The white elephant party!

I've heard stories of the white elephant party Katie's family has every year....but this year I was honored to witness it first hand. Of course the first thing you have to do is eat. duh. I've already pledged marriage to the maker of the carmel rice krispie treats with chocolate on top.


Eric and Luke cheesing it up for the camera (apparently Luke refers to me as "that darn chacha"...how can you not love a little boy like that.)


More horsing around with Chris and his sweet boy Griffin.


And then come the presents...Lisa was lucky enough to walk away with a vacuum cleaner cover that will turn your vacuum "into a conversation piece". Oddly enough, I know two small boys that would like to own that.


I was unlucky enough to have an early number...but not as unlucky to have Eric's number and receive the ever-popular-staple-of-your-wardrobe cheeseburger hat.


I started with a fancy tin of Budweiser, then on to a photo box, and finally, FINALLY, ended up with an item that I can't believe I made it this long in life without...the beer belt, replete with a six pack of Milwaukee's Best. The Budweiser hat was a donation from a prior gift. It's photos like this that are hard evidence that, indeed, I am a man magnet.


Alas, when you check out early, you get the present everyone else is reeeeeeaaaallly sorry they didn't get....the thug shirt. I'm almost afraid to know where these people shop.

Work? What work?

Every year the DU staff get to volunteer at the Santa House in Midland. Hey, it's tough but someone has to do it. Part of the fun is that the kids usually leave their list for Santa there and we get to read a few of them. Here are some of the samples Kim found that gave us a good chuckle....



Love the P.S.


I'll take the new cell phone, flat screen TV and room makeover too, please. (what happened to asking for Barbies n' stuff?)



Again, love the PS and the PSS...


Jenny, Nana, Ethan and Carter showed up in the middle and I tried to get some fun pictures of them together. But throw in 30 spare people, trains, elves playing the piano, snow from the ceiling, and lots and lots of moving things and you get two boys that don't sit still for very long. Carter could not keep his eyes off all the trains and kept pointing over and over saying "Trains! Trains! Trains, Mama! Trains!"

Weekend O' Fun

The weekend started out with some Christmas entertainment via some cute boys. Kid concerts crack me up and Levi and Luke's proved to be just as fun. If only I had sound with these photos - that would be Levi right in the middle singing loud and proud (takes after ChaCha no doubt). My personal favorite is his little brother Luke, very adeptly picking his nose. And that's why I love little kids.



I think my favorite in this picture is the little boy in the blue shirt in the lower right corner...I can do that look rather well...mostly in meetings at work. :)


After the concert we had an even better evening of good wine and fun! Then it was on to a great parade in Coleman but you'll have to go visit Ryan's link at right because I don't like the pictures I took. :)

The big 0-3 for Ella

Ella and I were enjoying cake at the kids table during her very fun birthday party. She gets more adorable every day and her love of the color pink and great shoes has already bloomed (she got a pair of silver shoes with purple feathers and cowboy boots...I mean c'mon who doesn't need purple feathered shoes!).


Ella's little sister Layla was lounging around with cousin Henry...speaking of adorable.