More moments with Santa and other Christmas cheer

Can you say Cindy Lou Who????

It looks really tempting to bounce that ball right off of Will's head. Canyon would never do such a thing. He! He!

I am just here for the food!!

If I close my eyes, maybe he will just go away!

Will has never been a fan of Santa

Just give me the stocking and I am outta here!

Daniel was so funny, he loved to pet Santa's beard. He just LOVED Santa!

This is Douglas Sipes and he HATES to sit on Santa's lap. I think I have the same kind of picture of him every year. Why is this funny???? His dad is the one who always plays Santa!!

Brooklyn didn't quite know what to think of Santa. This is also Will's great buddy, Colter.

This is funny. Sam Davenport is giving Santa a "pound"!!!

Because I was the ward Christmas photographer at the Christmas party (self appointed of course), I got a lot of good pictures and just wanted to share these memories with all of you...

Santa's lap and other momentos...

Lund asking Santa for his desired items...

Aiden Johnson telling Santa to just leave him alone!

Sarah asking for a bell of all things???? Maybe has to do with Polar Express?

Cassidy didn't want to sit on Santa's lap this year, she just sort of stood there and "demanded". Is she a teenager already???

Emily Hulse and Cassidy got to help Santa this year and be "elves" for him and pass out the stockings to the kids. They greatly enjoyed their job and authority it held.

Well, I am finally back and after a bit of an internet sabaticol. And all it took was a 2 hour phone call with a Dell reprentative. When he got grumpy on the phone I changed the subject and asked him what time it was where he lived and he said that it was five a.m. So I can understand why he was a bit grumpy.

So, here we go again and to start us out we will share some memories from our ward Christmas party that was this past Friday. Santa always makes a visit to our ward building to see the kids and stuff. This year he had a bit of a different experience because he didn't know as he walked up to the church building that Lund and a few of his goons were lying in wait for him. Lund started to chase him all around the building until the good Bishop had to go and stop his son from such nonsense. What was his excuse? He just wanted to see who Santa "really" was. He was punished and I don't think that he will be chasing any other white bearded men around town. Eight-year-old boys sure have a mind of their own.

Alien's in my nose!! Well, not any more!! Hooray for Alien Removal Proceedure!

this is Will with his new friend from one of the nurses

Will and I waiting our turns on the gurney

Will was glued to the t.v. in the surgery waiting room, and tried to get a little Hispanic boy who spoke no English to come and join him, but the boy was too shy.

Doesn't Will look excited for his surgery???

I just had to put a picture of me wearing my lucky "Space Aliens" shirt due to the nature of the surgery, I though this shirt would be the most fitting. Thanks to Lund and Karen out there in North Dakota for the shirt. Hello all! Today was Surgery Day for Will and I at the Kingman Hospital. He was first with his tubes in his ears and I followed him with my Alien removal surgery. Actually, they are called nasal polyps, but tonight at family prayer I was saying the prayer and I forgot the name momentarily and so I said " and we are so grateful that the ... alien removal from my nose went well. " That kind of killed the Spirit. It is hard to keep a straight face when mom says the word "alien" in her prayer, especially if she also mentioned that they were in her nose. Wrong choice there, I suppose. He!He!

Everything did go beautifully and Will was amazing and gained about 10 new surrogate grandparents because the nurses just doted over him and spoiled him immensely.

They didn't spoil me as much- they stuffed a breathing tube down my throat and hacked up the inside of the nose, but I guess I am not as cute as a two-year-old with adorable blue eyes!

A couple of memories:

*When I was just coming around out of surgery and everything was very weird and voices were floating on clouds that hung over my head, I sort of heard the doctor talking to me. He said "The surgery went well and as it turned out, we didn't even need to pack your nose (translation: stuff like three feet of gauze up into your nose and on up into your brain!). I wasn't very with it when he told me this, but I knew enough to know that it was good news. I gave a huge smile from underneath the breathing mask. The doctor said to the nurse, "Hey, she just smiled when I said that, Amazing!" I was just glad to not be packed with gauze.

*Will got to be wheeled into his surgery in a red wagon. And so when it was my turn I asked for the wagon too. But then I said, "well, on the other hand let's not, my open gown in the back and me riding a red wagon that some nurse has to lug to the OR, not the prettiest mental image ever!" I opted out!

*Will was missing his usual cup of milk this morning immensely before his surgery due to fasting beforehand. One nurse kept trying to keep him entertained so she would say, "wait, let me go get you something" and he would instantly reply "you go get Will milk????"

*Later that same nurse gave Will about 3 glasses of milk and I told her she was an "Enabler". (which is just as bad as the addict in my book. He!He!)

Morgan wants me to go to bed soon because we got up at 4:45am to get to Kingman in time, but I just had to tell our tale of Surgery Day. Enjoy!

Random Turkey Day moments

Candin performing a makeover on Sarah, one of her favorite things

the bishop drinking wine!!! o.k. apple cider

this was just our first course of the meal, amazing huh???? the rest was just as wonderful

Uncle Justin showing off the first course of the meal

everybody hanging out before we ate...

My nephew Brody Rogers being so super cute...

Kayla displaying a laminated menu for her Thanksgiving feast (she put all of it together, with the help of her mom, for a Young Women's project). She did an excellent job!

The table set and ready to go (for the adults at least)

Sarah watching a movie on Aunt Alisha's big screen in her "Movie room"

Cute cousins, Candin and Cassidy hanging out together

They grow up too fast!

We took this picture while we were visiting my family in Queen Creek, AZ for Thanksgiving. Cassidy's cousin, Kayla wanted to straighten her hair and when I was taking the "after" pictures, I noticed that she must have grown up while my back was turned or something because she wasn't this old a few minutes ago.

Is this the guy you want making your Thanksgiving rolls for you???!!!! That is right, he is the "Naked chef"! But the rolls turned out really great and the Kindergarten class raved about them at their "Thanksgiving Feast". That is what happens when you are pottytraining....anything goes!

Come on, ride the train! The Potty Train!

( He has to have something to read!)

So I decided (with Morgan's help when he saw the price on the last box of diapers for Will) that it is time to ride the Potty Train with Will. Now, you have to know that this isn't my favorite part of parenting-- in fact, if there was a top ten worst things about parenting it would be right up there next to cleaning up Will's throw-up when we go on a drive.

Sorry about all the poopy and throw-up words, but this is just a part of my life right now-- A big part!!!! In fact I have all the car seat parts to Will's car seat in the dryer right now from yesterday's trip to Kingman for our pre-op appointment. I thought he might actually make it there without tossing his cookies.... Nope! As we got off the off-ramp to the doctor's office, his face went red and I knew it was over, all over that is! When I pulled up into the parking lot, I just unbuckled his carseat and took him in carseat and all into the restroom. I know, I know, too much information...

Anyway, I wanted to send out a few cute pictures of Will trying to use his potty that sings to him when he has a successful experience (a.k.a goes #1 or #2).