Christmas Tag

I borrowed this idea from my friend Tonya. It looked fun. Here it goes...

1. Wrapping Paper or Gift Bags?...Definetely wrapping paper...I prefer solids, stripes or a subtle print with thick fancy ribbon

2. Real Tree or artificial?...for sure real...we're Oregonians.

3. When do you put up the tree?..The first weekend of December

4. When do you take the tree down?... Usually right after the New Year.

5. Do you like egg nog?... in small doses

6. Favorite gift received as a child?... baby doll

7. Hardest person to buy for?...my parents

8. Easiest person to buy for?...the kids

9. Do you have a nativity scene?...Yes...we currently have 3 displayed

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?...Mail

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?... I've never met a gift I didn't love

12. Favorite Christmas movie?... It's a toss up...Christmas Vacation or Christmas Story

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?... Whenever I see a good deal

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? ...Yes, as a white elephant gift

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? ... Judy's bon bons and Hershey's Candy Cane or Mint Truffle Kisses

16. Lights on the tree? ... YES--all white and about 4000 (we counted this year)

17. Favorite Christmas Song?...Anything on the John Denver & the Muppets Christmas album

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? ... Home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? ...Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet, Cupid and Donner and Blitzen and of Course Rudolph.

20. Angel on top of the tree or star? ...Star

21. Open the presents on Christmas Eve or Morning?... Both because we celebrate with each side of the families on different days.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? ... shopping on Saturdays

23. Favorite ornament?...I like the Margaret Furlongs that my mom started collecting for me

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?... Smoked Salmon Pasta

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? ... a new computer

And the winner is...

Can I please have a resounding "YAHOO" from all the ladies in the house!!!

As Wolfman in X-Men he was okay, but one night I was flipping through channels and landed on PBS where Mr. Jackman was playing Curly in "Oklahoma" and I was smitten. It took "People" awhile, but they finally hit the nail on the head with this one. Since "People" hasn't discovered my husband yet, I'll settle for Hugh in the meantime.

Gobble, Gobble

We've only done it for three years now, but the Jason & Rachel Short family have decided that participating in the Oregon Zoo 4 mile Turkey Trot is a great way to start our Thanksgiving day and we hope it's a tradition that we will carry on. This year we talked Grandpa & Grandma Heder into joining us.

Here's all of us before the race. We couldn't have asked for better weather...chilly, but sunny.

Here is Clara before the race. (Notice the smile and cheerful dispostion...)

The gun shot and the race began. Grandpa and Jaykob were the first to dart off with Jason and I to follow. Grandma was nice enough to push Max and Clara in the jogger with Mary's help. We don't know how it happened, but as we finished the first 2 miles and we were running back up the hill, we saw Grandpa & Jaykob heading down. There were so many people that we didn't see it when we passed them. We then passed Grandma and we noticed that Clara was crying, Max was trying to get out of his seat and Mary was 10 feet ahead (obviously, not helping out much). She told us to go ahead and she would wait for Grandpa to help her.

I finished the race, Jason followed...alright, alright, Jason slowed down as we approached the finish line to "let" me win, it's true, regardless, we finished the race and then waited, waited and waited for the rest of the group to join us. While Jason was in line for water, I backtracked to see if I could find the gang. I finally saw my dad with Clara on his shoulders coming around the corner. I yelled at him to go find Jason while I waited for Mom and the other kids. I waited and waited some more. Jason then found me and said he never saw my dad. We wandered around the zoo and the parking lot for what seemed like forever trying to track everyone down. We finally headed back to the finish line and to make a long story short we found everyone. My mom had headed to the wrong finishing spot and got hot chocolate for the kids and sat around wondering where everyone was. Clara was not enjoying the jogger and so Grandpa had to run with her on his shoulders for the last two miles.

It was crazy, hectic, but in the end everyone said they had fun.

We made it to the finish line and caught the turkey! It looks like we are all still smiling too!Clara was quite fascinated with this fine feathered creature.

I am thankful for...

(My plan was to post this on Thanksgiving, but I didn't have access to a computer, so better late than never.)

I am thankful for...

* being an Oregonian
* being an American
* electricity
* seasons
* being a Heder, Heninger, Brammer, Knudsen and a Short
* my gas fireplace
*Gabe, who has helped me become a "yes" person
* Heidi, who kicks my behind and teaches me that it's okay to do "hard" things
* eternal marriage
* my makeup
* Marcy, who through example teaches me the joy of serving
* being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
* my Egyptian cotton sheets
* my computer
* Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Freeman, who educate my children
* Ryan & Dave, who "play" with my husband
* entertainers in general
* Rockelle, who teaches me about generosity
* Leslie, who has a very warm car on Tuesday and Thursday mornings so that I am more willing to go to strength training class
* books
* television
* scrapbooking and scrapbooking stores
* shoes with heels that slightly aid in making my legs look longer
* board games
* running shoes
* candy cane Hershey Kisses
* scriptures
* flattering, well-made clothing
* Trader Joe's Pasadena Chicken Salad
* my husbands fuzzy arms
* blueberry pancakes
* Diana, who is okay with being cheesy regardless of the brutal teasings that may follow
* Staci, who challenges my often way of "little" thinking
* Sarah, who cracks me up
* Kirsten, who has rockin' taste in home decorating
* all flowers and all trees
* Target
* cars
* Stacey, Melissa and Emily who help me relieve stress through our fun scrapbook outings and through their many funny and endearing stories
* my brothers
* Jenny, who made the MTC bearable and now is making H2C bearable
* my parents, (why I'm thankful for them will have to be it's own post)
* my extremely, hilarious, wonderful beautiful children
* my husband's love for cleanliness and his willingness to help maintain that cleanliness around the house
* Jared's wisdom
* Jeannie's inspiring loyalty
* art projects
* dishwashers
* bike trails
* Judy, who teaches me the art of unconditional love
* Jay, who's enthusiasm is contagious
* Jen, who fills all my needs that I require in a friend and then some
* Angela, who makes me laugh and think
*my Heavenly Father and my Savior

I could seriously do this all day.