Christmas Tag

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I love to wrap presents. I even wrap the stocking stuffers!

2. Real tree or Artificial? REAL!! We are going to get our Friday. I'm so excited!

3. When do you put up the tree? Day after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down? The day after Christmas

5. Do you like eggnog? NO

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Umm... my truck!

7. Hardest person to buy for? Dustin

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Allie and Estefan!

I asked them what they wanted for Christmas and Allie said, "Mom I already have lots of stuff!"

Estefan said, "How bout a new card board box!"

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Oh yeah. Tis the reason for the season!

10. Best Christmas gift you ever received?

Allie! But she came late. She was born the day after Christmas. I still consider her my Christmas present!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I love all my presents!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie (s)? Home Alone, A Christmas Story... I like all of em!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? December.. I'm lazy.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No. But I have re-gifted birthday presents

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies!

16. Lights on the tree? Yes Yes!

17. Favorite Christmas song? Jingle Bells. It never gets old!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay at home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen oh and Rudolph!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? I give everybody new PJ's Christmas Eve but the rest have to wait til Christmas morning!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? I spend lots of money

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Steak

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? Pants, a book, a lamp and a cell phone (hint hint hint, to those of you reading!!!)

Thanks for the tag Dove!!!

I tag... Lara K, Ann Marie and Emily T

Twilight Night

Like most other people in the world, I went to the Twilight premier Friday night!

It was super fun and we were all hyper and dying to see it. We got there an hour early and of course there was a line out the door. But we got great seats. And the credit card reader didn't work so we got our popcorn and drinks FREE!

The Twilighters!!

ME, Meliss and Jess

More Twilighters!!

ME and my sisters, Ashley and Heather. Heather was too cool to wear our I heart Edward shirts. And Ashley ruined hers by crossing out Edward's name and writing Jacob!!! (I love Jacob, just not til New Moon!)

Mom and Heather. They haven't read the books but they said they understood everything. I just felt like so much was missing. I felt like Bella and Edward's relationship wasn't as defined as it was in the book. Like Bella was lusting after Edward and in the book you see they truly love each other. I've heard that it was a low budget film so I have higher hopes for New Moon. After the turn out Twilight got I'm sure more money will be pumped into the second installment.

All in all I enjoyed the movie. I had a great time... I'll be at the premier for New Moon.

But bottom line...

the book was way better.

One More...

reason I love Dustin.

Markie Mark

A few things, other than Twilight...

I finished Mark's Christmas sock! It only took me forever.. like a month and a half. But now its done and I'm pumped to hang the rest of ours and get our Christmas tree!

Crawling is Mark's new means of travel. Its so funny to watch him go. He takes off like a rocket and then BAM hits his belly to the floor and scoots along. He gets going pretty fast.

I thought this video was pretty funny. He attacks the camera at the end!

Getting ready to take off...

Once he's going its pretty hard to get a picture of him, he too fast for my camera.

Another great picture of the top of his head!!

Markie Mark is getting so big! Love you little feller!

The New Cullen Family

I secretly think Dustin is excited for Twilight.

He made this picture for me and some of my Twilight friends!

Of course, when he saved the picture he labeled it dorks.jpg so maybe he just really thinks we're dorks. But I don't care I had to share this!

Can't wait til tomorrow!!!!

Don't Worry Honey...

I still love you more than Edward!

Dustin sent me this, this morning. He's been a good sport through all the Twilight madness.

Are your husbands/boyfriends jealous or excited its almost over (til the next movie comes out!!!)

Mark's Baby Book

Check out Mark's baby book. Click this link!!

http://www.heritagemakers.com/?event=projectBrowse&projectId=14127741-3048-322b-c0bc-a19042dfe862&productId=5&projectSponsor=297657

Girl Stuff

Once a month I get to play Bunko with some really fun girls. There's always a lot of screaming, teasing, sugar and of course fun! We decided to make each Bunko night have a theme.

Last night the theme was...

GREASE!

I was a pink lady, Frenchie to be exact. I didn't do the pink bouffant but I did have the members only pink jacket!! And even though I didn't win a prize... I was a looser to the looser... I had tons of fun!!

