Putting the "Happy" in the Holidays

We had a great trip to Utah and a fun time in Prescott on the way back. And I'm sure I'll have lots of "happy family" pictures to share soon, but this photo made me laugh out loud, so I thought I would share it right away. I was attempting to get a family photo the Sunday before Christmas. The girls are actually wearing dresses that I made (I know, *gasp*!). It took several tries before I could get much cooperation. This picture pretty much says it all. Yes, I caught Kira mid-eyeroll--annoyed with her father, who is apparently a big goof! Trenton is distracted, as usual, and I think I should have a contest to see who has the best caption for what Tessa is thinking. My vote would be something like, "Did I really choose to come to this family?"

We hope your Christmas was as "happy" as ours!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! (Just like Tessa!) If you have received our Christmas greeting in the mail, welcome! Most of the side bar information is from last year, so come back soon, and I will try and get everything updated. I have kind of neglected our family blog, since I have been putting so much time and energy into My Insanity blog. But I plan to repent, soon! If you haven't received our card yet, don't worry, most of them haven't made it into the mail, yet. I still need to collect a lot of updated addresses (and finish assembly). If you think your address might be one that needs to be updated, I would love an email with your current mailing address (the only surefire way to make sure you don't miss out on one of our coveted Christmas--er, New Years--Cards! :-)). You can write me at bnkhalterman@gmail.com.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with some festive pictures of our family at the temple lights in Mesa last week.

We pray that you've had the chance to feel the spirit of this season!

Love, the Haltermans

Letters to Santa, and mean elves, and a toothbrush

Trenton: "Mom, does Santa have cameras everwhere to know if you are bad or good?"
Me: "I don't know. Maybe he sends his elves to spy on you."
Trenton: "It's not nice to spy on boys and girls!"

We have some version of this conversation everyday in the car on the way home from school. Today he told me it is a lie that Santa knows if you are bad or good. Maybe that is his wishful thinking!


Kira helped Trenton write his letter to Santa. The funniest part was that she wouldn't write "I've been a good boy this year," at first. She would only write that he was trying to be a good boy. She insisted that the first sentence would be a lie, and refused to write it, until I insisted that he could say whatever he wanted in his letter.

Incase you can't read it, here is a transcription:
Dear Santa,
I want a new niga (ninja) turtle. I would also like mini legos, and a lego bionicle. I have been good this year.

Love,

*(mostly erased scribbles)*

(with lots of help from his big sister, Kira)

But you have to read Kira's letter! It will make you laugh. It will make you cry!:

Dear Santa,

I don't need a lot for Christmas. A few things I need are a toothbrush, and a pair of tennis shoes. You gave me a toothbrush the year before last year. I also have another toothbrush, except for it is a grown-up toothbrush. The one you gave me the year before last year is worn out. And I would like lace-up (with ties, I mean) tennis shoes. I wear size two. You can give me whatever other things you want. I didn't ask for a lot for Christmas, because I know times for other families are very hard. They need a lot more than I do.

Sincerely,
Kira Brynne Halterman
age, 7 in 2nd grade.

Mary's Gentlemen??? (A Christmas Trentonism)

I'm singing this very cool arrangement of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (first on my playlist) at a Christmas party tomorrow night. Apparently the children think it is cool, too. Because they bee-bop when we listen and sing it around the house. Today I finally listened closely enough to get Trenton's version of the lyrics:

"We gotta rescue Mary's gentlement, let nothing you dismay!"