Monday, December 28, 2009

Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful holiday! We spent it between Bountiful and Provo and loved every second of it, especially seeing Trent's brother's family in Indiana on the webcam. Our favorite Christmas tradition is when Santa gives us a fly by and drops a road flare with a sack full of pajamas on Christmas Eve. He is nice enough to do it every year and we all LOVE it! Santa was very nice this year. Tyson got a bike (he can pedal backwards!!!) and an abundance of Ben 10 toys, Cameron got his puppy (stuffed) and lots of legos and playmobil and star wars guys. Kaylee finally got a scooter (three wheeled, like I'm allowing this cute klutz anywhere near a razor!) and dolls and a purse full of girly goodies she won't put down. Very nice Santa, thank you. We had several good talks about Jesus' birthday and why we celebrate Christmas, and we were lucky enough to be able to help out a little with some service projects in our neighborhood. And I got to hear about a firsthand miracle (Congrats to the Grants!!!). A very blessed Christmas, truly.
Also, an update to our update, just when I was finally feeling comfortable in my church calling (Enrichment (whatever we are calling it now, RS Meeting/Activity) Leader) I get a new one. Just goes to show, Heavenly Father wants us to grow and we can't do that if we're too comfortable. First counselor in the Primary. Never been in an auxiliary presidency before, kind of nervous (which is good, I guess). The new president is wonderful and I am excited to work with her (especially since she knows what she is doing! She was the old first counselor). Shellee decided to keep the same secretary because she rocks (love you Kari!), so the new second counselor and I will be the rookies. A new adventure to give me more grey hairs (and more smiles, I am sure). I am sad to leave Relief Society though. I love my committee and doing Enrichments/Midweeks, even when they stress me out! I love the sisterhood and the girl time and the spirit of being in a room full of women who know SO much more than I do. Thank Heaven (literally) for visiting teaching and Enrichment. Heavenly Father certain has got meeting our needs checked off his lists. So grateful for that.
Glad I'll get to work with the Primary kids and their fabulous teachers (primary teachers should be nominated for sainthood). Glad I'll get to see my cute kids a little more on Sunday. Glad I still have a wonderfully supportive husband and family. Glad I have sweet friends and family who will read my blog vent sessions. Love you! Merry Christmas and Happy 2010!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

It wasn't from me.....

Just a heads up to my Facebook friends. If you got any messages from me in the last few days, just delete them. DO NOT DOWNLOAD anything from me!!! Evidentally, while I thought I was downloading cute pics of my friend's family from youtube, I was actually downloading a virus, which not only has been bombarding my computer with popups about (ironically) viruses, but sending porn to my friends on Facebook and infecting their computers. The best part is eventually a popup appears saying, "Hey! We'll fix all these popups you have for just $49.95! Give me your credit card number!" Do I have "idiot" tattooed across my forehead? I think Trent has the viruses finally taken care of, but I'm not taking any chances with the Facebook thing. I'll probably get ride of that account. We'll see....
Hope you are all having a very Merry Christmas Eve! Are you kids as giddy as mine? Santa's coming....TONIGHT!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Christmas Update and Card

I don't like ecards for Christmas. It's a tradition to mail out an annual update with pictures. Pictures are a requirement. I like the cards, but I love the pics. It's nice to hear from family and friends we don't see all the time. I know, some people think they are annoying and loathe this holiday tradition, but I love seeing who shows up in my mailbox everyday and hanging beautiful pictures of your children on my card tree and reading all about your life and knowing my sweet friends from the past are still out there and are mostly well.
This year...I am behind. I've had a lot going on and just haven't gotten around to mailing this particular tradition off (truthfully, I haven't gotten around to mailing anything! I am dreading going to the post office). So, despite my particular objections to cold, no effort ecards: here is my Christmas post....just in case.... But I am going to suck it up and get down to that post office right away...really.....

TRENT: Still keeping overly busy in his eighth year at Xactware. He's been blessed with lots of side work. Yes Virginia, there are decent, hardworking, honest contractors out there, and I'm just lucky my husband's one of them. Word of mouth advertising has been good to us. He has mostly been finishing basements, but every once in a while he gets a project building furniture, which he loves and is extraordinarily talented at. When our ward split he was called to serve in the YM, helping with the Deacons quorum (12-13 year old boys). He and his brother have joined a photography group online and enjoy competing in the challenges and editing photos.

TYSON: Turned eight in November and got baptized the first week in December, which was a great opener to the Christmas season for our family. He is a great big brother who loves reading to Kaylee and building Legos and forts with Cameron. After two years of "patiently" waiting, he finally got a DS for his birthday (Top that Santa!), which he is obsessed with and we've had to limit severely. He is in second grade where his favorite subjects are math, lunch (aka trading card time), and recess.

CAMERON: Will turn five in January and is in his second year of preschool with Mrs. R. His teacher is fabulous and he is just starting to sound words out and read. We've been shocked by how much he has gotten out of going to school with this particular teacher. She is worth every penny and then some! He carpools with four girls from our neighborhood and loves "his girls"! He has the best imagination and can turn anything into an adventure. His favorite is building with Legos.

