Holiday Hoopla and stuff

I guess I should back track to September when we had our big tamale making day!

This could be considered a holiday to the Goodman family.

Its been a long standing tradition for as long as Casey's been alive, and then some.

They actually took a 3 year hiatus when the corn was not doing so hot. 

Or too expensive? I can't remember.

However, I think some asked begged for some home made tamales

 so Papa and Grammy made it happen!

It's an all day Saturday ordeal.

  

This little girl was loving these things.

I think so consumed 8-10 that day.

I would watch her walk over to the table, grab one and eat it like candy!

School pictures came back!

I guess I only have Rusty's scanned so far.

After we got back from San Francisco, we had a bake sale for Rusty's school teacher, Mrs. Greaves.

She had been suffering from chronic illness for a while.

One day she woke up and couldn't feel the right side of her body.

She was in the hospital for a week and was diagnosed with MS.

That didn't stop her from coming back to school the day after she got released from the hospital!

What a dedicated teacher!

We wanted to help her and her family, especially during the holiday season.
 So we got to baking!

 I think these girls were the most excited.

We sold cookies, cinnamon rolls, and hot chocolate.

He raised $290 for his teacher!

She called me the following day... because when a student hands you an
 envelope of cash you raise your eyebrows a little.

Once I told her what we did, she was so grateful.

The night before they were talking about how they had little money to

 buy their kids Christmas presents.

She is a young mom of 4. Maybe that's why my heart went out to her.

I love giving during the holidays!

It's my favorite thing in the whole wide world!

We carried that attitude to the Giving Machine in downtown Gilbert.

It was a big deal to have it so close to home, with only 3 in the entire world!

So much so, that the lines could be an hour wait time.

I heard to go on a Sunday, so that's what we did.

No lines because everybody is at church:)

We told the kids to bring some of their money to put in the machine, 

but you could only use credit cards. 

They sure enjoyed swiping that thing!

They each choose something different.

Della, Mac n Cheese.

Lindi, first aid kit.

Lane, a holiday turkey.

Rusty, mackerel.

Mom and Dad, food supplies for 3 months.

I had no idea that Della would have such an infatuation with outdoor Christmas lights 

and lawn ornaments!

We could not leave the house without her running to the neighbor's yards and her loving on them!

She had an order.

First Mary got a kiss, then Joseph and baby Jesus.

She would repeat the line up until I would get bored with the whole make out shesh, lol!

BUT then we had to move on to the Rudd's blow up Santa and Frosty! 

She could not reach their lips so they received hugs instead:)

Any lights on any house were also gleefully pointed out while driving.

I loved the excitement from her.

She gets it... Christmas is magical!

Some church friends met up at Nando's for some late night nacho's.

It was Amber's birthday, more of an excuse to get together since the Bachelor isn't on yet, lol!

Really though, these girls are great and I am lucky to have them as friends.

This year I made "Grinch Granola" for neighbor gifts.

Pretty sure I have an amazing army of friends/neighbors, because we passed out 50 bags!!

Every year I try to trim the list down, but I just can't!

Christmas isn't Christmas without all the concerts!

"I wanna, hot cup of cocoa with a, marshmallow or two..."

You can barely see Rusty. Second row from top, next to the girl with a blue shirt.

Lane also sang with his age group, for the VERY LAST TIME!

HOW is that kid going to Jr. High next year?!

And HOW did I not get a picture?!

I did take pictures at his band concert!

Lindi (top row) all excited for her Kindergarten sing.

I think she was more excited that she got to go home early from school.

Grandma didn't get the striped shirt memo!
She is always so good to come and support the kids.

I helped in Lanes class party.

I snuck a picture of him, he would have given me eye dagger stares if I got caught!

He does not like pictures. 

I can't blame him, I was the same way growing up.

The Evan's invited us over for cookie decorating!

This was after we piled in the back of the truck to look at Christmas lights.

Lindi and her cousin's, who took up half of the class, had their Christmas recital!

I feel guilty saying this, but man I was grateful this class was over with!

Such a cute group of kids and an amazing teacher.

Something about driving an hour round trip for a 45 min class... I dreaded Monday's.

It was a Broadway type class so they sang their Annie and Wicked hearts out.

They sang some Christmas songs at the end, which then led to Santa appearing!

It was cute, until melt down city when the candy canes broke in half.

When do they get over that trauma and learn that it still tastes the same!!

Obviously before the candy cane broke.
I sound like Mr. Scrooge.

Cute girly cousins!

I don't know what possessed me.

One morning I woke up and said enough is enough.

I took scissors and snipped Della's pacifier.

WHAAAT did I just do???!!!

And during bonkers Christmas time!

That thing was her life line. Her best friend. Her 12 hours of sleep plug. 

Clearly she was upset as could be about it.

All of a sudden Lindi bursts out in tears!!

She was mad that Della was screaming her guts out AND sad that she didn't have a paci anymore.

I text Casey that I did it. I cut her off cold turkey.

He didn't believe me.

So a face timed him.

The second he answered I bursted into tears!!

Now 3 of us, sobbing on the phone.

Casey couldn't stop laughing!

I didn't know if I was crying because I knew it would be hell for days,

 or that I was sad that I took away her true form of happiness. 

Pretty sure it was both reasons. 

Sorry baby girl!

Fast forward a week.

Of course the same week I took away her paci,  she learned how climb out 

of her crib!!

Words cannot describe how miserable we ALL were.

Pretty sure it was worse than when she was a new born.

She was making me pay.

Smart little booger.

One night I literally hoovered over her crib for hours to make sure

she wouldn't climb out and wander the house all hours of the night.

Naps were out the window.

I bought a crib tent.

Imagine a cat getting put into a bath tub.

We turned the door knob around so the lock was in the hall.

Ya, she couldn't get out.

 She would lay on the floor and kick the door so loud and long

I for sure thought the cops were going to show up to see what the commotion was.

Or that the door would literally break down.

I can NOW look at this picture and laugh at it.

Any sooner and I would still shutter with PTSD.

It must had been a long night, because I was still in bed around 8am.

Kids were home on Christmas break .

I started to hear that somebody was in my room.

  I opened my eyes to Della, covered in my long last lip stick,

 no clothes on and eating a bag of

frozen mini corn dogs.

I didn't even care.

I think I rolled over and kept sleeping, ha!

Since I couldn't eat normal crack to put me out of my misery, I decided the next best thing was to make it in the sugar form, lol!!

I can't tell you how many batches of Christmas crack I made.

It can get you through rough times!

* I am happy to report that she did start sleeping again! It was a loooong month. 

Santa's Toy Shop was the theme of Grammy's party this year!

We were greeted by Santa and Mrs Clause.

She goes all out and the kids love it so much.

We had a caravan of Lindbloms at the Symphony of Lights!

Grandma with her video camera.

Figueoras were behind us.

I'm trying to get this video to upload, but at the end we had 5 white SUV's driving in a big

circle in the parking lot for quite a long time!

It was hysterical 

My girls dolling it up with my old Mini World dresses.

Vintage at it's finest!

They were a hit at church.

I must had lost my mind, because I told Casey to rip out the backyard... on Christmas Eve!

Yep, why not add to the chaos with a backyard remodel.

Not only that, it needed to be done in a month.

More on that later.