MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

So it is now 7:30 am on Christmas morning & Braydan & I have been up for over an hour now just waiting in anticipation for our kids to wake up (pathetic, I know). We, as parents, are so excited this year. Apparently Ains & Addi still don't quite get the whole "butterflies in your tummy, gotta wake Mom & Dad up at 4:30 in the morning because we just can't stay in our beds any longer" excitement. Oh well!!! I guess we should be enjoying these years just for that reason.

Anyways...

We hope everyone has a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

OFFICIALLY "THE BOSS"

Well it's that time of year again at Burns Saddlery, NFR (National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas). That means a few things...
1. I am officially "THE BOSS" since everyone else, & I mean everyone is in Vegas.
2. My sweet hubby is included in the "everyone" (sad, we miss him ssssoooooooo much).
3. My poor, sweet, adorable, awesome Grandma gets to spend almost every single, long, cold day couped up in her house with Ainsley & Addison (THANKS A MILLION is completely an understatement!!).
4. I am & will be a complete blogging slacker for the next couple of weeks (sorry everyone, I am just WAY too busy).
Anyways, I just thought I would give everyone a heads up & apologize beforehand for being a LAMO!!! Enjoy your pre-holiday fun & festivities. Wish me luck!!!

I'M SO GLAD I'M A MOM

I must say that I think I have the most adorable little girls ever!! The past few days have been filled with so many of those "I'm so glad I'm a Mom" moments. For starters, Ainsley & Addison were absolutely hilarious while we were watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thanksgiving morning. Anytime one of those blow up balloons would come on the screen they would squeal (yes, just like little girls) so loud. They were jumping up & down on the couch too. Braydan & I were cracking up at the expressions on their faces while they enjoyed the cheap entertainment. Then while we were at Grandma Red's for dinner, Jacy & Addison were playing so cute together. They had all of Grandma's toys scattered about building castles & pretending to be princesses. (Ains & Rylan, on the other hand, not so much. We literally had a knock down, punching, kicking, screaming, crying fight. NOT GOOD!!! Needless to say, they were both in trouble for their little display of awesome behavior.) Alivia was also adorable at Grandma's (by the way, she turned six months old on Thanksgiving day). She sat in her little high chair & talked to us the whole time. After dinner, we returned home & immediately started putting together Ainsley & Addison's Christmas tree. Again, they were so excited they were squealing with delight. I seriously could not get the tree put together & lit fast enough for them. They did such a great job at decorating their tree. I love how the majority of the ornaments are on the bottom half of the tree, so cute.

On Friday, the girls & I ran a few errands. I had to go to Country Keepsakes (our local scrapbook store) & I am still shocked at how well Ainsley & Addison behaved. They strolled straight into the "play room" & stayed in there the entire time. Not once were they loud, obnoxious, or tearing the place apart. I was & still am so proud of them! That night Braydan took me to Twilight again. I actually enjoyed the movie more the second time, probably because my expectations were a little different this time. Brayd loved it too which I was excited about. He said he will definitely go to the next three movies with me (Yay!!).

On Saturday Addison performed on Main Street with her singing group. Oh my, she looked sssoooo darn adorable & she sang Up On the Housetop so well. While waiting for her turn, she looked somewhat nervous so I didn't know if she would actually sing once she got the microphone. I was very happy that she did & she was seriously so cute. (Check out how long her dress is compared to everyone else's in her class. She totally takes after me, poor thing.)

The girls also got to sit on Santa's lap that day. They were so brave. Braydan & I found out that Ainsley would like a doll house (that is exactly what Santa brought her last year) & Addison would like a pony (hello, we already have plenty of ponies). What are two parents to do?!?

Seriously, what would life be like without little girls? I'm so grateful for mine because I just love them to bits. I'M SO GLAD I'M A MOM!!!!

