As expected the entire month of December just flew by. We were extremely busy. We are every month but especially were this month. I sometimes wonder how people do all this with kids too. Well it was busy but lots of fun. So much fun and so busy that I wish that I could do the whole month over again. But I'll have to wait till next year.
This year I decided that I really wanted to enjoy the Christmas season and just relax more and not stress or panic over little details. Well I did really well until Christmas Eve when I realized that I didn't have a gift for any of our parents or my 2 baby nieces and 1 baby nephew. I had bought all the stuff to make baby blankets for the little ones and I had all the stuff to do photo tile boards for the parents but I just ran out of time. I really was going to give it a shot after our Annual Christmas Eve Dinner with Ben's family, but my dear husband talked me out of it. So on Christmas we just gave a promise that we had gifts for them but they'd be late. I'm so glad that I didn't tell them when, cuz I'm actually just taking a break from the tile boards. Yes, it's January 3rd, actually it will be the 4th in 40 minutes and we still haven't given our parent's their Christmas gifts. Ha! Well this way the Christmas will last just a little bit longer.
One of my favorite Christmas gifts (for the past 4 Christmas's) is getting 7 paid days off from work. It turns out to be 11-12 days total counting the weekends but only 7 paid. Ben and I usually go on a vacation the day after Christmas till I have to go back to work but this year we decided (actually finances decided) to just be home for the holidays. I had hopes and dreams of cleaning and finishing up our house, but it never happened. We have been so extremely busy since my very first day off of work all the way through today. But it's been fun
So I love taking pictures. I guess it's the 50% Korean in me or something. Seriously whenever I go to a family function they think the paparazzi has just arrived. Anywho...I decided to post some pictures of the past month with a little bit of commentary.
Okay, So on the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
A Graduation from
the Nursing Program
Ben in all his glory.
The leis are from our little Samoans.
Ben just thinks this is a hoot.
I don't know why Asian people always throw up the peace sign.
Isaiah, Ben and Daddy O
Congrats Benjamin! Everyone is so proud of you!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
A work Christmas Party
at Lucille's BBQ
Jackie and Senor Santi Clause
My buddy Emmanuel borrowed our Santa Suit and each of us took a Santa picture with him after we opened our Christmas gift exchange gift.
Alex, Senor Santi Clause and Guillermo
This year since everyone was poor we decided to do a "Be as Creative as You Possibly Can with $5 at the 99 Cent Store". We had everyone bring their gifts wrapped and played a White Elephant type game. It was so fun and I was shocked at the things people found at the 99 Cent store. Did you know they sell hair extensions?
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
A Winters Family Photo Shoot,
(Pups Included)
So every year we position the tripod then we position ourselves and set the camera to timer. This year is the first year where I had a remote for the camera so I didn't have to keep getting up to push the shutter button. You can see the remote in my hand in all the pics. Ha!
As you can see it's very difficult for us to take a serious picture.
Santa's Reindeer (Sungah), Mrs. Clause (Peanut) & Santa (Otis)
Sungah was a foster pup that Ben and I took in. We named her Sungah (girl in Samoan) and had her for about a week. She is now in a wonderful home with permanent owners in Rancho Cucamonga. She was really sweet and it was fun and stressful (she wasn't potty trained) having her for the week.
Santa's reindeer was the perfect costume for Sungah. Before I bought this costume I described her to people as a Chiuahua mixed with a Reindeer. She had these super long reindeer legs. Peanut was in drag this year since Otis did the drag thing 3 years ago for Halloween.
This is the point where I realized they were getting tired of the pics. Peanut is always so good though. He always sits still and looks at the camera.
Here's when I knew they were done. Even Peanut wouldn't look at the camera for me. Ha!
Sungah, Our little Foster Pup
This is the shot we actually used for our Christmas Cards. I always have so much fun doing these photos every year. We've done them every year since we got married. It's neat to see how much we've all changed.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Christmas #1 with Ben's Mom and Ron
Our first Christmas starts off with Christmas Eve dinner at Ben's Mom and Ron's. (I forgot my camera for Christmas Eve) Then those who want, spend the night and we have Christmas breakfast and open presents.
Christian and Rachel Opening Their Stockings
Only the unmarried kids get stockings at Ben's Mom's. I guess Santa doesn't like married people that much. Ha! Ben says we get punished for being married.
Jon Posing with Presents
This year each of us got an Emergency Preparedness kit from Mom and Ron. In the kit was, a wheat grinder, 72 hour pack for the car and a 72 hour pack for the house, a sleeping bag, a tent, cookbooks, emergency roadside kit, water barrel, water bottle and a TomTom GPS. Mom has been trying to help us with food storage and emergency essentials. What a wonderful gift! We also got lots of other little things.
One of the 5 Christmas Trees Mom Puts Up
I don't know why I didn't take a picture of the main tree. It really is exquisite. Like one you'd see at Bloomingdale's. If interested my sister Caroline posed a pic on her blog. http://theharinghouse.blogspot.com/
Jon's New Pup Harley II
For Christmas Jon got himself a new little dog. She is so stinkin cute and has the shortest stubbies legs I've ever seen. They're even shorter and stubbier then mine! Ha!
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Christmas #2 at Daddy O' Winters
So after Christmas morning with Ben's mom we head over to Ben's dad's for Christmas lunch.
Great Grandma with Baby Everett and Ben's Youngest Brother Bradley
It's so neat to see grandma with her little great grandson. I took a few of these two together and I know they will be cherished in years to come.
Everett Jackson Harring
He is growing so fast. We all just love this little guy.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Christmas #3 at My Sister Kim's
So after Christmas lunch at Ben's Dad's we head down to Corona for Christmas dinner at my sister Kim's. My whole family is there including my Cousin Tony and his family.
