The J's: 2009

12/30/2009

Jayle''s 7th Bday

Jaylee Stringham

the 7 year old...

Jaylee got to have her first sleep over party.

Sun Dec 27 5pm- Dec 28 12pm

9 kids total

Lots of Fun!

"Bring your favorite Barbie"

Jaylee loves getting to do the streamers each year.

She's also very into "acting" out pictures...

Everyone wore PJs.

We found a pizza joint close by that has $5 pizzas -

and they were really good!!!

I used my new Brownie Baking Pan (as seen on TV and it ROCKS!!!)

and I used my new Cricut to decorate the brownies and cupcakes.

BaiLee, Emalee, Emma, Jaylee, Jenni & Bella

My green eyed girl!!

My brown eyed girl

Opening presents... she really got spoiled!
Thanks to everyone that sent her a special treat!!
Surprisingly, for all the Barbies and Littlest Pet Shops she received, she did not get any repeats!!!

Her 2nd cousin Kyli (8 yo)

Do you see what she's holding...

A HAMSTER POTTY!!

Apparently they're easy to potty train!!

Jenni was the first to sleep

around 1am.

Jaylee & Emma weren't far behind.

However, then they ALL woke up and partied again until 3:30 am.

Playing Barbies...

Katrina, Morgan, Alyssa & Jenni

2nd cousins... Alyssa (10 yo) and Jenni (4 yo)

VERY GOOD FRIENDS!!

This was Katrina's first sleepover ever...

she was sooo cute and excited!

She laughed at her hair in the AM.

Thanks to Meg, the girls got to sing Hannah Montana karaoke!

Too bad, Jaylee's not allowed to watch it so she doesn't know any of the music!!

But, she's excited to at least learn the songs!

On Monday night, she got to pick where to go for dinner -

FRIENDLY'S

It was a good night to go b/c the Balloon Guy was there!

Jenni and her flower

I know kids don't look much older just b/c it's their Bday,

but Jaylee really does!!!

The staff sang to her and she was very surprised!!!!

She does NOT like to be the center of attention.

Happy Birthday to You!

May God Bless You!

12/25/2009

Christmas Eve and Day

Christmas 2009

As Sponge Bob puts it...

"This is the best day ever..."

The Stringhams

Christmas Eve '09

Jaylee 6 Jennibelle 4

Jason 29 Jenn 29

Mandy made Greek Mannicotti

we sang Happy Bday to Jesus

we exchanged some gifts

We gave Mandy a Bible

Brian a Starbucks gift card

Morgan a piggy bank, crayons, and book about her

They surprised my parents with tix to a Christmas show...

Meg and Mandy couldn't find Zhou Zhou pets,

so they bought the real thin...

2 Hamsters for the girls.

BOY were they surprised!!

Morgan liked them too!!

Singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

The Three Amigos!
Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful...
Beautiful girls!!

When we came home, the girls got to open their gifts from Seattle.
The girls were soo happy to find LPS and Barbies!!!
I was psyched to find an Olive graden Gift Card
and Jason was thrilled to get some Seahawks gear!!
We also received a secret surprise from his parents as well as some Barbies for the girls!!!
We have WAY too much stuff!!

The girls helped make Grandma and Grandpa a book.
We had Becca's family this year and it was fun to go Christmas shopping in Seattle in October!!
We got the kids some toys, Becca a much-needed new curling iron (though I doubt she'll part with her old one!) and a new mouse pad for Jason at work.
We really miss not being with the clan on Holidays but am thankful for free long distance!!

We are so thankful to be so blessed with family, fun, and toys!!

Jaylee was in no joking mode when it was time for bed...
she was ready for Santa and was very annoyed with Jenni & I b/c we were taking too long to get to bed!!!
They were out by 8 and I was asleep by 9!!

Christmas Day 5 am

This is the first year EVER that I did not wake the girls up at 4am!
They were so excited but sooo well behaved and calm and soooo appreciative!!!
They make me more proud everday!

Jennibelle my cutie-pie

Jason and the girls repainted this coffee table for me!!
They also made me a "Christmas Jar" that we will fill with our loose change and next year we will secretly deliver it as a family to someone we know who is in need on Christmas Eve.
Jason wants us to do this each year.
I'm a sucker for traditions so this one is definately my favorite gift!
I do love my coffee table too though!

This is how Santa left the tree.
This is the most gifts we've ever had.
BUT, we totally rocked the budget...
appx $50 for each kid and $100 for us.
yard sales, craigslist, and good deals...
One of the reasons today was just so darn enjoyable was because we were not stressed about money at all!!!

Jaylee after opening her Nintendo DS...
Santa even programmed in a golden retreiver named Boop!!

Jason:

XBOX with games

Home Beer Brewing kit

Home made calendar

Jenn:

Violin

Coffee table

Gift card

Christmas Jar

Jaylee:

Barbie cruise ship

Barbies and accessories

Nintendo DS
books

Jenni:

Play kitchen

Littlest Pet Shop house & animals

Jewelry box

Playdough

Me opening my violin.

Jason opening his XBOX...

we finally surprised him with a gift!

The girls got snuggies from Meg & Ryan,

who also gave us a gift cert for dinner,

while they babysit for us!!

We got Meg some bunny PJs and Ryan a Tshirt!!

