Santa and other seasonal memories

Visiting Santa

Soooooo Cute!

Playing with the nativity

Big smiles in our Christmas jammies.

Who's Your Hero?

Who's Your Hero?
Try it without looking at the answers...... Don't cheat!
1) Pick your favorite number between 1-9
2) Multiply by 3 then
3) Add 3, then
4) Multiply by 3 again (I'll wait while you get the calculator....)
5) You'll get a 2 or 3 digit number....
6) Add the digits together





Now Scroll down ........
































Now with that number see who your ROLE MODEL is from the list below:
1. Albert Einstein
2. Nelson Mandela
3. Abraham Lincoln
4. Helen Keller
5. Bill Gates
6. Mahatma Gandhi
7. George Clooney
8. Thomas Edison
9. Quinn Lavender
10. Batman

I know....I just have that effect on people....one day you too can be like me....

P.S.: Stop picking different numbers. I am your hero, just deal with it!!!!

Merry Christmas to All

You may need to click on these to see them better.

Merry Christmas to our friends and relatives!
Quinn, Laura, Emma

A winter song by Quinn

Words by Quinn Lavender

Music by Jule Styne

O the weather outside is snowing
And I can’t see where I am going
And even though traffic’s slowed
He’s off the road! She’s off the road! I’m off the road!

I was cautious when the sports car tried to pass --
So how’d I get high-centered on an overpass?
To the sports-car-driving clown:
“Slow it down! Slow it down! Slow it down!”

When I finally get dug out
And my car gets pointed the right way
Before I get back en route:
A plow covers my car with its spray…

So the next time the snow starts falling
And work or church or family is calling
I’ll avoid those roads so slick…
And call in sick! Call in sick! Call in sick!

Results of the fast food Showdown Royale...with cheese

Thanks to all to participated in this random match-up. The response was so great that I actually had to tally the votes on paper.

I wanted to give my two cents on the matter, which are: The Burger King costumed mascot guy is actually quite creepy, and I'm really surprised that nobody mentioned this. There was also no discussion about how a Queen trumps a King in chess, as well as in household matters, unless the king is Henry VIII. But this isn't Henry VIII, this is the Burger King. Come to think of it, I'm not exactly sure exactly what line of authority these two oligarchs claim. Wouldn't it be interesting if the Burger King and the Dairy Queen married and had a child? That would be one powerful prince or princess. Now, where was I? Oh, yes: the deciding factor for me is the fact that Dairy Queen sells Picadilly Chips, and you just can't find those anywhere else -- even in restaurants that sell "Fish and Chips" and then mock you by bringing out Fish and French Fries. So thanks, Dairy Queen, for keeping it real.

Taking my vote into account, though, the tally is as follows:

Undecided: 2

Dairy Queen: 3

Burger King: 5

There was also one misguided individual who voted for Arby's despite the fact that this was a fast food royalty showdown, and last I checked, an "Arby" was not a position of regality or nobility.

Burger King: You ARE the winner.

Creepy.

Better Fast Food Royalty?

The Burger King? Or the Dairy Queen? Leave your vote in the comments section.

Official Birthday Pictures!

Here are the official first year birthday pirtures. I was able to pick them up today and I think they turned out soooooo cute!. Enjoy!

The First of the Christmas Parties!

On Saturday we got together with my Mom's side of the family for the Zundel Christmas Party. We spent the afternoon bowling at Weber State. Emma was not too sure of this. All the loud booms from the balls made her very nervous and she whined for the first hour until she got a little used to it. I have never seen her do this. Sorry but I can't remember who got the overall high score of the night. Quinn will have to jump in here with a comment.

Still a nervous Emma.

Finally a smile out of her with her Grandpa.

This is our cousin Eric. He started doing pushups between bowls to make his arms stronger and one time it made him get a strike!

Afterwards we went back to Mom's and stuffed our selves full of yummy food. After a rousing game of Nert's where I think Taylor won (Carly, he may be better than you now) we all gathered around for a true White Elephant gift exchange. We are happy to report that one of our gifts was the most popular and I was surprised when Quinn said we could take it in the first place. It was a Monkey carved out of a coconut. This was the coveted gift and was passed around so many times that I have no idea who ended up with it.

