The Rogers Family: December 2010

Well, I accidentally left my point at shoot at my parents house, so this post will be much sweeter and shorter than it normally would have been!
CHRISTMAS ROCKS!!! We have had a great holiday season, dispite the fact that our Christmas decorations this year were -
1 Christmas tree with lights.
2 Snow men decorations given to us by my mom who knows we collect snowmen
3 ornaments on the tree (2 from disneyland and one was a gift left on our doorstep)

Yup....that's it. We normally go ALL OUT (and love to do it I might add) but this year with all the trips and the mini sessions, we were too busy! We decided that instead of being sad when we saw our meager decorations, we would think about how much fun we had had doing other things instead, and IT WORKED! Plus, guess what? Clean up tomorrow is going to be A BREEZE!!! :o)

Since I don't have the other camera, I will only comment on those pictures that I do have-

1. Jaxon's Preschool Nativity. Jaxon was a wiseman, and took his job very seriously. He loves to ham it up, but like his mom, only on his own terms..."Acting" is not so much his cup of tea (also like his Mom) and he was a little nervous being up there. We were also a little (A LOT!) nervous...becuase anyone who knows Jaxon, knows that putting him standing on a stool for any extended period of time is just asking for a fall...or several. Dave and I saw him get up there and both leaned in at the same time to ask the other "how long till he falls off the first time?" We laughed together...but you know what...he never fell!!

Just got up, very serious---

Been up for a while..."NO MORE PICTURES MOM!" (believe me... I know this look well!)

Done being a wiseman....feelin' a little bored!

Jaxon's best buddy and Cousin Oakley came for his big performance!

Next- Christmas Morning! Christmas was absolutely fabulous...but since I don't have all my pictures, I will only comment on this one part... THE TRAMPOLINE!!!!

WE LOVE IT!!!

We waited as long as possible to give Jaxon that last surprise (Actually, we only waited until the sun was up so I could video tape him seeing it) and went out about 6:45! I'm sure Our neighbors loved all the noise, and all the dogs we woke up who started barking at us! We played on the tramp for a good 45 minutes...and by the end, Dave and I were sitting in the middle and JAxon was literally running circles around us....It was such a metaphor of our lives... :o)

Merry Christmas everyone, Merry Christmas!

I'm not sure why blogging has become such a chore??? Oh wait, yes I do! I started blogging because it was easier than scrapbooking, and I started facebooking because it was easier than blogging...what's next?

Okay, so the last month has been AWESOME!

1. Nov 15th Dave finished his busy season and we went on a "weekend away" just the 2 of us to Phx. It was great! I ate at my first raw restuarant and was HOOKED, saw HP7 and LOVED IT, and spent time with my main (and only!) squeeze!

2. I started running (jogging) This may not be a big deal to most people, but I have been a self proclaimed non-runner my whole life. I'm short and stocky and not built to do it...that's what I've said. I've also had a severe mistrust of anyone who gets up ridiculously early to go jogging before their kids get up! WHO DOES THAT? Well folks, I'm at a great place in my life where I am deciding what I can and can't, and will and won't do. No more excuses and no more saying "I can't...." or "I don't..." I decided to prove to myself that I CAN BE A RUNNER. And guess what? I don't even really like it, but I LOVE that I'm doing it. I do feel good about my accomplishments when I'm done, and I feel great that I've proven to myself that I can do whatever I put my mind to!

3. The week of Thanksgiving we left town on Wednesday and went to Cali to celebrate Thanksgiving with my brother and his wife, and my parents. We got a real treat with Jaxon flying with Grandma and Grandpa, so I slept pretty much the whole drive! (Dave says I stink as a travel companion...but I say, A LEAST I WASN'T THROWING UP!!!... I sleep to avoid carsickness)We ate out at Ruth Chris, which to be honest, I didn't think was so great! But I don't love Thanksgiving food, so the thought of having steak was just fine with me. While the food was not fantastic, they had a great chocolate lava cake..in which I indulged, and demolished all on my own! It was wonderful and relaxing staying at the beach house, and I won an insane amount of money in a bet with my brother in which he erroneously thought that I would not swim in the ocean for a half an hour when it was 56 degrees and windy out! WRONG! We also spent 2 glorious hours playing on the beach (After a loooooong and HOT shower!) with pretty much not a soul in sight! Dave, Jaxon, and I also found an evening to sneak and away and eat at our FAVORITE RESTAURANT, Pat and Oscars-well...it's only the favorite of Dave and I, and Jaxon fell asleep while there!

There's a chance that Jaxon has a small (huge) crush on an older woman..his cousin!

The view from the beachhouse...

