And to all a good night....

I'm only about 1600 days late with this post. It's cool. I know I havent killed anyone in anticipation--so we will continue on like the date is not September 26th 2012....but more like...December 28th, 2011.

Berns grew up in Brazil--Christmas was spent on a beach... WHA? I know...strange but true.

I grew up in Colorado.---Christmas was spent snuggled under blankets looking at white snow outside. (Let's be honest, some years it was spent looking out the window LONGing for the white snow to fall.) Regardless--it was freezing.

I'm pretty sure if we lived in Brasil I would drag my fake pine tree to the beach and set it up--and put fake snow around it. People would stare. It wouldnt be a pretty site.....

And since Vegas is not a snowy place--we spent another year packing up all the goodies and treking it over to my sister's house in Utah to partake of their frigid weather, snowy mountains, and hot chocolate.

The whole fam showed up a few days early so we could do some serious sledding, and go see the lovely lights at Temple Square. it was so nice having so many of us together to enjoy the true meaning of the holidays. Writing about Christmas just makes me giddey and anxious for the next one to come...and see, now that I wrote about it in September I only have to wait a few months. Until then--let's ooh and ahh over some pictures.

um, hello pretty pretty building.

Our little family picture + my nephew Jackson. He wanted to be included. He's awesome.

Little curious faces are my favorite.

2 princesses awaiting their their treasures.

Christmas morning--Santa brought Zo a whole PONY VILLAGE! The kid was in heaven.

Riley had been dying to have this Barbie. Not real sure why cuz she wasn't really into Barbies--but probably due to the fact that she was super "fancy"...Riley is all about fancy.

Check out the face when she opened Playmobils. I think Berns was even more excited. Best. Toys. Ever.

All the kids got matching Christmas PJs made specially by yours truely.

Bia slept through all the opening of presents--but woke up in time for Chruch. Being that it was Sunday we took a break after seeing what Santa brought and went to church--you can tell my children were thrilled about it. --

However--coming back home and realizing they still got to open presents they were overjoyed.

Love Christmas. Love my Family. End of story.

Run, Run, as fast as you can

Yes--It was that time of year again. The time when I spend an insane amount of Ben Franklin's on candy that will inevitably be thrown into the trash. (We wont go into just how much I spend, my husband might be reading this....) However, it's an essential part of the year when we gather our friends and try to see who can make the best graham cracker house (We like to pretend they are made out of gingerbread....).  Unfortunately this year we had a bit of a challenge in that we didn't have any piping bags for the icing...so we were stuck using knifes (truly an amateur move on my part). 

The girls wanted to invite their best buds over and have a little holiday gift exchange as well--sweet little Preston even brought Baby Bia a present. Its always a thrill to see how excited the girls are and the creations they come up with. Berns and I both decided to take a step out and let them have a go at building their own....Zoie started and then just decided the candy was the most important part of the entire thing....take a look at the finished product.

The little houses weren't too stable due to the lame method of gluing I provided.....Maybe next time I'll remember the piping bags.....or rubber cement...that might keep things together a little better.

(excuse the nice yellow hue of all the pictures...I didn't feel like editing it out....you'll live.)

Riley and Hailey diving in.....trouble makers I tell ya.

Preston working on his masterpiece. I think he made a ski jump or something resembling it at the end.

Bia was just content eating the crackers--it was best she was locked behind a tray.

Preston's masterpiece....Amazing.

Riley's masterpiece in the making

Viola! I would like to point out the adorable little street light. Go ahead--squint your eyes and take a moment to find it.

Hailey's masterpiece.

And then there is Zo's....I feel as though the child may grow up to be a hoarder.....

Taking a bird's eye view....At least there is SOME graham crackers in there.

Preston gave her a snuggly little bear. Her and Bia walked around all night like this.

True contortionist at heart.

Love.

Makin the List

Christmas season kick off with writing letters to Santa. Zo informed us that she is both Naughty AND nice....at least she should get some points for being honest.

Working hard scribbling

Ri informed me there wasn't enough room on the space provided to write a letter....so she had to unfold and flip over to squeeze everything in.


Concentrate...don't. forget. anything.

Bia...and me...pretending to write Bia's list...but more likely making one for myself.

Next day Riley making sure Santa got the letters.

WOOT WOOT!! Postal Elf delivers yet again. Took the letters and left candy canes as a symbol that he received them.



Bia got a candy cane despite her lack of effort writing the letter.


Christmas magic sparkly in little Zo's eyes. I love it.

Glitter and Gold-Christmas pt 1.

"Hello. My name is Shea; and I'm a Christmasaholic."

"Hi Shea"

"I have no intention of giving up my unruly behavior during the Christmas season of becoming too giddy, excited, and down right childlike. I will forever buy too many gifts, put up too many decorations, and plan too many Christmas activities. I will eat absurd amounts of Christmas frosted cookies and continue to watch for Santa on norad.com. I will forever make a Christmas list and hope that I have been nice. I will consistently seek out cute nativities that I want to display and blast Christmas music too loud starting in November.
I will spend too much money.
I will puff paint men's tube socks.
I will cry reading a story about a little Angel.
I will go "shopping" at malls only to hope and find a performing group singing in Santa hats.
And I will never stop because that's how I was raised. Thanks to my mother and my Grandfather I will never kick my addiction. So bring on more bells, carols, and hallelujahs. Read more stories about the birth of our Savior and play more games around the table. If you have kicked your habit I am sorry for you.
That is all."

Gobble Goiter

1 of my favorite words is Gobble. Cuz it's super fun to say. And it's even funner to say if you say Goiter after it...10 times fast....Gobble Goiter, Gobble Goiter..... go ahead....try....no ones watching.....



Things I am thankful for:
My husband
My children
My parents
My siblings

Everything else is the fluff stuffed into each one.

This year sister Damon called me 2 days before Thanksgiving and told me her and Mr. Schmelz were coming last minute for Thanksgiving!!!

This made my soul happy. You see, it's like a tradition to have her here. We decorate for Christmas immediatly following Thanksgiving ; and she is usually here (usually by coincidence).
The girls were also thrilled to hear they were coming. I think Riley has a crush on Uncle Jeff.....

We ate dinner at my Uncle Steve's house cuz all the cousins and big scmogisborg of people were there. (ok, not ALL the cousins, cuz that is about 8 million.). It was a mini family reunion.

The food was fantastic. The company was better. And I was all kinds of giddey cuz Thanksgiving officially marks the Holidays.

She found the chocolate. Gross.

Sister Damon and Me. Love.

Riley a little too thrilled to decorate some ornaments.

Caught in the act.

The hubs. He's so good.

Jeff and Damon. We love you guys!

Zo's turkey.