Call in the fashion police!

Dyl dressed himself today...Need I say more?

The Diet Coke Police...

Ok...so I know I'm way behind on blogging but I had to just add a little tid-bit 'cuz I know I'll forget by tomorrow. I didn't sleep well last night and, by morning, was dragging big time...and I needed CAFFEINE to get me moving! Dyl was getting ready for school and I was working and I asked if he'd run down to the fridge and get me a Diet Coke. "Sure, Mom!" he said with all willingness. A few minutes later Dyl plopped a large glass of cold milk on my desk. "Here, Mom...Milk is better for your bones. Diet Coke is bad for you." Good thing Diet Coke is the worst thing I drink!

On the 8th day of Christmas...We got warmed up!

Yummy, yummy, yummy...hot chocolate warms my heart,
It's freezing cold outside...hot chocolate is just the start!
Marshmallows, more marshmallows, I always ask for more...
Pile on the whipped cream...this stuff I sure adore!

On the 7th day of Christmas...We shoveled snow!

Snow, snow, keep falling down 'cuz Dylan wants to work,

No whining 'cuz it's freezin' cold--Dyl giggles with a smirk.

For he's been waiting all year long for snow to fall like this...

And, awe...what a joyful day...Filled with winter bliss!

Call me a bad Mom but I couldn't get Dyl to wear his winter coat for nothing. Dyl has been waiting for what seems like an eternity for the opportunity to shovel snow. A couple of months ago we were in WalMart and Dylan HAD to have this shovel so he could help shovel the driveway. You should've seen the glow in Dyl's eyes when he realized there was enough snow to go out and shovel. Now...I hope he's this excited about it when he's a teenager!

On the 6th day of Christmas...We made a fun cookie mess!

Sugar, sugar, sprinkles, candy,
Lookin' great and tastin' dandy!
Mixing, fixing, high and low...
Licking fingers, eating dough.
Baking cookies, fun galore!
Doesn't seem like it's a chore!I disinfected and cleaned things really well as not to get germs in our cookies...And then came this~

When we went to the store to pick out things to decorate with Dylan chose food coloring, glitter princess icing, sprinkles and M&M's...This was Dyl's favorite creation...

We spent lots of time mixing, rolling, cutting, baking and decorating but boy were our sugar cookies the best we ever tasted!

On the 5th day of Christmas...Festival of Trees!

Christmas jingles, dancing, too! Dylan is a star,

Feel the Christmas spirit...No matter where you are!

Lots and lots of fancy trees and decorations, too...

Falling puffs of pure, white snow...How can you be blue?

Dyl's little performing group, "Sunshine Generation," performed at the Festival of Trees. It gave us an excuse to go and enjoy the event. As always, Dyl did an absolutely amazing job, and afterwards we loved the display of trees. Of course, we didn't get out of the place without Dyl's favorite popcorn!

Santa Baby

So we were listening to Christmas tunes on FM100 and the song "Santa Baby" came on. Dyl piped up, "Mom, I never knew Santa used to be a baby...Babies can't go down chimneys!" Nice interpretation of the song, Dyl!

On the 4th day of Christmas...We begged Santa!

Santa, Santa I've been good so bring me lots of toys,
I wish for lots and lots of stuff...Just like other boys!
Trains and tractors, candy, even underwear will do!
I'm being nice, not naughty...And helping Mommy too!

On the 2nd day of Christmas...Wrapping Christmas Presents...

Wrapping presents...So much fun!
Bows and ribbons, too...
Lots of tape and lots of love,
So much left to do!

Dyl spent over 1/2 hour wrapping and decorating this present for Grandma & Grandpa. He used about 1/2 of a roll of tape so I don't think they'll be peeking before Christmas! I've never seen Dylan accomplish a task with so much detail and enthusiasm! Only the best for Grandma & Grandpa!

On the 1st day of Christmas...We DECORATED!

It's time to decorate the tree for Christmas soon will come,

Balls and bells and snowmen, too, and candy canes-YUM, YUM!

Just because we're tiny elves does not mean we can't do...

The best darn job at decorating...Merry Christmas from us to you!

Chase & Shay demanded that we wait for them to come over and help us decorate the tree...And I am GLAD! Chase, with his little mechanical mind, helped me figure out how to connect the tree up!

Chase, Dyl and Shay decorated the tree all by themselves...I didn't even touch it (Except for a little help with the star on top). Not too bad for a few little amateurs! A few bare spots...but very, very cute! Dyl says the stockings must go on the tree and he got them to hang up there without tipping the tree over so there you have it!

Countdown to Christmas!

