I am so on the ball: December [two]

Lets keep knocking out this list...

December: 

Breakfast with Santa event with East Valley Moms Blog 

Amelia turned 7

Holiday Concerts 

Student of the month award 

Christmas

Family Reunion (Chris's side)

Evelyn and Amelia both had Holiday Concerts this year. A week a part. 

Surpise surprise Evelyn didn't want a picture after her concert, but Mia was happy to after her concert the following week.  

Both girls had speaking parts in their concerts and the did an amazing job.  Evelyn ended up being thrown in last second to cover a different speaking part of someone that didn't show.  She did awesome. Both girls are always happy to be on stage and performing and doing their best. 

Evelyn was happy to take a picture with her student of the month medal though.  Evelyn was selected along with one other kid to receive this award for the month of December. She works hard at school and pushes herself to be the best student she can be.  Very proud of Evelyn and she is very proud of herself and her accomplishments. 

Christmas was very chill this year.  Since Christmas fell on a Sunday this year we were able to go to church and it was very nice.  Its not very often we get to do that, and that was my favorite part of Christmas this year. 

I didn't take any pictures of the kids opening gifts, just a quick family pic before church and some random cute pics of the kids Christmas Eve. 

I am so on the ball: December  [ONE] [THREE]

Traditioooooooooon, tradition!

Oh Christmas traditions.

We don't really have set traditions. Maybe someday we will have something more concrete. We mostly just have things we would like to do, but not a big deal if you don't get to it.

• Put up tree before Thanksgiving and decorate after 
• Visit Santa
• Decorate gingerbread houses
• Visit Mesa Temple lights
• Decorate cookies

• deliver treats to neighbors
• fires in the backyard 
• drinking hot chocolate

The kids and I have enjoyed thinking about and doing simple services with the  Light the World campaign for the LDS Church this year.

I have been over booked and over stressed out the last couple months.  So, I've been trying to keep things fun for my kids but also keep their expectations super low.  I hate to disappoint them with big promises and small deliveries.  We've skipped many parties and activities to just spend time and enjoy each others company.  I know Christmas time is a time for families gatherings, but this year I'm more focused on little family, at home. 

Do you enjoy traditions or do you like to keep it low key?  I'm not a planner in general so the lowest key possible for me, please. 

I'm liking this post up today with Mommy Style Monday ladies. 

Check out what traditions are happening in their homes. 

Kiana // Glitter & Donuts

Madeline // CaseyLand

Cayli // Nightchayde

Britt // My Little Sunshine

Juli // Enjoying the Journey

Chelsea // Naturally Chels

Sue // Sue's News

If you'd like to join in the next Mommy Style Monday head on over to 

Kiana // Glitter & Donuts or Madeline // CaseyLand 

FYI: I also recently wrote a blog post about a winter bucket list for EVMB if you're interested in that. :)

we got cereal?

i guess its about time for some sort of update. i think i've made everyone wait long enough.

 

right now i only have the few pics that i took on Christmas eve.

 

the christmas pics are on my husbands camera which is with him in idaho right now.

yeah.

christmas eve

 

making sugar cookies for santa

 

 

 

most of the cousins were able to get together at my parents house and make some cookies.

the first batch the kids made whatever they wanted.

 

it was pretty funny.

 

my parents give the grandkids either pajamas or slippers every christmas eve.

this year was pajamas!

 

 

"we got cereal??"

i think mia was actually a litte diappointed

because she LOVES that chex cereal.

 

inside were their jammies

 

 

 

angry birds for evelyn

princesses for amelia

 

they love them!

 

as soon as chris gets back from idaho

i'll get the christmas pics on here.

we had a great christmas.

the girls love all the things they recieved this year.

 

 

 



merry christmas to all

"But this... this sound wasn't sad. Why... this sound sounded glad. Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small, was singing, without *any* presents at all! He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming, it *came*! Somehow or other... it came just the same."

"He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. Maybe Christmas, he thought... doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!"
 

 

A simple reminder of what Christmas is about.

 

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!!

 

 

 

 

 

 



santa clause is coming to town

i totally forgot about seeing santa this year.

 

we went last friday.

yeah that was a pretty busy day.

 

the girls were so excited

they couldn't wait to see him

 

until it was our turn.

at least for amelia.

 

its almost our turn! mia was dancing on the floor and evelyn was hugging the nutcracker (slightly inappropriate and hilarious)

 then this happened.

not a big fan this year. hahaha.

 

evelyn asked santa for a reindeer toy for christmas.

any idea where santa might find one of those??

 

mia just cried in his face.

 

I'll be spending these last few days before baking.

cookies and cinnamon rolls.

wish me luck.

a lot of late nights.

 

i hope everyone has a wonderful day and a happy weekend!

Its almost christmas!

 

 

 

yay for the weekend

so its wednesday, and i'm talking about last weekend.

 

so friday the lets make a deal thing happened. woot! then that same night was the Annual Crandell dinner/gift exchange. awesome!

 

This years pick was to Pita Jungle. 

I had not been their before.

so i tweeted if anyone had and what i should get and i got a response to try the black bean burger. 

so i did and it was amazing! YUM!!