In the end we all had a great time even Taylor though he was stuck with an old copy of Anne of Green Gables. Sorry but its White Elephant and you never know what you'll get. Emma had so much fun that she is still recovering from the very late night she had because of course there was no way she would go to bed while a party was going on. Oh well, tis the season of tired, whiny kids, all on sugar highs.

I believe that is a ceramic green turtle. YES!!

Oh, Ben what a nice toaster!

And then last night was our neighborhoods annual Christmas Party. It is held in the drive way of our neighbor. We all bundle up, turn on our Christmas lights and head out in the cold with a treat to share and some hot chocolate. It doesn't last long but it is fun to get our and see all the lights on the street and to visit for a few minutes. Emma and I did not go last year because she was only a week old. So we bundled her up (yes with her screaming in protest, we finally dumped to boots for shoes) and headed out. Once we were out she was happy. She loves to be outside. The treats were good the hot chocolate was good and the snow was so pretty. And yes we made it home with both shoes, of course not on her feet though, but with only one sock. Quinn had to go back for the other one. That girl - won't even wear shoes and socks when it is 30 degrees outside!

Merry Christmas!

More parties to come!!

I can't even think of a clever title for this...

Yes, but what kind of burrito???

Toilet Adventures II: It All Comes Out in the End

There has been at least a small degree of interest regarding the results of my toilet shopping last week. I am happy to say that we found a great toilet that we liked enough to offset the embarrassing image of me riding in my dad's Camry with a toilet sticking halfway out the open trunk.

If you read my last post, you may be surprised to know that we did not opt for the Niagara toilet, despite its majestic description. The fact is, that nearly every toilet had an equally amusing brand or model name, each designed (I can only presume) to ellicit strong emotions which would somehow prompt you to...well...buy a toilet. I can picture the marketing folks at the corporate headquarters pitching their name ideas...

Take, for example: the Kohler "Devonshire" toilet. 'Allo, guvnah! When you've got to go to the loo, why not 'ave a sit-down on this quaint little porcelian stool!

The Kohler "Memoirs" toilet. An antique picture frame. Playing ball with Grandpa. Summers on the farm. Fresh cookies out of the oven. And pooping. Memoirs.

The Kohler "Kathryn" toilet. I really can't think of a good one for this toilet. Unless you happen to have an ex-wife named Kathryn...

The American Standard "Cadet" toilet. Hep, two, three, four, LIFT, two, three, four, ZIP, two, three, four, AAAHHHH, two, three, four. Enjoy the efficiency of a military bathroom experience, without all the other soldiers looking at you.

The Kohler "Pinoir" toilet. Enjoy the finer things in life. Sip some wine. Enjoy some art. Have a seat. Let nature take care of the rest.

The American Standard "Town Square" toilet. Remember in the old days when there was only one flush toilet per town and it was located in the middle of the town square? You don't? Hmmm, maybe we should have thought of a better name for this one...

The American Standard "Baby Devoro" toilet. Don't let the name scare you. It doesn't devour babies.

The American Standard "Antiquity" toilet. This is really just two foot-shaped appliques that you put next to the hole in your floor.

The Pegasus "Washington" toilet. The biggest, most powerful toilet on the market. Big enough to handle all the crap in Washington.

The St. Thomas "Marathon" toilet. Strap in, buddy. You're going to be here awhile.

The St. Thomas "Marathon II" toilet. You're a slow learner, aren't you?

But, for those of you curious enough to have read this far, the Lavenders selected the Kohler "Cimarron" toilet. Giddy up, parder! Drop your chaps here, saddle up and mind your behind, there may slivers!

The Cimarron is designed to allow you to use either the standard 1.6 liters per flush, or the water-saving 1.28 liters per flush. I inaugurated the toilet on Saturday night. I think we'll leave it on 1.6 lpf for now...

I could have written for hours. Here are some of the other funny toilet names:

Victoria
Constitution
Vicki
Cottage Collection
Mariner
Colony

Come to think of it, I can't think of a toilet name that wouldn't be funny. Can you?

Quinn