DECEMBER

I am the youngest child of five. My closest sibling is 11 years older than I am and so growing up it was just my parents and I. Although I was an only child in a sense my parents and I never did much together. We were also very poor. So Christmases were difficult. One Christmas, as is tradition, a neighbor gave us some walnuts and my dad shared this special tradition with me from his childhood. You VERY CAREFULLY break the walnut in half along it's crest and remove the nuts within. Then you insert string or ribbon and glue it back together. For family home evening this year we made this special ornaments. I loved seeing them on my tree and remembering that one special moment that my dad shared something from his childhood with me. They were even more wonderful than regular bulbs because, like all children, my kids couldn't resist pulling them off the tree. I was never afraid of these shattering and someone getting hurt. I think from now on Walnuts will always have a place on our Christmas tree.

Kennadee's Picture for Santa

This is Korry trying to break open the Walnuts. It is much harder to keep them in halfs than you'd expect and we went through many walnuts to get to get a few ornaments.

I did a horrible job this year of taking pictures. I am going to try to do better in 2011. This is the rocking horse that santa brought Eli. It winnys and shakes it's head and tale when you push buttons on it's ears.

We had a good Christmas this year. Every year we try to cut back but between what Korry and I buy we end up going WAY over bored. Hopefully next year we'll be more organized. Korry surprised me with a new driver. (For Golf) I have been getting more and more serious about the game for the last couple years and the driver I have now is an old one that belonged to my father. I LOVE my old driver so much because of the sentiment of it being dads and I hit it SO well but I know that I could get more distance with something new. I was very surprised to see it there and VERY excited to. He also bought me a pair of golf sandles that I have been wanting for AGES. I am so glad to have them, no more golfing in flip flops for me. (Although I do love golfing in flip flops) I also got E.D. Bakers new book and the complete works of JANE AUSTEN!!!!

Kennadee repeated asked for the same three things for Christmas. Moon dough, Olivia's house, and a pillow pet. I am happy to report that she got all three and MUCH more.

Eli got his rocking horse, a tag junior, and a penguin pillow pet.

Korry didn't get much. He has been asking... okay begging for cable since we moved into our own house. I hate TV. I hate having it on, I hate having cable. I wish there were no such thing! But the price was amazing so lucky Korry he scored cable for Christmas. Now he'll be happy when March madness rolls around. I also made him a special quilt with the words from the song "Stardust" by Nat King Cole on it. Korry sings that song to our children every night when he puts them to bed and I wanted him to always remember how much we love him.

The most important present he got was the GOLF SIMULATOR he'd been wishing and praying for for over a year. He now has his own golf business (TEKK GOLF) and it's doing great. He's been so busy the last month we NEVER see him. If you're missing your husband too he may be there as well. I've noticed a bunch of random men that seem never to leave.