P.S. I missed you Melissa and Jessica

Also yesterday, to get ready for Twilight Jessica and I made some shirts. They look something like this...

Then on the back it says AND DUSTIN on mine

AND KYLE on Jess'!

I'm super excited for Friday night. Anybody else excited??!!

All I want for Christmas...

is my TWO FRONT TEETH!!!

Yup, he lost another tooth!

He looks so cute and has little lisp now!

Calling All Jane Austen Fans!!!

Ok ok ok.. I'm kinda going crazy on the Shannon Hale books. But what can I say, I love them.

Austenland is the story of Jane (honestly, what other name could her main character be?!). Jane is obsessed with Colin Firth's, Mr. Darcy in the BBC movie, Pride and Prejudice. Jane gets the chance to go to Kent England on a three week vacation to Pembrook Park. Pembrook Park is a regency style, Jane Austen inspired retreat for women to go to and play parts and pretend to be in a Jane Austen novel. Complete with top hatted actors spouting sounetts and a ball to look forward too! What could be better to cure her obsession, right?!

If I say anymore I might spoil it!

This book was stinkin cute, way fun and has a twisting surprise ending!!!

But unlike Shannon Hale's other books, this one is for the mama's.. a tad more adult than the Princess Academy!

HAPPY READING!

always busy doing somethin'

This past weekend was the Pomegranate Festival. Dustin and his family band played for a while on saturday. They sounded pretty good!

After the festival we went to St. George to scout Christmas presents and to visit Chase and Meliss. We had tons of fun and I laughed more than I have for a long time. They are the best and I wish they would just move to Logandale already!!!

Dustin has been working on a tree house for the kids. I call it a tree castle.

Estefan gives it two thumbs up!

Mark kickin it in his bouncer
Two more thumbs up! He really likes his little hideout!


AND
we picked pomegranates...

We picked lots and lots of pomegranates!

Then we took the pomegranates over to my dad's and juiced them. He has this sweet huge juicer that you hook up to the tractor. It only took an hour to squeeze 15 gallons of juice!

AND


Another big shout to Shannon Hale!
I loved Enna Burning. Its a great story about a girl, Enna and her ability to create fire and her struggle to control it. It is a companion story to The Goose Girl so we meet Princess Isi aka Ani and her other friends Finn and Razo (who has his own book too, River Secrets!). Their country of Bayern has gone to war with neighboring Tira. Its a great coming of age story that will keep you turing pages!!!

OH!!!! AND

8 more days til Twilight!

First Hair Cut

Mark got his first haircut today!

This is what I think he would've said throughout the process...

Mommm, let go of my head! Ashley's gonna get me with those things.


This isn't fun. What is going on? LET GO OF MY HEAD!


Thank goodness, she let got of my face! Are we done yet?

Thanks for cutting my hair Aunt Ashley but I want my mom!

Yay! Now I'm done. Now I can attack mom and the camera!!
Aren't I handsome?!

P.S. Yesterday Mark turned 7 months old! Why didn't 7 months go by this fast when I was pregnant with him!!!!

The Notebook

I went to the library the other day to check out Enna Burning, the companion novel to the Goose Girl. Barbara, the librarian said she had to order it from some library in Vegas and that I would have to wait a few days. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw The Notebook on the nearest shelf. So I grabbed it and decided to read it while I was waiting for Enna Burning.

Whenever I get a new book, even if I already know what it's about I read the plot summary on the back. So when I grabbed The Notebook I did the same as always. As I was reading I read the name Allie Nelson! In the movie The Notebook, Allie's last name is Hamilton but in the book her last name is Nelson! So of course this intrigued me more because, hello, that's my daughter's name!!

I loved the movie. But the book and the movie were completely different. The movie spends lots of time developing Allie and Noah's relationship when they are younger and first meet. But in the book that is sort of glossed over and then flashbacks are used to cover the development of their young love. The book starts as the movie does with old Noah aka Duke reading to Allie. But as he reads his notebook to her it starts with Allie going to see Noah fourteen years after she left him! Not with the sweet teenage love that you see in the movie, with dates and picnics. Also Allie's relationship with her mother isn't fully dramatized as it is in the movie.