"I SWEAR IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

Last night we celebrated the Holiday Season with our employees at our company Christmas Party. My Grandma Buchanan watched Ains & Addi for us while we went. When we returned to Grandma's to pick up the girls we found poor little Addison zonked in Grandma's arms with a bloody, bruised eye. Of course the culprit (aka Ainsley Marie Shaw) was quick to tell us just what happened to her little sister. Supposedly they were playing with Grandma's flashlight in the dark when Addison was "accidentally" hit in the face with it by Ainsley. Those of you who know my adorable little Ains know this could very well have NOT have been an accident. So I immediately looked directly into Ainsley's beautiful blue eyes & asked her calmly & quietly what happened. She looked at me with the most sincere look on her face & said, "Mom, I told Addison I was sorry, I was sorry, I was sorry, I was sorry. I didn't mean to! It was an accident! I'm sorry Mom." Whew!!! I really wasn't looking forward to taking care of that situation if it hadn't been an accident. Thank goodness it was. Ains felt so bad & Addison never said that Ains did it on purpose. Yay, I guess. Poor Addison!!! If she lives through her big sister, I'm sure she will be able to live through anything.

V..A..G..U..E.....VAGUE

On Friday, November 21st I was able to go to Twilight with Britt, Rochelle, Jordan, Salena, & Rochelle's Mom (sorry Mom, your name has escaped me). We decided to see the 9:30 movie. We met each other in Gunnison at 9:00 & there was already a giant line outside the theatre & the foyer was jam packed. Needless to say, we were some of the fortunate ones who were able to wait OUTSIDE in the chilly, cold weather. I really don't think any of us cared much because we were all so excited to be there. Before I left, I told Braydan that I hadn't been this excited about something so silly in a very, very long time. I compared it to that feeling I used to get when Braydan & I were first dating. You know what I'm talking about, that can't wipe the huge grin off your face, heart pumping, on the brink of laughter at any given second, happy feeling. That is exactly how I felt (ridiculous, I know). I really kept thinking, "It's just a movie Mist, stop it." The wait was finally over & they started letting us OUTSIDERS in, yay!!! Of course we rushed in & found us some pretty decent seats in the the center rows, about 3/4 of the way back. When the movie started everyone cheered, literally. It was so fun! Then it started. I loved it...at first. But as the movie progressed I just kept thinking, "Where are all the details? What about the love story?" The disappointment was beginning to settle in but then I immediately thought, "The movie is NEVER as good as the book silly!" That is sooooo true. After that, I began to love it again.

So my final analysis is this...

a) I really liked the movie.

b) The characters did an awesome job.

c) I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked Edward. All along, I've thought he needed to be much more (for lack of a better word) beautiful.

d) For a low budget film, I thought they did a great job. I LOVED the landscapes, gorgeous!!!

but...

e) It was sssooooooooo VAGUE (again, for lack of a better word)!!!

I guess I was longing for that intensity that is found in the books. Oh well, I still loved it! I know I will own it & watch it many more times.

GORGEOUS GIRLS

Last night I gave all the girls a bath before bed so this morning I decided to curl Ainsley & Addison's hair (that is a rare occasion around this place because we usually don't have time to blow dry & curl both heads of hair). They looked so adorable, I couldn't help but take some pictures of them.

Told ya!!!

GO JAZZ!!

On Monday night Braydan & I were able to go watch the Utah Jazz play the Phoenix Suns at the Energy Solutions Arena with our friends Dustin & Chelsea (thanks guys). We had a ton of fun!! We dropped the girls off at my Mom's on the way up which they were totally pumped about. They always love spending time with Grandma Mick & she's always very willing to have them (thanks Mom). The game was awesome (those of you who were watching know that though). It was exciting & had us jumping out of our chairs screaming. I love games like that!! Who doesn't love sitting on the 21st row with good friends, watching the Jazz while eating grasshopper ice cream?!? I know I sure do. We hope we get to go again soon. It was definitely a much needed break for Brayd & I.

"LOOK HOW CUTE THAT LITTLE GIRL IS!!!"

Ainsley has wanted her hair cut for some time now & I finally decided to go ahead & let her get it done. Jami (the best hair dresser ever) cut it for her yesterday. Ains was so excited the entire day. She absolutely adores Jami & loves going to her house. When we arrived, Jami was baking some cookies for a party she was hosting that night so she had to wait until they were through baking before she could get her hair done. She was very anxious during the wait & was happy when it was time to head downstairs to the salon. Ains was such a big girl. She held very still & wore a big grin the entire time.

AINSLEY LOVES HER HAIR!!!! (That may be an understatement.) She kept telling me on our way home that everyone was going to look at her & say, "Look how cute that little girl is." She is hilarious! And of course I told her she was right because seriously, look how cute my little girl is...

