A Very Merry Christmas!

Temple Square

Making Gingerbread houses

We wondered at the end why Carter had less candy then McKay... after going through the pictures I found out why!!!

Cannon was NOT excited to open his Christmas pajamas! Or, he wasn't excited to have Carter hold him down for the picture!

Once they were open and on and he was with Grandpa... he was happy!

On Christmas Eve we always play a new game. This year we played "Chairs". You try and see how high you can stack the chairs without them falling over!

We at the Turley house do not just leave cookies for Santa - But, we leave juice for the reign deer! A very special juice that has been known to have apple juice, milk, carrots, whip cream, chocolate chips, cinnamon, oranges, bananas.... I think you get the point! The boys make it by themselves & each year it is different! But, the reign deer LOVE it!

So, I'm not one to like to post pictures of myself in the first place... and it is VERY painful to post one on Christmas morning pre-shower! But, this is what Carter gave me for Christmas! James took him shopping with my list! But, this is what he found and what he had to have! It's a horn that I can blow if I am ever in trouble! And if I am in trouble and blow the horn he will come and save me! And the necklaces around my neck are from McKay! So, I can look beautiful when I go grocery shopping!!! And you better believe that I will wear them when I go grocery shopping this week!

We were lucky enough to have my parents come and stay with us this Christmas! Carter had called and invited them a couple months before & the boys prayed every day that the roads would be good enough for them to come! I will fully admit that I was just as excited as anyone for them to come! We had a wonderful time! We went to Temple Square to see the lights with Curtis & Susan and Megan & Greg and the girls. Mom & Dad took the boys to Cabellas for an afternoon of seeing the animals, playing the shooting games & lunch. I had a list of things that I needed my Dad's help on around the house. But, mostly our time was spent just being together - watching movies, playing games, and carrying out our Christmas traditions!

The boys were spoiled this year by Santa, Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles and Cousins! It touched my heart to see the things that family gave them this year! They truly took into consideration who my little boys were and their personalities & gave them wonderful gifts! I personally know that Amy & my Mom went all over Idaho Falls to find the boxing gloves for Carter! Thank you!

I struggled this year as we are in a little rental and it just wasn't feeling "homey"... But, as the tree went and the Christmas spirit set in it started to feel like home! I learned that it doesn't matter where you are... it only matters who you have with you & the true reason. The boy's truly understood this year that we were celebrating our Savior's birth. I hope you all had a wonderful & merry Christmas!

Lazy Days...

Today... we are still in our pajamas, the boys made a fort out in the snow - just to come in & get back into their pajamas! It's a pajama day! Drinking homemade hot chocolate, making fudge, warming homemade potpourri on the stove with oranges, lemons, cranberries, cinnamon sticks & whole cloves - the house smells sooooo..... Christmasy! If that's even a word! I finally hooked the Wii up for the boys & they have been enjoying watching A Christmas Story. Cannon has a candy cane mustache (or as he calls them "nanny nane's"!). I am working on cutting out a quilt for Cannon for his Birthday & we are just enjoying a lazy day... looking forward and anticipating Christmas! My parents are supposed to come..... weather permitting..... & we are really looking forward to having them here! They rank right up there with Santa Clause! I love the feeling of anticipation.... it is in the air!

I Want This Pillow... BAD!

Seriously... I have to have this pillow! I think that it is darling & want to put it on Cannon's bed now that he has his own little bed! Stephanie Nielson showed it on her blog & I have been stalking it at the Pillow Factory 0n Etsy : http://www.etsy.com/shop/pillowfactory. However, $110 is WAY more than I would ever even dream of spending on a pillow for my almost 2-year-old's bed! My "Significant Other" would shoot me! And I would be physically ill over the purchase - that would buy many yards of fabric! So, the wheels in my head are turning... I'm making him a little quilt for his Birthday in January & think that I just might have to see what I could put together for his own pillow to! It's just darling I say!

Peppermint Fudge...

