What we do on Christmas Vacation...

Sledding...Part 2

More pics of sledding

Dashing through the snow :)

So yesterday we went sledding over at the honda hills near Jensen. It was cold, but the kids had a blast....even Ryann tried out going down a hill....She wasn't to impressed. I think that the bundled up factor was making her mad. The night before we drove out and walked around Temple Square and showed Maria all the lights there. It was nice to get away from home for the evening. The lights were amazing. I haven't seen Temple Square at Christmas since 1996....whew, that makes me feel OLD!!!!!

Countdown to Christmas....

The spirit of Christmas has really been trying to elude me this year. As the season has quickly come, I have felt unprepared and somewhat Grinch-ish about the whole season. I had hoped that doing some of the typical seasonal activities would bring the holiday happiness to me, I have found that it really hasn't. I know it is probably just this particular Christmas that I am struggling with and I am hoping that this coming year is much better and bright. Even thought I am not in the mood for Christmas, I really hope that my kids have had some really fun moments.

'Tis the Season....

Christmas is coming and I am so excited in so many ways.....I love the holidays, because everyone is going out of their way to brighten others lives....I wish it was that way all year. I love the songs and the lights, the snow and even the cold. Red and green never looked so good together, and making holiday cookies brings a smile to my face. I am blessed with a beautiful family and wonderful friends in my life. I think that an amazing transformation happens as I get older...I have realized that the more of myself I give to others...the more I receive in my life. Christmas is becoming more and more beautiful as this theory is played out every year.

Ryann LOVES Maria ♥♥♥♥♥

I don't think that Maria had any idea that Ryann would form such an attachment to her. Poor Maria cannot come out of her room without being attacked by my little munchkin. At times I have even found Ryann standing at her door waiting to pounce on her. I think it is cute, and hopefully Maria does too.

What daddy's do when they are babysitting.....

this is bathtime...with a watergun drinking fountain.

Time out bucket...the only place in the house where Ryann is still.

Lewis has been encouraging Ryann climbing onto everything!!

Lewis thinks that this is a good thing to encourage.

Daddy's Girl playing on the tractor around the house.

Lewis and Ryann are two peas in a pod.....She loves dirt and tools and grunting and growling. They love being outside and playing as much as possible. So whenever I leave and Lewis is left in charge he takes this as a way to teach Ryann things that will make my life harder or crazier. Got to love it. :)

Thanksgiving at the Casper's...

Mashed potato head :P

BLACK FRIDAY.....3:20 AM....she had better get more excited as she grows :)

The Thanksgiving photo...compliments of my dad.

First turkey fry....turned out yummy...even though I was nervous

The "rolls"....um...what can I say?!

Well in effort to make a wonderful holiday meal I am trying to hone in my culinary skills and make my own rolls. I tried a test run of the recipe a friend gave me. I followed the directions, and as any of my family knows...I need very precise directions. This recipe was a little more complex....the directions read like this....a handful of this and a handful of that. The one that threw me off the most was the Approximately seven cups of flour....What does it mean by approx.?!?! Does that mean less or more? Well in this initial first attempt I assumed less.....I was wrong!

The dough was soooo sticky! After adding what seemed like another two cups, and kneading it to death I think I have accomplished killing the yeast and who knows what they are gonna turn out like. Maria suggested that I put some in the oven and go from there. They were very dense but they did have a nice taste to them. All I can do is keep trying until I get it right. Maria made a wonderful memory of me with my hands covered in goop and her taking blackmail pics of my cooking. I'm glad that I can make a normal everyday thing into an adventure for her. :)

When Maria thinks that things cannot get any crazier...we have new adventures around every corner.....Lewis decided this year he wanted to try his culinary skills at deep frying a turkey. Lewis is famous for rigging up complex systems to make the job "easier".....when I looked out the sliding door to check on him....I was shocked to find the ladder and dusty dirty ropes and pulleys dangling over the fryer....all I could do was shut the door and walk away....We all enjoyed the turkey :) and hopefully and dirt and rust was burned to a crisp....or maybe it was what gave the bird the lovely color it had!

So to make it a complete holiday experience for our Maria....we got up bright and early for what we American loveingly call "BLACK FRIDAY".....I told Maria that this was the day that she would get to experience American Comsumerism at its....UM....best? Anyway we managed to get everyone up at 3:30am to drive 30 miles to Wal-mart (the big shopping mecca of our neck of the woods). Little did I know that due to Wal-mart employees being trampled to death by opening the door for the multitudes of stampeding shoppers, they decided to stay open all night long.

I grabbed all the hats, gloves and warm clothing together....preparing to stand in a huge line for an hour.....instead we were able to go right in and stand next to the desired items on our list. Maria was thinking that this was really a strange thing.....that was up until the guy came over the mic and announced....."Attention (screaming women all over the store)...." Then masses of people and chaos swirled all around. I think that she understands it all now.

My only thought was....I'd sure hate to be the employee who had to unlock the key to the door in the past.....That would have to be considered a demotion....wouldn't it?

Keep away

We just had a blast playing a game of keep away...and of course it was Maria and me against little Wesley. I know that is an unfair advantage, but what else can one expect? It was lots of fun and it ended our Sunday of games, from Old Maid, Go Fish, Gold Mish, to finally Sorry. (if your wondering what Gold Mish is.....well it is all the cards from Old Maid and Go Fish shuffled together and played like a huge matching game.) The kids ended up with hiccups from laughing so hard and nearly a loss of bladder control. What more can you ask on a Sunday night? On an odd note Maria and I lost it when I asked Wes where the movie was....Wes has always had a problem saying Theater.....some how there is a "d" in the middle and when he was younger it was movie videater....I'll have to tape it and post it someday, because we couldn't stop laughing.