My youngest sister, Ashley is way too organized and crafty for her own good! Ash came up with an idea to make a book and, in it, make up an activity to do from December 1st to December 25th. I was supposed to help Ashley make my book but I sorta conned her into making it for me while we were at Mom & Dad's for Thanksgiving. Isn't it adorable? It looks much better than if I would've made it myself! My job was to come up with poems for each activity as Ash thought we needed to be "creative." Here goes!

Hangin' on the Polar Express

We decided to take the kids on the Polar Express in Heber City this year. It was absolutely perfect except there was no snow on the ground. Oh well, the kids still had a wonderful time. They got new pj's to wear to the event and Dylan was so excited to wear the robe he picked out. It was just the perfect thing to get us all in the holiday spirit!

Dyl with his ticket...All aboard!

The kids tried to hold back their excitement and hold still long enough to catch a pic...

On the train we were served yummy chocolate chip cookies and delicious hot chocolate...Yum!

I think Jangle had a crush on Dyl!

While on the train ride we sang lots of Christmas songs and read the book "The Polar Express."

Uh...I hope Santa has a forgiving heart if Dyl is going to convince him to put him on the NICE list!!
All the kids got a bell from Santa. Dyl lost his before he got home and he was distraught! He claims he had a hole in his pocket...Sound familiar?

Closing Thoughts...

Afterwards we went to eat at Dairy Keen. There were train sets to play with and a train that went across the top of the restaurant...

Deep Thoughts by Dylan Findlay...

I am the most important thing in this world to my Mom. She still loves me even when I'm at Grandma & Grandpa's house. Moms love you even when you make bad choices. My mom smiles when I be good or draw her a picture. My mom likes to play basketball and throw the football with me but sometimes she has to work and that is boring. If I want my mom to laugh I tickle her feet but then she tickles me back but I'm still tougher than my Mom 'cuz I drink milk and my mom drinks diet coke.

Eatin' Turkey!

Dyl made this cute turkey in Mrs. Forsythe's class and I thought it was adorable! I wouldn't let Dyl eat it till we got home 'cuz I wanted to take a picture. He was a little impatient but gobbled up the whole thing once I got my pic...So cute! This year Thanksgiving was short as I had to be back home to work the Friday after...But we had a great time hanging out with the Findlay family and stuffing our mouths with that good home cookin'!

Serious Moments...

Ok...So Dyl is not a talker...unless he's trying to joke about something. Dyl doesn't like to talk about what he did at school or how his day went. I can't ever get him to open up about how he feels about a lot of things. According to Dr. Phil it's my responsibility to raise my child to be an adult and, one of women's biggest complaints is that their husbands don't like to talk or communicate. I know I'm trying to turn nature around, but I came up with a little game we play at night after we read books. I have a little light thing and, as we lie in Dyl's bed, we ask each other questions. Whoever has the light gets to ask the question. This is a good way to connect and communicate with Dyl and to see what's on his mind. Tonight one of my questions was, "What are you really good at doing or what is your best talent?" Since this is usually a more serious time for us I was expecting something like--drawing, building, singing, dancing, football...But, no! I got the 'ole "I'm really good at peeing on the grass!" And, from what I hear from other moms...It only gets worse!

The Truth About Elves

While driving in the car the following conversation took place:
Dyl: Mom, have you ever seen the movie "Up?"
Mom: No, Dyl. Aunt Tracy took you to see that and Mom hasn't seen it yet.
Dyl: Well it's a GOOOOOD movie!
Mom: Maybe that's what I'll ask Santa Claus to give me for Christmas.
Dyl: Mom, Santa's elves can't make movies.
Mom: Yes they can...Elves can make anything they wanna make.
Dyl: Mom, you sure don't know much about elves. Geez! But think whatever you wanna think!

Would you like a little sugar with that?

It started out like any other ordinary day. The alarm clock went off. I went downstairs and packed Dyl's lunch and backpack for school, grabbed a Diet Coke out of the fridge, and came back upstairs to wake Dyl up to get ready before I had to work. Dyl is a little finicky in the mornings so I usually give him a few options as to what he wants for breakfast. He didn't sound too interested in any of the options so I gave him his clothes and told him to get dressed. (I've learned if he ain't hungry I ain't gonna force him to eat anything!) Leslie came and picked Dyl up for school and a little later I took a break. I walked in my bedroom and there was Dyl's breakfast all over my bed...M & M's and leftover fun-dips from Halloween, followed by his bag of dum-dum suckers he's been working on for a couple of months. I wonder if he at least had a glass of milk with that??? I bet Miss Joanne had a fun morning!