KAYLEE: Turned two in August. She will wrestle with the big boys and has a great time, but adores her dolls and tutus, and informed us just last week that earrings are "pretty" and she wants some. She is a great sleeper and eats more than both boys combined. She isn't really a baby anymore; she is a full-fledged little girl, which means in January we are going to try potty training!
AIMEE: Has been keeping busy with the normal mom stuff. I did Red Ribbon Week at Tyson's school for PTA this year. Thank Heaven it was only one week (and three months of prep)...but a really fun and important week. I learned how to digital scrapbook this year and have been slowly, but surely trying to catch up the kid's baby books. I love doing it and have been able to design invites for several baby showers and a few Christmas cards and birthday invitations. I got called to be the Enrichment Leader at the beginning of the year after our ward split. Several nervous breakdowns later, I am thrilled that the RS General Presidency has scrapped the midweek program and gone back to just once monthly activities. This year I am most grateful for my family and friends, carpooling, good, old-fashioned playtime that doesn't involve any form of technology, and chapstick. Oh, and I lost 110 lbs. since February. It's been a big change, but I still (sadly) have more to go and am looking forward to jumping back on the horse in January.
We are so grateful for our family and friends who so often rescue us and support our family continually. We have been nothing if not blessed. We are so grateful for the gospel and this wonderful time of year when the Savior is ever present. May it last throughout 2010!
Love you,
Aimee, Trent, Tyson, Cameron, & Kaylee

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

You're It!

ChRisTMas TaG
1. Have you started your Christmas shopping? Started yes, finished no. Cameron is done, Kaylee is probably done, Tyson is no where near done, Trent is maybe done, neighbors are done (I should clarify. In our neighborhood a few families are awesome enought to collect food from everyone and take it to the food bank; we do this instead of neighbor gifts), but extended family...my nieces and one nephew are done, but that's it. However, I already do have Mike's birthday present for tomorrow.
2. Tell me about one of your special traditions.
My favorite is when Santa flies over on Christmas Eve and drops pajamas and a highway flare in the backyard and leaves a note telling us that he's flown over once and if we're not in bed the next time he flies over we're getting nothing for Christmas. (Santa's notes were more and more obscene the older we were. You MUST believe to recieve). And I love that we open the presents one at a time. This is my sister's answer, but these are my favorite parts too. Those and the nativity that Mom made when I was little. I love seeing it every year.
3. When do you put up your tree?
Right after Thanksgiving. Usually the Saturday after, this year it was Sunday.
4. Are you a Black Friday shopper?
Completely! I love watching the "Crazies" every year at Walmart.
5. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home?
We swap years. One in Bountiful, the next at our house with Trent's family (we do it at our house because we have room for everyone to sleepover).
6. What is your funniest Christmas memory?
I remember Grandma yelling at Brandon to stop riding the porcelain elephants they got when they lived in Indonesia and sit down and open his present. She probably threw in a, "Crimany!"
7. What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time?
I love the original Miracle on 34th Street with Natalie Woods in it. Dad always has to watch It's a Wonderful Life and Trent starts watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation on Thanksgiving and doesn't stop until he's forced.
8. Do you do your own Christmas baking?
Duh. It's another Hannaman tradition. Piles and piles of gallon sized plastic bags filled with fudge, butterscotch cookies, and divinity (I don't like divinity, but I love that my grandma and mom and aunt always made it. I might try it this year). Plus, Trent always makes magic cookie bars (his favorite).
9. Fake or real tree?
FAKE! For sure. And it wasn't our tree that had the spiders, it was a guys at Trent's work. We just found an unhatched egg sack one year (the next year we bought the fake tree). Plus, you have to love the whole prelit thing.
10. What day does the actual panic set in to get it all done?
This year...two days before Black Friday when I realize I had zero shopping done.
11. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve?
You've got to have something to do after the kids go to bed right?
12. What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas?
We read lots of books at our house, and at Christmas we add a Christmas book every night. Of course I have that many Christmas books. Don't you?
13. What Christmas Craft do you like the best?
I love the stuff the kids bring home from school.
14. Christmas music? Yes or no, and if yes, what is your favorite song?
Big YES! I love the BNL/Sarah McLachlan version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and the Judy Garland version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and the Josh Groban song from Polar Express.
15. When do you plan to finish all your shopping?
Before Santa gets here.

So, if you read all this, TAG! You're it! Copy and post on your blog with your answers. Don't be a party pooper.....you know who you are. Just do it.
Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 4, 2009

"Ssshhhhh...."

Just thought I'd share. I'm trying to get into the Christmas Spirit inspite of our current lack of snow. The end is my favorite because I've actually seen Cameron do this...
It reminds me of high school. Memories.....

Pics at Star Mill

About a month ago we went to Star Mill (antique store/junkyard) with our cute neighbors and attempted to take some family pics. They got some really adorable pics because their boys actually tried to smile and didn't pout the whole time (I suspect they had naps that day). Our kids...not so much. Trent took something like 600 pics and our beautiful children were making faces and looking everywhere but at the camera in almost all of them. We've been waiting for some snow so we could go back and get some in their Christmas clothes, but so far Mother Nature wishes to be sunny, clear, and absolutely frigid. Christmas cards may be very late this year.

I'm glad someone in our family knows how to handle a camera! Good job Trent!


This last one is my favorite. They're all smiling! A Christmas miracle!