CELEBRATE A CEREMONY

I have a reason to celebrate! Thursday, November 13th at 10:00am I was privileged to be a part of the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Burns Cowboy Shop. There was an intimate crowd of close friends, valued customers, & family. It was an awesome event, a moment that I was proud & honored to be apart of. Danna (Braydan's Mom) spoke of our awesome history & of all the sacrifices that have been made for Burns Saddlery by our beloved ancestors. She also spoke of our collected enthusiasm & excitement to be starting this new venture within our family business. The mayor of Park City also spoke. He talked of his childhood, growing up in LA, & how he's been a cowboy at heart since the age of 13. He wished us all the best & welcomed our business to his beautiful community. Afterwards, we all mingled inside & savored the moment.

Inside there have been more changes, especially in our Design Center. The Design Center is an intimate room where our customers can design their own boots. They will be able to pick every single little detail about their boots such as; type of leather, toe style, heel style, type of sole, stitch patterns, etc., etc., etc.... You get the gist, right? Lisa & Loren Skyhorse of Durango, Colorado are the talented artists who hand carved the beautiful floor tiles in the Design Center. They also tooled the frame around the television. It is an awesome room to sit in. It invites creativity & that is exactly what we wanted, a place where our customers can create their special, one of a kind boot.

These are some pieces that we have on display for the Skyhorses. Seriously, you should see them in real life. They are absolutely beautiful.



Isn't this check out stand the most amazing thing you have ever seen? I have never seen one like it anywhere. It is made of hair on leather & tooled skirting leather. My pictures don't do it justice. It is probably the coolest cosmetic piece in the store. Wow!

As you can tell, I am very excited about our new store. In the two short weeks it has been opened, sales have been better than expected for the time of year & that makes me very happy. Yay!!! I can't wait for the ski resorts to open & tourists to fill the streets of Park City.

CHAOS...

All I can say is that we have had one chaotic week. Between school, dance, singing, dentist appointments, eye appointments, family home evening, baptisms for the dead, preparing a YW lesson, three trips to Richfield, one trip to Venice, one trip to Park City, some badly needed fall yard work, & not to mention work, I have been a complete blogging slacker!!! So I will apologize now & just post some of my favorite pictures of the week along with a short explanation.

On Monday for Family Home Evening we smashed our pumpkins (thanks for the great idea Tara) & made cupcakes. If any of you know Addison well, you will completely understand this picture. SHE IS THE MESSIEST EATER EVER!!! Don't ask me how the icing ended up all over her chest? Oh yea, & if some of you are wondering what the giant contusion on her head is, it's just a carpet burn she acquired while her big sis was dragging her across the floor because "supposedly" she wouldn't get out of her way. On Thursday I bought Alivia some rice cereal just in case she got hungry while I was at the temple. Fortunately, she slept most of the time & didn't need it. So Friday morning was her "inaugural feeding". Of course she L...O...V...E...D... it!!! She has been eyeing our food for months now so it was about time I finally gave in. And anyways, it's not like she needs another source of food. I mean look at our chunky monkey (pretty cute if you ask me)!!

Braydan took his first day off in a long time on Friday (holiday scrapbook retreat Saturday doesn't count). We opted to get some yard work done because it was such a nice day. The girls were pumped to spend most of the day outside. Aren't they cute all bundled up in their beanies & mittens? (Sorry about Ainsley's red eyes. I have no desire or time at the moment to edit those babies!)Lately it seems like every night after dinner Ains & Addi head downstairs to get "gorgeous" for their nightly "performance". They spend at least 30 minutes picking out their outfits, putting on make up, & doing their hair. Some days as they make their way back up the stairs it is all Braydan & I can do to keep a straight face, especially with Addison. This night she had on not just one, but two dresses & a concealed skirt underneath those (maybe it was to give her dresses some added volume?!?). They both adorned their brand new snow boots & some groovy hair accessories. Once they are ready, they take turns singing their own original songs & dancing (usually just running around in circles). It is hilarious!!! They are both so dang cute.

I love my cute kids!!! They make my "chaotic" life all worth it.

