Elijah, Daddy, Grampy, Miles, Nana, Melissa & Honey Cat

Been very busy, but will try to blog again soon. Needless to say, this Christmas has been filled with abundant blessings, family, snow, and a Wii from Santa.

Thanks Kristen! Hope my other online friends will do this too.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper & gift bags. I reuse gift bags from years past.

2. Real tree or artificial? We have one of each. I love the smell of a real tree in the house.

3. When do you put up the tree? The fake one goes up the first weekend in December. The real one maybe two weeks before Christmas.

4. When do you take the tree down? Depends on when the mood strikes me. Around New Year’s.

5. Do you like eggnog? No way Jose.

6. What about Fruitcake? Not a fan of fruit.

7. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably my doll. I had this one doll, and she was as big as me. I’d pretend she was my little sister.

8. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, a few of them. I love them. Got one this year for the kids.

9. Hardest person to buy for? Grampy (my father-in-law)

10. Easiest person to buy for? Either my kids, or Dawn.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Oh, the infamous jar of mints.

12. Mail or email Christmas cards? I love mailing Christmas cards, and I like to get them out just after Thanksgiving.

13. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story, Elf, and The Ref.

14. When do you start shopping for Christmas? In the summer.

15. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No, but I should at some point.

16. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Holiday M&M’s

17. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored, for sure.

18. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night (traditional) and Last Christmas (non-traditional)

19. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? Stay home, but I sometimes miss the hustle of Christmas past going from one set of relatives to another (Uncle Kim’s, the farm, Doug’s)

20. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen.

21. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel (Insert my FIL saying “Santy Claus where do you want me to put the tree?”)

22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We usually open one gift Christmas Eve, then the rest wait for the morning. Not sure we’ll do that with the boys this year.

23. What is the one present you want most this year? Don’t laugh… long underwear. Seriously.

24. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The greediness. “That’s all I’m getting?”

25. What I love most about Christmas? The lights, the music, public celebrating of Christ’s birth, the excitement the kids have. It’s also the one time a year I can count on hearing hubby play his violin.

This is the longest month ever! I want it to be Christmas now! Thankfully the urge to shop is gone, mostly because everything has been wrapped, and I don’t want to wrap anymore. Now I can be bothered by whether or not shipped gifts arrive on time.

We’ve had a little snow come in this week (Tuesday & Friday) , and we might get a little more on Friday. Nana & Grampy arrive Thursday night. So we’re all looking forward to that.

Friday night Ali & Kevin came over. Ali needed a sous-chef for her Christmas baking project. No, not me, Geoff. Let me tell you, it was pretty hard to let her leave with that treat, especially since the whole house now smelled like it. Since I don’t know if it’s a surprise to her family, I won’t say what it was publicly.

Oh, also on Friday night, we had Jim ‘N Nick’s. Let me say again how much they rock! Our loyalty there has never been more rewarded. We did drive-thru, and when we got home, we discovered part of our order was missing. We did check the bag before we drove off, but all we did was count the boxes. It was snowing, and we didn’t really want to go back out in it. So I called them, thinking they’d offer to credit my credit card. Instead, they sent a chef to our door with the food, plus some extra food. And they kept apologizing. This company sure goes above & beyond let me tell you. I wish JNN were everywhere so you could all enjoy it.

Yesterday we went out to get a real tree, and wow it sure looks awesome.

Then we decorated it (more pics are on shutterfly). Eliajh pretty much hung all the ornaments I gave him on one little section of the tree. It’s kind of cute. We have put a few presents that have come in the mail under the fake tree. Elijah has organized them by wrapping paper.

I’ll close with a quote from Scrooged.

Props man: I can’t get the antlers glued to this little guy. We tried Crazy Glue, but it don’t work.
Frank Cross: Did you try staples?

Thought I’d post the Armstrong Christmas letter online, in case you didn’t get a hard copy (all you have to do is ask for one). I’m looking forward to reading my friends’ letters now. 🙂

Is it Christmas yet? How can an impatient woman teach her children to be patient for Christmas?

I have a few stocking stuffers to pick up, one Santa gift for a little boy, and I am done. But I can’t buy that gift in the presence of his older brother, so I need to find time to get away and do it. It’s at the really cool toy store in Cherry Creek North.

Took the boys to see Santa at Southlands (pic on Miles’ blog). I love that my kids aren’t the ones crying and screaming, so Santa is happy to have them come back anytime. And there was no line, which was even better.

The bread adventure for church is going okay. I’m not totally worried. But check with me next week.

Went to the dentist yesterday and Jane said my teeth look great. Yay!

I’m gonna close with a quote from Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.

Yukon Cornelius: Fog’s as thick as peanut butter.
Hermey: You mean pea soup.
Yukon Cornelius: You eat what you like and I’ll eat what I’ll like.

I am warning you up front, this post is about food. So if you are hungry, don’t read it.

Last night Geoff and I went out to dinner while the boys spent time with Kevin & Ali. We opted for someplace new, so we went to Ted’s Montana Grill. We thought it would be fancier than it was, nonetheless it was a very tasty meal. We both tried bison burgers. I would recommend Ted’s to someone looking for a good meal.