You Can't Have Christmas without Kim Bop
I finally got my Christmas baking done on Christmas Eve!
NayNay and PaPa
Frank, Reagan, Melonnie and Kerry
We are waiting to open Christmas gifts.
Sean, Reagan, Key-Su, Frank and Kerry
Eric and Sung-Su
Kerry, Santa and Reagan
Every year Uncle Ben dresses up like Santa for the girls. Last year after he changed out of his Santa suit Reagan found his suit in the laundry room. My sister Kim explained to her that the real Santa asks Uncle Ben to pretend he's Santa because the real Santa is too busy. She told Reagan not to tell Kerry. Well Reagan did tell Kerry just a few days before Christmas this year. Kerry told me what Reagan had said and I told her, "No Way!!!" She replied that she knew Reagan was a liar! Ha! So this year to throw the girls off, Uncle Todd dressed as Santa. When Santa came to the door, Reagan yelled, "Hi Uncle Ben!" Then Uncle Ben walked into the room and the girls were so surprised. We got them! They all thought Uncle Todd was really the real Santa. They sat there talking to him forever and Reagan never realized that it was just her Daddy dressed as Santa!
Reagan After Her Make-Over
Mc Kinnley
This is this little one's camera smile. Whenever she sees the camera she always pulls this squishy little face. She looks so much like my dad!
Maddison
Ben says she looks like Dom DeLuise with this beanie on.
Kerry After Her Make-Over
Kerry got a make-up kit from Reagan for Christmas so I gave each of them make-overs. I used some big girl mascara and eye-liner too.
Brooke
She is sooooo Asian!!!
Reagan and Kerry
This is one of my favorite pictures.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Christmas #4 at Our Place
(My favorite Christmas)
So every year after Christmas dinner at my sisters, Ben and I come home to have our own little Christmas together. We open stockings and presents while we enjoy hot chocolate from 7-11. Then we read the Christmas story from Luke.
Our Christmas Tree
I bought this Christmas tree about 3 years ago at an after Christmas sale in Las Vegas. I got it for 10 bucks! It's pre-lit and flocked. I didn't think I'd like it when I bought it but I really love it. We just started using it last year. It's perfect for our little home because it's really tall and skinny. I love it!
Ben and I Exchanging Stockings
We are such dorks! Again I set up the camera on the tripod. You can see the remote in Ben's hand. Ha!
Just look at the excitement on my husbands face! I love this picture. He was so excited because he bought me like 10 presents but wrapped them all together in one. So when I started opening it all these little presents started falling out. Fooled you!
Cheezie pic but I love this purse. It's so me!
I'm glad Ben faked the excitement when he opened this. It was his second GPS that he recieved this year. He kept the one I gave him though.
Another Great Christmas!
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
A Trip to the Snow
and Dinner at Jackie's
So after Christmas we went up to Mt. Baldy. It was so nice to see the snow but there were so many people there. We couldn't even find parking along the road. People were all over the place(even in the streets) so we didn't stay long. Then we went and had dinner at Jackie's new house.
Me and Ben
Ben in the Snow
Dinner at Jackie's
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
A Trip to Disneyland
When we got to Disneyland I realized that with the letters from California, you could spell out Carol, Ben's Mom's first name. So I had her pose by each letter so we could put this shot together.
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
A New Year's Eve Party
at Mom and Ron's
For New Year's Eve, every year we go to my sister Brenda's for a New Year's Eve party. This year they didn't want to have one at their place so my sister Kim decieded to have it at her house. We didn't want to drive out that far on New Year's Eve because of all the traffic and drunks so we passed on that party. We didn't really have any other plans so I called mom in the afternoon to see what they were doing. I suggested we invite all the kids and play games. It turned out to be a ton of fun. Carrie, Aaron, Everett, Jon, Aunt Donna and Kelle showed up. We had pizza and other goodies and played games till 3:45am. Even Ronald who goes to bed at 9pm every night stayed up till almost 4 in the morning!
We played, Scattergories, Apples to Apples and about 6 hours of Tabu! We were so involved in the game that we didn't even realize it was midnight! We heard fireworks out side and people yelling. That's when we realized we missed the whole thing. It was funny because we didn't even stop. We just told everyone "Happy New Year" and went on playing.
Ben's dad got him this shirt as a gag gift. Ben thought it was very appropriate for this New Year's Eve Celebration! Yes that is beer in his hand. Root Beer!
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
A Trip to Nojoqui Falls and Solvang
On New Year's Day we went for a nice drive up to Solvang.
Extreme Close-Up
The Nojoqui Falls
Not so impressive as far as waterfalls go. It's more of a watertrickle. But this is one of our favorite places to visit on the way up to Central California. It's a short hike (30 minutes up and down) but it's really beautiful.
This time we took mom and Kelle. They really enjoyed it.
We love bringing new people up to the falls. It's so beautiful!
We saw these creepy elves in one of the shop window in Solvang and I just had to take a picture of them for Isaiah. Our favorite bakery was closed but we still had a great time.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
A Sugar Bowl Party
Uncle Jimmy is like the biggest Ute's fan I've ever met. It was so fun watching the game with him. It really was more fun to watch Uncle Jimmy then to watch the game.
Ute's Won!
Ute's Won!
The team everyone said should not have even been there!
They finished an undefeated season 13-0!
So this is the end of the World's Longest Blog! If you got this far agian I apologize but I warned you in the beginning.
By the way, I did finish the tile boards for our parents just right now too. They are drying and hopefully I can give it to them later on today. I'll post pics and instructions next blog of how to make them.
Good Night. I'm going to bed!
