Rudy Family Rukus~Parenting tips and humor meet in one big "rukus"

I think this is our first official snowman at this house.  We made one at the grandma house last year (thanks Uncle Brandon).  But this one had a weed for one arm and a Christmas tree branch for the other arm. His eye's and buttons are made of Hershey kisses and his nose is a carrot of course.  He did have a chef's hat that Dalton crafted from snow but that got knocked off before I could photograph.  The snowman also got demoed by two rambunctious children!!  Now he is small, small, small!!

We started a new Christmas Eve tradition this year thanks to a neighborhood gift.  We put out food for Santa's reindeer that had sparkles in it so that they would know where to land.  It was pretty fun!

Okay so apparently I am having some technical difficulties with this post.  The movie is The Women with Meg Ryan , Eva Mendez, Annette Bening, Debra Messing, Jada Pinket Smith, Bette Midler, Candice Bergen.  IT is really great. First of all thanks to my husband for granting my Christmas wish and getting me this great movie.  It was so refreshing in this give up, throw away, selfish world we live in.  I laughed, I cried, and most of all I was renewed!  I am thinking of having a showing here on my new blu-ray player!  Anyone interested let me know!

December 2008 So I just finished my way too fancy homemade Christmas cards and realized that I did not want to spoil them by writing on them or even by adding a bragging letter that no one really reads anyway.  Do they???  What I did include was an adorable picture of three really cute kiddos and a note that referred everyone I know to my BLOG.  I am such a cheater. Needless to say because I have a BLOG I brag (and complain) daily about what goes on around here but for those of you who are just visiting for the the first time let me catch you up. Dalton started Kindergarten this year.  He LOVES it!!  I am not surprised really but I am grateful that he has a fantastic teacher who adores him and thinks he can do no wrong.  He is starting out young with the whole charm thing (good for ya! dude).  He played t-ball this year which I coached (seriously what was I thinking?)  I spent most of the season trying to convince him there is NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!  (gotta love the movie reference the

So I got tagged to pick the fourth picture in the fourth file.  I have  a MAC and it doesn't file my pictures like that so this picture had the number 4 in it and I am pretty sure it was in the fourth month (I could be mistaken).  Needless to say it is a pretty cute picture and I just noticed I have taken almost 10000 pictures of my kids so it is pretty hard to choose a favorite.  This was obviously me and Dalton at my cousins wedding reception.  It didn't realize it was that long ago, but see how Dalton has changed!

Just a little leary of what Santa might have to say! Entire class with Santa. Peyton is in the cutest little dance class.  She loves it and her teachers Miss Diane and Miss Becky.  These are just a few shots from this years Christmas preview and visit from Santa.  Notice all the balancing poses!  Such an improvement from last year all she did was cry and beg for ice cream.  

a mess really.  But here are some shots of me and the kids getting into the Christmas spirit.  Of course there was Christmas music blaring in the background and lots of helping to unload the Christmas bins.  But the best part of this year is that we sprung for a real tree.  I love real Christmas trees it just gets me into the mood for Christmas.  I love everything about them .  The smell, the mess, the huge sagging bows.  We always had real trees when I was little in fact we used to cut our own. I have such great memories of cutting Christmas trees and fire wood.  Maybe one day my kids will get to have those memories as well. For now the memory of walking through the lot at Lowe's will have to suffice.haha!!

Grandpa spoils them rotten and for the past week I have been trying to convince her that my juice (diet coke) is not her juice.

There was under armour back then.  Make no mistake about what is important around this house.  (in case you don't know it is football and the sponsor that clothes the family!!)

Happy Birthday to my dear friend Jolie.  I hope this birthday brings her a better year.  We have been friends for a LONG time and I am so grateful for her friendship.  Here's to many more years.  I would have posted a picture but since the change to the MAC I can't find any pictures of her should would approve of!!  Love you Jolie!

I am a blog stalker.  I admit it and I even post the blogs I stalk on my BLOG but today as I was catching up on the blog stalking I ran across a few things that sparked my interest.  I am extending a challenge to those of you (and to myself) who stalk or openly read here to LET YOUR HALO SHOW.  I know we all have them after all we are all children of God. (Don't believe me ask my 6 year old who gave a talk about it in primary).  This time of year in particular is a great time.  If you wouldn't mind comment on how you have or plan to show your halo.  I always need ideas for service and random acts of kindness.  Besides that it might make me appreciate my friends and family a little more so my halo could show a little too!