Don't let the sunny facade fool you...it was F-F-F-FREEZING!!!

(can you tell by my beach attire that I hadn't previously planned on swimming?)

Does it look like it was worth it? CAUSE IT WAS!!!

At the beach- in the cove

3. We came home for a week and I prepared for and shot my Christmas Mini sessions. I shot 22 separate sessions, and I LOVED IT! I loved getting to shoot so many people, and I loved that 15 minutes is not quite enough time to drive a mom out of her mind, or make a 2 year old actually wish he were taking a nap instead of getting his pictures taken! I'm definately going to be doing more mini sessions. Plus, we left the next day for another week, and I didn't have to edit ANYTHING for 7 whole days! (I will post lots of these on my photography website in the next few days if you care to see them...)

4. We left for another week in California. We drove to San Diego on Sunday (ate at Pat and Oscars-jaxon fell asleep there again!) and went to Sea World on Monday. While we had truly fantastic time, and it was TOTALLY EMPTY, I don't think we would do it again. Jaxon is a mover and a shaker...sitting to watch a show, or see animals, no matter how amazing...just not his thing. We spent most of the time on their few rides! That night we again ate at Pat and Oscars...2nd of 4 times this week...yes...we like it that much!!

Asleep at Pat and Oscars...one of many...

before the 4D Christmas Show...

I think this is one of my all time favorite pictures...so classic Jaxon!

I found a mirror at Sea World that I kinda like...

Tuesday was Dave's birthday which we started at IHop. Dave got a great birthday breakfast Sundae and it just started the day out right. We drove up to Newport and had a fun birthday lunch with Scott and Erin where Dave got another birthday treat- Strawberry Shortcake!. Then we all rested a little bit- and headed over to Boomers for some serious SERIOUS go-cart racing. Some people think that the posted "NO bumping" is a hard and fast rule, but we thought it was more of a "Moot suggestion" and got pretty physical. SO. MUCH. FUN!!! We were so full from our delicious late lunch that we just snacked in the evening.

Breakfast Sundae...YUMMY!!!

Wednesday we went to Disneyland/ California Adventure with just the 3 of us and had a marvelous time! We did everything we wanted several times, and enjoyed every minute. Jaxon hates the "kiddie" rides, so Dave and I enjoyed the day just as much as Jaxon did! ....Can you guess where we ate for Dinner? YUM YUM- Can you guess who fell asleep on the bench again??!!!

Thursday we went to Disneyland with 19 people! My Dad, three of my brothers, one sister, one brother in law, one sister in law, Jaxon, 3 nephews and 6 nieces! Disneyland with 19 people is a lot LOT different than Disneyland with 3 people, but equally fun! We traded kids around and helped each other so everyone could do the things that they, and their kids wanted! I tore it up on the new Toy Story ride at California Adventure (THE BEST RIDE EVER!!!!) and am the reigning family champion! Unfortunately, we did not eat at Pat and Oscars on Thursday.

Even the tram ride To Disneyland is exciting if you're with your cousins!

I'm too cheap to buy the actual picture, but take a picture of the picture...now that I can do!

Tower Of Terror- Me, Dave, and J have our hands up. Emily has her eyes squeezed shut, and Hailey looks petrified!

This is our last day at Disneyland, 6 days after our adventure started...can you tell we are a little more tired than we started out???

Jaxon and his best buddy/friend/cousin Oakley, getting ready for the AWESOME Toy Story ride!

Friday we went to Disneyland again, this time minus 2 brothers and 2 neices. Still so fun, still so crazy! We went to Pat and Oscars and were so sad to be leaving our dear love for who-knows-how-long. We ate many too many breadsticks in fairwell, and even ordered dessert which we don't normally do! And true to form, Jaxon fell asleep, this time with a breadstick in his hand!

Sleeping at Pat and Oscars with a breadstick in his hand-

Saturday we drove home, and can you believe after a week of going to bed late, waking up insanely early, and GOING GOING GOING all day, Jaxon was an angel!? Seriously! He did so well...he's just growing up. It's sad, but true.

On Sunday I was welcomed back at church by several people who thought I had died/moved/contracted a horrible disease to explain being gone the last 4 Sundays. It was good to be back.

Now it is Wednesday night. We have a Christmas tree up with lights on it, and that's it. And you know what, I don't mind a bit. We have played and loved and had some much fun, everytime I see the bare entertainment center top with no snowman village, I just think of all the things we've done together, and I'm okay with it!

hows that for a catch up???

"Hard to Kill", a truly beautiful hymn...

Christmas!

Still Alive- still Kicking!

This is why...

Coming up for air...