Idle Hands

The kids and I had fun making these today:

Idle Hand Bars from pioneer woman's tasty kitchen blog

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/idle-hand-bars-sweet-salty/

They are really fabulous. :)

Houses, Flights, and New Year's

We did a little more house hunting yesterday in Beaumont. Between the two days of searching we have found 2 houses that we really like and are working on making an offer.
In the meantime Ty had to catch a last minute flight to Sacramento today to take care of some licensing catastrophe. It is a quick trip and he will be home again tomorrow, but we are both a little bummed that the money and time had to be spent :(
The kids and I are getting ready for New Year's Eve. We bought the party poppers and noisemakers. I am working on some fun games and movies for our evening. I still need to get some martinellis for Ty and I, but we are almost ready for 2011 :)
I always look forward to New Year's. It is a time to celebrate the old and get excited for the new. 2010 was a great year. We enjoyed the last of our time in Tennessee. We spent a lot of the year planning for the future. Ty graduated and we secured a job. In 2011 we are hoping to buy a home. We can't wait to be a part of our own ward again and see what callings we will be challenged with. We are in a much warmer climate now than we have been for a long time and I am hoping to spend a lot of 2011 outside with the kids. I hope we buy a grill and do lots of outside cooking this summer!
I want 2011 to be a wonderful year for us. I am going to try and do my part to make it the best it can be!

Hunting

Ty and I went to Palm Springs yesterday for our first round of house hunting. I was pleasantly surprised at what was available. after our hunt we walked around downtown Palm Springs. It was 65 degrees and sunny! I think I will love winter out here. We had lunch at a little Mexican restaurant. Oh how I have missed good mexican food! We are going out again later this week to do a little more house hunting in some different areas. We are really excited about getting settled and finding a place. We can't wait to start meeting new friends and starting new traditions in our own home!

Merry Christmas!

It was the perfect Christmas day!
The sun was shining and we were able to enjoy Christmas brunch with friends outside :)
The sunshine felt so grand on our pale skin.
This was the first Christmas in years that our family spent all together so pictures were in order.

The whole bunch of us! Mom and Dad, Josh and Steph, Jamison, Joel, and the Newman 5.

The boys.
Josh, Jamison, Dad, Joel (with Max), and Ty and Zac in front.

Me and my bros.
(Joel, Jamison, and Josh)
Jamison is the baby. I am wearing super high heeled boots in this picture. I don't know how I turned out so short!

Little Mia in the sun.

All of us in the sun.
Someone should have told us the lighting was really bad.

Oh well. We were all color coordinated and everyone was smiling at least!

Josh and Steph. I love this cute picture!

Mom and Dad.
We're so lucky to have 'em :)
It was a wonderful Christmas day. Full of family and friends, lots of food, and gratitude for our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas!

The Presents!

The kids slept in again this year! We had all of the adults up and ready to go before the kids were awake :)
Max, Mia, and Zackary each had stockings to open and enjoy before the main event. Zack pulled out his little cars and was very happy. It was a merry Christmas for him already.

My mom made massive amounts of hot cocoa and we gathered round the gift pile.

Max opened up a "gun". He had asked Santa for one and luckily Uncle Jamison bought one for him.

Mia had a Christmas full of ponies. Ponies everywhere in all sorts of colors and sizes. She has been busy playing with them all day.

Zackary got a few more gifts, but really just played with his cars from the stocking.

My sister in law, Stephanie, got all sorts of fun things from my brother Josh.

Josh got a few gifts as well. Stephanie likes him :)

Jamison got all sorts of high tech gadgets that are supposedly very amazing and life altering.

My Grandma Crawford was here as well. She was our ribbon and bow collector after the packages had been opened.

Mia got some really fun books to read later today.

and I got all 3 Twilight movies and my very own Edward doll.
Mock all you like. I am very happy :)

After presents we spent the next few hours cleaning and scrubbing and getting ready for family pictures and the big Christmas brunch!

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve at a wonderful Christmas Party. My friend Catherine was there with her husband, Ryan, and she had toys for my kids to play with. It was the perfect distraction!

Dinner was a mexican feast! There were chips and salsa, chile rellenos, enchiladas, tacos, tamales, beans, rice, and corn pudding. It was all so yummy :)

Ty and I thought the tamales were the best! I love my hubby. He is just so jolly.

Catherine and Ryan. Newlyweds ;)

Kathy, Josh and Steph.

After dinner Catherine set up a little game of pin the nose on Rudolph. Ryan helped blindfold the kids.

Rudolph the noseless reindeer.
I guess he missed.

Nope! He found just the right spot!

Mia took a turn as well. She stuck her nose on the fridge door handle, but she had fun trying!

Aunt Robyn showered Max and Mia with gifts and prizes. They will love her forever!

Zackary decided that was enough party and had himself a little pillow fight.

We had a little Christmas program with lots of singing and musical numbers. Mia fell asleep in Ty's lap. It was so sweet.

I haven't performed in years but somehow they convinced me to be part of this little quartet. Bishop Haimson, Jamison, me, and Catherine. I used to sing with Catherine all the time when we were growing up so it was fun to sing with her again tonight.
Bob closed the program with the Christmas story from Luke and then we all ate way too much peppermint ice cream.
At home we talked about Jesus and the wonderful gifts that we have been given because of Him. It was a wonderful Christmas Eve!

