mia = santa clause

merry christmas !!
love, mia

need s'more or singing 'round the campire at the clove casa

RECIPE FOR A GOOD TIME:

2 PARTS HOT CHOCOLATE

2 PARTS MARSHMALLOWS

1 PART CHOCOLATE BAR

2 PARTS GRAHAM CRACKERS

1 PART FIRE

20 PARTS GOOD FRIENDS

MIX IT ALL TOGETHER AND YOU GET: GOOD MEMORIES~

we did some spectacular christmas caroling--i'm pretty sure that we are going to cut an album soon--we are shopping around for record labels even as we speak.......

think i jest? well, just check us out:





you're welcome, internet.

loni and mindi christmas morning 1977

i love this photo--it's of me and my sister running down the hall into the living room, christmas morning 1977.

it was tradition that we never went in to see what santa brought us until we had all gathered in our parent's room and were ready. then we were lined up, youngest to oldest, and only rushed in when we got the 'go ahead'. i never once peeked or went in without my family--it would have ruined the surprise.

we do the same thing with our girls now.

NAUGHTY. (or looks like jared's been here.....)

we have a friend who likes to arrange our christmas decor into compromising positions.
he is a bit of a cotton-headed ninnymuggins

hoobastank in las vegas

DO'S & DONT'S of seeing hoobastank at the joint in the hard rock hotel:

DO go to dinner with besties at diablo's mexican cantina and sing along to bonjovi songs

DO see opening act hollywood undead and be pretty flippin' impressed. totally entertaining.

DON'T think you are the oldest people there. cuz you're NOT.

DO take photo of said older person for documenting purposes.

DO make new bff's with the freaks that turn out--it makes for a better concert.

DO take sneaky surprise photos with unsuspecting people who are wearing things that they just really shouldn't. (it's that hickie you just can't stop looking at, right? yeah, us too.)

DON'T get caught doing it.

DON"T be afraid to show some 'man love' for your boys in front of the camera

DO rock it out as hard as your soccer-mom footwear will allow you to!

**NOTE TO READERS: my christmas gift to you is "NO COMMENT" week here at word to your mother. with christmas right around the corner, i am releasing you from any BLOGLIGATIONS to comment---just read (or not) and move on!

thankful thursday

things i am thankful for this week:

snowmen with oreo eyes and buttons: let me state for the record that i am NOT fond of snow in utah's dixie, but i AM fond of snowmen. and cute little girlies who are so excited to do this because it's usually not an option!

this album: yes, i know--jump on the bandwagon with the rest of the internet. but i dig these guys and brandon flowers IS a pseudo-mormon after all....

i especially love it because i read this quote from brandon about the album: "for me it’s even more of a las vegas record then our previous albums. it’s my job to give people an idea of what it’s like to be from this desert."

being a desert rat myself, and only living 90 minutes from las vegas, i loveloveLOVED that he would create an album JUST. FOR. ME.

so thoughtful of b.f.....

(and p.s.--i'm with my girl, kami: the best song is i can't stay)




blogging buddies: my blesbian bff vanessa sent me a product that combines my love of lip balm with dr. pepper--WIN/WIN. i'm all about it--thank you v!
(and yes, i AM daring to post a ghetto photo of me on the internet. that's how i roll.)

& i'm especially thankful for a sweet little face on a christmas tree decorated with glitter.

say it isn't SNOW! (it actually snowed in stg)

SNOW IN DIXIE??

TOTAL ANARCHY.

