Happy 2009!!!

Happy New Year!!! We brought in the New Year with some friends, at their house. We had such a good time. They have five kids...yes you read that right...FIVE!! We had our three and all the kids got along so good. Craig built a bonfire and we roasted marshmellows and made s'mores! Yummy! We are looking forward to a great year!

Merry "late" Christmas

I have been told that I seriously need to start updating my blog... That should be my New Years resolution to post more often..In my defense, my computer has been messed up and Jon was in the process of fixing it while he was on vacation.


We had a wonderful Christmas here at the Collins house! Very hectic, but a great 24 hours of spending quality time with friends and family. Just to give you an example of our busy day...We start Christmas Eve with Jon's Dad and his(extended)family coming over. We all eat a yummy dinner and exchange gifts. This starts around 6:00pm and lasts until around 11:00pm. This year Taylor had a hard time going to sleep..she tossed and turned until 3:30am!! It may have been all the sweets she ate prior to going to bed OR the fact she was soooo excited about the Nintendo Wii she was asking for. Whatever the case it made for a LONG night!

Christmas Morning we WAKE the kids up around 7:00am (usually Zak and Alison spend the night with us...this year Alison had to work so sadly we were on our own) We celebrate here with our Santa gifts and Jon and I give the kids our gifts to them. My parents come over around 9:00am to see what the kids got. They play with the kids while Jon and I get a quick shower. Then out the door...we are at Jon's moms house by 10:30am for breakfast and more gifts!!! We pack up there and are at his grandmother's house by 1:30pm for a delicious lunch..and you guessed it...more presents! At this point we must come home and unload the car,let the dogs out and if we are lucky the kids get a hour nap in the car.
Finally, we get to my parents house around 4:00pm. Eat again!! Relax!! Open more presents...and this year Jon got the Guitar hero, so we spent the evening playing the guitar. We make it home around 10:00pm. So tired, we unload the car and head straight for bed. Again, it is one hectic day but we have no complaints and would not do it any other way. We are blessed to have such great families to spend our holidays with./>

Goodbye Elf on the Shelf

Since Thanksgiving we have had a visitor at our house. The Elf on the Shelf! He is a tradition we started a few years back for Taylor. He comes out at Thanksgiving and leaves on Christmas Eve. His purpose is to sit around our house and each night he reports to Santa what he has observed.(Good or bad) Each morning he is in a different spot and the kids have to find him. They are not allowed to touch him or he loses his magic. Anyways, Taylor was older when we first got him but the twins are a perfect age for this...It is amazing how well he has helped me out this month...He moves to the playroom when it needs cleaning..to watch and see that everyone does their share. He is just great! I just want to keep him out year round. Of course Maddie had a bad day and told me she "was done with him" he needed to leave! So I guess tonight his job will be done and he will report to Santa for the last time. See ya next year Elf~ Merry Christmas~

***Thanks Christy I borrowed your picture**

Christmas Party!

Today the girls had their Christmas party at school. They had been sick yesterday...but I didn't want them to miss out. They made crafts and got lots of goodies. Here are a few pictures...enjoy!

My Angels~

The girls preschool had a Christmas program the other night. They were so cute singing their songs. Madison and Ashley were angels...at the last minute they ran short of donkeys for the play. They asked the girls to switch and be donkeys...Ashley and Maddie quickly told them no!!! They were going to be princesses (i don't know where princesses fit in with the Christmas program) but they thought that because she wore a crown/halo.

SANTA

Tonight we took the girls to see Santa. It is amazing the difference a year makes. Last year Peyton(my brother's daughter) cried and was frightened of Santa. Madison was on the verge of tears and would not talk to him. Now this year... Peyton went running up to him, as all three girls jumped on his lap. Santa then asked the girls what they wanted for Christmas....Ashley would not hush...she went on and on listing every toy in the toy store. Peyton and Madison hardly had a chance to respond. Needless to say everyone in line was ready for us to go.

Christmas lights....Colored or Clear?

The past few days we have been working hard to get all of our Christmas decorations out. Christmas is my favorite holiday and I love decorating. My favorite is my Christmas tree! Every year since we got married Jon and I argue as to what lights we should use on the tree! I like the multi colored and he likes nothing but clear! So we have just rotated each year...one year it is clear the next multi colored...until last year!!! I found the best tree ever. Our tree now has both. It came with a remote control so you can either have all white or all multi colored. Yes I know...very cool! The kids do nothing but play with the remote(so it really looks like we have a blinking tree)...but when I am here I have it set on colored and when Jon gets home he turns them to clear! I took some pictures...but my camera did not do the tree justice (I have a new camera on my Christmas list) Anyways~ Jon and I are both happy...Tis the season!