10, 9, 8, 7, 5, 4...

Here is our official "Count down to Christmas" calendar that Ava made for us in school. It's hanging in our pantry so we always forget to check off the days. Luckily, Ava just made a paper chain at school that hangs more prominently on the Christmas tree. Unfortunately we forget to take the chains off too!

Tamales!

December is Tamale month! And for the last few years we've been able to slack a little because my Aunt Lydia always made tamales for Christmas Eve at her house. This year though, she's visiting Nevada for the holidays to be with her daughter...which means no tamales for us! Luckily, making tamales if fun even if it is a lot of work!

Bangin' the Ivorys

This year, Isabella started taking piano lessons from her great-grandma Irene. Here she is, seated at her piano with my little sister Julia. Grandma likes to share that she was taught to play by nuns. In those days, if they didn't like your progress you were slapped! Luckily, Grandma's a lot nicer!

New Kid on the Block

I had my first ultrasound yesterday and I still can't help breaking into a huge silly grin when I see our little babies wriggling around inside on the monitor. This photo really does not do this baby justice as only moments before he or she was so fully extended you could clearly see the profile of the head all the way down to the outstretched toes. I've always loved this little baby, even before I knew we were expecting. I just did.

Uniting for the Common Cause of the Family

I know election day is over, but I came across this video from another blog and had to share it. It's a powerful 3-minute video put out by the Catholic church, encouraging their members to stand up and vote for what is morally right. Being a Latter-Day Saint and coming from a large Catholic family, I can say how grateful I was this election year for members of many faiths to come together for the common cause of the family. Regardless of doctrinal differences, it is a privilege and blessing to stand with our brothers and sisters as one.

My 7 Unspectacular Quirks

I've been really bad about updating my blog and I've been trying to do better. I noticed that since the last time I checked I had been tagged twice so here goes...

Tag 1: My 7 Unspectacular Quirks

RULES
1. Link to the person who tagged you: http://knudsonfamily-8-is-enough.blogspot.com/
2. Mention the rules on your blog

3. Tell 7 unspectacular quirks about you
4. Tag 6 bloggers by linking to them

5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged

It's tricky narrowing my quirks down to 7...

1. I can't stand a dirty car. It drives me crazy, especially since 90% of the time it's just plain gross. When things get really bad, me and the kids jump in the car and detail it. Yup, look at them having a good time. I can feel them dirtying it up as I write this!


2. I must have a mid-night snack every night at about 8:30pm. The kids are in bed then, and Sam and I have usually settled down to watch a Food Network Program. Unfortunately, we are very susceptible to what their cooking on TV, and usually, what their making is what we'll try to re-create at home. The nachos at 9PM...definitely not a good idea in hindsight.

3. Fingerprints on any household surface drives me nuts. Yes, I realize it sounds like I'm a clean-freak (and I probably am), but if I see prints I'm all over it with cleaner. And yes, with 4 kids, I'm wiping it up a lot.

4. The last sip. Every night, before we drop off to bed, I have to have one last sip of water. And it won't do if Sam is up and around and it's convenient for him to get it. For some reason the water just does not taste as good unless he's stirred from the warm bed and has to walk a ways to make it happen. Yes. I'm mean.




5. I detest having my hair professionally cut. I think I've only made it to a Super-Cuts 3 times in my lifetime before I said never again. Before I was married I trimmed it myself, and later Sam took over. He does a great job, but that still doesn't stop him from trying to get me into the hairdressers chair.


6. My feet are, and forever will be, extremely personal to me. I do not understand how people can get pedicures (or manicures for that matter), because the whole idea of someone touching my toes gives me the willies. Sam knows the worst gift he could ever get me is anything to do with a spa treatment. Yuck!

7. I love cookbooks...and cooking...and eating...and basically anything that has to do with food. It is so much fun to pour over new recipes and select those that I'd like to make for the whole family. My favorite new cookbook is "The Best Light Recipe" by Cooks Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen. There is nothing better than taking classic recipes and trimming them down so they taste just as fantastic but are healthier for everyone.

Okay, those are just a few of my quirks! I can't wait to read about some of yours!

My tags:

1. Leah at http://waynable.blogspot.com/
2. Rachel at http://rachbill.blogspot.com/
3. Lisa at http://mrslisawilliams.blogspot.com/
4. Shannon at http://beltram921.blogspot.com/
5. Serina at http://2ktfaupulagirls.blogspot.com/
6. Jessica at http://joeandjessicaelmer.blogspot.com/

The Tree

Without fail, the decorating of the house for Christmas begins in the days immediately following Thanksgiving. This year however was the first time I participated in Black Friday shopping, and due to the lack of sleep I felt like I had jet-lag for the remainder of that day. Luckily, the Christmas spirit prevailed and in no time our living room was bathed in the soft glow of the Christmas tree lights.

After-Thanksgiving

A few days after Thanksgiving we always host another dinner at home. This time, we do it so we can savor all the wonderful smells and have that abundance of turkey and mashed potatoes for next-day sandwiches. This year, Grandma Lopez joined us, and later Grandma Rose (my mom), and Julia (my sister).

Thanksgiving Dessert

Following Thanksgiving Dinner, the rest of Samuel's family joined for dessert, and as usual the men gathered for a game of Risk. This year's winner? To Sam's dismay, his brother Joe claimed victory...again.


Finally, the Black Friday ads come out and are flipped through time and time again as the women-and Houston!-plot out their plan of attack just a few hours hence.

Thanksgiving 2008

This year we celebrated a quiet Thanksgiving with Samuel's parents. As you can see, she always sets a beautiful table and the food is always wonderful. Check out Owen and then look at Samuel. They are two of the biggest turkeys I know!