The Girls

(Glory, Sandra, Catherine, me, and Sara!)

I grew up in Redlands attending the 4th ward.
There was a group of us girls that were in the ward from elementary school through high school. We haven't been together in a long time and today we finally had a little reunion. Sara organized the whole thing. It was so good to see everyone and catch up. Sara and Catherine were both married earlier this year. Sandra just got engaged and Glory is busy with life in Utah. A few of our girls couldn't make it today and we missed them!
We had a great time. It was a wonderful little Christmas Eve celebration :)

Polar Bears

It is December 22nd. 3 days to go!
It has been raining like never before here in southern California. My parents pool is overflowing and this morning Ty and my younger brother, Jamison, decided they should join the polar bears for a swim.
(It has been about 50 degrees here, which for socal is very chilly!)

Ty was super excited for the challenge but Jamison was less willing.

Ty eventually talked him into the plunge.
I don't really know why holding hands was necessary.

Here they go!
The splash ended up being much bigger than we thought and Zackary was standing right in the tidal zone. He was soaked and terrified. Poor little guy.

We had towels ready. Everyone got changed and warmed. I still think they are crazy.
It's just a typical California Christmas at our house!

Holly Jolly

It's the weekend and the days are flying by!
We arrived at my parents house 3 days ago and we have been SO busy.
I got Max signed up for school so that he will be ready to go after Christmas break. He will be going to school at the same place that I went to kindergarten!
I got a gym membership at the 24 hour fitness just around the corner. My treadmill is in storage :( but I am really enjoying all of the different equipment the gym has to offer :)
I started baking and menu planning. Lots of parties and events coming up.
We introduced the kids to their great grandparents.
We decided that we wanted everyone to match in the family picture we will be taking on Christmas and I realized that my family has nothing to wear.
After much debate we only need 2 black shirts and one pair of jeans to make the dream happen.

Ty and I are going out on a little lunch date today. I am looking forward to sitting still and enjoying the moments.
Tonight we are breaking out the Christmas movies. I am thinking "It's A Wonderful Life" must make an appearance!

1 week!

The Journey Part 2

We had an amazing time in Utah! The weather could not have been better. It was beautiful. I got to see my youngest brother who lives in Provo. He treated us to a little Taco Time. We got to spend an evening with our long time friends the Robisons and enjoy some home cooked peruvian food. We had a fabulous Christmas celebration with Ty's family. It was remarkable in many ways ;)
I got to see one of my newest nieces be blessed. I got to carry around said new niece and drool over her cuteness. We were showered with love and kindness. Ty passed his boards and became a CRNA! We celebrated with lunch at Dalton's.
Finally.....it was time to say goodbye.
In honor of our departure it started to snow..... a lot! At least it waited until our final night!
We loaded the car and drove away on Wednesday morning. My little X-Terra was completely full. We were like sardines. We kept the kids happy with games, toys, books, and movies. We stopped in St. George for lunch and a visit with Ty's grandparents. We were all very spoiled and left with a big box of Christmas Candy! We left St. George and drove through Nevada and Las Vegas. Ty and I got engaged just outside of Vegas so we always reminisce as we drive by. We made a stop in Baker for gas and then drove straight through to Redlands!
My parents house is all decorated for Christmas and they have really gone out of their way to get ready for the kids. We are so glad to be done with the driving! (3000 miles total!)
We are thankful to be safe. We are thankful to be together. We are thankful for Ty's new job. We are thankful for our wonderful supportive families, and we are thankful for our Savior Jesus Christ and this wonderful Christmas season!

9 days until Christmas! :)

Chocolate Body Scrub

I have a recipe for brown sugar body scrub that I use all the time. This one might become my new favorite :)

(Thanks to Sweet Tidings : http://sweettidings.blogspot.com/2010/10/chocolate-body-scrub.html)

Chocolate Body Scrub Recipe

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sparkle Boots!

2 of my very favorite words :)

New Ugg Sparkle Boots

http://www.uggaustralia.com/ProductDetails.aspx?gID=w&productID=3161&model=Classic%20Short%20Sparkles

A girl can dream, right?

Cousins and Christmas

Today we had our first big Christmas celebration with Ty's family. The cousins began arriving in the early afternoon. Mia was giddy.

Zackary got into the spirit of things and stole candy canes off of the Christmas tree. When everyone was ready we headed to the church for our party. We had chili with all of the fixins.

After dinner the kids decorated sugar cookies.

Max decorated a stocking and a tree. He chose all chocolate candies for his cookies. Just my style :)

Then he shared his cookies with Mia, who was too busy driving a toy bus around the gym to decorate a cookie of her own.

All of the cousins put on a little Christmas nativity play. Max, Mia, and Ali were sheep. Zac was supposed to be the star, but he refused. Grey was a shepherd. Law, Graham, and Cai were the wise men. Kooper and Tali were angels. Taycee was Mary. Gavin was Joseph, and baby Ashton stood in for the baby Jesus. It was adorable. Everyone did great!
It was a wonderful afternoon. We are very blessed.

Caramels

We have been working hard to get ready for our Newman family Christmas celebration this afternoon. Earlier this week Ty's mom made caramels. She cut out all of the wax paper squares and Max wanted to help wrap the candy.

LeAnn showed Max how to wrap the caramels to look like little presents. (Zackary wanted to help too!)

He did a great job, and the caramels were super yummy!