My Birthday

Jason has been traveling more lately.  Still not a lot, especially compared to husbands who do travel a lot.  But it has been for a week every month for the past few months.  It just worked out the he was gone for both our anniversary and my birthday.  My birthday this year was on a Friday and my good friend, Veronica felt like it wasn't fair to have to stay home on my Friday night birthday.  So we got a group of friends together and went out to dinner.  We went to my FAVORITE place - PF Changs.  I was nervous about going there becasue it is so expensive.  Most of my friends laughed at that - usually what I think is too expensive is not in line with what other people think is too expensive.  But I am so glad she talked me into going because it was pure deliriousness.  I had never been to PF Changs with such a large group and we all shared what we got - so I got to eat SO MUCH.  It was the best birthday!

Marissa, Me, Karen, Becky, Veronica, Charity, Heather (not pictured because they left early - Leslie and LeAnne)

When Jason got home we celebrated my birthday.  He gave the whole day off so I could work on my Grandma's Christmas present - they made me a wonderful breakfast (raspberry and cinnamon milk mush) and dinner (teriyaki salmon and garlic mashed potatoes) and dessert (asphalt pie) and some great gifts (gold bracelet and earrings)

Also I thought I was turning 33.  I guess at some point during the fall I told someone I was 32 (because I was turning 32) and then my brain just thought I was 32.  So I thought I was turning 33 until about noon on my birthday when I did the math and realized I was only turning 32 - I got a whole year of my life back!  It was fantastic!

Temple Nativity

Oh how we miss the lights at temple square.  I don't remember if I mentioned this in my Thanksgiving posts - but we were going to go see the lights when we were in Utah - but had to leave 2 days early becasue of a storm.  Our Denver temple doesn't put up any lights - but they do put out a nativity.  We went by one night when we had to take Ammon to the hockey store.

Ward Christmas Party

Jason was hunting during our ward Christmas party - so I went and took the kids.  We had Santa show  up!

Megan hung back after Santa had left to get some pictures in his chair.  Silly girl.

Earning Money for Christmas

We wanted our kids to buy presents for each other with money that they had earned - AND we didn't want it to be stupid presents form the dollar store that break in a day.  We told them about the "new" plan and that they were expected to earn and save the money - we talked about HOW they wanted to do that.  We discussed several ideas - but in the end they came up with a babysitting night.  At first I thought it was a cop-out and I would do all the work.  In the end we made a deal - they had to distribute the flyers, clean the house before the kids got there, play actively with the kids the whole time (even the babies and toddlers), and the clean up after they left - then we could do it.  I was in charge of dinner.

Here was their flyer:

Need a night off??

The Herbert "children" are hosting a

Babysitting Night

to earn money for Christmas

**********************************************************

This Friday, December 2nd

Drop off /pick up anytime between 5:00 - 9:00

$2.00 per child for the whole night

$3.00 per child if you want me to feed them dinner (mac and cheese)

or you pack a dinner and we can feed it to them for free J

************************************************************

Please RSVP by Friday at 3:00 pm

Jamie 801-633-5715/jamieherbert84@gmail.com

When each family came one of my kids wrote their names on our white board and took any special equipment (diapers, sippy cups, dinner etc) and wrote down information.

It was a crazy busy night.  We ended up having about 20 kids (not including mine).  They made 60 dollars!  It took over an hour to clean up - so they didn't' get to bed until about 10:30 - so if we did it again (which they are already asking to) I would end it at 8:00.  But all in all it went great - the kids really did "babysit" and not just play - I had to keep reminding them - like "who is watching Alayna - she is walking around with a marker with no lid!"  It was an easy way for the kids to make some real money in one night - with also doing a lot of work.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

A lot of people hate their December birthdays.  They have all sorts of rules about not having presents be for both birthday and Christmas, or not having Christmas wrapping paper on their presents, or having Christmas decorations up (for early December birthdays).   I am just the opposite.  I always felt so special having a December birthday.  It felt like the whole world was dressed up for me, it made for extra parties to attend, and wonderful food to eat, and more decorations - everything was just so magical - and it also happened to be my birthday.  Because of this I always want our tree up before my birthday - it just doesn't feel like my birthday with out a Christmas tree.  

Well, Jason was leaving to go out of town on December 1st and wouldn't be back until after my birthday - so we had to get our tree early, early.  When we went to buy a tree they didn't have a lot to choose from because they hadn't gotten their Christmas tree inventory.  It wasn't so sure this was a good idea becasue Jason and I don't have a great track record of keeping trees alive.  They are almost always totally dead, dry, brittle, and dropping needles around the 15th to 20th.  Its pretty pathetic.  I was worried our tree would be dead before my birthday. 

Luckily we got a great one - even with such a small selection - its the tallest one we have ever had!  Look at how tall it was...

We have loved having Ammon around to help.

We all have to inspect the tree

Then get it home.

And decorate

Noah got to put the star on this year.

Then they all wanted pictures in front of the tree.  I indulged them and their antics.

I wanted really bad to send a Christmas card - especially since Ammon was with us - I felt that was definitely christmas card worthy.  But the month sort of ate me alive and it didn't happen.

phew - it was a long night!

Thanksgiving Point

I finally took my kids to the new kids museum at Thanksgiving point - The museum of Natural Curiosity.  I heard great things about it and it did not disappoint.  We spent about 4 hours there - and could have done another 2.  I took my 2 nephews with us - so it was such a good time!

Brock and Megan feeling a hurricane

They have this whole water room - it is really cool

Noah found an origami table and stayed there for a good hour.  He LOVES origami - and he is pretty good at it too.  I guess he even taught them how to do a few things.

Megan spent a good forty minutes in this geometry room - she has always been my puzzle/math/shapes girl.  From the time she was very little I could tell her mind was organized very differently from mine.

They connected their discovery gardens to the museum - which was great because we have been to the gardens hundreds of times before - so it was nice to explore them again.

It was a great morning and afternoon! - and I only lost one child once... Megan.  Woo Hoo!