SCHOOL CANCELLED!

yes, it's true--we panic when there is more than 2 inches of snow here in the desert. apparently our buses aren't equipped to drive in the snowfall whatsoever, so our minuscule amount of flakeage = SNOW DAY.

i realize that, for most of you, pictures of snow on the ground is no big freakin' whoop. but for us in these here parts, it's kind of a BIG DEAL.

the last time i remember school being cancelled for a snow day was when i was in 2nd grade. that was (ahem.) 1977.

my kids are psyched. there are many snowmen to be made and snowballs to be thrown.

derrill backed the betamax or merry christmas 1985

i remember when video cassette tape players first came out--there were two kinds: vhs and beta. about 3/4ths of the world bought the vhs while the other 1/4th bought the beta.

being a visionary, my dad derrill bought the beta machine. the only other people that i knew who owned beta were my uncle dale and my uncle grey (my dad's two brothers.)

i recall going to 'rent a video' on st. george boulevard to pick out which movie we would watch that night--what a great concept! i always remember feeling sorry for those poor suckers who bought the clumsy, larger vhs tape machines. the beta tapes were littler and so much cuter in my 7th grade mind--the people who made the mistake of NOT buying the beta machine would certainly rue the day later when betas ruled the world.

that was, until the vhs tapes took over the betas and beat them to a bloody pulp. after a few years you couldn't even RENT a video in beta, and our beloved machine was sold for pennies at a yard sale.

i tell this long, not very interesting story because it explains why i feel so compelled to visit a betamax christmas--it's basically sitting in your wood-panelled basement and watching christmas shows and videos from the 80's. you even get to change channels with a ghetto remote and switch between oldies but goodies designing women, silver spoons,growing pains, friday night videos, night court, and even some vintage commercials.

so, slip on those reebok high tops and la gear sweatpants and hide what you're watching from the parentals! (just kidding mom and dad--i never watched anything of a questionable nature.)

my favorite christmas books

i've been semi-obsessed with children's christmas books for about 5 years now. they bring me peace and happiness and joy when i purchase them, and all is right with the world.

but i figure you can only have so many "legends of the candy cane" before you overdose on christmas saccharine. (and YES, i have it. and NO, i'm not a hater.)

some of my favorites are--

books where you find things:

look- alikes christmas is OFF THE HOOK. these geniuses have created 3-d christmas scenes with every day found objects and their creativity is mucho impressive. this is a much-loved book at our house and very seriously in demand.

click to enlarge & find the bra! (yes, it's THAT kind of blog.)

can you see what i see? the night before christmas--another book to test your skillz. each page gives you a list of items to find and i must confess that there are a few that i've NEVER LOCATED. i think they are just an urban legend.

books that make you cry:

the little match girl--an oldie but a goodie. so sad and bittersweet. my girls like to ask me to read this one as they know it will induce tears. then i'm horrified because i realize they are waiting for the ugly cry, just like i did every week with sister willie in junior sunday school, 1976. it's ALWAYS GONNA HAPPEN. ("wait for it.")

the selfish giant--speaking of tears, this is the one that will do it to me every time, without fail. it's not really classified a christmas book in the traditional sense, but i feel it has the most beautiful story of love and sacrifice and the resurrection that you could find.

christmas oranges --i'm a sucker for this one. and i can't ever read it out loud because i never make it through, so russ has had to read this the past couple of years. when i first heard about it i almost didn't buy it as i thought it would be predictable and formulaic (orphanage? christmas? CHECK. CHECK.) but it surprised me.

books that are fun for little ones:

merry un-christmas --what if every day was christmas, and the only day you looked forward to was "unchristmas day"?? this is a totally unique take on the subject and so smartly written.

are you grumpy, santa?--this is mia's current favorite.

books that have awesome illustrations:

queen of christmas--how can you lose with mary engelbreit? oh, yeah--YOU CAN'T.

the night before christmas --did i mention you couldn't lose with mary?

snowmen at night --easy to read and a fun idea--what DO snowmen do at night? read this book and you'll have the inside scoop.

snowmen at christmas--just as good and visually stunning as the first one.

santa claus the world's number one toy expert --detailed, intricate illustrations about the process that santa goes through when picking out a toy for you.

santa calls--my favorite.

have i missed any? are there some new ones i need to get? do tell.