'Twas The Day After Christmas
Author Unknown
Author Unknown
Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house,
Every creature was hurting--even the mouse.
The toys were all broken, their batteries dead;
Santa passed out, with some ice on his head.
Wrapping and ribbons just covered the floor,
While upstairs the family continued to snore.
And I in my T-shirt, new Reeboks and jeans,
Went into the kitchen and started to clean.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the sink to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the curtains, and threw up the sash.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a little white truck, with an oversized mirror.
The driver was smiling, so lively and grand;
The patch on his jacket said "U.S. POSTMAN."
With a handful of bills, he grinned like a fox
Then quickly he stuffed them into our mailbox.
Bill after bill, after bill, they still came.
Whistling and shouting he called them by name:
"Now Dillard's, now Broadway's, now Penny's and Sears
Here's Levitz's and Target's and Mervyn's--all here!!
To the tip of your limit, every store, every mall,
Now chargeaway-chargeaway-chargeaway all!"
He whooped and he whistled as he finished his work.
He filled up the box, and then turned with a jerk.
He sprang to his truck and he drove down the road,
Driving much faster with just half a load.
Then I heard him exclaim with great holiday cheer,
"ENJOY WHAT YOU GOT…YOU'LL BE PAYING ALL YEAR!"
Like I said I'm usually pretty cheap when it comes to going to the movie but on Friday, December 11, was the day my niece Brentlie has been counting down for months, the day that the Princess and the Frog came out so we HAD to go fo the movie. Kim even bought the girls cute t-shirts to wear. This was a big, big deal because you see now Disney finally has an African-American princess, which they have never had. A few years ago Kim and I noticed this when we went to Disney on Ice and we were pretty excited when we saw the advertisements that Princess Tiana was making her debut!
December 12 was a busy day for Todd and I. I help with the local Shop with a Cop program which takes a lot of planning and preparation. It is such a neat program. It is an opportunity for the officers of Madison, Fremont, Teton, Clark and Jefferson to take a child, who otherwise would not have a Christmas, shopping at the Kmart in Rexburg. All of this is possible through donations. We had over 90 officers attend and 78 children shopping. Only ages 4-11 can shop but they are able to buy for their family and siblings that could not attend. In all we help around 55 families and 250 individuals benefit from the program. One of the neatest things is the procession down Main Street with all of the officers' vehicles and the children running the lights and sirens, so if you were woken up that morning at 6:00 a.m., sorry!
After Shop with a Cop was over I headed to Smith Park where Todd was in charge of Wreaths Across America, a program where wreaths are laid at Arlington Cemetary and at local Veteran Monuments and cemetaries across America on the second Saturday of December at 12:00 Eastern Time each year. If you've ever seen this picture of the wreaths laid at Arlington Cemetary, this is the ceremony I'm talking about.
Can I just say it had been a lot of work to prepare for these events but it was a very, very neat day. From seeing the Spirit of Christmas through childrens' eyes and then feeling so very thankful for the Veterans who have fought for my freedom. I came away very thankful for all that I have!!
It was a very nice day and I can't believe that she is already eight years old.
She was all smiles with her Dad by her side.
I had to take a picture of her and a friend, Natalie Bell. Natalie was born two days after Harleigh and her family lived in our ward when Harleigh was blessed. They were blessed on the same day and now they were baptized on the same day. I thought that was kind of neat, too bad her Mom and I didn't think to take pictures of them eight years ago when they were blessed. 
It was a very special day for our very special daughter. We are so glad to have her in our family. Even her brothers told her congratulations and had hugs for her. We had so many friends and family come to the baptism and it was wonderful to see the support for Harleigh and our family. Thank you everyone who came.
For Smokey's birthday Kim ordered him a Dutch Oven cake and then Smokey made the rest of us some yummy dutch oven cooking for dinner, which was very nice of him to do on his 40th birthday. I think he was a little disappointed that she didn't have a big surprise party for him since he was turning 40 but he was really surprised when two days later she had been planning a surprise trip to Las Vegas for him and several friends. We were invited but weren't able to go. 
Brodie's birthday is on November 20. This year we went to Green Canyon swimming and had barbeques and an ice cream cake. 
Brodie has started dating, Brittany Beck, whose birthday is also on November 20. Brittany and a friend made Brodie this cool blanket which I thought was so thoughtful considering how much Brodie likes the Army. It had his name in the upper right corner and "Army Strong" just a little lower. It is fleece with black on the back and army camo on the front, it is very WARM! Harleigh tried really hard to steal it that first night.
After they played at Leos, Brentlie came over to the house where the girls had to put on the fake nails that Brentlie had given to Harleigh as part of her present and they watched the rest of her present the movie UP, with, of course, Harleigh's favorite thing popcorn.
Sunday, November 22, we had a November Birthday Party at my mom's house. Since there are so many November birthdays we just throw them all into one big party.
On Harleigh's actual birthday, November 23, we went to Craigo's for dinner and then finished it all off with some more cake and ice cream.
Then went up to Aunt Kim and Uncle Smokey's where we posed with a tiger, kitty, and Tigger. 
