, Mayra and anyone else who wants to relish in some Christmas memories!!

Blessings for week of 11.16

11.22- Glee, Glee music, prayer, meds, my friend Britney J, grilled cheese sandwich and tomoto soup for lunch, freshly bathed children, one of the juiciest & sweetest grapefruits ever, watching my fave movie "Ella Enchanted" with B, tea party with B, bedtime

11.21- clean house= happy mom, smell of pinesol, my vacuum, B helping fold towels and being so excited to help, laundry all cleaned & folded & put away, awesome VT who I love so much & great gospel conversation, cuddles & watching "Cat in the Hat" with B, great sound sleep

11.20- a day off thanks to my sweet hubby!, a very productive YW Pres. meeting and loving the sisters I serve with, hanging out with just me and my awesome cousin Sarah, NEW MOON!!!, Native Americans;), Sonic!!, hubby did the dishes- thanks babe!, the new TLC show Family Armor about an LDS family, making it through a tough run and the high I get from running, good chat with my Pops, grapefruit!, new snack of chocolate covered Ritz (yum!), Ferrera Rochet (yum, yum!), playing Monopoly with my bros, getting lots of free steaks from a good ward family friend

11.19- getting to meet with a soon-to-be baptized sister with the missionaries and my kids not being too crazy, the BOM (Book of Mormon), Baily not being as sick as I thought she was and being in a good mood all day, playing with Joaquin and his sweet sweet laugh, SYTYCD and the way Baily tries to imitate each dance, Baily making a heart with her hands and running to tell me so excitedly that it was a special heart for me because she loves me so much, getting a letter from my momma

11.18- sleeping in, getting through a very hard run, excitement for New Moon!, super hot shower on a cold day, hanging with my best girl Brittney and getting to watch her kids then her watching my kids for me so I could go to YWIE in peace, BK onion rings, a fab Spirit-filled Yound Women in Excellence, all my Beehives and how proud I am of them, talking about my mom and how she taught me faith by having charity and compassion, enjoying late night frozen pizza and watching our shows (Law & Order SVU and Criminal Minds) with my amazing husband, loving & appreciating my hubby so much, cuddling with my sweet babies

11.17- citrus season is upon us!!, delicious grapefruit, classical music, refreshing & crisp Fall walk, loving my country and all our people as I watched past episode of Biggest Loser, Wendy's Frosty & fries, red lipstick, my cute leather jacket, my very warm home in very cold weather, playtime with the kiddos, SYTYCD

11.16- woke up with tons of motivation and made a list of "Will" goals, prayer, doubling my running time and making it through the workout, a super hot shower, Baily's sweet family prayer all by herself, family council meeting, love of Moroni, clean home, the call to have a background interview for job I really want but thought I didn't get, delicious dinner with new recipe (chicken pockets) and kids eating all of it without a fight, making special k bars with my kids and eating them!, kids helping me clean basement without a fight and having fun playing catch with them, my kid's laughter, reading with my kids, playing Uno Attack with B and her cracking up, B's sweet prayers, my awesome hubby, a wonderful day of keeping up with my "will" goals