Irish glam: 2008

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Christmas Morning

Katie's Spot

Zach's loot

Morgan's Pile

Yes, we do go a bit overboard on the present amount but hey, it is Christmas. Santa this year brought a webkinz, a suit case, a hooded towel and a bunch of fun little things.

( Sister love)

Lego Pirate Man

Katie had made a book at school for Bushka and Papa

Katie loaded up her bags and took everything with her everywhere for a few days.

Morgan had to have both babies with her at all times. Meal time was no exception.

Our Christmas Eve Surprise Guest-

On Christmas Eve we had a very special guest. Our friend Santa, thanks Kevin. He came over and brought some early presents. He had a little extra time and just wanted to stop by and see them. Zach couldn't have been happier. Katie was excited but went to bed wondering how he would have time on his busy night. I think Zach's face really does say it all.

He brought us a smore maker and the goods to make them and a fun movie for mom, thanks Kami. Morgan only went towards Santa when he started pulling presents out of his bag, she is trained :). It was the perfect ending to our Christmas Eve before we read of the birth of our Savior and went to bed. What wonderful friends we have - Thanks!!!! It will always be remembered!

12 Day of Christmas

My parents/Mom does the 12 days of Christmas for the Grandchildren each year. On the 12th of Dec. they get to open one present per day with the last one on the 24th. It really helps with the count down to Christmas and they don't seem to care about what is under the tree because they get to open a present each day anyway. It is a fun tradition and the children LOVE IT! who wouldn't love getting to open presents for 13, Christmas day too, days in a row.

Here they are opening the last present with Bushka and Papa here., which makes it even better!

2008 Gingerbread house

-A tradition-

The children and Bushka did the Gingerbread house this year. We went easy with a kit but used our own candy. They just don't provide the best gingerbread house kit. This is the first stage, since the icing in the kit takes forever to set up. The next day they put the roof on and decorated the yard. They had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the time with Bushka. Even Morgan put a few pieces of candy on, when they didn't go into her mouth. The house was the home of Mr. Penguin.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Plumbing Problems

Okay, this is what we came home to the Friday before Christmas. The basement had about 2" of water almost every where. We got home at 11:30 from Trevor's work party and the babysitter said that at the bottom of the stairs it was wet. I thought some one has spilt something so I went to check it out as Trevor took her home. Well I had to go and put on Trevor's snow boots just to walk down stairs.

In the basement we have had to pull up all of the carpeted areas for health reasons and of course now we get to wait for new carpet. Trevor called two great friends, who he knew were awake and they came over and wet vac. the whole area. That night we cut out most of the t.v. rooms carpet pad and got as much water as we could out. We were planning on digging up the backyard the following day anyway to work on the pipes. We knew there was a problem, just not a going to flood the basement problem. Our friends the Armstrongs put us up from Friday night at around 1:30 a.m.(saturday morning) until Monday night at around 9:00 p.m. That way we could just come home put the kids to bed and clean everything before morning. We can't say how much we appreciate them for that!!!

On Saturday, Travis and Trevor started the digging-

All of the dirt towards the end of day two.

Cleaning off the dirt to scoop up more dirt.

Our Grand Canyon in the back yard.

Here is Travis who is 6' forever in the hole, Yeah, it is about 10 feet deep.

Digging right next to the back of the house. The hole is just outside of Zach's window, great for watching them work while still in the nice warm house. This weekend the weather didn't even hit freezing. They had to be outside for 10+ hours a day in below freezing weather. It took the better part of three days. What men!

This what the utility room's carpet looked like when we pulled it up on the 23rd of Christmas with my parents. The tile under the carpet came up too. Well some of it ,so we got to scrape the rest off. (I should say they) My Dad pulled the t.v. room carpet up Chirstmas eve morning.

Since then ---

Everything was working great until Trevor heard the toilet bubble during one of his showers. Nothing transpired for a few day until - This past Sunday the sewer backed up again and just flooded a little in the bathroom and under the wall into the t.v. room. But hey we don't have any carpet so easy clean up. and I know it was poop water because I had just cleaned out some pooh underwear in the toilet. Right as I was leaving for church the plumber came out and snaked, good for the rest of the day. I was late for church but it is more important not to have pooh water in your house than being on time. Monday the toilet bubbled again... so... the plumber was called and he is going to come tomorrow morning to snake again. Good thing he was a guarantee for 3o days - what a blessing he has been. If any one in Burley needs a GOOD plumber just give me a call.

So that is the plumbing saga at the Irish home thus far. What a Christmas with the house it has been. When all said and done we could have gone on vacation, got a few Wii's or done something fun for Christmas, but instead we have pipes that work, pooh water that will exit the house properly and hopefully get some of it back when we sell our slow flip... our little money pit.

Santa and the ward Christmas Party-

We put Morgan up there with Katie but she would have none of it.

Zach always does his finger up and then on his check when he is thinking about what to tell Santa he wants. He told him this time we wanted a Robot from Walmart.

Katie just sat there in thought. I finally suggested a Webkinz and she liked that and told Santa that she wanted a Webkinz. Our family rule is that the children can ask Santa for one gift, so sometimes it is hard to decide. This year Katie knew who Santa was. It is kind of sad to see the "child" part of Christmas start to come to close for her.

Morgan didn't like his lap but she loved watching him from a distance. I think she just wanted a bag he was handing out. At the end of the party when we were getting ready to go home she had snagged another child's bag. She wouldn't let go of it for dear life, not as I carried her out to the car, as she sat in her car seat and almost had to take it to bed. But mom traded her with her blanket. It was too funny!

Uncle Virgil

Our children love Virgil. He is a great friend and we think of him as family. He helps proof all of Trevor's school stuff, plays with the children and just loves us. Which works out perfect since we love him back!

the claw

The children call him Virgie and they get all excited when he goes over. We have to postpone bed time if he comes right then.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Hanging Chrstmas Lights

The Children all got to help. They loved being outside, even if it was brief.

Katie's first grade Christmas Performance.

Katie's School Performance.

She got to present her music teacher and piano player with flowers and a card.

She was just beaming with a huge smile on her face when she got to do that.

Bushka and Papa were able to make it, due to car that needed to make a Christmas run so they could fit all the meat in the car when they came through at Christmas. Yeah!!!!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Up and coming weekend fun!

This weekend we get to---
go to Trevor's work party.
unwrap more of our 12 gifts, Thanks Bushka.
dig up the back yard to find our pipe problem so I will stop backing up into the house.
take Zach shopping to get his Christmas shopping done.
go to a BYU football party.
clean out the toys and house and get ready for the new items.
take the children's Christmas picture by the tree in their Sunday duds.
Jennifer is finally going to order her camera, again.
maybe print the Christmas letter for those who don't get it by post or blog or email, maybe.
Laugh.
Smile.
Play inside, in all of our snow, upstairs and down.
Get ready for the Holiday.
Just have fun, enjoy our life and smile through it all!