But alas the book is not the movie. And I did enjoy the book. It had many details only an author can provide. Nicholas Sparks, a man, tells the story from mainly Noah's point of view. And reading a romance from a man's view was a little different, being that I am not a man!

The book spends more time on old Noah and old Allie's relationship. How devoted Noah is to Allie after she is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. How reading to her everyday not only helps her sickness but also helps him to fall back in love with her every single day. That is true love and devotion and in the end makes for a great read.

Sure the book has some things the movies leaves out a vice versa but they were both great and I recommend either one. But if you haven't seen the movie start with the book!

High School Tag

My Dad, ME, and my Mom after Graduation

1. Did you date someone from your school?
Yes

2. What kind of car did you drive?
The Grizzly Bear - An old brown Ford truck

3. Did you pass your driver's license test on the first try?
No, I couldn't and still can't parallel park ;)

4. Were you a party animal?
No, but I liked to have fun

5. Were you considered a flirt?
I hope not!

6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?
Band - like all the other cool kids -Jessica!

7. Were you a nerd?
I got good grades

8. Were you on any varsity teams?
The Dance Team!!!

9. Did you get suspended/expelled?
No way Hose-A!

10. Can you still sing the fight song?
We love Moapa High School, dear Gold and Blue. We'll fight for our colors to thee our hearts are true as blue. We love every inch of you!!!...

11. Who were your favorite teachers?
Duh! Jack! Now he's my father in law. How lucky am I?!

12. Where did you sit during lunch?
Outside freshman year.. Wally's, my house, Melissa's house and other friends' houses the rest of the time

13. What is your schools full name?
Moapa Valley High School

14. School mascot and colors?
Pirates - Blue & Gold

15. Did you go to Homecoming and who with?
Too little feshman year, sophomore year it was semi-formal - I went with Ross Stratton. Junior year -stag. Senior year I was a Princess and Cameron Wilson was my escort.

16. Did you go to Prom and who with?
Yup, Doug Burkland and Brandon Staton

17. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
It was fun.. but I'm done!

18. What do you remember most about graduation?
I felt like I was wearing a toilet seat guard around my neck! I was also scared to death I was gonna trip down the stairs. I was excited and glad to not have to speak!

19. Where did you go senior skip day?
I think we went to Wet n Wild

20. Were you in any clubs?
Too many!

21. Have you gained some weight since then?
Oh, yeah and I have two babies to prove it!

22. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion?
Heck YES!

23. Did you have a job while in high school?
Nope..

I tag Kailee Joy and Natalie Staley

Princess Academy

I am Shannon Hale's newest BIGGEST fan! I loved the Goose Girl and I loved the Princess Academy. I can't wait to get Enna Burning!

The Princess Academy was such a fun book. I loved the "quarry-speech." I love imagining the mountain views. I love Miri's relationship with her family and all the villagers. I love her strength and I loved the book!

Bud

Estefan lost his first tooth!!! Its been loose for about a week now and yesterday it was hanging by a thread and Dustin pulled it out. Estefan was so excited. We told him about the tooth fairy and then he was even more excited! This morning he found a crisp $1 bill under his pillow.

Tonight at dinner Dustin was telling the kids about the election tomorrow. Estefan said, "I think Grandpa Jack should be president!"

Dustin said, "Ya, me too. The two guys are John McCain and Barack Obama."

Then Estefan started singing, "Sweet home Obama"

We all got a good laugh!

Love you Bud!

Halloween Weekend

Our Halloween weekend in Cannonville

The boys out on a Rhino ride. That scary masked man is Estefan!

The Nelson girls hiking


Mark and Estefan in Butch Cassidy's hideout

Dus and Mark hiking


The Fam on the Dam

Carving pumpkins - Estefan showing me the "gooey stuff"


The grandkids' pumpkins

Um... trying to get eight kids to look at one camera... impossible!

Scary! The bones guys and the Little Devil

Big Mark scaring Grandpa Bill

Mexico in Cannonville Fiesta - Me trying to beat the pinata! I almost pulled Brian out of the tree but he was being mean and kept putting the pinata behind me!!

Allie givin' it a whack!

YAY! More candy!

We had lots of fun. But we're glad to be home.

Is the time change freaking anyone else out!!!