I unpacked my last box today! Yeah! I have been putting off doing anything Christmas until I was unpacked... We did finally put up the Christmas Tree on Saturday - only because McKay and Carter were begging for it... I was putting it off as long as I could - I didn't want to fight Cannon tearing off all the ornaments! And wouldn't you know it he hasn't even touched it once! Here's to hoping that he doesn't all of a sudden notice a large tree in the corner with bright lights and ornaments all over it!

So, now that the boxes are unpacked it is time to start with Christmas! Time to start baking & decorating (yes, I am aware that Christmas is less than 2 weeks away & it is a little late to get into the spirit! I'm okay with that!). I saw this recipe for fudge & we are going to make it for family night tonight. Or, I will probably make it up before hand to have it ready to eat at family night! It killed the kids to wait while I put the lights on the tree... can you imagine how crazy it would be if they had to wait for fudge to set! My kids LOVE candy canes & this will be the perfect little treat with some hot chocolate!



So, here's the link at Making Memories With Your Kids: http://makingmemorieswithyourkids.blogspot.com/2010/12/white-chocolate-peppermint-fudge-week.html

Leader of the Poop Patrol....

I will full on admit that I have thought that it was a little funny each time that my nephews thought that it was a good idea to swallow an object... my sister-in-law's would stand watch and hope that what ever it was would pass! They would be the leader of the poop patrol! Well, on Tuesday Mr. Cannon got into Carter's wallet and I came into the room just in time to see him drop a coin into his mouth... I tried to swipe it out - but, was to late and watched as he worked to swallow it down... I called James right away & told him what had happened. He wasn't giving me enough panic! He was way tooooo calm - so, I quickly got off the phone and called my parents! In the mean time Cannon had drank a whole sippy cup of apple juice and had eaten an orange - So, he wasn't in any kind of distress. He was already running around chasing after his brothers again! It was the Mom that was in distress! After calling three medical providers this is what I got: As long as the child is not showing any immediate discomfort & can eat and drink then you need to wait it out. If he starts throwing up at any time bring him in immediately. And if the coin has not passed in three days bring him in. In the mean time everyone I know decided it was a good time to tell me all of the horror stories they had heard of children ingesting objects! This is not the time to share that information!!! So, I was now the leader of the poop patrol! Everyday I picked McKay up from school his first question was "Did Cannon poop out the coin today"! It was a family affair! We didn't know what we were waiting for - a quarter, nickel, dime or penny! We were hoping for a dime or penny! And luckily enough this morning Carter got his penny back! Well, I asked him if he wanted it back! He was very quick to turn it down! So, for all of you who have laughed when other children have done it... it will one day be your turn!!! And you will get to wear the crown of the leader of the poop patrol!

Christmas Gift Idea!

So, I saw this cute picture holder at Shanty2Chic and the wheels in my mind started turning! I quickly sent the link to Megan (my cousin - who just happens to live here by me!) & got her excited about making them for Christmas gifts! Right now I think she is cursing me though! We split up our list of the things to purchase. I took Lowe's and Home Depot (and I got my stuff easy enough!)... she took Hobby Lobby because she was on her way there.... needless to say that two of the Hobby Lobby's in our area are completely out of what we need! And she has been all over looking for the bases, candle stick and little applique's... Finally we found out what day our Hobby Lobby gets new orders in and we will be there first thing trying to get the things to finish our little project! Next time I find a little project for us to do she is going to run the other way!!!

I live in craftville Utah! Maybe the craft store near you has what you will need to make one! If so, here's a link to the directions at Shanty2Chic: http://shanty2chic.blogspot.com/2010/12/cheap-but-chic-christmas-gift.html

And if I just happen to have your name for Christmas don't bother making one!

Coming Out Of The Moving Haze!

Well, after moving, unpacking, finding lots of my stuff broken after a year of storage... heading to St. George for Thanksgiving, unpacking some more, getting McKay settled into a new school, getting Carter settled into a new primary class, Christmas shopping & unpacking more... and throw a bout of the flu in there for all three boys... I have felt a little crazy! But, I finally feel like I am coming out of the haze of it all! Starting to feel a little settled! Just a little!