Roses are red...

Roses are red,
Ducks are green,
We're having a party,
To cheer for our team.

Kyler worked on making that poem for a couple days after the Pac 12 Championship game. He was pretty excited and told all our neighbors and friends. We had our typical crew over Monday to watch the Rose Bowl. We had lots of snacks, homemade pizza, cupcakes, and much more. The boys decorated while MaKenna and Sasha made cupcakes.

Here are some pics...

Cookin' pizza

Dessert anyone?  Pizza oven S'Mores

Christmas Before and After

Here is our Christmas in pictures.

Made a list... Checked it twice ...
Had to make sure each kid had the same number / value.

Jake reading the Christmas Story from the Bible
(one of my favorite Higgins Christmas Traditions)

Stockings

Ready for Church

Kyler passing out presents with his 3D glasses and bathrobe

My present - best part... I got 3 more just like it

New Hoodies for everyone!!

Aftermath

Christmas Prep

Real quick...
Here's some pictures of our Christmas Prep work.

Oreo Truffles

MaKenna making Cookie Dough Truffles

Cookie Dough Truffles

MaKenna mixing up the Peanut Butter Balls

Kyler shaping the PB Balls

Finished Product - Higgins Family Tradition.!

Christmas - Part 1 of several...

The next few posts (over the next several days) will be random Christmas pictures and notes. To begin - here are gifts we made for neighbors, teachers, friends, bus driver, etc.

This particular picture was Ho Hos and Ding Dongs for the Bus Driver.
We also did one for our neighbors (Brett and Kelly).

Homemade Vanilla Syrup, Pancake mix, bowl, hot pad and spoon - (Neighbor gifts)

Teacher Gifts - Plate, Cookies, Mug with hot choc

Teacher gift - check out that bow (1st time for me...)

Homemade Vanilla (Thanks for the idea Joleane) - Friend Gifts

White elephant or curse?

       Last Saturday we went to a Christmas party. Every year our friends have a get together and we have a White Elephant gift exchange. Ya never really know what you're going to come home with - and often times it's put up to take the following year. We did our annual scavenge right before we left to see what we could find. We took a Whale CD that we got a few years earlier. The kids actually listen to it occasionally and were sad to see it go. I, on the other hand, had no problems letting a CD of whale sounds out of my house. Perhaps some other lucky person would want to enjoy the bellowing. 
       Instead of the regular method of play - where everyone draws a number and you proceed in order picking a new gift or stealing someone else's gift - we followed directions given to use through a poem. Steve was number 17 - "17 your choice is here. Find a box and hold it near. When you return and look behind. Swap with 11 if you don't mind."  I was number 27 - "Number 27 how lucky you are. You've seen all the gifts chosen so far. If a pretty box catches your eye. Grab it, make a trade, and don't be shy."  It was a fun switch up to the game. Steve had another Christmas party and gift exchange coming up on Tuesday - so he was looking for the "perfect" gift to take. 
       Behold our "prizes"...

Yes that is a bed pan. Brand new and in the box - never used (I'm told). No, that isn't a Santa pillow. that is a Santa toilet seat cover (with a bag of cappuccino). At first glance these gifts look funny and harmless. What we didn't know is what was hiding someone inside.  A small little parasite that infects the stomach of children - one at a time.
       Within minutes of winning our wonderful prizes, Jake informed me that he didn't feel so well. I quickly motioned for him to get outside since the bathroom was occupied. He threw up and then said he was fine. I shrugged it off and told him to not run around right after he eats. We waited about 30 minutes and i told Steve i thought i should go ahead and bring the kids home - it was getting late (9PM). Once we got home, PJs on, teeth brushed and in bed - Jake was sick again. EVERY 45 min - 1 hr he was up getting sick. This continued all night and a good part of Sunday. By Sunday later afternoon he was doing better and Kyler was laying around. 
       Sunday night before going to bed, I checked on Kyler - yes, you guessed it... he had thrown up all over his bed. Yet another exhausting night - Kyler didn't get sick again - but I didn't want to chance it, so every time he moved or would cough - I was up. (He was sleeping with a garbage on the floor by my bed).
       Monday morning - all is well and we're off to school and work. (I think that is where I went - I was too tired to tell). Monday evening - feeling neglected and in trouble for her attitude MaKenna was sent to bed a little after 7PM. Not to be outdone by her brothers - she told us she was not feeling well. I'm sorry to say - we didn't exactly believe her (to much drama in her voice). She decided to show us, and as I was getting ready for bed, she threw up on her way up the stairs (passing several garbage cans and a bathroom). 3rd kid - 3rd night. I'm a pro at this now and quickly made her a bed in the hall way (by the bathroom) with sleeping bags covering every bit of carpet. She doesn't always wake up - so every noise she made - all night - got me up running to make sure she hit the garbage can.
       Tuesday night - I told Steve I didn't have time to get sick and if it was his turn - he would be on his own. Some how, we managed to escape the bug and not get sick. The kids were all well enough to go to school and their Christmas parties. Their last day for a couple weeks was Wednesday. They now have " a lot of stay home days" according to Kyler.
       Hope your holiday season is happy and healthy.

Tis the season to be jolly...

Fa la la, la la la, la la la.

I love Christmas time. Christmas time to me is Thanksgiving to New Years. Why do I love it?
1. Christmas Songs - So awesome to have 2 radio stations playing 24/7 Christmas music - since Nov 1st!

• Favorite Church song - With Wondering Awe
• Song that makes me cry every time - Christmas Shoes
• Favorite Traditional song - O Holy Night
• Favorite instrumental - Joy to the World (Mannheim Steamroller)
• Least favorite (gotta change the station when I hear it) songs - I want a hippopotamus for Christmas and Santa Baby

2. Feeling of Happiness and Hope in the air
3. Giving to others
4. Baking
5. Decorations
6. Christmas Cards
7. Stockings
8. Christmas Lights
9. Friends and Family
10. Christmas Movies
11. Fond Memories
12. Christmas stories
13. EVERYTHING - I love this time of year.

I better add some pictures - since that is really why Mom reads my blog. Here are some of the kids decorating our Christmas tree. We got a live tree so we could plant it at the property after Christmas (and the fact that we will likely have a Rose Bowl tree, Valentine's tree, and possibly a St. Patrick's Day tree).

Holidays in "Full Swing"

How to tell your holidays are in full swing?

1. Too Cold to go outside.

We finally broke out Risk. I've had it in the closet for a few years. I had a good time playing it the other night and teaching the kids how to play it. I was texting Daniel and he reminded me about making treaties. How could I forget that part - and of course the most important part of treaties (according to Daniel) was breaking them! Kyler and Jake set it up again today and pretended to play. I think its a hit.

2. Snowball fights

3. LOTS of Christmas movies.

Between Lifetime, ABC Family and the Hallmark channel MaKenna and I watching lots of Christmas movies. I think we've seen a few too many - Kyler was telling me at dinner tonight that the girl and guy were going to fall in love and kiss. When I asked him how he knew that he said "O, because I feel it" in a snotty voice.

Yes, that is MaKenna wearing shorts and a tank top. Yes it is only 15 degrees outside.

The boys watching Christmas movies