A few weeks ago we were looking to get some lunch after shopping and tried Dickey’s Barbeque. Now you all know how we love Jim ‘N Nick’s, so we thought maybe we ought to compare. Well, a bbq lunch is pretty good, but Dickey’s had nothing on JNN. No comparison, JNN is far superior. We are happy to know our loyalty has not been in vain.

I’ve undertaken the task of trying to organize people to help bake bread for Creekside’s Christmas Eve service. It’s a big job, but I am feeling encouraged by the willingness of some of the bakers, and by the support of my friends and family. If I can do a small thing like this to make Christmas Eve special, then it makes me happy.

I’ll close with a quote from How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

The Grinch: Blast this Christmas music. It’s joyful and triumphant.

I in no way meant to slight the November birthdays, rather some of my favorite people have November birthdays. I just plum forgot.

November birthday wishes went out to Chad, Kelly, Dylan, & Dawn.

December birthday wishes are going out to Colin, Kirsty & Josh.

Hoping you have a great year.

If you live in Edmonton, perhaps you read about my cousin Doug in the paper. He was involved in an accident at work, where he sustained some burns. He’s okay, he has been released from the hospital, but will be off work for several weeks while he recovers. Please pray for a smooth recovery for him. Also that he will be open to my brother getting him a job at his work, which is less dangerous.

Get well soon Dougie!

I didn’t mean to go so long without posting, I just got busy.

Thanksgiving dinner was awesome. Geoff put a lot of work into preparing a feast for us all. We had…
turkey
stuffing
mashed potatoes
bourbon smashed sweet potatoes
cranberry-orange relish
gravy
*green bean casserole
*cream corn
*crescent rolls
*greek salad
*2 pecan pies
pumpkin pie
(asterisk represents what Ali made)

Kevin, Ali, Kevin’s mom Cindy, and us four and there was a ton of food leftover. But we’re nearly through the leftovers now. Here’s some pics.

The bird

Elijah’s plate

Daddy’s plate

Thanksgiving with friends

I wanted badly to go out and brave the crowds on Black Friday, but it was snowy, and without knowing if it would be worth it, I stayed home. We planned to go to Southlands to see the tree lighting, but again, it was too chilly to drag the boys out, especially since Miles doesn’t really have the right clothes. But our previous night’s guests did, and said it was a little disappointing. They didn’t stick around there, rather they came back over for more pie, and they brought their espresso machine. Ali made us all the yummiest mochas. We gotta get one of those!

Saturday & Sunday we did a little bit of shopping. Had some naps. Just kinda hung out.

In Christmas-y news: I’m anxiously awaiting Saturday, when we will decorate and put up our fake tree Cornelius (we’re gonna get a real one when our Christmas company gets here). Of the Christmas presents I have to ship to Canada, there is only one left. I signed up to help with the church’s Christmas Eve service planning. Now I guess I wait for them to call me and tell me what’s next. I mailed all my Christmas cards today. There are a few still to go out, but I’m waiting on updated addresses.

Dinner is ready. I’ll close with a quote from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Linus Van Pelt: Of all the Charlie Browns in the world, you are the Charlie Browniest.

My mother in law, Diane, sends out a Christmas letter every year. I don’t know when she started hers, but I was inspired to do it the first year we moved to California (I think). So it’s something I do, I write it, Geoff edits it.

I think it must have been the second or third year, my friend Cate asked for a copy. Wow, I’d never thought to send one locally. Now she sends one out too. Our letter goes out to family and friends, as well as work associates.

Ah, the art of Christmas letter writing. I wish I could say my letter is brilliant. But it probably reads a lot like my blog. I make sure there are no spelling or grammar errors, and I used to print a picture right on it. Now I send a picture Christmas card (yes, I’m one of those people. You would be too if your kids were this cute!)

Every year I browse online for tips on how to send out a letter that won’t suck. Didja know there are do’s and don’t’s? Well, there are. Here are some tips I’ve learned:

* keep it short
* don’t brag
* write about you & your immediate family (the exception is parents, who are allowed to write about their grown kids & grandkids)

This website has a lot of good stuff on it.

Anyways, our letter is nearly done, just need the editor to look it over. If you send out a letter, I’d like to read it. If you get my letter, and you’d rather not, I won’t be offended, let me know. It’ll save me some postage.

I’ll close with a quote from The Santa Clause.

Dr. Pete Novos: I don’t know, Scott. You’re as healthy as a horse.
Scott Calvin: Yeah! Clydesdale!
Dr. Pete Novos: So what? You put on a little weight.
Scott Calvin: Weight? Does this look like a little weight to you?
Dr. Pete Novos: Weight can fluctuate from year to year.
Dr. Pete Novos: Fluctuate? You make it sound like I’m retaining water. I’ve gained 45 pounds in a week. Pete, what’s happening to me?
Dr. Pete Novos: Well, what’s your diet like?
Scott Calvin: Milk and cookies.
Dr. Pete Novos: Really?
Scott Calvin: But I don’t finish all the milk.
Dr. Pete Novos: Well then there is your problem. Just try to cut back on the sweets, okay?