This year I put the camera down on Christmas morning. Why? Well, Ella just happened to get a camera of her own from Santa, and she was so happy clicking away, I figured I could take a break and simply...enjoy. :)
The small problem...she deleted most of her pics. LOL!! Oh well, she did keep a few good ones. AND some that I've made into a mini-series. Ooooh, intrigued yet? Ok! Let's get started!

First of all - Christmas morning, I was up at 5:30am. Yup. 5:30 a.m. (YUCK!) and where were the kids? Happily sleeping...and sleeping...and sleeping, until 7:20am!!! Thankfully they finally woke up, and although Daddy said we had to wait until Lexie woke up (what?!?!) she has a Mommy that doesn't mind waking her up. Tee hee! It WAS Christmas for Pete's sake!!

Ella tells me: "This is a 'romantic' picture" ;)

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THE STORY OF LOVE
Pictures taken by Ella
Story told by Mommy (although the pictures really tell the story)

As we know, Jasmine and Aladdin are in love (that's another story), and plan on being together forever. ♥ (see pic above)
 
Scene one:  Aladdin and Jasmine are over at their friends' house; Jordan Knight and Merida.
(Please tell me that you already know that Jordan Knight is one of the "New Kids on the Block" and Merida is from the new movie: "Brave". Duh.)
During the visit, Jordan and Jasmine disappear to the kitchen for quite a while, leaving Al and Mer waiting awkwardly on the chesterfield. (This is a Canadian story.)

Scene two: 9 months later, Jasmine has a beautiful baby girl!! Luckily it looks JUST like her, matching outfit and everything. Aladdin, of course is the father...or is he? *insert dramatic music here*
Turns out Jasmine and Jordan had an AFFAIR! Oh! Now both couples are at odds as what do next in their relationships.

Scene three: Things make a turn for the worse. *insert sad, yet comlex music here* Aladdin has taken out his frustration on Jasmine by having his own affair with Merida! *Dun dun dun...* And sure enough...nine months later...baby #2 enters!
(you'd almost think the mother of this baby was Belle from Beauty and the Beast...weird!)


Scene four: Meanwhile Colby is still riding his dirt bike...

Scene five: After all that relationship kerfuffle, Aladdin, Jasmine, Jordan and Merida sit down and discuss the situation.  During the talk, Merida started eyeing Jasmine up, and Jasmine started to play footsie with Merida under the table.
The following day Merida and Jasmine decide they are lesbians and moved in together.  Merida works full time, and Jasmine stays at home and home-schools the kids.

Aladdin got the tiger, and...let's just say there was an unfortunate accident involving Aladdin and a tiger that had forgotten to be fed. Where is that Genie when you need him?

Jordan decided to join 'One direction' boyband and tour the world, over and over and over...until he died of a broken heart at age 42. (Well, either that, or his liver finally gave out (he was a bit of a drunk) - either/or!)

...but for one brief moment, they were one, big, happy (?) family.

The end.
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So, where DO you go after that story?!? LMAO!
Back to the fun. Here's Mommy playing with the camera for one brief moment...

And Ella's artistic side again. Cool eh? This is looking down into a candle at the Schuurs Family Christmas.

Here's Lex. In the million-and-a-half new toys we now have, she picks this little old crappy plastic fake laptop to play with. Happy day! :)

This pic cracks me up. Yes, it's blurry, but isn't the entire picture just as it is? Chaos?
Coats, boots, and who knows what else strewn about everywhere when the kids came in, then Nana and Grandpa there and Lexie wanting "Up". Yup...this captured the moment perfectly.

Do you hear the angels singing?
THIS is the hill. The one-and-only cul-de-sac hill. Once the bulldozer was done making it, all the kids ran...it was like bees with honey.

And the last photo of the night. My friend Lisa that I went to school with, but haven't seen in about 15 years came to visit! What fun!

Try not to let my story haunt you. I may have to change it up a bit. I feel bad for poor Aladdin...
;)

FROSTY came to visit!!!

Only 1 week!!! I can barely stand it!!!! :D

Last night I decided to make my own Christmas crackers. I mean - really, they are really expensive, and filled with crap. (Except the joke - and the crown of course!)

So today I stole Mom and we went on a shopping trip. We had a FABULOUS time, of course, AND I got all my stuff!!
*Pretty red shiny napkins
*Candy
*Toy
*Ribbon
*Sparkles
Then I made tissue crowns, and found cute Christmas jokes online, and...

 PUT IT ALL TOGETHER! ♥

Then, Alfa got into my leftover napkins...and wrapped herself up! (Somehow? AND sprinkled herself? Gosh she is talented.)

And lastly, my Maxwell came upstairs tonight after working hard for quite some time on an art project, just for me. ♥ (Melt my heart!! ♥♥)
So, we're getting there. Christmas is coming, and the snow is not. I think we will make due. ;)

Life has been busy, and I haven't been documenting it like I should. So...here is a link to us now...and hopefully more posts to come soon. :)

http://www.jibjab.com/view/GqdTXcM6QCmJewPM9Or6PA?utm_campaign=My+Timeline&utm_medium=Share&utm_source=Facebook&

Stacey :)