A Joyous Day

We all had a great time celebrating the birth of Christ... however, the girls did inform me that I "messed up" because we did not have cake, and you are supposed to have cake for someone's birthday.

It was such a pleasure to not have to cook anything (this is the first Christmas I haven't hosted since we were married in 2000). But, the down side of that is NO LEFTOVERS... not good when Momma Rhonda (that's me) has been lazy for the past two weeks and we have no groceries in the house other than pantry staples!

We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas ... as Pastor Sullivan preached last Sunday morning, "Christmas is for Everyone" ... rich, poor, young, old, stepparents, mixed families, and on and on.

Happy Day After Christmas, Everyone!

Here are a few of my favorite pics from our Christmas 2008

Daddy and his two princesses in front of our fireplace.

Staci: Mommy, how come you haven't put the fire in the fireplace?

Mom: Because we haven't cleaned the chimney, and we don't know how safe it is with all of the trees around the house.

Staci: funny expression on face, something of a cross between a frown and a glare

You can play golf inside the house, Dad ~ we picked it out!

Opening presents from Great Aunt Liz who lives in Kansas ~ she is always very generous... and reminds us of how generous Great Grandma Margaret Cox was ... we sure do miss her ... it was fun having Christmas at her house in Redding when the girls were babies.

the girls finally do a cute smile, after Mommy begs them and takes 6 or 7 not so good pics

We love you Daddy!

in front of Auntie Cristi & Uncle Nelson's "real" tree,

but Shauna just doesn't understand why the tree is perfectly slanted on one side, and then somewhat lopsided on the other... it's barely noticeable....

Mom: Shauna, it's real.. ...

Shauna: but why does it look like that?

Mom: because it's REAL

Special thanks to Grandpa & Grandma Parker (who called "all the way from Malta") for another Build A Bear gift card. Daddy has promised the girls if they get their rooms cleaned on Saturday morning, he'll take them to the mall in the afternoon so they can get another stuffed animal from this really cool store.

Thanks, Grandpa & Grandma!

Shauna: Mommy, you got me a Twister game! Thanks, Mom!

Staci: Jammies! Awesome! Thank you Mommy

then runs over to me and gives me a big hug, and then proceeds to begin removing her Christmas dress.... I told her that as soon as we got back from Christmas dinner at Auntie's house, she could put on her jammies, but that she could not wear them to Christmas dinner.