 

 

it was huge and amazing and i ate the whole thing.

didn't even phase me. i guess i was hungry.

so flipping good.

i could eat another one right now.

i need to stop thinking about it.

 

mmmmmm...black bean burger.

 

 

oops.

 

so after we ate

 we skipped the cheesecake everyone ordered and went next door to the frozen yogurt shop and ate some delicious yogurt!

when i say we, i mean my husband and i.

 

HIS all about the candy

 

HERS all about the fruit.

 

it was so good and so needed even though i was stuffed

there is ALWAYS room for frozen yogurt! ALWAYS!

 

it was a great time with my brothers, sisters, and parents.

we all got some great gifts.

lots of loud talking, lots of laughs

its just so much fun to be with family and have a good time.

especially over great food!!

 

 

 

bearded children...

 

I really wish it would be cool with my kids if i did this too them.

it would be the funniest thing ever.

 

i hope you enjoy this hilarious video.

 

 

and i hope this makes your tuesday slendid!

 

 

 

oh hi there

yeah hi. remember me. the girl that disappeared for a week with no trace of her what so ever.

sorry about that. the week just flew by it was crazy, but crazy fun. :)

so here is a little update for ya.
highlights from our thanksgiving

• yummy food
• laughing
• kick ball (ps. i would not recommend playing while 26weeks pregnant, but i never take my own advice. i was tired and sore but it was so fun!)
• competitive family members
• great deserts
• having fun with family.

i love my family! 

 i was in charge of making potatoes for the feast.

note to self: my range is too tiny for three pots

and 20lbs is too many.

 put of the tree the day after thanksgiving

we have the grown up tree and the kid tree.

they've been having a great time decorating it everyday, over and over and over again.

oh Christmas tree.

 yesterday was my nephew rigden's 3rd birthday!

he invited us to celebrate his big day at bounce u.

the girls had so much fun and they were wiped out when we got home.

they could barely stay awake to eat their dinner.

 

 

see i haven't gone missing. this weeks is going to be another doozy. evelyn is recovering from a mad cold, making ornaments, and getting everything ready for my sisters baby shower this saturday. woot.

 

oh and my little amelia will be THREE next monday! so many fun things happening!

 

I really hope y'all had an amazing thankgiving and make it the best day and week ever!

 



 

 

late, oh well.

now that things are cooled down a bit, i will post some pictures of the big day for my little children.

evelyn loves santa & mia well, she could care less really.

they were so excited with all the things that he brought to our house this year.

1,2 &3

The girls were so excited to open their presents.

4

i got Anasatia on VHS! Yes! just what i always wanted.

just kidding. chris put some earring in that cause he wanted to through me off if i tried to guess what it was.

5

we ended up at my parents house at 2:30pm to have breakfast with my aunts, uncles & cousins on my mom's side.

it was the best breakfast ever.

the girls got their gifts from papa and grandma crandell.

6&7

nothing better then getting to play with new toys on christmas.

i ended up getting chris something for christmas. cause i knew he got me something, we usually don't get each other things, it's all about the children. however, i got him all 3 matrix movies on blu-ray.  i got a wicked sweet deal on amazon, thanks to Freebies 2 deals for posting about it.

it was a great year. now i'm trying to convince evelyn that we need to take down the christmas tress. not going to well.



oh and i decided to send out a new year card instead of christmas. i like that idea because cause i can never remember to send things out before.



here come santa clause

we took the children to see Santa again this year at bass pro shop.
by far the greatest santa experience out there. please go asap. last year was long and the girls were tired and cranky, this year hardly any wait, they were excited and laughing and there was so many other things to do and see.

this year was really fun.

we love taking a video of the run to santa, this year mia was excited but then she wasn't so sure about what was happening.

they had so much fun!

the picture that the shop took of them was so funny!

evelyn has the best cheese smile ever!

i'll scan it in the computer and

wowza

I never realize how much time has passed until i look at the date of the last time i posted. doh!

i have been busy, but then again not busy.  I'm not sure how to describe it.

the thing i'm busy with the most right now is the baby shower that i am planning for my SIL for this Saturday.  I decided the 15th to do this, i got the invitations done and mailed out the next day. and now i'm collecting and making decorations and figuring out arrangements for the desserts and fun. 

I love throwing parties. i think it was 3 Sundays in a row we had some sort of party at my house. it was nuts.

One thing that i need to remember to not over look is the fact that my sweet little baby, well not anymore, will be turning 2 on Saturday as well. 

We are celebrating on Friday.  We are taking her to the children's museum in down town mesa for a day of awesome. I've never been myself so i'm super excited too! :) i can't wait to share the fun and excitement of her birthday with her.


How has your weeks been, thanksgiving? decorating for Christmas? ( i need to start that too)

my goals this week are:

-get all decorations (babyshower & christmas) up by Thursday
-take more pictures
-30min of exercise everyday
-drink 8 glasses of water a day
-smile & laugh a little bit more this week
-take my kids for a couple of walks
-watch a Christmas movie to get my holiday cheer going
and finally
-don't screw up the cake pops I'm making :)

have a wonderful Monday!!