Love me some AC360

I just watched Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper do New Year's Eve at Times Square on CNN.  If he is not the cutest thing on TV, I just don't know what is.  My favorite is when he is guest hosting on Regis and Kelly and to be truthful, I really wish the Reege would decide to spend some more time at his Conneticut mansion with his cute wife and leave the show to Anderson and Kelly-soo funny when he is on.  If you agree that you can not get enough Anderson... go HERE and THERE. However, my all time favorite, is Kelly trying to get him to dance.. she is a NUT.

Grandma outdid herself...

HUGGING GRANDPA RED IS ALWAYS FUN

WE LOVE GRANDMA FARM

SADIE AND HER BLANKIE FROM GRANDMA FARM

ANOTHER UNFORGETTABLE GRANDPA HUG

AVERY AND SADIE SOAKING UP GRANDMA'S LOVE

T-MAN WITH HIS COZY BLANKIE

MS MAGGOO WITH HER FANCINESS

SAI, BLAKE & SADIE OUR 3 MUSKETEER BABIES WATCHING A MOVIE

SOPHIE IS UNDER THERE SOMEWHERE

Our little ole Grannie Rass made all of her grandchildren the softest blankets this year.  She did a total of 15, I think, and really put alot of effort and love into each one.  Luke now has 4 blankies that he carries around with him.. 

1. Dinosaur blankie (he has had since he was a baby, I made that one out of all of our old levi's) 

2. Grandma Farm's soft cheetah blankie 

3. His Penguin blankie that Grandma Jeanne gave him this Christmas 

4. His car blankie that his Primary teachers gave him this year for Christmas.  

I am starting to wonder if maybe he looks cold all of the time. But really, it used to be bad enough to have him dragging his dinosaur blankie all over, but now it is like he needs a backhoe every time he decides he needs to move his blankies. Even now as I look at his little sleeping boy face, it is half covered with parts of 4 different blankies.  

Well, at least now I know he will never be cold. He may suffocate to death or trip on one as he hauls them back and forth, but he will NOT be cold!

GRANDMA AND GRANDPA FARM'S CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

 

We decided for Christmas that it would be fun to surprise Mom and Dad and redo their front room.  There was some patch work needing to be done on one of the walls and we wanted to repaint the entire room, adding a warm accent wall.  Brett agreed to make a new mantel for their fireplace (he is so talented!).  It was like pulling nails to get them out of their house for a few hours and I think they both had an anxiety attack trying to figure out what we were doing that was taking so long. Well, we accomplished alot in a few hours and I think they were both shocked when they walked in.  We actually got a few tears from Mom, so I think that means she liked it.  

The three stooges...

The new mantel made all the difference in the room

Todd had not packed a shirt he wanted to paint in so he raided MY MOM'S closet and came up with this green number.  He looked so radiant while hanging pictures and painting..very in touch with his feminine side.

SURPRISE!!

Their posterity LOVES them so much

HUGS

It was a fun day spent with my crazy siblings and their spouses, all of whom I love very much! Thanks for a great day of service for the old ones..

CHRISTMAS IS HERE AT LAST

Maddie hugging Grandpa

Grandpa crying while reading Maddie's letter

Grandma reading Tanner's letter

Dad checking out his awesome back massager

Tanner hugging Maddie (this will be sent to the Smithsonian ASAP)

Tanner is looking sweet in his new pj bottoms and his new preppy shirt his sister bought him.

Grandma and Luke

Maddie and Sadie

Tanner and Luke

Maddie was SO excited about her jeans from Buckle

Sadie got some her first Polly Pocket "ladies" (as she calls them)

Tanner with some cool new Converse..

Luke loved his stocking treats, especially his orange drink

Grandma and Grandpa came at 7:00 a.m. to see what Santa had brought to the Ashby Family.  Daddy had to wake us all up!  Heaven! I think Todd was more excited that anyone and almost wouldn't wait for me to get downstairs first to see faces and take pictures.  I love that he loves Christmas so much.  He loves to surprise me every year and every year he succeeds.  

This year I got a beautiful picture of Christ to hang in our living room.  He always writes us all very heart-felt letters and this has become a highlight of our Christmas.  The kids wrote to their Grandma's and Grandpa's this year and put their letters in a cute little treasure box along with some candy.  Both sets of grandparents seemed to really love their letters from the kids.  Maddie also helped the babies write letters to me and Todd.  It is so awesome to feel so much love in our home at Christmas.. I wish I could say we had the same appreciation for each other the other 364 days a year.  

Santa seemed to have suffered some sort of amnesiac attack this year.. He forgot all of the things that he had previously made/bought for the kids so they ended up with a bit on the excessive side.  Santa needs help around this time of year.  Santa needs a Mrs. Claus, or Mrs Claus needs a Mrs Claus.  Anyway, it was a great morning with Grandma and Grandpa Ashby.  After the marathon unwrapping session and hugfest and letter-reading extravaganza, we ate a 4 course breakfast... french toast, eggs, bacon, & hashbrowns. Too much yummy for the tummy!

After we ate we hurriedly packed up and went to Grandma Farm's house for a second Christmas.  

Sadie singing "Bicycle Built For Two"

Here is the translation to Sadie's song...

Mommy, mommy give me your answer do

I'm half-crazy all for the love of you

It won't be a stylish marriage

I can't afford a carriage

But you'll look sweet upon the seat

Of a bicycle built for 2

Grandma Farm sings this to the grandkids all the time and of course it doesn't take long before they all know it and are singing it around the house.  I love this song especially.  There is just something about a 2 year old singing "..it won't be a stywish mawige, I tan't affowd a tawwiage".  So ridiculously cute.  

Just one of the many gifts my children have been given- wonderful grandparents who spend lots of time with them- teaching, singing, reading, and-most important-expressing love to them.  My kids couldn't be more blessed in the grandparent department.  

Sadie singing Jingle Bells

Christmas Eve Fun, Contd...

Kids all sleep in one room on Christmas Eve.  This is a fun tradition that I remember from my childhood.  The only difference is I think my kids actually sleep, where back in the day, we would never dream of falling asleep and if we did slip into dreamland it was only for a few hours and then one of us would sneak up to ma and pa's bed and ask if we could get up yet.  It got earlier and earlier every year until my parents had had enough.  One year, right after Santa left from setting up our presents, they came down and woke US up (about 2 in the morning).  It really happened.  We had Christmas and then all went back to bed and slept in.  I think it was the first Christmas my parents actually got more than an hour or two of sleep.
My kids decided that Santa would like to nosh on some "hot biscuits and cocoa" (somehow, my kids have dropped the HOT from the cocoa and added it to the biscuits).  Luke also wanted Santa to have some fruit snacks and lotion for his rough, dry hands.  
My two darling girls enjoying their biscuit and "special" sleeping cocoa.  We put some red and green sleeping dust on the whipped cream to help them all get to sleep so Santa could come.  Hey, it really works!
Luke and Tanner with their most special treat.  I love this treat from growing up.  Thanks, Mom.
Luke and Sadie at one of the Nativities.  I think it was -19 degrees when we were there.