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Christmas Day

Christmas was nice. It is so sad to think about it all now because it isover. I wish it would last a little longer but now it goes so fast. JJ was so excited that he couldn't sleep on Christmas Eve. He reminded me of Kevin. So Juan and I where up most the night. JJ was lucky that Santa even came to him, he must of slept for a few minutes.

JJ and I spent most the day at the Stevenson's. It is always fun to go there. Lots of things happening at their home. Our home must be boring because we only get Victor and Kathy for a few minutes on christmas. No one else comes. I gues we really don't have any one else. Well, Hope you like the pictures.

BAKING DAY AT MALINDA'S

Last Friday was our baking day. It was a lot of fun but we did miss everyone that wasn't there. We got started at about 1 pm. We had to wait for JJ to get out of school so I could go down. We had big plans. Mounds, Oreo Truffles, Cinnamon nuts, Cool whip thingers, Gingerbread men. We almost did get everything done. We started with the mounds, than the Oreo truffles. Than the cinnamon nuts. We tried two recipes. one similar to Mom's and one we found on the Internet for spiced orange nuts. I still am not sure which ones I like best. Juan liked the one with just the cinnamon I think Josh and Doug liked the orange ones. I couldn't taste the orange zest at all. Than we made cool whip thingers. We made Dark chocolate ones Yummy. Becca really liked them. JJ just about lost his dinner when he tried them. After we dipped all the mounds and Truffles. We started on the milk chocolate cool whip thingers well, we burned the chocolate. So we gave up. We called it a night. So we never did get to the gingerbread men. I had to make them my self. JJ helped decorate them For FHE. I should have taken a picture of all of his really cute ones. But most of my neighbor goodie plates are taken out. I love to bake this time of year.



Cinnamon Nuts Yummy
All the mounds and Oreo truffles
The very happy bakers or candy makers. We may be a little delusional. It is toward the end and with all the sugar in the air and our systems it could be affecting us.
Josh and his frozen hands from carrying the frozen cookie sheet up from the freezer. CHRISTMAS ELF'S
Mother .... ... like Daughter


WE MADE OREO TRUFFLES! A GIRL AT WORK MADE THEM AND CAME UP WITH A NEW NAME I THINK OUR FAMILY WOULD APPROVE. "REINDEER POOP"

MaLinda playing with Reindeer Poop! He! he! he!

more Lloyd party pics

Lloyd Christmas party.

The Lloyd part was really fun. It just wasn't the same without Mom and Dad. Rod and Connies family weren't there either. They were really missed. The thing that was really great well beside being with my family was when we went around and everyone told about there favorite Christmas. I couldn't think of just one I love all the "Christmas pasts" I know I will love all of the "Christmas Futures" too. But as everyone told about theirs it brought back so many memories. I am so thankful for the birth of Christ. That we have this beautiful time of year to celebrate with our families. I wish we could celebrate this way all year round.

All that work just wore JJ out. He didn't even have to get the stuff out and put away all the extra things we didn't use. He is such a light weight.

Putting up the Christmas Tree!

It is always so much work to get all of the decoration out and figure out which ones I want to put up but it was fun because we got a new tree this year. I think it turned out really pretty




JJ is always such a good helper. He is always helping me do things.




The finished product is always worth all of the work to get it up.

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving was great a little different without Mom and Dad but still great. MaLinda did an amazing job as always. We were so grateful that she let us come to her home. The kids had a lot of fun. Grandma Veona brought sparkling apple juice for dinner and the kids all had about 4-5 glasses each with their dinners. We didn't have as many pies this year but we had plenty and they were all good. Well, I didn't try them all but no one complained. I made my first apple pie. I think it came out really good. I should have gotten a picture oh well, I will have to make another one.

HALLOWEEN

I love the Jack-O-Lanterns
Isn't this just too creepy?
The whole gang.
Pumpkin heads
gutting the pumpkins