Oh, What do you do in the Wintertime?

So yeah, it has been really yucky weather out here. We were dumped on the last few days. The kids have had to make their own fun. This is what they came up with... Being Firebirds (from the Little Einsteins) They made a line with the chairs, would walk across them and then jump (aka fly) onto the love sac. It was so cute to be in the kitchen cooking dinner and hear my two little firebirds giggling together...

Gingerbread Houses

Our friends Lee and Marie invited our kids over to their house to make gingerbread houses with them and their nieces and nephew. I totally thought that they would do what I do and buy the kit from Costco and put it together... boy was I wrong. They made the cutest gingerbread houses out of a milk carton and graham crackers and plastered it with candy. It was the cutest thing I have ever seen! Ethan's House Emilee's House Thanks Lee and Marie for the cute houses and all of the candy, You're AMAZING!

HELP!

It really drives me nuts when I publish posts and it comes out in one huge paragraph. I do put the proper spacing in but when I hit the publish button all I get is one long paragraph. Does anyone in the blogging world now how to remedy my situation?

Merry Christmas From the Dawdy's

I think that this might be as close to a post as Aaron might get. He wrote the Christmas letter this year...okay, he always writes the christmas letter, but I have to do everything else, he can do this one thing! So I am blogging it so I have record of it. Friends and Family far away, be looking for a hard copy in your mailbox. Side note: We always call these silly things bragging letters because sometimes that is all they sound like...but we do enjoy recieving them from those we don't blog stalk, okay that I blog stalk, and I guess we like getting them from everyone I like to feel the love!

Merry Christmas!

Once again I have been tasked with authoring our family Christmas Letter. I believe Alisha thinks that if she keeps asking me to do it eventually I will get it right one day. Maybe she’s right. One day . . .

So, I think first off I want to invite those of you who do not normally communicate with us through this medium, to do so. We do want to know what is going on with all of you and we thank all of you who do keep in touch with us. Please let us know what is going on in your lives. Emilee: Cute thing: Emilee has shown us recently that she watches too much television by repeating a phrase from a commercial every time she hears the word “money”: She yells out “It’s my money and I need it now!” I should like to start off with our brightest (and by that I mean loudest and most attention getting) star, Emilee. This year has seen a lot of growth for our 2yr old girl. She has become quite the little princess. She loves to sing and hates it when others try to accompany her. I think she wants to bask in her own musical glory uninterrupted. Among her favorite songs to sing are: “Child of God” ( which she learned from a DVD Grandma gave the kids ) and “Do as I am doing” ( which she learned at church and from her mom). She loves little dolls and girly things. She also likes to do whatever her brother is doing at the time, even more than last year. Ethaniel: Cute thing: Ethan has gone to pouting when we tell him to do things he thinks are unfair, which makes me laugh which makes Alisha laugh trying to figure out why I am laughing which makes Emilee and Ethaniel join in laughing just to be like mom and dad. Of course Ethan likes to do less and less with his sister. Of course he invites her along to do what he is doing when under parental supervision. He started kindergarten this year and has become an excellent student despite some behavioral issues ( he likes to hum while he works and his teacher likes things quiet ). He has made some good friends thanks to his mom and likes everything under the sun if it has to do with boys and it is a toy and it is on a commercial such as: Bakugan, Transformers, Star Wars, Ben 10, etc…… …………………………yeah………………………………...there’s a lot of commercials………………… ………………………………......................................................................................................................... He recently bit through his tongue and lip on the stairs outside our condo. The doctor at the emergency room encouraged us not to admit him because all he would do is stitches and it would do more damage to the tongue than good. The first night it stopped bleeding but the next day was a nightmare for all of the bleeding. How do you get a 5 yr old boy to not play with his newly injured tongue. Eventually it stopped and it looks pretty good now a few weeks later with no apparent scar. He still likes to know every night, from his mom, before bed what is going to happen on the next day. He is a busy Boy. Alisha: Cute Thing: Pancakes on a stick. She craves ‘em. THE smartest thing I ever did was marry Alisha. A bright ( not the same bright used to describe Emilee ) talented and beautiful girl she continues to shine on many levels. When we first married I thought that she was just a gossip queen. She loves to talk about people. But I have found more recently that it is an informational talent. She seems to see and know things that other people are completely unaware of ( and I don’t mean myself, the average person can perceive way more than myself, hands down ). She doesn’t just pass on the information to others but she uses it to help people. A nice surprise. I love her for that. She has learned to maneuver around her picky family where meals are concerned. She has made our home a beautiful place to live by decorating, painting, and fashioning new furnishings. She is involved in Ethan’s classroom a lot as she is the Room Mother there. She has her own blog and spends time writing on there and checking out her friends sites as well. She is to be awarded for surviving a week long visit from my brother Mark and his family, for which she entertained, taxied, and endured wonderfully. I am not sure I could do the same in her stead. She is always teaching me new things that I would have not known without her. Aaron: Cute thing: I don’t do cute. Not too much exciting to say in my behalf. I recently posted my portfolio on the web in an attempt to get a much better job. After which I lost my job. Nice timing don’t you think. I have spent the last two weeks with family and still improving my portfolio. During this time of financial hardships across the nation I feel blessed with the knowledge that this is not all of existence. That it doesn’t end here. That if we do the best we can with what we have been given we can inherit something greater. I am grateful for the knowledge of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am also grateful that I have such a wonderful family. I hope that each of you has an amazing day in remembrance of His Birthday! Merry Christmas!

We've Seen the Lights!

Every year at Christmas it is a family tradition of ours to go see the lights at Thanksgiving Point via Horse Drawn Carriage. This year was no different other than we invited some friends to tag along with us, 35 of them could make it! It was so much fun to be on a wagon where you knew everyone there. We attempted to sing Christmas carols together but it didn't last long. The kids loved the lights and having their friends around them. Ethan said his favorite was "the Karate Chop Santa". After we went through the lights we had Hot Chocolate and Donuts. So much fun! Note from the Editor: Aaron was in charge of taking pictures...sorry...there were others there with us besides the ones in the pictures...shout out's to: Brad, Lori, Blake, Ryan, Camille, Ryan, Jamie, Carter, Rylee, Marie, Becky, Paul, Melody, Noah, Andrea, Dave, Madisen, Sydney, Camille, Mike, Rebecca, and I think that is it!! Ethan enjoying the lights, I don't know what is up with his hat! He was in Heaven having Ryan and Blake by his side.Emilee, sitting on her favorite spot...Becky's lap... She loved being right by the horses.

Shawn, Kristin, Libby and Mallory, trying to stay warm.

Clark, Tori and Ezra admiring Tori's Photography skills!

Rebecca, Garth, Lily and Ashley...oh and their OTHER son Ethan, I don't know why he is in the picture and not their REAL son Ryan?!? Tyra and Randy, I don't know where their kids are but they were there too!

Hot Chocolate and Donuts After...Hit the spot! Both Aaron and I are so grateful to our many friends that we have around us. We are very blessed to live where we do and have the support system we do. If you get a chance to go see the lights, it is a Holiday must!!