obligatory school pics post

i love her gorgous, Jennifer Aniston- esque chin.   

his dimple and bright blue eyes

and her squinty, smiling eyes are fabulous.  (but, really, who spend money on preschool pics???)

christmas by the numbers

17          hours spent driving to St. George

9            same age cousins

14            hrs before the shovel came out (including sleeping time)

5            mandatory shopping stops: bohme, thai pan, downeast, passport, urban renewal

1            mustache too many

2            winning  Great Christmas Light Fight houses

4            gym days 

3           parry boys at the park

keeping caramels?

amidst the holiday chaos, i found myself wondering what can i cut next year to simplify christmas? 

it won't be christmas cards because it ensures a cherished family photo every year

it can't be the annual yw christmas party (or its elaborate planning)

i wouldn't omit the missionary experience with friends at the temple's gingerbread display
i was very tempted to cut the annual christmas party i let each child host but that tends to be my love language

and i treasure the yearly ornament exchange i have with an A list set of friends so that's not likely

...then i figured it out!  caramels!  my diet doesn't allot for it anyhow and i definitely don't want junk in return.  yes, that's it!  i'm cutting the caramels for 2016.  and then... jack came home with this:  

i think i'm keeping caramels...  

the sarcastic snow text remedy

My friend Stephanie knows the intense dislike i have for all things winter.  Sitting on the other extreme, she has an unusual affinity for winter (besides an admirable talent to make the best of most anything).  Very early in our friendship,  she began sending me a sarcastic text with every snow.  and the ritual was started.  I pretend to hate them and she continues to badger me with them.  It's become a remedy that i treasure on an otherwise unfavorable day.  This is her latest: 

and this is her:

my little elf on the shelf

This Christmas season, Dalia has been a consistent fixture on our kitchen counter top.  Anxious to figure out how to cook, fix, and prepare anything, she sits interested in learning everything.  "Mom, can i mix that?"  "Mom, will you let me measure that?"  She'll even say things like "Mom, please don't make that (banana bread) until I'm home from preschool ok?" or "Dad, wait for me to get my shoes before you put that on the grill."  This morning, my little elf watched with wonder while I cooked... wait for it... eggs.