GRAND OPENING

Today Braydan, Ains, Addi, Alivia, Grandpa & Grandma Shaw, Grandma Red, Gail (Grandma Red's friend), & I ventured up to Park City to check out the newly opened Burns Cowboy Shop. WOW!!! I haven't been up there for a couple of weeks & I can't believe the changes that have gone on since then. The store looks fabulous. Seriously, I can't believe it is our store. I am so proud & grateful for everyone who helped put this all together. The store has already been busy, busy, busy which again, we are so grateful for. We would love for all of our friends & family to check us out, so if you're ever in the neighborhood stop in (4th North & Main).

Doesn't it look great?!? There are so many other cool projects that aren't quite finished yet. I will be sure to get pics of them when they are complete. Did I say WOW because I really meant it. WOW!!!

A WHOLE LOT OF HALLOWEEN

Let me first say that I love this time of year. Fall is my favorite season. It means back to routines, crisp, cool air, falling leaves, & of course Halloween. At our house this week, there was a whole lot of Halloween going on. We started off our week with pumpkin carving which took place Sunday evening. We got online, picked our face patterns, taped them to our pumpkins, & carved away (Brayd carved all 5 pumpkins while I taped & traced patterns). They turned out to be so adorable.

On Monday I prepared a special Halloween Family Home Evening. I made yummy caramel corn puffs (which I have never made before). They were a big hit with everyone. We went over some Halloween basics (always have Mom & Dad check your treats before eating them, don't walk in the street, always say thank you, don't accept candy from strangers, don't talk to strangers, don't ever go anywhere with a stranger, etc., etc., etc....) & played a fun game where they could review the things we had talked about. The girls had a blast.

On Tuesday the Girls & I (Brayd was in Park City) went to our Ward Halloween Carnival. The YW & YM were in charge of the event so we arrived early to help get things set up. When we got there, everything was already done (way to go everyone). We ate sloppy joes, chips, & home made root beer (mmm, the perfect Halloween food). There were all the usual carnival games to play; bobbing for apples, cake walk, fish pond, & bean bag toss. I had to take Addison potty while we were finishing up dinner & when I came back Ains was gone. She had already been to three games by herself by the time we returned. She was sooooo excited she could hardly contain herself!! Addison was a bit more timid at first but M'Shelle fixed that. She took her to the "donut" game & helped her eat her donut right off the string & that was that, no more shyness. In fact she stuck her face right in the cold water (multiple times I might add) while bobbing for apples. I think she was the only toddler who did that. In fact, I think she may have been the only child under 10 years old who did that. It was too cute. Alivia hung out with Rochelle the entire time (THANKS A MILLION!!! WHAT WOULD I DO WITHOUT YOU ROCHELLE?). I'm actually not quite sure what they did or where they were most of the time but I do know we all had a great time.

Wednesday was Ainsley's class Halloween party. She looked adorable dressed in her Tinkerbelle costume. Her back pack was completely full of treats when she returned. She was pleased, of course.

Addison's class Halloween party was on Thursday. She was sooo excited because this was her first Halloween party for school, it being her first year. She got a bunch of treats too.

Finally, Friday arrived & so it was Halloween. We started off the day with breakfast of course, french ghosts & eggs to be exact. The girls were so excited when I presented their plates I just couldn't quit smiling.

Unfortunately Braydan decided that he would teach me how to do payroll after breakfast. I was bummed that I had to work on Halloween. I had promised the girls the night before that I wouldn't but Brayd insisted I learn. (I had forgotten that I will be doing this while they are in Las Vegas at the NFR. I only have two pay periods to get it down & believe me it is not an easy process. In fact it is very time consuming & has at least 25 steps.) Then it was time to get ready for trick-or-treating. After baths, costuming, hair, & make-up we were ready to go. Yay!!! We were a little sad this year though because the Gladwell's were gone, Papa & Nana were gone, Grandpa George was gone, & Grandpa & Grandma Buchanan were gone. There is one advantage to having young children though, they don't really notice when people are gone because they are so wrapped up in the moment. But Braydan & I sure noticed. We missed everyone, it just wasn't the same. The girls were spoiled rotten by everyone, as usual. They had such a great time & looked absolutely adorable.

During all the Halloween hoopla, Alivia started saying Dada & learned to sit up (she's still a little wobbly). Holy Moly!!! I swear she is growing up faster than my other girls. I wish she would just stop it.

And of course, Burns Cowboy Shop officially opened today. Wow, what a week & we enjoyed every minute of it.