O Happee DECEMBER...

December has been C.O.L.D!!! Here's little Brinners all dressed up ready to go to the Jingle Bell Jam last Friday... a free kids show offered by the county...

After the puppet show and festive Christmas carols... the kids gathered in line to meet a special guest! (Will and Jared excited to see Santa!)

After that we headed over to the Wal-Mart Jam... Always a fun experience! I thought Brinley was esp cute... with her note book and crayon!! i always have it to keep her busy and happy!
Little Angels...
My Sister Emily, sent me this for my birthday. And I was excited I got to use it for the Ward Christmas Brunch on Saturday!! It's a casserole carrier!! (LOVE the chicken fabric!) Thanks EM! I also got a really cute DVD from my Sister AMY... and because of that i was able to make my casserole with NO disturbances... How often can a mother of three say that??? The KIDS LOVE FRANCIS!!
This is how you carry a pipen' hot casserole in style!
The kids were ready to tell Santa that they had been good (or at least repented of their wrong'ed' ways)... they even drew pictures explaining what they wanted for Christmas! How cute its this!?


Caitlin's Christmas Wish... (thank heaven's it's not a real horse she's wishing for, this year, it's stuffed and you can sit on it...)

Almost Brinley's turn...
nope. maybe next year...
and a little sleigh ride to put a smile on everyone's face!! (check out Will's glove! He did have the option of wearing both gloves, but thought only one was necessary! M.J. anyone?)
Sunday Night, The Richmond Mormon Chorale sang at the Washington D.C. Temple Visitor's Center. It was SO fun to have My mom, Sister's Amy and Shelly and Bro, Brandon come and hear me sing! AND THEY SAT ON THE FRONT ROW!! It was a joy to have them there to listen to our concert! Beautiful Temple and Christmas lights...

WE got this sweet email from the directors of the events!!! Thought it was really nice what they said....

Dear Donna Schulze, Lucy Martinez Monte,

and all members of the Richmond Mormon Chorale,

You provided a wonderful Christmas program for more than 650 people Sunday evening at the Visitors’ Center. In fact, from the opening notes (and rhythmical accompaniment) of “I Hear the Prophet Callin…” you had everyone’s complete and enthusiastic attention.

We heard music and arrangements that were completely new to us. The variety of dynamics, tempos, rhythms, phrasing styles, and genres was entertaining and invigorating. And then, for you to do a completely different program for the second show was very impressive.

Thank you for your wonderful gift to the Center and to all our guests. You came the furthest and gave the most! And we’ll certainly leave notes for the next director about those facts!!

Sincerely,

Elder and Sister Rich

Some of my Chorale Singing buddies: Kristen, Deanna and Jeff

And this was a bit of a downer... Not the funnest news to find your that the thing-a-ma-jigger that is attached to the toilet leaked all over and under the flooring... Thank heaven's for home insurance!! and maybe while we're at it... we'll paint, and make it pretty... (guess we can only go up from here, looks wise... so if we do anything it's a plus right?!) ps. that green thing is a huge special fan for drying floors. it was blowing from Saturday to Tuesday... and now it's nice and quiet....
oh yeah, can't forget this... I'm thinking of tying a big red bow on it to make it Christmasy, what do ya think?
And This week--Wednesday, We had the preschool kids and moms from church over for a little snowman and sugar cookie party! They had a grand time making these cute cotton ball snow men and frosting some of the worlds yummiest cookies, made by yours truly...
SO cute...

Last Wednesday we got together as a group too, and assembled 20 Christmas Stockings for Children that will be in the hospital for Christmas... and i made a bunch of these Rudolph's to go in the stockings!
Brinley LOVES the Christmas Tree... it's so fun to watch her look at the lights and ornaments!


a few of our favorites ornaments... (don't worry, this one is up high)
Grammy Sue's ornament she made this year!
A FAVORITE from years ago!!
AND we can hardly stand it!! Elder CRACROFT comes home in 2 days!! we'll officially see him in ONE WEEK!!! YAY!!!

29th Birthday

Friday was my 29th Birthday and it was an AWESOME day! I didn't get to sleep in or anything grand like that. In fact... the kids woke up extra early and poor Will had a horrible COUGH that just kept going and going... the poor little guy coughed so hard he'd throw up, in fact right on top of Caitlin's perfectly folded favorite pj's she'd just taken off. both of their faces were hilarious at that moment. So, within minutes of starting my birthday... i thought... "awesome, today is going to be reeeeeeeal fun."

After getting Caitlin off to school, things settled down a little, and I turned on the computer and checked my email... (and talk about turning my day around...) i had message after message ...from Facebook and personal emails, and then phone calls from loved ones!! I'm usually not a terribly emotional person, but i just couldn't help it, i was crying like a baby... I was definitely feeling the love from everyone... and the rest of my day ROCKED! and the messages kept on coming! Thank you to everyone who made me smile!! and taking the time to wish me a happy day... I have the BEST family and friends in the world!
Me as a 29 year old:

So, What did i do for my birthday?? I sang at a wedding and it was an awesome experience!!! A month ago my neighbor called me saying that their daughter was getting married and they had heard me sing at church and wondered if I'd be interested in being their wedding vocalist... they even payed me!!! I would have done it for free, but they insisted!!