12-0 is oh so nice.  Can't wait for the bowl game.  I did not take this picture stole it from the utes website.  I did not brave the field, hugged my hubby from the stands and then drove home with the other 46,488 people.  It was a great crowd and a great end to a perfect season.

Was coming home to this!!   I didn't take my camera because I didn't know where I would pack it first of all and then I didn't want to carry it to work with me everyday while I was back there so I ended up buying a crappy disposable camera back there because everything around the hotel was beautiful.  Hopefully some of the pictures turned out okay and I will post the scrapbook page I make from those shots!

I became a mom.  (And I totally lost it!)  Well not completely just enough to scare my mom into thinking she was going to have to live with me for the rest of Dalton's life.  haha.  But we survived it and six years later I have three silly kids who enjoy each other's birthdays as much as their own.  We love you Dalton and hope you have a fantastic number 6!! Clowning around at lunch time! Is there a better present than transformers?  I think not by the look on his face! He is so crazy he actually wanted to pose and of course Peyton is in the background coaching!!

Since Peyton was well about Kayton's age she always needed a blanket draped over her to prove that she is a princess or queen or whatever the case may be.  Today little sis needed the same attire.  Both royal robes have special meaning to me, one was hand crocheted by my great grandma and the other made for Peyton when she was very little by my sis-in-law who is very crafty and talented indeed! Showing off her royal dance moves!  Saying "sheese"!  Does that need a translation????

Trunk or treat.  Glad we went to Price for Halloween because I LOVE trunk or treat and I was soooo disappointed we didn't have one this year! When I grow up I want to be this stinking cute from the rear!  Note the candy in one hand the flashlight in the other in the broad daylight! This is the best cat-girl ever! (not cat woman she is not a woman she is a girl) Love the stance! Kayton is just wondering what has gotten into these people!  Thanks grandpa and grandma for making this such a great Halloween.  We missed our dad but you sure helped us have a good time!!

I am probably going to get this wrong but every year the Utah Utes pick a child that is sick and wants to meet the team and/or coaches and they visit them and give them cool stuff like a signed football or other cool goodies.  Anyway this is the second or third year and to cheer me up Jeff sent me this picture of them with this happy kid.  Jeff is usually the one who coordinates and gets it all together so I am really proud of him!  Go UTES!

Costume parade.  Dalton had a permanent grin on his face once he got that Batman costume on. Peyton is Catwoman if there is any question.  She told me she wanted to be the girl from Batman.   More smiles from Dalton. Need I say anything??? Group shot from afar.  That is Peter's camera in front.  Pretty sure his photo will turn out better than mine!!

Blurry but you get the idea. So we braved the Scarecrow Festival again.  Even though last year I swore we would not.  There was a lot of crying and some puking last year.  We made it without most of those things this year but there were about a million people with our same idea. I was sad about this picture because one second earlier they were holding hands. We did attempt face painting basically because it was the only thing that didn't have a 45 minute wait.

Getting them on. Wrong feet of course but when your feet are that much smaller pretty sure it doesn't matter! I can't stop laughing.  High heels and jammies are truly a fashion statement and she wears it so well!

Yesterday Peyton woke up with a tummy ache and kept telling me she needed to puke.  So despite several trips to the toilet and back into bed no results.  I gave her some gatorade and told her to rest quietly in my bed.  She didn't want to stay in bed alone so she came downstairs to the couch and we were all snuggling when suddenly, PUKE all over mom and before she was even finished she said "I want Daddy!"  Believe me I wanted him too. So after a few more episodes and a short nap by afternoon she was all bright eyed and busy tailed as you see here eating her Happy Hour Slushie from Sonic!!

This looks like a pretty serious conversation but I am not sure what could be that troublesome at a football game.  (Maybe this is where she was learning that we don't kiss boys! See side bar) Dalton is pretty serious as well.   Finally a smile from grandma she is getting "mugged on" by two cute girls!