Thanksgiving is coming....Food and Football :)

So now with Halloween over....we start to move into the rest of the Holiday season. I love this part of the year. Just seeing people with more smiles on their faces and being around family and friends. I love getting ready for Christmas, and putting up the lights and the tree. Making holiday goodies for people and delivering them. I just really love this time of year.

What?!?.....It's October already?

Okay...so now I know that this blogging thing....well let's just say that I suck at it. I had all these wonderful plans on keeping people updated?? Who, I don't know, but still people out there in cyberland need to know what is happening to me...right??

The summer flew by and now we are faced with my favorite season of the year FALL....and what fall is so wonderful for is HALLOWEEN. There I said it. I love love love Halloween....something about scaring the Bajesus out of people and getting rewarded with lots and lots of chocolate and candy.....it's gotta be heaven.

My downside is that born to me was a true halloween hater. Wesley is my child who tries very hard every year to buck up and be brave while his mother tortures him with masks, fake ghoulish decorations, flying witches, graveyards in our front yard, and everything in between.

Just the other day in Wal-Mart we had a major screaming melt down about the fake halloween masks. Lewis was ever so kindly trying them on and showing Ryann, who was laughing at them....while Wes was three aisles over screaming bloody murder. Several other adults were laughing at poor Wes having his melt down....and I was one of them, but I was also trying to tell him that they were not real, they were fake, and it was still dad underneath the mask....which didn't help.

One fellow shopper chimed in that wasn't it just great how we think it is funny how scared the kids get. Which I was thinking yeah....this is the part I love, but it feels so wrong when it is my kid freaking out. I am suppose to protect my kids, but at halloween time all bets are off. Sad to say that Wes is gonna have a rough time in our family.

He is showing improvement though....on the way home from the ordeal, he said," Mom, we can go to the house with the guy on the front porch this year, and the scary music, because I know it is a real guy and they had real good candy."

I hope they don't disappoint him....on the other hand the neighbors up the road from us they really decorate, wispy black grim reaper, coffin, bones, tombstones, etc.....Wes just stares as we pass.....and of course, I could not resist.....with him staring so intently trying to decide if the reaper was real or fake as we passed, I reached back grabbed him and said...BOO. He cried and I laughed....Okay so writing it down now...it was mean, but I LOVE HALLOWEEN.

And just a side note....Wes was traumatized about masks by an old friend of mine when he was two....she scared him in a store we worked at. She was behind me, jumped out with this scary mask on and he did this jumping screaming dance and was too scared to get to me because she was between us. To this day we drive by that store and he will say, "That's the store that Amanda scared me with that mask, huh mom." WE all nearly peed our pants laughing, but he is scarred for life by it.

Honestly I have down played the holiday since I know it bothers him so bad....I even throw out the "really scary" witch, but I cannot be held responsible for everyone else's scare tactics. I am holding out for him to let me know that he is OK with Halloween....he doesn't have to love it like I do, but when he gives me the "I'm Ok and it's all fake".....I hope he is prepared for what he will unleash. I have fears that I will have him under the covers shaking as a teenager....but we will see......muwhahahahahah!

Live life....

Ed Marshall (Lewis's half-brother), Jennie his sister and Lewis

Paddling around sandwash

Ryann and Basal trying to figure out how to escape

Wes and Lewis laying the crappy sod....lots of water and prayers are all

that will save it...haha

Lewis after his father's funeral

Well alot has been happening to the Casper's lately. Last month we sent Klara home, and since then it has been an adjustment. I lovede having her around to talk to, and she was really fun to get to know. Life of course moves on even if we don't...so basically we have been trying to keep busy.

Wes started his fourth year of swimming lessons....level 1....a step up from "preschool". I thought "here we go again".....this boy has hated the water with a passion since he was about 18 months old. Long story about a traumatic diagnostic test...involving water. ANYWAY.....Wes has surprised me and come into his own with the water this year. He was dunking and diving the second day of lessons....and most recently he gave me a near heart attack by doing a cannonball into the water. Can I just say AWESOME....I am so glad that he is getting over the past and moving forward.

Speaking of moving forward and getting over the past....the most recent and surprising event has been the death of my father-in-law. As most who know me have known....Ed and I did not see things eye to eye...We had not gotten to the point where we could even be around each other without much tension. I have just found out the hard way...that harboring a grudge is never worth what you miss out on. Ed collasped of a massive stroke the day after Father's Day, and he never came to for anyone to talk to him....so I had to make my apologies to him in the hospital before he passed away, and I regret not being able to do this before this happened.

Lewis is taking over his dad's business and I really hope that it all works out for him and his mom. Life is just full of surprises and I have decided that it is how well you take on the challenge that determines how well life is for you. As long as I can keep a positive attitude even when life hands me the "lemons" I will be okay.

We have been trying to not put off things now because of all this....so this last weekend we went to the lake and Lewis and the kids paddled around in the canoe...which I lovingly refer to as the "tin can".....I went out and it was way to traumatic of an event for me to continue. They had fun and I learned a valuable lesson..."little swimmers" are not of the same quality as regular diapers.....UHM....you canno put them on and then feed a bottle and then travel to the lake....major diaper explosion. Ryann was completely wet and so was the carseat. NOTE TO SELF: change baby at the destination...not before!