Mandy & Meg bought us a cool projector for TV shows, DVDs and the XBOX.

Mandy and Brian bought us 4 laser tag guns...

which we are PSYCHED about!!!

They also go the girls some Barbies!!

This is Jenni searching for the pickle,

though Jaylee found it this year.

Does anyone else hide the pickle in the tree?

Santa even brought the hamsters a ball to run around in!

On Christmas afternoon, Nan & Poppop came over.

The ONLY thing Jaylee asked for this year was a Barbie House...

after Santa didn't bring one, I thought she'd be bummed but she wasn't b/c she got "so much other cool stuff!!"

She was SUPER excited when she opened this from them!!

We got Poppop a funny gift to inspire him to fulfill his dreams!!

We got Nan a digital frame filled with pix for her Office.

We got Meg these PJ's...

She could be a model!

Nan & Poppop gave the girls LOTS of Barbies,

Jason a few outfits for work,

and they got me the Cricut!!! So cool!!!

This was seriously the best Christmas of my life!!!!!!

It was so laid back, fun & exciting!!

Jason made breakfast

He & I got to take a short nap

We picked at meatballs that I made day before

we played Barbies & XBOX

the girls did not fight one time!

we sang Christmas songs while I attempted to play my violin

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

12/21/2009

December Re-cap

December Re-Cap

Boy have we been busy! But not TOO busy... I made sure of it this year!!

We were decorated by Thanksgiving.

The new green paint made decorating easy!!

The girls decorated the tree and LOVED unwrapping each ornament and telling me the story behind the ornaments... YEAH... they DO enjoy getting a new one each year!!

I'm so glad my Mom started that tradition.

Though none of us really needed much, Mandy Meg & I met at the mall at 4am (with Brian and Morgan). I LOVE this new tradition!!! I love Black Friday!!

I made delicious candy cane hot chocolate for Meg & I.

It wasn't even winter and we got hit with some snow.

BOTH girls loved it!!

The built a snow man pretty much by themselves.

Then Jason helped them with a fort, which we destroyed when we had a snowball fight with them!

Little did we know that this snow was only a little snow...

We saw a couple free Christmas shows this year.

The girls really enjoyed the Irish dancing show...

they dance around the living room doing it.

Jaylee keeps telling me how "easy" it is and wants to take lessons.

I'm afraid to ask how much they cost!!!

Then we went to a local HS to see their Christmas Program...

we were happily surprised when it was about Jeses' birth!!!

Jenni loves to get dressed up for these things!!

CANDY MAKING
We decided that our 'baking' this year would include pre-made cookie dough and made-from-scratch Almond-Toffee-Crunch.
It was fun!!! (and exciting!)
I love when Jason and I cook together.
The girls love to help out in the kitchen too!!
Our first batch was not bad!!
BUT the second batch was delicious... perfect!!
So perfect, that Jason finished it off in 3 days!!!

our first batch....
alf of it's on it's way to Seattle for Christmas Eve dinner.

The girls helping with clean up.

(Just kidding...)

Just a picture of a present from the Stringham's last year.

Still makes me giggle!

We spent one afternoon at the North Museum.

Does everyone in Lancaster know you can get free passes at the Library?!?

Usually we spend an hour at the museum, but since we were the only ones there (playing hookie!!), we got everyone's attention. The girls got to pet snakes, lizards, turtles, scorpions, millipedes, cockroaches and more. Jenni was very braved and touched each one!!!!! Jaylee LOVES this kind of stuff!!

Jaylee got very into staging pictures when we were in the lower level.

I forced the girls to leave after 3 hours!!!

Jenni's Preschool Christmas Party

She was sooooo excited that I finally got to come to her class!!

She picked out her favorite Christmas Dress for the day.

She made edible Christmas Trees, we had snack and we all sang Happy Brirthday to Jesus.

She was soooo excited to give her teacher her present.

She was also sooo excited to give Jason and I our gifts, so we let her that night.

She made me a picture frame with puzzle pieces glued to it and it says "I love you to pieces".

She assembled and painted a snowman decoration for Jason.

Jenni has been very grown up regarding gifts this year.

She keeps telling us that she doesn't want to mess up again, like last year...

On Christmas Eve last year, Jason kissed her good night and she said "Daddy are you excited to open your Sham Wows tomorrow?!?"

It broke her heart b/c she had tried soooo hard not to spoil his surprise.

She is precious!!

Jenni and Morgan got to go see Santa...

Jenni gave her list to the Santa that came around on the Firetruck a few days before hand.

She's asking for a brother, play dough & Littlest Pet Shops.

The girls realize that this is not the real Santa, just Santa's helper.

Jaylee calls him a "Phony" and did not give him a list this year b/c she's really only asking for a Barbie House and says that he's always given her good gifts, and he doesn't need her help!!

Fine we me... saves me another hour long line at the Mall!!!

Our trip to Meg's Salon for the holidays

The Blizzard

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

December 19th

2 feet of snow

I came down with a terrible cold and it was great timing...

I got to stay in bed all day, Jason shoveled, helped dig out neighbors, made dinner, reshoveled, took care of the girls, reshoveled again, dug a few more strangers out on Wabank rd, ran to Carrabbas to get me spicy chicken soup & reshoveled yet again.

Did I mention I got to lay in bed all day?!?