Besides singing at my own wedding for my sweetie-pie Justin, (which is the SINGLE MOST AMAZING VOCAL PERFORMANCE of my life!!! Not because of how it sounded... but because WHO i was singing too! Love him!) This is the second time I've been a wedding vocalist! My homeroom teacher from high school got married the year after I graduated high school... and she called me while I was at Southern Virginia University and asked if I would to sing at her wedding!! I was honored, out of all of her students, she (remembered and) picked ME to sing on her special day!!

I can't help it, I'm MOST happy when I'm singing, and this time around... What a fun birthday present for me to get to sing, and in a BEAUTIFUL church, with all the Christmas decorations!! It was just perfect!

St. Johns Church of Christ, Richmond, Virginia

And JUST when I thought the night couldn't get ANY BETTER??? Our totally awesome and AMAZING friends Bee and J came over to play with our kids while we headed to a romantic and DELICIOUS dinner at Maggiano's 'Little Italy'... Thanks for playing Olive Garden, but i think we've found a NEW favorite!!! YUM! We also stopped by the wedding reception!! Such a fun evening! Me and my handsome date!!
We rented Eat, Pray, Love. It was a perfect day!

"Christmas Time is here!!"

That's right Charlie Brown, there's no denying that the Christmas season is here and I'm LOVIN' every minute of it!! We even woke up this morning to a little bit of snow... and Caitlin and Will were so excited that it's finally 'Christmas!'... Sillies, Just because it snows doesn't make it the 'big day'... but don't worry, it's coming fast! I think it's all the more real to me this year, because I'm singing with the Richmond Mormon Chorale... and i've been singing Christmas songs since September!! I love it, even the real cheesy songs....
Anyway, here are a few pics from the past couple of days...

Brinley, coloring wearing red and looking festive!
Christmas Tree shopping at Food Lion!
yup, i think that's the one...

Dodger getting settled into a Christmas wreath.
Pic of the Tree after the kids decorated it, it gets redecorated EVERY day, a few times a day... (and i love it!)
Caitlin with her favorite ornament made by Grammy!
Will with his ornament.
I made this count down with some friends at 'craft night'. Can i just say, I LOVE MOD PODGE!!
...but not as much as i LOVE these two...
...and this little one!
Hope you are having as much fun as we are preparing for Christmas... it really is the MOST wonderful time of the year!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was awesome, we drove to PA to be with my family!! One Cat, One Dog, 3 Kids and me and my honey...plus 4 hours!! What a fun trip! Here are a few pics from the long weekend...

Enoch, Grammy, Caitlin and Pepper... snuggling like it's 1999...
Pepper and Dodger playing with Uncle Chester
Grammy taught a little painting class with Enoch, Caitlin, Will and Ada... They painted snow men masks for the family talent show...

Here's Will painting the star that went on the snowman's hat.
Here i am making my famous Razz Cherry Holiday pie!!


auntie em and brinley
Em and Isaac
The Adams Family

After an amazing Thanksgiving Dinner, Auntie Shelly thought we should start a new family tradition, FAMILY TALENT SHOW....

Grammy's talent was teaching the kids how to paint these masks... and then they all sang "Once there was a Snowman" so cute...

Brinley was cracking me up in this picture...
Auntie Amy made this beautiful runner for the table...
Uncle Justin told some jokes... It was a fun evening!!
Brinley kept herself busy the whole week coloring...
I wonder if this little one knows just how cute she is...?

Saturday morning the Men headed out to the Farm do 'manly' things... like shoot guns and stuff... Here's Justin eating the breakfast of champions: Sausage Pizza with eggs. And i quote "It's actually not that bad"
Unka B ready go a shootin'
Papa John



While the men were gone, we did girlie things... here's Grammy Brushing Caitlin's hair!
Thanksgiving PJ's... 7 darling grandchildren! (seated in order of age!)

And now, for a story that has kinda a sad middle, but a very happy ending...

All our Adams childhood life we celebrated Christmas with a cute and funny little Elf my mother made many moons ago. Pictured below here you see how happy he made us...
Well, a couple of years ago, we lost the Elf, and he's been missing ever since. only the fond distant memories and pictures of good times were left... and Christmas has never been the same... UNTIL NOW... My AMAZINGLY talented mother made all of her children an ELF of their very own... to welcome the fun crazy tradition into their home. That is how Grammy Saved Christmas!!! (yes i'm being dramatic, It's a genetic thing.) BUT Seriously, CAN i just tell you what a JOY it is to have this fun tradition in our home!

Here's Grammy, making our Elf...
Brinley LOVES him, she calls him "Ball"... and loves to roll around with him. Caitlin and Will were so excited to bring him home and show their friends, and take him on a tour of the house... they carry him around and sit him on the couch watch movies with him... it's so cute.
Mom/Grammy, Thanks for making our holiday a little brighter WE love this little guy!

Jayner's SipSip...

Remind you of anyone...?